Twenty years ago on this day, two U.S. Special Forces Helicopters, also known as Black Hawks, were shot down in Mogadishu, Somalia, killing 18 Americans. To this day, the battle casts a long shadow on United States' intervention in foreign soil. The Somali mission was intended to be a short one, but turned into an extended and violent battle in which hundreds of local Somalis were killed. The aftereffects of the clash linger in the insistence that the United States put no boots on the ground in Syria.
A U.S. Army force in Mogadishu, consisting primarily of U.S. Army Rangers from Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment; C Squadron, 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D), better known as "Delta Force"; as well as Air Force Combat Controllers and Pararescuemen and helicopters from 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, attempted to seize two of Aidid's high-echelon lieutenants during a meeting in the city. Shortly after the assault began, Somali militia and armed civilian fighters managed to shoot down two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. The subsequent rescue operation to secure and recover the crews of both helicopters drew the raid, intended to last no more than an hour, into an overnight standoff in the city. The battle resulted in 18 deaths, 80 wounded, and one helicopter pilot captured among the U.S. raid party and rescue forces. One Pakistani soldier and one Malaysian soldier were killed as part of the rescue forces. American sources estimate between 1,500 and 3,000 Somali casualties
RIP to my friend Dan Busch.
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"I am the author of my own misfortune, I don't need a ghost writer" - Ian Dury
I ran in to my poser of the month today. What a bad day to upset me. Lying about being a veteran of Somalia of all things. Talking about Barretts and shooting people....Heres what I said in front of his boss.
The only Marine recon assets initially deployed (in the very beginning Dec. of 92)to Somalia were the Force and BLT recon assets from 15th MEU. (The guys hitting the beach being greeted by CNN with all of their fucking cameras and lights were SEALS and elements of 7th plt. from 1st Force supported by Fox co.2/9). The BLT recon (the 3rd plt. from 5th Marines Regimental Recon Co. chopped to 15th MEU) flew in. The remainder of the Company flew over to Somalia and touched down New Years day of 93 to support RCT-7. The only other Recon guys there besides the ones I mentioned were a small detachment of "Shooters" from 1st Force hand picked to provide security for the General.
I knew most of the guys attached to the General and I knew some of the guys from the Force asset from 15th MEU. I knew every swinging richard in the Recon Company sent to support RCT-7. We had two designated shooters and one of them is dead now. None of our internal sniper assets had Barretts. Just M-40s. Not to mention that we only had one platoon dedicated to direct support for 7th Marines in Mogadishu. The other platoon was sent to Bydoah. We did on occasion have Scout Snipers from the STA assets support us on a few patrols. They had Barretts.
"I am the author of my own misfortune, I don't need a ghost writer" - Ian Dury
tough old man wrote:I ran in to my poser of the month today. What a bad day to upset me. Lying about being a veteran of Somalia of all things. Talking about Barretts and shooting people....Heres what I said in front of his boss.
The only Marine recon assets initially deployed (in the very beginning Dec. of 92)to Somalia were the Force and BLT recon assets from 15th MEU. (The guys hitting the beach being greeted by CNN with all of their fucking cameras and lights were SEALS and elements of 7th plt. from 1st Force supported by Fox co.2/9). The BLT recon (the 3rd plt. from 5th Marines Regimental Recon Co. chopped to 15th MEU) flew in. The remainder of the Company flew over to Somalia and touched down New Years day of 93 to support RCT-7. The only other Recon guys there besides the ones I mentioned were a small detachment of "Shooters" from 1st Force hand picked to provide security for the General.
I knew most of the guys attached to the General and I knew some of the guys from the Force asset from 15th MEU. I knew every swinging richard in the Recon Company sent to support RCT-7. We had two designated shooters and one of them is dead now. None of our internal sniper assets had Barretts. Just M-40s. Not to mention that we only had one platoon dedicated to direct support for 7th Marines in Mogadishu. The other platoon was sent to Bydoah. We did on occasion have Scout Snipers from the STA assets support us on a few patrols. They had Barretts.
Never understood posers. I have only met one that I can recall. That guy had some psychological issues, but I couldn't say exactly what they were. Kind of like that Supreme Court Justice that said he couldn't define porn, but he knew it when he saw it.
I cut of a friend since childhood for years after he went on and on about fighting in Somalia when he was in the US when Zinni was over there.
This was before I met Trooper, if it was after I would have made him stand to fight.
He does not claim that shit any more. his real service was honourable enough,(and he and I had each others back in so many bad situations growing up, he was no pussy.) no need to attach the valour of others.
"God forbid we tell the savages to go fuck themselves." Batboy
TOM, you should take us on a tour. Center up the sites in google maps, hit the link symbol (looks like a chain, next to the printer symbol). for example, the sports stadium.
It's sad that days like today bring out the posers. I sometimes wonder what happened to the families of the Marines I know who died, but I have never followed up. Do you know what happened to Dan's family?
