
The Final Mission of Extortion 17
Special Ops, Helicopter Support, SEAL Team Six, and the Deadliest Day of the US War in Afghanistan
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Narrated by:
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John Pruden
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By:
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Ed Darack
About this listen
On August 6, 2011, a US Army CH-47D Chinook helicopter approached a landing zone in Afghanistan 40 miles southwest of Kabul. The helicopter, call sign Extortion 17, was on a mission to reinforce American and coalition special operations troops. It would never return. Insurgents fired at the Chinook, severed one of its rear rotor blades, and brought it crashing to the ground. All 38 onboard perished instantly in the single greatest moment of sacrifice for Americans in the war in Afghanistan.
Those killed were some of the United States' most highly trained and battle-honed commandos, including 15 men from the Gold Squadron of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, known popularly as SEAL Team 6, which had raided a Pakistan compound and killed Osama bin Laden just three months earlier.
The downing of Extortion 17 spurred a number of conspiracy theories, such as the idea that the shootdown was revenge for bin Laden's death. In The Final Mission of Extortion 17, Ed Darack debunks this theory and others and uncovers the truth behind this mysterious tragedy. His account of the brave pilots, crew, and passengers of Extortion 17 and the events of that fateful day is interwoven into a rich, complex narrative that also discusses modern joint combat operations, the history of the Afghan war to that date, US helicopter use in Afghanistan, and the new and evolving military technologies and tactics being developed to mitigate such tragedies now and in the future.
©2017 Ed Darack (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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Story
The Last Punisher is a bold, no-holds-barred first-person account of the Iraq War. With wry humor and moving testimony, Kevin Lacz tells the story of his tour in Iraq with SEAL Team Three, the warrior elite of the navy. This legendary unit, known as The Punishers, included Chris Kyle ( American Sniper), Mike Monsoor, Ryan Job, and Marc Lee. These brave men were instrumental in securing the key locations in the pivotal 2006 Battle of Ramadi, told with stunning detail in this book.
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Good story, poorly read
- By Dusty on 09-03-16
By: Kevin Lacz, and others
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Never Quit
- From Alaskan Wilderness Rescues to Afghanistan Firefights as an Elite Special Ops PJ
- By: Jimmy Settle, Don Rearden
- Narrated by: Chris Abell
- Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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"That Others May Live" is a mantra that defines the fearless men of Alaska's 212th Pararescue Unit, the PJs, one of the most elite military forces on the planet. Whether they are rescuing citizens injured and freezing in the Alaskan wilderness or saving wounded Rangers and SEALs in blazing firefights at war, the PJs are the least known and most highly trained of America's warriors. Never Quit is the true story of how Jimmy Settle, an Alaskan shoe-store clerk, became a Special Forces Operator and war hero.
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Unbelievable Heroism by AF Parajumpers
- By Larry on 11-26-17
By: Jimmy Settle, and others
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Victory Point
- Operations Red Wings and Whalers - the Marine Corps' Battle for Freedom in Afghanistan
- By: Ed Darack
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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In late June, 2005, media sources recounted the tragic story of 19 US special-operations personnel who died at the hands of insurgent/terrorist leader Ahmad Shah - and the lone survivor of Shah's ambush - deep in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan. The harrowing events of Operation Red Wings marked an important - yet widely misreported - chapter in the Global War on Terror, the full details of which the public burned to learn. Victory Point reveals the complete, as-yet untold story of Operation Red Wings and the follow-on mission, Operation Whalers.
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A must read!!
- By Bruce Cornish on 11-02-18
By: Ed Darack
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All Secure
- A Special Operations Soldier's Fight to Survive on the Battlefield and the Homefront
- By: Tom Satterly, Steve Jackson
- Narrated by: Tom Satterly
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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As a senior non-commissioned officer of Delta Force, the most elite and secretive special operations unit in the US military, Command Sergeant Major Tom Satterly fought some of this country's most fearsome enemies. Tom is a legend even among other Tier One special operators. Yet the enemy that cost him three marriages, and ruined his health physically and psychologically, existed in his brain. Told through Satterly's firsthand experiences, it also weaves in the reasons for his career-long battle against the most insidious enemy of all: post-traumatic stress.
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- One of those books that truly make a difference
- By henry on 12-21-19
By: Tom Satterly, and others
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Code over Country
- The Tragedy and Corruption of SEAL Team Six
- By: Matthew Cole
- Narrated by: Braden Wright
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Investigative journalist Matthew Cole tells the story of the most lauded unit, SEAL Team 6, revealing a troubling pattern of war crimes and the deep moral rot beneath authorized narratives. From their origins in World War II, the SEALs have trained to be specialized killers with short missions. As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan became the endless War on Terror, their violence spiraled out of control. Code Over Country details the high-level decisions that unleashed the SEALs’ carnage and the coverups that prevented their crimes from coming to light.
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chip on the author's shoulder
- By Ted on 03-07-22
By: Matthew Cole
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Call Sign Extortion 17
- The Shoot-Down of Seal Team Six
- By: Don Brown
- Narrated by: Bill Thatcher
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Don Brown, a former US Navy JAG officer stationed at the Pentagon and a former special assistant United States attorney, re-creates the wartime action, tells the life stories of the elite warriors our nation lost on that day and tears apart the official military explanation of the incident contained in the infamous Colt Report, which reveals either gross incompetence or a massive cover-up.
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Conspiratorial prattle
- By Mark on 09-12-15
By: Don Brown
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The Night Stalkers
- By: Michael J. Durant, Steven Hartov, Lt. Col - Ret Robert L. Johnson
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Here are thrilling, never-before-heard stories of the Army's elite aviation unit - the most daring and professional helicopter crews in the world. Special Operations pilots are notoriously reticent; they don't talk about their missions, at least not to anyone outside their small community. But now, with the publication of The Night Stalkers, Durant and Steven Hartov shed a fascinating light on these mysterious super commandos and take readers into a world they have only imagined.
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A book that does justice
- By Robert on 10-05-07
By: Michael J. Durant, and others
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Guns, Girls, and Greed
- I Was a Blackwater Mercenary in Iraq
- By: Morgan Lerette
- Narrated by: Jay Mohr
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Lerette, a private contractor employed by the notorious Blackwater in the early days of the Iraq War, pulls no punches in calling out the incompetence of both the US military and the Department of State during the collapse of Iraq. You can decide if the insertion of private contractors in Iraq assisted or detracted from the war effort and if the costs in blood and treasure were worth the carnage.
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A funny, yet no bullshit view on the pros and cons of being a contractor in iraq
- By Kyle Gabree on 04-12-25
By: Morgan Lerette
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Fearless
- The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown
- By: Eric Blehm
- Narrated by: Robert Petkoff
- Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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When Navy SEAL Adam Brown woke up on March 17, 2010, he didn’t know he would die that night in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan—but he was ready. In a letter to his children, not meant to be seen unless the worst happened, he wrote, “I’m not afraid of anything that might happen to me on this earth, because I know no matter what, nothing can take my spirit from me.”
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Best Book I’ve Read This Year!
- By The Sun on 09-26-24
By: Eric Blehm
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Scouts Out!
- A Kiowa Warrior Pilot’s Perspective of War in Afghanistan
- By: Ryan Robicheaux
- Narrated by: Timothy G Little
- Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior—a deep reconnaissance scout and attack aircraft—was legendary to those it supported. Regularly flying mere feet off of the ground while intentionally drawing enemy fire, almost everyone called Kiowa pilots crazy. Responsible for hunting elusive enemy fighters and protecting those under their charge, Kiowa crews displayed a fierce and intense devotion that was unparalleled.
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Very detailed, great storytelling.
- By Ryan on 08-01-23
By: Ryan Robicheaux
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The Warriors of Anbar
- The Marines Who Crushed Al Qaeda - the Greatest Untold Story of the Iraq War
- By: Ed Darack, James E. Donnellan - foreword
- Narrated by: James Edward Thomas
- Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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When the 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Marine Regiment ("2/3") arrived in the little-known "Haditha Triad" region of western Iraq's Al Anbar Province in September of 2006, the region exploded in a storm of terrorist violence. The most battle-hardened of Al Qaeda had fled to the Triad, and, taking their last, desperate gasps for survival after years of bloody war, lashed out at the battalion with everything they could muster.
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Amazing story.
- By David Moseley on 02-11-20
By: Ed Darack, and others
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Day of the Rangers
- The Battle of Mogadishu 25 Years On
- By: Leigh Neville, Matt Eversmann - foreword
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 11 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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On October 3, 1993, Task Force Ranger was dispatched to seize two high-profile lieutenants of a Somali warlord. Special Forces troops were transported by ground vehicles and helicopters, and the mission was meant to be over within the hour. They quickly found themselves under heavy fire, and two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down. With a hastily organized relief column many hours away, the American troops faced a desperate battle for survival.
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Wow. Great story
- By dexter on 09-21-18
By: Leigh Neville, and others
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The Only Thing Worth Dying For
- How Eleven Green Berets Forged a New Afghanistan
- By: Eric Blehm
- Narrated by: P.J. Ochlan
- Length: 12 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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The Only Thing Worth Dying For chronicles the most important mission in the early days of the Global War on Terror, when the men on the ground knew little about the enemy - and their commanders in Washington knew even less. With unprecedented access to surviving members of ODA 574, key war planners, and Karzai himself, award-winning author Eric Blehm cuts through the noise of politicians and high-level military officials to narrate, for the first time, a story of uncommon bravery and terrible sacrifice.
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Ending is..... can't even put a word to it.
- By Ben on 04-18-15
By: Eric Blehm
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Men in Green Faces
- A Novel of U.S. Navy SEALs
- By: Gene Wentz, B. Abell Jurus
- Narrated by: Jeff Gurner
- Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Gene Wentz's Men in Green Faces is the classic novel of Vietnam that inspired a generation of SEALs. Here is the story of a good soldier trained to be part of an elite team of warriors - and of the killing grounds where he was forever changed. Gene Michaels carries an M-60, 800 rounds, and a Bible. The ultimate SEAL, he also carries a murderous grudge against a bloodthirsty colonel who was once one of their own.
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Too much like a Hollywood movie...
- By Oldthaiger on 02-23-15
By: Gene Wentz, and others
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Thank You for My Service
- By: Mat Best, Ross Patterson, Nils Parker
- Narrated by: Mat Best
- Length: 7 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Members of the military’s special operations branches share a closely guarded secret: They love their jobs. They relish the opportunity to fight. They are thankful for it, even, and hopeful that maybe they’ll get to kill a bunch of bad guys while they’re at it. You don’t necessarily need to thank them for their service - the pleasure is all theirs. In this hilarious and personal memoir, listeners ride shotgun alongside former Army Ranger and private military contractor and current social media phenomenon Mat Best, into the action and its aftermath, both abroad and at home.
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If Deadpool was a ranger...with less cancer
- By Rick Valkyrie on 08-21-19
By: Mat Best, and others
What listeners say about The Final Mission of Extortion 17
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- Kevin T Phillips
- 04-06-21
Bravery in Detail
Fascinating and heart wrenching story. The detailed account about the machines, people, and drive that makes Army Aviation possible. You will cry from chapter 12 on, listen anyway.
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- Rick
- 06-03-23
A well presented account of this tragedy
This book recounts many of the events surrounding the downing of Extortion 17. In addition to that, it presents the listener with an overview of the detailed mechanics of mission planning and the support needed during the prosecution of HVTs during our War on Terror.
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- jackritter
- 07-23-18
Honest Look at an American Tragedy.
The author puts a human face to the heroes of Army Aviation and the Troops they support and defend. The DEVGUR Operators hold the men and women who support their missions in the highest regards. They are there transportation, anchor, and lifeline if need when the chips are down and others run from the call. The great people who serve and defend our country are our best and brightest.
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20 people found this helpful
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- Darren Sapp
- 04-26-19
Full On Military
Some may find this a bit dry reading but military junkies will love the detail of the aircraft, mission, etc. I would have liked more backstory on the brave men that served and rode in the final mission Extortion 17.
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- Eric
- 07-15-19
Amazing story of bravery and commitment
Great story that reminds some of us that freedom isn't free. God bless the men and women of the United States armed services
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- Jacob Bretthorst
- 09-21-20
really great
really informative in the role of army aviation in the war on terror. the narration is among the best ive heard on audible
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- NAWestbrook
- 11-10-21
Riveting & Sad
Well-written…riveting…and very very sad.
Clearly well researched.
Thank you for your focus dedication and compassion in writing this story.
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- JustBill
- 10-13-18
My Sincere Condolences To All
I imagine if you walk up to a person and ask them,"What do you think about Extortion 17," I believe in many cases you would get the answer, "What?"
I have read two government reports, and now this book, on the largest loss of life's in the history of Spec Op Combat Soldiers, in a far off land that strategically means nothing to this country. I sensed in this book it may be the government version, as hard questions on this mission were definitely not answered or even approached.
It is worth listening to, and in the end, the fact is the US lost the finest youngsters this nation has ever produced, and cannot imagine the grief the families and loved ones went through at the loss of a son, or brother, and imagine that pain will never leave them. As a US Veteran, I remember that day like it was yesterday, as my son was serving in the AF that very day, and although he was far away, I do remember think
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- Rebecca
- 03-02-20
Wow I'm definitely going to recommend.
I found it interesting to hear how each individual military person came to be on the chinook that crassed. All these men were extraordinary and I liked how they talk about each of them personal. I learned a lot about the military that I really had no idea existed.
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- Charlotte Ward
- 08-17-20
Unavoidable jingoism but otherwise pretty good
I was looking for the story of the event, not so much hero worship. It wasn’t all that, but there were parts that fell flat for me as I don’t wear American flag t-shirts.
The buildup to the events is well told, with crew background and relative events which lead up to the disaster.
The narrator sounds like Major Dad, which is a big plus to the aforementioned flag wearers. It’s fitting for the story.
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