Today, Oct 3rd, is the 10th anniversary of
The Battle of Mogadishu
(Battle of the Black Sea)
In 1992, the United States sent Marines to Somalia as part of a United Nations peacekeeping force (Operation Restore Hope) providing food to millions of starving people. Due to a civil war that had cost the lives of more than 300,000 people, international intervention was more than warranted.
After the conflict quietened down and U.S. Marines departed, local warlords battling for control of Somalia soon raided UN food distribution sites and killed UN personnel. The warlords controlled the country by starving their people. No matter that the rest of the world was supplying vast amounts of aid to relief organizations, the people were starving to death by the thousands.
Following the slaughter of UN peacekeeping forces, the United States responded with a show of force. Task Force Ranger was sent to Somalia with the primary mission of arresting warlord Mohamed Farah Aidid and his fellow clansmen for crimes against humanity. On 3 October 1993 members of the Delta Forces and Rangers were engaged in a pitched battle against rebel forces on the streets of Mogadishu, Somalia. The mission had been to extricate rebel leaders from a known meeting place and should have been completed within an hour.
Having met heavy rebel opposition, the 18 hour battle resulted in the loss of 18 soldiers, with scores of injured. The command had requested armored vehicles and AC-130 gunships as support for Task Force operations. Those requests had been denied by the Clinton administration, so Task Force Ranger did the best they could with the equipment they had.
The men who fought this battle did so in a noble and courageous manner. Two soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor (postumously). Other members of the group were awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart, with the "V" device to signify valor under fire.
Although the Rangers and Delta Forces sustained heavy casualties, they had accomplished their objective, having taken important rebel leaders prisoner. Critics of the military and this mission argue that the daylight raid was a failure. They had completed their mission, but four Black Hawk helicopters were shot down during the raid. A secondary mission became necessary. Protecting the lives of their fellow soldiers according to the Ranger Creed gained greater importance.
The Delta Forces and Rangers stood their ground and rescued as many of their men (including the dead and wounded) as was possible given the circumstances. One of the Black Hawk pilots having been shot down in the area of operation was captured and held prisoner for eleven days.
This pilot would not have survived had it not been for the two Delta snipers who gave their lives (subsequently earning the Medal of Honor) in defense of the pilot and his downed aircraft.
RIP Soldiers of the Battle of Mogadishu