August 6th, 2014 brings the third anniversary of the shoot down of the Boeing CH-17 Chinook helicopter, call sign Extortion 17. The ensuing fiery crash resulted in the deaths of 31 men including 22 members of Navy SEAL Team Six. The team was on it’s way to provide ground support to an Army Ranger unit engaged in a firefight in the Tanqi Province, Afghanistan.   For family members of the men killed that morning it will be a time for remembrance, mourning, and for many, a time that will renew their deep sense of frustration and anger.

 

Anger that stems from three years of being shunned by government officials, lied to by the Pentagon, and possibly being spied on by the NSA. In some cases certain family members have been labeled as “conspiracy theorists” because they refuse to accept the official account of what actually happened that awful day.

 

Who can blame them? For three years they have been fed one lie after another by military officials who barely took the time to perform a proper investigation. Their search for the truth has taken them on a journey down twisted turning mine filled roads that lead to nowhere.   These are everyday ordinary American families whose sons have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their nation. All they want and all they have ever wanted  is a legitimate, thorough, above board non-political investigation of the events of that day.    Yes, Congress did perform a perfunctory investigation that supported that backed up the Pentagon’s accounting, but family members, with their questions in hand, were forbidden from appearing before the panel. Why? What are the people’s elected representatives so afraid of?

http://youtu.be/uqJ6Zq

For all intents and purposes the press has shirked its responsibility by virtually turning a blind eye to the suspicious circumstances that surround the shoot down of Extortion 17. Perhaps we the people are partly to blame for that, the national news attention span is short.   There have been alternative internet news sites such as Newsstalkers,and Infowars that have taken up the flag in support of the families quest for answers, however, it appears as if the military’s 60 day, repercussion free investigation has been swallowed hook, line, and sinker by the press and the American public.

So, we here at the Worcester Herald will remember with a somber sense of  eternal gratitude those brave, valiant young men who perished that day in a country too far away from home, in an ungrateful, unforgiving land, Afghanistan.

 

To their families we say, we remember and stand with you all today.

 

  • Darrik C Benson, PO1 SEAL
  • Alexander J Bennett, Sgt.
  • Brian R Bill, CPO SEAL
  • John W Brown, Tech Sgt., USAF PJ
  • Christopher G. Campbell, PO1 SEAL
  • David R Carter, CWO4
  • Jared W Day, Information Systems Technician PO1
  • John “Jet Li” Douangdara, Master at Arms 1st Class
  • Spencer C Duncan, Spc.
  • John W Faas, CPO SEAL
  • Patrick D Hamburger, Staff Sgt.
  • Andrew W Harvell, Staff Sgt., USAF CCT
  • Kevin A Houston, CPO SEAL
  • Jonas B Kelsall, Lt CMDR SEAL
  • Louis “Lou” J Langlais, Master Chief SEAL
  • Matthew D Mason, CPO SEAL
  • Steven “Matt” M Mills, CPO SEAL
  • Bryan J Nichols, CWO2
  • Nicholas H Null, CPO EOD
  • Jesse D Pittman, PO1 SEAL
  • Thomas A Ratzlaff, Senior Chief SEAL
  • Robert J Reeves, CPO SEAL
  • Heath M Robinson, CPO SEAL
  • Nicholas P Spehar, PO2 SEAL
  • Michael J Strange, Cryptologist Technician PO1
  • Jon “JT” T Tumilson, PO1 SEAL=
  • Aaron C Vaughn, PO1 SEAL
  • Kraig M Vickers, Senior Chief EOD
  • Jason R Workman, CPO SEAL
  • Daniel L Zerbe, Tech Sgt., USAF PJ
  • Bart, K-9

Rest in peace, brave warriors. May God bless your families and friends. We thank you for your sacrifice and service. You will never be forgotten.   Great column from Uncle Sam’s Misguided Children, must read.