Call Sign Extortion 17 (32 page)

House Oversight and Government Committee congressional hearings
, 43
, 225–41
, 242
, 243
, 252

 

Immediate Reaction Forces (IRFs)
, 19–20
, 25
, 71
, 186
.
See also
US Navy SEALs

Initial Assault Force (IAF)
, 185

investigation
, 21–23
, 37
, 54–59
, 63
, 71
.
See also
Colt Report

Investigation Findings and Recommendations
(Colt Report, Enclosure B)
, 92

Islam
, 4–5

 

Joint Combat Assessment Team (JCAT)
, 159–71
, 177

Joint Combat Assessment Team (JCAT) investigations
, 22

Joint Special Operations Command
, 52

Joint Special Operations Task Force (JSOTF, Lima Bravo)
, 159
, 199
, 203–11
, 219–20
, 221
, 230–31

Judicial Watch
, 34

 

Karzai, Hamid
, 73–74
, 250
, 251–58
, 262
, 283–84

Kelsall, Jonas
, vi–vii
, 15
, 17
, 20

Khan, Haji Yar Muhammad
, 255
, 262

 

landing zone confusion
, 126–31
, 178–83

Langlais, Anya
, vii

Langlais, Lou
, vii
, 15–16
, 20

Lapan, David
, 245
, 250
, 278

Lima Bravo unit
, 159
, 199
, 203–11
, 219–20
, 221
, 230–31

Long War Journal
,
75–77
, 98

Lundquist, Lisa
, 75

Lyons, James
, 18–19

 

M-240 (machine gun)
, 7–8

Mallack, C. T.
, 277

Mason, Matt
, vii

Mattis, James (CENTCOM commander)

Afghan passenger omissions
, 25

chain-of-command
, 38

convening authority discretion and value judgment
, 63

final report of
, 22–23
, 25
, 40–41
, 65–66
, 69
, 263

investigation orders
, 21–22
, 54–59
, 63

investigation report submission to
, 22–23
, 37

unidentified Afghans as topics avoided
, 53

McDonough, Denis
, 31

McNamee, Cheryl
, 281

McRaven, William
, 29
, 30
, 51–52
, 69
, 283

“Memorandum of Appointment” (Colt Report, Exhibit A
, i
nvestigation order)
, 21–22
, 54–59
, 63

military justice system
, 56–65

military time
, 12

Mohammad, Din
, 116

Morrill, Monica
, 69

Muhammad (prophet)
, 4

 

National Guard
, vi
, viii
, 84–85
, 86
, 87–95
.
See also
specific names

National Security Subcommittee congressional hearings
, 43
, 225–41
, 242
, 243
, 252

New York Times
,
77–78
, 252–53

Nichols, Braydon
, 3
, 88
, 150
, 287

Nichols, Bryan J.

behavior theories
, 141–42
, 178–81

earlier missions
, 5–6
, 12
, 178–83

family
, 3
, 88
, 150
, 287

flight experience
, 3
, 84
, 87–88
, 91–95
, 116–17

landing zone confusion and delay
, 21
, 119

military career
, 2–3

passenger reports
, 20

pre-landing communications
, 125
, 126–31
, 141–42

Nichols, Jessica
, 3

Nichols, Mary
, 3

Night Stalkers
, 84–85
, 112–13

night vision goggles (NVGs)

ground illumination methods and visibility with
, 125
, 135
, 144
, 152
, 154

National Guard training with
, 91

Taliban access to
, 155–57

 

Obama, Barack
, 27–31
, 33
, 242

Operational Coordination Group
, 259–64

Operation Badrto
, 31

Operation Lefty Grove

Afghan military knowledge of
, 19

mission cover story
, 14–15
, 186

mission description
, 2
, 185–86

mission planning and execution negligence
, 18–19
, 20
, 41
, 82–96
, 114

Taliban intelligence on
, vii
, 41
, 43
, 231
, 236–38
, 248–50
, 263
, 283
, 284

Operation Neptune Spear
, 28
, 29–35
, 52
, 86

 

Pakistan arms market
, 155–57

Pakistanis
, 169
, 238
, 248
, 249

Panetta, Leon
, 29
, 33
, 34–35

Pathfinders.
See
US Army Pathfinders

Patton, George S.
, 60

Petraeus, David H.
, 253

platforms
, 82

point of origin, shooter
, 40–41
, 158
, 169
, 170
, 194
, 228–29
, 284

post-assault fire authorization
, 191–94

Powell, Colin
, 60

pre-assault fire authorization

pre-shoot-down denial
, 36
, 41
, 43
, 114
, 127–28
, 158
, 188–90
, 232

for recovery operations
, 195–97
, 207
, 231

pre-landing chronology

burn time and illumination
, 134–40
, 142–45
, 152–53

communication loss and delay
, 119–23
, 280

explosion theories
, 275–76
, 280
, 281

landing zone confusion
, 130–31
, 178

mid-air hover
, 21
, 114
, 120–23
, 146
, 275
, 280

pre-assault fire authorization denial
, 36
, 41
, 43
, 114
, 127–28
, 158
, 188–90
, 232

sparkle request
, 124–40

theories
, 141–43
, 178–81

Puller, Chester
, 60

 

Al Qaeda
, 32
, 44
, 106–7

Qudos (Taliban commander)
, 31

 

ramp ceremonies
, 241–42

rappelling theory
, 21
, 123
, 275

Ratzlaff, Thomas
, vii
, 16

Reagan, Candie
, 10–11
, 150

Reagan, Veronica
, 10

recovery operations.
See also
black box; US Army Pathfinders

chronology
, 204–6

first responders
, 199
, 203–11
, 217–21
, 230–31

post-assault fire authority
, 191–94

Reeves, Robert
, vi–vii
, 17

Reid, Gary
, 226
, 228–34
, 242

remains

autopsies
, 41
, 65
, 265–78
, 280–81
, 284

cremation and DNA destruction
, 42
, 65
, 73
, 231
, 243–47
, 284

identifiability of
, 25
, 41
, 42
, 245–46
, 250
, 277–79
, 281–83

ramp ceremonies
, 241–42

US return of Afghan
, 241–42

Rivera, Ray
, 77–78

Roat, John Carl
, 60

Roggio, Bill
, 75
, 98–99

Rudy, Al
, 43

rules of engagement

definition
, 184

post-assault fire authorization
, 191–94

pre-assault fire permission denial
, 36
, 41
, 43
, 114
, 127–28
, 158
, 188–90
, 232

for recovery operation
, 195–97
, 231

 

Schwarzkopf, Norman
, 60

security protocol violations

Afghan passengers, unidentified
, 19
, 23–26
, 47–53
, 54–59
, 231

single helicopter transport
, 18–19
, 20

self-incrimination restrictions
, 55
, 56
, 71

Sherman, Richard
, 117

shoot-down

accounts and testimony
, 146–54

airspeed during
, 146
, 160

death statistics
, 18
, 118

ground illumination
, 135–40
, 142–45
, 152–53
, 161

helicopter forensics
, 201–2
, 280–81

media coverage
, 251–53

night conditions and visibility
, 172–77

shooter point of origin and distance
, 40–41
, 158–71
, 194
, 228–29
, 284

Skillman, Deborah
, 226

Soviet Union
, 4–5
, 254

sparkle (ground illumination)
, 122–40

Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR/Night Stalkers)
, 85–86
, 112–13

squirters
, 187–94

Stavridis, James
, 31

Stevens, Chris
, 46
, 287

Strange, Charles
, 150
, 216
, 222–23
, 236–37
, 243
, 245
, 287

Strange, Michael
, 150
, 245
, 281–83
, 287

 

Tahir, Qari
, 2
, 14
, 185
, 238
, 248
.
See also
Operation Lefty Grove

Taliban

Afghan government ties with
, 252–55
, 256–58
, 262

attacks on US helicopters
, 35–36
, 95–111
, 115–17

Bin Laden death and retaliation
, 31
, 32
, 35–36
, 115–17

Extortion 17 mission intelligence
, vii
, 41
, 43
, 231
, 236–38
, 248–50
, 263
, 283
, 284

Green-on-Blue violence and infiltration of
, 73–81

night vision goggles access
, 155–57

set up/inside job theories
, 169
, 235
, 238
, 248
, 249
, 280

Tangi River Valley
, 8
, 32
, 35–36
, 84
, 115–17

Telegraph
(newspaper)
, 169
, 231
, 237–38
, 248–49
, 256
, 263

 

Unified Combatant Commands
, 37–38

Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)
, 56–65

US Army Pathfinders

black box recovery
, 198–203
, 213–14
, 229–30

crash site recovery operations
, 207–8

identifiable remains
, 278
, 279

launch approval
, 206–7
, 218

pre-assault fire authorization for
, 195–97
, 207
, 231

US Army Rangers

crash site response
, 209–10

mission and transport of
, 2
, 5–6
, 8
, 12
, 178–83
, 185

rescue mission cover story
, 14–15
, 186

US Central Command (CENTCOM)
, 37–38
.
See also
Mattis, James

US Navy SEALs.
See also
specific names

autopsies on
, 41
, 65
, 265–76

Bin Laden mission and identity compromise
, 28–32
, 31–32
, 33–36

commanders and chief officers
, 15–18

members
, 18

mid-air hover and rappelling theory
, 21
, 123
, 275

mission
, 2
, 8–9
, 185–86

mission cover story
, 14–15
, 186

shoot-down day chronology
, 19–21

single helicopter transport
, 19

US Special Forces units
, 84–86
, 112–14
, 252–55
, 283–84

 

Vaughn, Aaron
, 13
, 32
, 250

Vaughn, Billy
, 23–24
, 32
, 51–53
, 54
, 68–70
, 150

Vaughn, Chamberlain
, 13
, 14
, 150