The Battle of Mogadishu
The Story of Task Force Ranger
The Beginning
"UN Troops in Somalia" Source: GordonSkene via Past Daily
In the late 1980s to early 1990s the African nation of Somalia was in political turmoil. A civil war had erupted featuring many clans and factions fighting for territory. Cold War tensions led to arms flow into the country where violent conflict was abundant. Along with the ensuing anarchy, the country had faced a devastating drought that contributed to an already dire need for food. As a response the U.N. approved relief operations in 1992. From 15 August to 9 December 1992 the United States offered its own contributions to the UN Cause known as Operation Provide Relief. Despite peaceful operations, relief efforts were slowed and dismal due to increasing hostility by the warring clans. As a measure to increase security and ensure adequate relief for the Somali people, Operation Restore Hope Initiated on 4 December 1992. Finally, the third and final phase of peacekeeping in Somalia was initiated on 4 May 1993 known as UNOSOM II in order to create a smooth transition from security to peacekeeping operations. However, transition began to complicate when the forces of Mohammed Aideed began ambushing support operations. In order to capture and apprehend the warlord, U.S. Special Operations conducted operations and 3 and 4 October which would become the most significant engagement during the US' time in Somalia ultimately wounding 75 Americans and causing 18 fatalities.
Present day Mogadishu, the city has developed significantly since the time of interest.
The Battle
Scroll on the left side to see the battle unfold. Click points on the map to the right to see how they correspond to the story.
Timeline
"October 3, 1993
14:49 — Two principal targets, Habr Gidr clan leaders, located at a residence in central Mogadishu, Somalia.
15:32 — Official force launch. The force launches: nineteen aircraft, twelve vehicles and 160 men.
15:42 — Official assault beginning. 1st SFOD- D soldiers hit the target house. Four Ranger chalks fast-rope in. One Ranger, Private First Class Todd Blackburn, misses the rope and falls 70 feet to the street.
15:47 — Large crowds of Somalis begin converging on the target area.
15:58 — One of the vehicles, a five-ton truck, is hit and disabled by a rocket propelled grenade, several American soldiers are wounded.
16:00 — Groups of armed Somalis begin converging on the target area from all over Mogadishu.
16:02 — Targets acquired: assault force reports both clan leaders and about 21 others in custody. As the force prepares to pull out, three vehicles are detached to rush the wounded Private Blackburn back to the base.
16:20 — First helicopter crash: Black Hawk Super 61 is hit by a rocket propelled grenade and crashes five blocks northeast of the target building.
16:22 — Crowds of armed Somalis start racing toward the Super 61 crash site.
16:28 — Search and rescue of Black Hawk Super 61: search and rescue team ropes in to assist the crew of the crashed helicopter. Both pilot and co-pilot are dead.
16:40 — Second helicopter crash (Super 64): Mike Durant's Black Hawk, Super 64, is hit by another Somali rocket propelled grenade, and crashes about a mile southwest of the target building. Hostile crowds of Somalis begin moving toward it as well.
16:42 — Two Delta Force snipers, Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart and Master Sergeant Gary Gordon, are inserted by helicopter at their own request to help protect the injured Durant and his crew.
17:03 — Quick Reaction Force convoy dispatched from Command and Control: a QRF (smaller, emergency convoy) is dispatched in an attempt to rescue the men stranded at Durant's crash site. It encounters immediate obstacles.
17:40 — Snipers Shughart and Gordon are killed: Somali crowds overrun Durant's crash site, killing Shughart, Gordon, and every member of the crew, except Durant, who is carried off by militia through the city.
21:00 — Joint Task Force Command requests assistance from other commands: The Rescue Convoy is formed of two companies of 10th Mt. Division troops along with the remainder of Task Force Ranger, Pakistani tanks and Malaysian armored vehicles, forms at Mogadishu's New Port, and begins planning the rescue.
23:23 — The rescue convoy moves out.
October 4, 1993
At Midnight 00:00 (24:00), the Rangers are still trapped inside Mogadishu without essential equipment such as night vision devices.
01:55 — Rescue convoy reaches the trapped Ranger force. A second half of the convoy reaches the site of Durant's downed Black Hawk. Durant and his crew are missing.
03:00 — Forces still struggling to remove the pinned body of Clifton "Elvis" Wolcott, pilot of downed Super Six One.
05:30 — Rangers start moving from the city to the Pakistani Stadium, on foot: Wolcott's body is finally recovered. Vehicles roll out of the city. Elements of the Rangers are left to run to a rendez-vous point on National Street, covering the vehicles whilst enduring gunfire during the exfiltration. The road they take is known as the Mogadishu Mile.
06:30 — The force returns to the Pakistani Stadium. 13 Americans are confirmed dead or mortally wounded, 73 injured, and 6 missing in action (5 are later confirmed dead, raising the death toll to 18, and 1 taken prisoner)."
Aftermath and Departure of U.S. Forces
Bill Clinton-Address on Somalia (October 7, 1993)
Somali children dance on the tail of one of the downed aircraft. Source: "Black Hawk Down Revisited: Lost lessons from a long-ago war" by Jamie McIntyre , The Washington Examiner
Following the disastrous strategic loss for US Forces President Clinton Announced the withdrawal of US Forces to be completed by March 1994. On 14 October 1993, after 11 days in captivity CW4 Mike Durant was released.
CWO4 Mike Durant on the day of his release. Source: SOFREP.com "Mike Durant: Life After ‘Black Hawk Down’"
Lessons Learned
“We not only fought through it, we stayed to take care of our people.”-Sgt. Maj. Reese Teakell
The losses and unpreparedness in relation to this engagement highlighted many weaknesses in the fighting force. Leaders identified issues with preparedness, contingency planning, marksmanship, medical training, physical fitness and most importantly training in an urban environment; that is proficiency in close quarters combat. These lessons have imprinted on many of the leaders involved in this engagement such that they vow to never sustain losses like those seen on 3-4 October 1993.
