Crash Kills members of SEAL Team 6 plus others

[tombogan03884]

Path, First off, while the Stingers made a significant difference in the odds, prior to their introduction several Hinds were shot down with heavy machine guns either by targeting the oil coolers located approximately where the red star was painted on the fuselage, or by targeting the rotor hub as they flew down valleys.
Second "Naval Special Warfare Development Group" is the entire "SEAL" program. SEAL is a nickname like "Frogmen" or "Green Berets". Team 6 is just one specialized group with in a much larger organization.

And based upon past stories on airplane/helicopter crashes in the military, I think this is a very plausible explanation.

Which sounds better:
A. The helicopter carrying the elite Navy Seal Team 6 was shot down by enemy fire, killing all on board.
-OR-
B. The helicopter carrying the elite Navy Seal Team 6 crashed during an operation due to lack of maintenance and poor flying conditions, killing all on board.

As much as I would like to put on my aluminum foil hat here, believe me it's not too far away  (), I think Tom's explanation could be the right one....

FA, I posted that before I had found any other news stories about the incident. It was an assumption on my part in response to the more paranoid theories posted here.
Having found other news stories confirming a shoot down I will not question them with out some other evidence.
I will however continue to point out that the true reason for the failure of the rescue mission to Tehran in 79 was that dem budget cuts left the military with almost no maintenance budget, this is based on my own personal experience.
The mission was aborted before the crash ever occurred because the helo's did not have proper filters to handle the conditions they encountered and to many were forced to turn back, there were not enough left to perform the mission.

[Timothy]

Not to argue Tom but SEAL is an acronym for "Sea, Air and Land"...not a nickname.

However we lost these fine men, the Seal team, Flight Crew and Airmen is a tragedy that is costly to the American Military.

God Bless the United States Fighting Forces!

[tombogan03884]

Tim, You should read Commander Dick Marcinko's first book, "Red Cell", he founded Team 6.

[jnevis]

First off SEAL is a nickname.  The units are Naval Special Warfare Teams/NSW Group.  NSW Development Group (DevGru) is the team tasked for special projects.

If the MH-47 was from 160 SOAR there is NO way it was mechanical OR pilot error.  They are the best pilots and the best equiped unit in the Army.

The aircraft was more than likely a target of opportunity.  First bird comes in and the troops are engaged then a second bird comes in to assist and is targeted.  They've done it before.  RPG in the tailrotor took down Super 64 (160 SOAR) in the Mog- Blackhawk Down.

[tombogan03884]

Everybody remembers Super 64 because of Mike Durant, the pilot who survived, and Shugart and Gordan who got posthumous CMH . Most have no clue that Super 64 was the 2nd chopper shot down that day and a 3rd was forced to crashland near the beach.

"If the MH-47 was from 160 SOAR there is NO way it was mechanical OR pilot error.  They are the best pilots and the best equiped unit in the Army."

JNevis, that doesn't mean crap. If there are no parts, you can not replace worn ones no matter how good you are.
I do not mean to cast aspersions on the guys doing the job, they don't control the money.
I could tell you stories from the carter years that would make you cry.
Thank God for Reagan and the 2 Bush's, other wise our troops would be walking to battle with pointy sticks.
If they could even row to the war zone.

[Sponsor]

[Timothy]

http://www.sealswcc.com/

Right from the website....SEAL = Sea, Air and Land...

Clip..."SEALs take their name from the environments in which they are trained to operate: sea, air and land. Their small highly trained teams usually work quietly at night conducting some of the nation's most important missions. SEALs are constantly deployed throughout the world to protect national interests. "