I recently read Black Hawk Down, by Mark Bowden. Mark Bowden retraces the events of the Battle of Mogadishu, the capitol of Somalia. Bowden goes through the events of the battle, by researching the battle, interviewing the soldiers who were there, and even visiting the still ever dangerous city.
It is 1993, and Somalia is witnessing thousands of men, women, and children starving to death. The United Nations sends in hundreds of tons of food and water to help aid these starving people. Unfortunately, with no central government of any kind, Somalia is an anarchic firecracker with several gang-like groups vying for control of the food and support of the people, through any means necessary. To keep the food flowing towards the people, the United States government sends in Company B, 3rd battalion of the army’s 75th Infantry Regiment, the Army Rangers (elite army infantry known for their skill and strength) and the 160th SOAR (Special operations aviation regiment), along with members of the elite Delta Force and the Navy SEAL Team Six.
Lead by Major General William Garrison (ret.), the task force effectively started hunting down the most powerful of these gangs, the Habr Gidr, and its leader, Mohamed Farrah Aidid. It was a long and an almost fruitless search, but on the afternoon October 3rd, 1993, they received intelligence reports that several of Aidid’s top lieutenants were meeting in a building near the Bakara market, a center of the Habr Gidr. The assault goes well at first, with only minor setbacks, until a US Army Black Hawk helicopter that is orbiting the assault area is shot down. The Rangers automatically start a search and rescue operation for the helicopter, and when another is shot down, they do the same.
What was going to be a fifteen minute assault becomes an all-out battle against thousands of armed Somalians who believe the US is there to take over them. Bowden goes into great detail, with almost all of the events being taken directly from actual accounts, interviews, and radio recordings of the battle. Officially, the mission is a success, as many of Aidid’s men are captured, but it was definitely not as what was expected. After the bloody battle is over, 18 American soldiers have been killed, with 70 more of the original 100 injured. Over 1000 Somalian militants were killed as well, but the exact number will never be known.
Unfortunately, after the battle, all US troops are withdrawn, and Aidid becomes almost unopposed in the country. Aidid ends up dying of natural causes several years later. Ironically, Major General Garrison retires on the exact same day.
I, personally, really enjoyed reading Black Hawk Down. It was a very accurate account of the battle and was very moving to me. Mark Bowden did a great job in researching the event. The battle, itself, seems to be what could only be a work of fiction, but is real, down to even the dialougue. It also had a deeper meaning to me, as my father flew Black Hawk helicopters in the army. I highly recommend the book, even though it is very graphic in the way of realism and accuracy.
I think I would like to read 'Black Hawk Down' by Mark Bowden, because most people overlook this battle and the whole situation of America in Somalia. I love non fiction because of the realness factor and how it feels to learn knowledge as well. The fact that he interviews soldiers and even visits the present day city shows that he really cares about his writing and I bet the literature has a reflection of this dedication. He also did extensive research to show he cared as well. This sounds like a very interesting read and I really am thinking about checking this out.
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