BOSTON -- U.S. forces have suffered their worst losses in a single incident since the war in Afghanistan began. Insurgents shot down a helicopter in eastern Afghanistan early Saturday, killing 30 service members.
Among the 25 U.S. special operations forces killed in Wardak province were 22 Navy SEALS. Seven Afghan troops also died.
Most of the U.S. troops were members of the Navy's SEAL Team 6, the same unit that carried out the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
President Barack Obama said the incident is a "reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices" members of the military and their families are making.
Tony O'Brien, of Marshfield, spent 13 years as a Navy SEAL and retired as a commander.
"SEAL teams are not a large organization and obviously who they are and where they're deployed to and what numbers there are, it's all classified information for obvious reasons," O'Brien said. "But to lose 20 or more guys in one operation for any reason is certainly a difficult loss."
He said the casualties make the gains difficult to appreciate.
“When you’re in Afghanistan you’re not anywhere near the coast so you either have to come in by foot or vehicle or helicopter,” O’Brien said. “A lot of the areas that they go into -- they’ve done a good job of trying to determine who’s there -- bad guys, good guys, etc. And we’ve made a lot of great gains in Afghanistan.”
Massachusetts lawmakers also weighed in on the tragedy.
"Anytime you loose any life in battle, it's a tragedy," said U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass.
"It's very said," said U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D- Mass. "The faster we can transition to the Afghans, the better.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said he is deeply saddened by the loss, and vowed that the U.S. will stay the course to complete the mission to make the world a safer place.
Former Massachusetts governor, and 2012 GOP presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, released the following statement on the incident:
“Our hearts are filled with sorrow for the families of the American soldiers who perished in the downing of a helicopter in Afghanistan,” said Romney. “The memory of their loss will always invoke in us a deep appreciation for the sacrifices that have been given in this war to protect the liberty and freedom of us all.”
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