As time marches on, younger Americans step into the breach. It’s our duty to teach them about their heritage. Today is an important date in US military history for two reasons.
First, is the creation of the 75th Ranger Regiment through the activation of its 3rd Battalion. It’s also the date of 1993’s Battle of Mogadishu during which, elements of TF Ranger which had deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia, conducted an operation on that city’s Olympic Hotel in order to capture key leaders of the Aidid Militia.
Unfortunately, during the exfil portion of the raid a battle ensued that claimed the lives of 18 Americans and wounded another 73. Additionally, CW3 Michael Durant was captured by the militia. Fortunately, Durant was later repatriated and went on to retire from the 160th. Of the men killed that day, two would be awarded the Medal of Honor, Delta Operators Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart, for their selfless efforts to protect Durant after his aircraft, callsign Super 64, was shot down.
If you are unfamiliar with the events, one of the best accounts of the battle is contained in the book, “Blackhawk Down” by author Mark Bowden. Much of the information was serialized prior to the book’s publication in the Philadelphia Enquirer. Later this was made into a movie bearing the same name.
Please take a moment to remember these men and their sacrifice.
Friends with Richard Tyson who played SSG Daniel D. Busch in Blackhawk Down. RIP brothers!
RIP fallen Brothers!
Extrodinary Men they will be rememeberer forever
RIP to the fallen.
SSD, marking important anniversaries like this is an important service!
Quick gear note: With the exception of a few liberties here and there, the movie is quite true to the book (which is excellent and should be read).
I also tell people, the rangers in the movie were equipped the exact same way I was when I went to Iraq with Army National Guard in 2005. DCU, woodland vest, etc. etc. So i tell people it takes 12 years for gear from the Rangers to filter down to the ARNG.
Not all of the Ranger’s wore woodland body armor- FYI
Fair enough; not all our guys had woodland body armor, either, but the vast majority did.
The guys that got DCU body armor (as I recall, it was only the really large sizes), at first were the subject of jealousy for having the new high speed, matching stuff, but that evolved into the joke that the bad guys would target them first, thinking they were “important” to have more high-speed gear.
“HE LOOKS HIGH SPEED. ACHMED. SHOOT HIM FIRST.”
Happy anniversary Brothers… 24 years ago seems like just a few months ago. Looking at my pictures from Sword Base and the other bases around Mogadishu bring back a lot of memories. I will have a few beers tonight with for my buddies that came home safe and those that had fallen…. R.I.P.
they may have got the gear pretty good but they sure got mogadishu wrong.
I Had The Distinct Pleasure to work with These Very True Professional Aviators 160th SOAR and Delta while A Loadmaster at Charleston AFB, SC with the SOLL II. They Will Be Missed Forever and May They RIP. I had the Unique Pleasure to ride the side boards on A MH-6 Little Bird at Night and It was the Lowest I Have Flown?. My boots were hitting the leaves of the tree branches we Flew above!!!