Review (PDF) The Battle Of Mogadishu: Firsthand Accounts From The Men Of Task Force Ranger
“No matter how skilled the writer of nonfiction, you are always getting the story secondhand. Here’s a chance to go right to the source. . . . These men were there.”–MARK BOWDEN (from the Foreword)It started as a mission to capture a Somali warlord. It turned into a disastrous urban firefight and death-defying rescue operation that shocked the world and rattled a great nation. Now the 1993 battle for Mogadishu, Somalia–the incident that was the basis of the book and film Black Hawk Down–is remembered by the men who fought and survived it. Six of the best in our military recall their brutal experiences and brave contributions in these never-before-published, firstperson accounts.“Operation Gothic Serpent,” by Matt Eversmann: As a “chalk” leader, Eversmann was part of the first group of Rangers to “fast rope” from the Black Hawk helicopters. It was his chalk that suffered the first casualty of the battle.“Sua Sponte: Of Their Own Accord,” by Raleigh Cash: Responsible for controlling and directing fire support for the platoon, Cash entered the raging battle in the ground convoy sent to rescue his besieged brothers in arms.“Through My Eyes,” by Mike Kurth: One of only two African Americans in the battle, Kurth confronted his buddies’ deaths, realizing that “the only people whom I had let get anywhere near me since I was a child were gone.”“What Was Left Behind,” by John Belman: He roped into the biggest firefight of the battle and considers some of the mistakes that were made, such as using Black Hawk helicopters to provide sniper cover.“Be Careful What You Wish For,” by Tim Wilkinson: He was one of the Air Force pararescuemen or PJs–the highly trained specialists for whom “That Others May Live” is no catchphrase but a credo–and sums up his incomprehensible courage as “just holding up my end of the deal on a bad day.”“On Friendship and Firefights,” by Dan Schilling: As a combat controller, he was one of the original planners for the deployment of SOF forces to Mogadishu in the spring of 1993. During the battle, he survived the initial assault and carnage of the vehicle convoys only to return to the city to rescue his two closest friends, becoming, literally, “Last Out.”With America’s withdrawal from Somalia an oft-cited incitement to Osama bin Laden, it is imperative to revisit this seminal military mission and learn its lessons from the men who were there and, amazingly, are still here.From the Hardcover edition.
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Presidio Press; 1St Edition edition (July 26, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345459660
ISBN-13: 978-0345459664
Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 0.6 x 8.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #519,118 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #161 in Books > History > Military > Life & Institutions #297 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Diets & Weight Loss > Low Fat #357 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Historical > Africa
After reading Black Hawk Down, this book helped me to really put all the events into perspective. While Mark Bowden gave the reader the bigger picture, this book goes into details Bowden was unable to expand upon. I really enjoyed the personal tone and feeling you experience from each individual. You get to know a little part of the writer as they tell their own experince during this campaign.Another reviewer bagged on Eversmann's lack of intensity, and something along the lines of poor writing skills, stating he should have let someone else tell his story. So he used some cliche phrases to put his story together. Would you rather him critize the men flying him to and sometimes from missions? And if he really believes that guy is solid or " A real stand up guy", why can't he say that? If that's what he thought of the person, he is just being honest. To me, the entire point of this book is (underlined and bold font!) THEIR PERSONAL account. This was not suppose to be their story in someone elses words. I loved Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down, don't get me wrong. But his book was about the mission from what he gathered, in his style of writing. He IS a writer. The beauty of The Battle of Mogadishu is that these men are not writers by trade. They were military personnel sent to Somalia to complete a task. They didn't go there to get a book deal, they went serving their country. This book is about the MEN of Task Force Ranger. Each of them experienced something different, and you get a real feel for that through their OWN words. These men wanted to tell us their own story and I believe that was accomplished. If they wanted someone else to tell their stories, they would have stoped at Black Hawk Down.
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