Soldier of Fortune Magazine The Journal of Professional Adventurers
The Battle of Mogadishu is a story about men in extreme combat, fighting for one another. It began when Task Force Ranger went into the city in October 1993 to capture key members of warlord Mohamed Farah Aidid’s organization. The mission became an intense 15-hour battle to reach American forces trapped inside the city. The men fought through the night and refused to leave anyone behind.
More than three decades later, the Battle of Mogadishu holds a profound place in modern Army history. Here is a look at how the battle has appeared in Soldier of Fortune, told through the stories of those who fought there.
In Their Words: Soldiers Reflect on the Battle of Mogadishu
Eight veterans of the battle describe how a quick raid became a fight that lasted through the night. In this gripping account, the soldiers tell what happened during the 15 hours of October 3-4, 1993, from the initial assault to the fight to bring their men home.
Scott Miller commanded the Task Force Ranger assault force during the Battle of Mogadishu. He later led Joint Special Operations Command and served as the final commander of NATO’s Resolute Support Mission and U.S. Forces Afghanistan. Writing about the trust that held the force together in Mogadishu, Miller recalled: No matter what happened out there, everybody was going home. In the midst of a dangerous and at times dire fight, that provided a calming level of peace.
‘With My Shield’: The Story of an Army Ranger in Somalia
The film Black Hawk Down introduced audiences to the battle writ large. Jim Lechner’s memoir shows it at ground level. A lieutenant with the 3rd Ranger Battalion, Lechner found himself fighting through Mogadishu as each small group’s world shrank to a street corner or stretch of alley. He was badly wounded, yet he says his greatest fear was letting down the men beside him.
Graphic Novel Shows ‘Black Hawk Down’ Snipers Gordon and Shughart in Action in Mogadishu
Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart, Delta Force snipers, were providing cover from the air when they learned no ground force could reach the second Black Hawk crash site in time. They repeatedly asked to be inserted, receiving permission on the third request. The two fought to protect pilot Mike Durant and the helicopter crew until the crash site was overrun. Both men received the Medal of Honor. Their final fight is retold here in graphic-novel form.
