Press Releases
Womack Remembers Tommy Ratzlaff, John Brown, and 28 American Servicemembers Who Perished 15 Years Ago in Extortion 17 Shootdown
Washington,
August 6, 2026
ARKANSAS—August 6, 2026…Fifteen years ago, on August 6, 2011, a U.S. Army CH-47D Chinook helicopter with the call sign Extortion 17 was shot down by Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan. All 38 people on board were killed, including Special Warfare Operator Senior Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Thomas A. Ratzlaff of Green Forest and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Pararescueman John W. Brown of Siloam Springs. The downing of Extortion 17 is the largest single-incident loss of life during the War in Afghanistan. Remembering the tragedy, Congressman Womack said, “Today, we remember the thirty United States servicemembers aboard Extortion 17 who lost their lives in defense of our nation while aiding fellow troops under fire. I especially honor the two exceptional men from Northwest Arkansas, Thomas A. Ratzlaff and John W. Brown, who gave the last full measure of devotion for our country that day.” Womack continued, “Ratzlaff was lauded as a skilled Navy SEAL who exhibited excellence in every mission he executed. Brown embodied the courage and precision required to be a warrior-medic in his duties as a pararescueman. These men exemplified service and duty, sacrificing their lives in devotion to something greater than themselves—a sacrifice that speaks to their extraordinary level of character and bravery.” Womack concluded, “John Brown and Thomas Ratzlaff’s legacy of courage and selfless service endures in the young men and women—many from Northwest Arkansas—who have sworn an oath to defend the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. We are forever indebted to the sacrifices made by them and the other 28 fallen American servicemembers aboard Extortion 17, and their families, and we will never forget.” Background: On August 5, 2011, American intelligence determined that a senior Taliban leader, Qari Tahir, was operating in Tangi Valley, Wardak province, Afghanistan. A capture or kill order was subsequently given, and that night, a platoon of U.S. Army Rangers were deployed from a Forward Operating Base (FOB) in neighboring Logar province to execute the mission. After the U.S. Army Rangers infiltration, support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft reported several people leaving the compound where it was believed Tahir was located. The U.S. Army Rangers, focused on finding Tahir, did not engage this small contingent of insurgents. ISR aircraft began noticing this group of insurgents growing, and intelligence suggested that Tahir may have escaped the compound and joined the group. This prompted American leadership to determine reinforcements were required. Their mission would be to focus on this separate contingent. Just after midnight, a group of Navy SEALs in reserve were activated to reinforce the U.S. Army Rangers as part of an Immediate Reaction Force (IRF). SOCS Thomas Ratzlaff was one of the U.S. Navy SEALs assigned to this team. In addition, before departing the FOB, a group of non-Navy SEAL reinforcements were added to the IRF. Tech. Sgt. John Brown was a member of this non-Navy SEAL group. The IRF set off from the FOB with two CH-47D aircraft, call signs “Extortion 16” and “Extortion 17”. Extortion 16 acted as a decoy for the duration of the flight, while Extortion 17 held the entire IRF. Before making its final approach, Extortion 16 broke off and began its return to the FOB. At approximately 2:38 a.m. local time, Extortion 17 was making its final approach. One minute from the landing zone, the aircraft made its last radio transmission. The group of separate insurgents, just minutes before, had broken into two separate groups. One group stayed in the trees. The other entered a building in the compound, located about 2 kilometers away from where the U.S. Army Rangers were engaged. As the aircraft made its approach, a rocket-propelled grenade was launched at the aircraft by a group of insurgents previously unknown and unaffiliated with the splintered insurgents intelligence was tracking. Striking the aft rotor assembly, the aircraft was immediately disabled and crashed within seconds of being struck. Two hours later, at around 4:15 a.m. local time, the U.S. Army Rangers arrived at the crash site after concluding their mission. No survivors were found. Qari Tahir was never captured. Days after the incident, General John Allen, the U.S. Commander in Afghanistan, stated that the militants who had shot down Extortion 17 had been tracked down and killed in a NATO airstrike. On September 21, over a month later, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) reported that Qari Tahir and an associate were located in a dry riverbed in Sayd Abad district. A precision airstrike was conducted, targeting Tahir. On September 22, it was widely reported that Tahir was killed in the strike. The Extortion 17 incident represents the largest single-incident loss of lives during the War in Afghanistan. Photos:
Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) has represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District since 2011. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee. ### |
