Extortion 17

On August 6, 2011, a U.S. Army CH-47D Chinook helicopter, call sign Extortion 17, was shot down by enemy RPG fire in the Tangi Valley of Wardak Province, Afghanistan. All personnel and one military working dog aboard were killed. Among the fallen were 17 Navy SEALs, five Naval Special Warfare support personnel, Army aircrew and three Air Force Special Tactics operators from the 24th Special Tactics Squadron Red Team: Tech. Sgt. John W. Brown (Pararescueman), Staff Sgt. Andrew W. Harvell (Combat Controller), and Tech. Sgt. Daniel L. Zerbe (Pararescueman).

This remains the single deadliest day for U.S. Special Operations forces and the greatest single loss of American life in the war in Afghanistan. The loss hit the entire Special Operations community hard; SEALs, Special Tactics, Army Special Operations, and the conventional aviators who flew them into the fight night after night. These men answered the call as a quick reaction force to reinforce teammates under fire. They never made it to the ground.

At the request of the 24 STS Red Team, we are re-releasing these shirts in their honor. Designed for the brothers who still carry the weight of that night and the legacy of these quiet professionals, this collection is a simple way to keep their names and the memory of Extortion 17 alive. 

These aren’t your typical memorial shirt.
-Brown’s Brewery.
-Harvell’s Skate Shop.
-Zerbe’s Off Road Performance.

The designs are intentionally understated. They look like real spots. The point is the conversation that starts when someone asks, “Where’s that place?” That’s when the story gets told.