Kevin A. Houston: The Cape Cod Chief Who Lived His Dream, Extortion 17
A Special Warfare Operator Chief and Navy SEAL who rose from naval aviation to earn his Trident, decorated twice for valor with the Bronze Star. He gave his life on August 6, 2011, in the Extortion 17 helicopter crash in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, at the age of 35.
Service Record
- Branch
- USN
- Unit
- ST4, NSWDG
- Station Assigned
- Oceana, VA
- Hometown
- West Hyannisport, MA
- Family
- Survived by his wife and their three children; his mother, Jan; and his brother, Craig.
- Fallen On
- August 6th, 2011
Born on September 20, 1975, Kevin Houston grew up on Cape Cod and graduated from Barnstable High School in 1994. Those who knew him remembered a young man who knew exactly what he wanted to become, and who set about becoming it without hesitation.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in January 1995 and completed basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois. He first served in naval aviation as an aviation electrician's mate, then set his sights on the Teams. He completed Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training, earned his Trident, and reported to the East Coast, serving with SEAL Team 4 and later the Naval Special Warfare Development Group.
Houston was decorated for valor more than once. His awards include two Bronze Star Medals with Combat "V", the Purple Heart, a Joint Service Commendation Medal with Combat "V", two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, the Combat Action Ribbon, and the Presidential Unit Citation, among many others.
On August 6, 2011, Chief Houston was aboard the CH-47 Chinook helicopter, callsign Extortion 17, moving to reinforce a Quick Reaction Force sent to support 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.
Those who knew him said he died doing exactly what he had always wanted to do. He is remembered as a devoted husband and father of three, a proud son of Cape Cod, and a man who reached the goal he set for himself as a boy and never let go of it.
To learn more about Kevin A. Houston 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 Kevin A. Houston 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