Jonas B. Kelsall: The Officer Who Led with Laughter, Extortion 17
A Lieutenant Commander and Navy SEAL officer who served with SEAL Team 7 and the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, a Legion of Merit recipient known as much for his humor as his courage. He gave his life on August 6, 2011, in the Extortion 17 helicopter crash in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, at the age of 32.
Service Record
- Branch
- USN
- Unit
- ST7, NSWDG
- Station Assigned
- Oceana, VA
- Hometown
- Shreveport, LA
- Family
- Survived by his wife, Victoria; his parents, John and Teri; and his sister, Kim.
- Fallen On
- August 6th, 2011
Born on November 8, 1978, in Shreveport, Louisiana, Jonas was known for a rare combination of fierce capability and irrepressible humor. A graduate of Caddo Magnet High School, he was remembered by those closest to him as a man who loved to laugh, who staged elaborate good-natured practical jokes, and who read constantly to better understand the world around him. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in September 1996 and completed basic training at NTC Great Lakes, Illinois, that December.
Driven to serve at the highest level, Kelsall completed Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training in 1997 and earned his Trident. He became one of the earliest members of SEAL Team 7, and his skill and leadership later carried him into the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, where he served as an officer among the nation's most elite operators.
Over a distinguished career, Kelsall deployed repeatedly in support of the Global War on Terror and was decorated many times over. His awards include the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Star Medals with Combat "V" for valor, the Joint Service Commendation Medal with Combat "V", three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, and the Combat Action Ribbon, among many others.
On August 6, 2011, Lieutenant Commander Kelsall was aboard the CH-47 Chinook helicopter, callsign Extortion 17, moving to reinforce a unit of U.S. Army Rangers engaged with the enemy in Wardak Province, Afghanistan. When insurgents struck the helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade, all 30 Americans aboard were lost, including 17 from the Naval Special Warfare community. It remains the greatest single-incident loss of life in Naval Special Warfare history.
Jonas lived in Virginia with his wife, Victoria. He is remembered as a devoted husband, a loyal son and brother, and an adventurer who sought out the world and met it with a laugh. His courage, his intellect, and his joy left a mark on everyone who knew him.
To learn more about Jonas B. Kelsall and other fallen heroes, please visit:
On behalf of myself and everyone at BoneFrog Coffee, I want to express our deepest condolences to the family of Jonas B. Kelsall who gave his life for our country. Words cannot capture the weight of this loss or the gratitude we feel for his courage and sacrifice. He was more than a warrior, he was a brother, a patriot, and a man whose dedication to protecting our freedom will forever inspire us. His sacrifice will never be forgotten, and his memory will live on in our hearts and in the values we strive to uphold. To his family, we share in your grief and stand with you, honoring his legacy with unwavering respect and gratitude.
Long Live The Brotherhood!!
Tim Cruickshank LCDR, USN (SEAL) Ret. and the BoneFrog Coffee Team