"Black Hawk Down": question for soldiers?

[NYH1]

OH58D, good stuff my friend!

NYH1.

[ramairthree]

Various attributions, most probably erroneous, but it's still appropriate.

“Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn't even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.”

In cases like these, They've taken "the one", each from several hundred and put them all together. Woe be unto those who cross them!

I spent nearly three decades as one of the nines with a bunch of other nines and a conentration of the ones. I get it.

[chuckman]

Thanks for the responses, and big thanks for everybody that was there (and Fallujah, and Ia Drang, and Hue, and Pointe du Hac, and . . . . . . .).

What is/are the best books to read on BHD?

There's a great book that has several first person perspectives on the battle from people who were there. One was pararescue, a bunch of Rangers, I think a couple guys from Delta. Shows the event from different vantages. I'm traveling now when I get back home this weekend I will look on my bookshelf and give you the title.

Also Howard Wasdin's book (he was a Navy SEAL who was in the city on a different mission, ended up participating in the event) has a section about it as well.

[WillBrink]

There's a great book that has several first person perspectives on the battle from people who were there. One was pararescue, a bunch of Rangers, I think a couple guys from Delta. Shows the event from different vantages. I'm traveling now when I get back home this weekend I will look on my bookshelf and give you the title.

Also Howard Wasdin's book (he was a Navy SEAL who was in the city on a different mission, ended up participating in the event) has a section about it as well.

"Waz" as he's referred to, and the now Director of the UDT-SEAL Museum, Master Chief Rick Kaiser, and two other SEALs, were in the middle of all that start to finish. Waz was shot multiple times. The contingent of SEALs being just 4 for that event, didn't get any mention in most books and such.

[chuckman]

"Waz" as he's referred to, and the now Director of the UDT-SEAL Museum, Master Chief Rick Kaiser, and two other SEALs, were in the middle of all that start to finish. Waz was shot multiple times. The contingent of SEALs being just 4 for that event, didn't get any mention in most books and such.

The SEALs were there for an entirely different mission. Remember one ranger told me that he looked over and saw one of the SEALs, and said, "who the hell are you, and where did you come from?"

[OH58D]

The SEALs were there for an entirely different mission. Remember one ranger told me that he looked over and saw one of the SEALs, and said, "who the hell are you, and where did you come from?"

Same with Marine Cobras - they were under different aerial command and control than us, and it was a quick throw-together work in progress to coordinate everything. Then you had all the other foreign troops under UN command. When it fell apart, it was cool leadership under General Bill Garrison that made it work. Great Man.

[WillBrink]

The SEALs were there for an entirely different mission. Remember one ranger told me that he looked over and saw one of the SEALs, and said, "who the hell are you, and where did you come from?"

Yes, but the intended mission didn't pan out as expected, and they did what they tend to do, adapt the original mission and find ways to make life hard for the enemy. They were part of Task Force Ranger. They were not part of the op leading to the downing of the helos, but as it was for everyone, when SHTF and it was all hands on deck to assist and they spent all day fighting their way in, grabbing guys to get out them out, fighting their way out, and repeating.

Rick started ST2 -> sniper-> ST6 and some LOL comments in this vid on "knuckle draggers" and such as well as mistakes made, such as underestimating the enemy, etc:

[Belmont31R]

I just listened to an interview with an SOF member who was part of TFR and was on the ground for the fight.

Here’s a Weblink to listen to the episode https://overcast.fm/+F6pY-GMHg

You can also look up the Global Recon podcast episode 114 in other podcast players. Lots of good interviews on that channel about training, mindset in combat, and they usually hit on reintegration into the civilian world after the military.

[NYH1]

Same with Marine Cobras - they were under different aerial command and control than us, and it was a quick throw-together work in progress to coordinate everything. Then you had all the other foreign troops under UN command. When it fell apart, it was cool leadership under General Bill Garrison that made it work. Great Man.

Kyle Lamb speaks highly of Gen. Garrison as well.

NYH1.

[Belmont31R]

Actual surveillance footage of the Battle of Mogadishu, Somalia (inspiration for Black Hawk Down) (October 3-4, 1993)

https://v.redd.it/dqh2356gt2b31