Large loss of life in Afghanistan copter crash

Bob Hubbard

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A Chinook helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan overnight while on a mission. Casualties are around 38, including 30 US SEAL's.

  • Most of the dead are U.S. Navy SEALs, U.S. officials say
  • Obama and others express their condolences
  • A U.S. military official identified the helicopter as a CH-47 Chinook
  • A Taliban spokesman says insurgents shot down the helicopter in a rocket attack.
  • 7 Afghans died in the crash, his office said
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/08/06/afghanistan.nato.helicopter.crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

DEADLIEST DAYS IN AFGHANISTAN
Saturday's NATO crash is believed to have left more than two dozen U.S. troops dead, which would make it the war's worst single-day loss, according to a CNN count. Here are previous large-scale losses.

U.S.
April 6, 2005 -- 15 soldiers, 3 civilian contractors killed in crash of helicopter traveling in severe weather.

June 27, 2005 -- 8 soldiers, 8 sailors killed when MH-47 helicopter downed by rocket-propelled grenade.

May 6, 2006 -- 10 soldiers killed in helicopter crash.

Oct. 26, 2009 -- 3 DEA agents, 7 troops killed as they returned from raid.
BRITAIN


Sept. 2, 2006 -- 14 troops killed in NATO plane crash believed to be due to technical problem.
FRANCE

Aug. 18, 2008 -- 10 soldiers killed in insurgent attack on patrol.
SPAIN

Aug. 16, 2005 -- 17 troops die in helicopter crash. Accident most likely cause, but attack not ruled out
 
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Bob Hubbard

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FOX is reporting that 20 of the SEALs were involved in the mission that removed Osama bin Laden from this world.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/0...s-killed-in-helicopter-crash/?test=latestnews
The Associated Press has learned that more than 20 Navy SEALs from the unit that killed Osama bin Laden were among those lost in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan.

MSNBC is reporting that most if not all of SEAL TEAM 6 were lost.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44043847/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/

The Taliban claimed to have shot down the troop-carrying Chinook helicopter during a firefight. The Chinook was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, a military source reportedly told the New York Times.
 
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Bob Hubbard

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BBC is also claiming it was shot down.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14430735

Neither the US nor Nato have confirmed the cause, but witnesses, officials and the Taliban say it was shot down
A senior official of President Barack Obama's administration said the helicopter was apparently shot down, Associated Press news agency said.
An official with the Nato-led coalition in Afghanistan told the New York Times the helicopter was shot down with a rocket-propelled grenade.

Prayers and thoughts go to the families of all those lost.
 

Archangel M

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They are saying that the SEALS were members of JSOC but were not personally involved in the Bin Laden takedown.
 

RandomPhantom700

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I really don't mean to sound callous by observing this, and it will probably illustrate my ignorance as to real military operations, but in an 8-year war, the single deadliest day is 24 dead? Isn't that kind of a...well, good stat in and of itself? The other thing I wonder is whether there's any way to protect a transport helicopter aside from recon ahead of time.

Again, I don't mean to make light of the loss, and my condolensces go out to the families of the dead.
 

Archangel M

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I really don't mean to sound callous by observing this, and it will probably illustrate my ignorance as to real military operations, but in an 8-year war, the single deadliest day is 24 dead? Isn't that kind of a...well, good stat in and of itself? The other thing I wonder is whether there's any way to protect a transport helicopter aside from recon ahead of time.

Again, I don't mean to make light of the loss, and my condolensces go out to the families of the dead.

I agree. This is a war right?

While it's a personal tragedy, and SOCOM personnel are not the easiest to replace, I don't know if the media trend of making a chopper shoot-down (not with this one yet..but I'm waiting) seem like a major strategic defeat is a good thing.
 
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Bob Hubbard

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I really don't mean to sound callous by observing this, and it will probably illustrate my ignorance as to real military operations, but in an 8-year war, the single deadliest day is 24 dead? Isn't that kind of a...well, good stat in and of itself? The other thing I wonder is whether there's any way to protect a transport helicopter aside from recon ahead of time.

Again, I don't mean to make light of the loss, and my condolensces go out to the families of the dead.

The nature of modern warfare. Modern forces will usually have much less loss than those fielding outdated armies. The modern infantry has body armor, high tech equipment and medicines. Our enemies are fielding basically Korean War era troops. No armor, old gear and less advanced field treatment. We might have 5 guys shot up, but most of the time they'll come out alive. 5 enemy shot up, usually = 5 dead from trauma and blood loss. Where we are seeing higher losses in our forces are cases just like this. Rapid-Blood-Clot doesn't work well when you are in 4 pieces from an RPG.

Our forces aren't invulnerable, just harder to hurt. This time, an RPG hurt us bad.
By current standards.

We've yet to equal the losses from 1 day at Gettysburg (1863), or Normandy (1945) in both Iraq & Afghanistan.
I hope we never do.
 

Carol

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I agree. This is a war right?

While it's a personal tragedy, and SOCOM personnel are not the easiest to replace, I don't know if the media trend of making a chopper shoot-down (not with this one yet..but I'm waiting) seem like a major strategic defeat is a good thing.

Its definitely not a major strategic defeat. We had NATO folks in our office for training in our office this week. They are deploying at the end of the month are doing so to begin transitioning some operations to the Afghanis. While I don't know what their plans are, I highly doubt that the installation in Wardak would have be a point of transition this year, whether this tragedy occurred or not.
 

Twin Fist

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thats what happens when you are flying around in a 50 year old helo design. A huge loss for the US specops community. Prayers and condolences to thier families and teammates
 

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