Doing the archetypes for my book is difficult. This is to be expected with a book such as my own, a non-fiction. In Black Hawk Down there is no one main character although most of the characters are portrayed as heroes. The reader is made to feel sympathetic to the plight of the soldiers, fighting a one-sided battle in a small dirty city called Mogadishu in a country not many have heard of and even fewer can find on a map.
There is no drawn line of good and bad, just two different sides from several different points of view from each side. It can be said that each character's experience was hell. Generally speaking, however, the American side is portrayed in the more positive light and, at certain points, the reader is filled with rage and hatred for the Somalian peoples.
My favorite parts of the book are when the story is told through the eyes of the elite Delta operators. Their wisdom is seen and the picture of the battle more clear. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there weren't any worst parts of the book. If I had to pick a part which I liked less, I would say, when the story is seen in the view of the Somalians.
I'd highly recommend this book to everyone. Especially those who liked the movie and are into action packed books. Black Hawk Down definitely fits the bill. Even if you just like to heroic stories or the study of modern warfare, in which case the book provides some valuable insight. This is an excellent book that gives a view into the plight of our elite special forces and how they triumphed against all odds.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
The Last 72 Pages
In another part of the city, away from the fighting, the Mogadishu Volunteer Hospital was overloaded with the wounded and dieing. Already all 500 beds in the hospital were filled and they were having to turn people away. One of doctors, Abdi Mohamed Elmi was exhausted from the constant work. He had assisted in eighteen major surgeries already and would not sleep for the next twenty-four hours. The Volunteer Hospital wasn’t the biggest hospital in the city either. Digfer, the other hospital in the city, was even bigger and was being filled with patients also.
When the convoy hit National Street they took a brief pause. The Rangers and Delta making the run were able to catch up. The ones who had run just piled in and sat on top of each other. At one of the armored vehicles Lt. Perino was getting on the vehicle when he looked up and saw a young private with a look of desperation on his face. Perino gave up his seat and the young private, moved by this gesture, decided to re-enlist at that moment. After that the vehicles took off. Captain Steele had watched the whole thing and as the convoy started moving he called over on the radio that men were being left behind. Unbeknownst to Steele the men had actually boarded another APC.
When the convoy had started to move, the men were anxious to get on one of the last few vehicles. They tried to stop a Malaysian driver and get on. They driver, however, acted as if he didn’t know they were there. It took a Delta operator to level his rifle on the driver in order for him to stop so they could get on.
The convoy lead by the Malaysian forces took everyone to the soccer stadium in the green zone of the city. This was the Pakistani base of operations. It was a scene of horror. The wounded lie all over the place. Finally, the mission was at an end. Captain Steele sat down and relaxed. He wanted someone to confide in about the whole ordeal but there were no others of his rank around him. The others worked to find their friends in the groups of the wounded. Things would never be the same for them. They were no longer the young soldiers ready and looking for combat.
As some of the Rangers loaded on the helicopters to be sent back to base they reflected on the past 48 hours. When aloft over the city, they looked down at what had been their own version of hell just hours before. They were surprised by how small the area they had been fighting in was.
Michael Durant would be released after 11 days of captivity. When Aidid had finally turned him back over into American hands he was relieved. Task Force Ranger was at the airport when he arrived. The force was now over a thousand men strong and ready to go back out again and fight if necessary to rescue him. Upon arrival he learned of the fate of his crew and the two brave Delta Operators that rescued him. Their bodies had been recovered.
Many people here in the U.S. were shocked to here about the situation in the U.S. Citizens were outraged to see the video footage of the dead bodies of American soldiers being dragged through the streets of some far off land called Somalia. Accusations were made against President Clinton and General Garrison for his failure with the operation. Technically though, in the eyes of Garrison and strictly in the military point of view this was a success. All of the mission objectives had been accomplished even though there were major set backs.
All in all, 18 American soldiers lost their lives in the battle and 73 injured in The Battle of the Black Sea. This is not the story of how they failed, it is a story of 99 elite soldiers surrounded by thousands of angry armed Somalis and their fight to survive. This is how they TRIUMUPHED!
When the convoy hit National Street they took a brief pause. The Rangers and Delta making the run were able to catch up. The ones who had run just piled in and sat on top of each other. At one of the armored vehicles Lt. Perino was getting on the vehicle when he looked up and saw a young private with a look of desperation on his face. Perino gave up his seat and the young private, moved by this gesture, decided to re-enlist at that moment. After that the vehicles took off. Captain Steele had watched the whole thing and as the convoy started moving he called over on the radio that men were being left behind. Unbeknownst to Steele the men had actually boarded another APC.
When the convoy had started to move, the men were anxious to get on one of the last few vehicles. They tried to stop a Malaysian driver and get on. They driver, however, acted as if he didn’t know they were there. It took a Delta operator to level his rifle on the driver in order for him to stop so they could get on.
The convoy lead by the Malaysian forces took everyone to the soccer stadium in the green zone of the city. This was the Pakistani base of operations. It was a scene of horror. The wounded lie all over the place. Finally, the mission was at an end. Captain Steele sat down and relaxed. He wanted someone to confide in about the whole ordeal but there were no others of his rank around him. The others worked to find their friends in the groups of the wounded. Things would never be the same for them. They were no longer the young soldiers ready and looking for combat.
As some of the Rangers loaded on the helicopters to be sent back to base they reflected on the past 48 hours. When aloft over the city, they looked down at what had been their own version of hell just hours before. They were surprised by how small the area they had been fighting in was.
Michael Durant would be released after 11 days of captivity. When Aidid had finally turned him back over into American hands he was relieved. Task Force Ranger was at the airport when he arrived. The force was now over a thousand men strong and ready to go back out again and fight if necessary to rescue him. Upon arrival he learned of the fate of his crew and the two brave Delta Operators that rescued him. Their bodies had been recovered.
Many people here in the U.S. were shocked to here about the situation in the U.S. Citizens were outraged to see the video footage of the dead bodies of American soldiers being dragged through the streets of some far off land called Somalia. Accusations were made against President Clinton and General Garrison for his failure with the operation. Technically though, in the eyes of Garrison and strictly in the military point of view this was a success. All of the mission objectives had been accomplished even though there were major set backs.
All in all, 18 American soldiers lost their lives in the battle and 73 injured in The Battle of the Black Sea. This is not the story of how they failed, it is a story of 99 elite soldiers surrounded by thousands of angry armed Somalis and their fight to survive. This is how they TRIUMUPHED!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
350 Page Update
All throughout the night Little Birds (fast attack helicopters) did gun runs on the growing mobs around the scene of the first crash. The shooting had all but stopped when darkness fell, though it did seem to let up a little. Many of the original assault force could hear the large rescue convoy making its way toward them. They could track its progress because it lit up the sky around it with explosions and muzzle flashes.
Meanwhile in a small dark room in Mogadishu, Michael Durant awoke to find himself chained to a floor. He suddenly heard the sounds of gunfire seeming to grow louder and nearer. At first he was afraid then he recognized the sound of the big American guns and thought rescue was near. The convoy kept moving though and the noise eventually died away. No one knew where he was.
Before the convoy had set out, the odd assortment of forces was working together for a plan. The Malaysian forces gave the convoy its armor and drivers for it and the 10th Mountain Division was preparing to roll out. For the Rangers who had been in the city earlier that day on the lost convoy, this was all taking too long. They need to move now, the said and were anxious to save their comrades stuck in the city.
Captain Steele, the Ranger commander, was in nearly constant contact with the JOC (Joint Operations Command) and kept asking when the convoy would get there. The answer was always any minute and the time kept passing by. The convoy was taking its time and lighting up everything in its path. Finally, some time later, the convoy arrived and the wounded were loaded onto APCs (Armor Personnel Carriers). All of the Rangers and Delta were ready to leave. While waiting the Delta operators who had been disappointed in the quality of the Army's elite Rangers were surprised by the 10th Mountain. These regular army soldiers seemed completely out of place in this combat zone. While the Delta and Rangers were shooting, the 10th Mountain were standing around talking to each other and laughing.
Eventually, the cockpit around the body of Cliff Wolcott was dismantled and pulled from the wreckage. After destroying the helicopter the force was ready to roll out. The 10th Mountain loaded back up on their armored vehicles and it was soon found that there was not enough room for the Rangers and Delta operators on board. So, the plan was for the original assault force to use the vehicles as cover and walk out. This plan quickly failed however, when the Malaysian drivers hit the gas and left those on foot stranded. So began what became known as the "Mogadishu Mile" the men, low on ammo, ran out of the city. They didn't stop to provide cover for each other. They just shot and ran at the same time.
Meanwhile in a small dark room in Mogadishu, Michael Durant awoke to find himself chained to a floor. He suddenly heard the sounds of gunfire seeming to grow louder and nearer. At first he was afraid then he recognized the sound of the big American guns and thought rescue was near. The convoy kept moving though and the noise eventually died away. No one knew where he was.
Before the convoy had set out, the odd assortment of forces was working together for a plan. The Malaysian forces gave the convoy its armor and drivers for it and the 10th Mountain Division was preparing to roll out. For the Rangers who had been in the city earlier that day on the lost convoy, this was all taking too long. They need to move now, the said and were anxious to save their comrades stuck in the city.
Captain Steele, the Ranger commander, was in nearly constant contact with the JOC (Joint Operations Command) and kept asking when the convoy would get there. The answer was always any minute and the time kept passing by. The convoy was taking its time and lighting up everything in its path. Finally, some time later, the convoy arrived and the wounded were loaded onto APCs (Armor Personnel Carriers). All of the Rangers and Delta were ready to leave. While waiting the Delta operators who had been disappointed in the quality of the Army's elite Rangers were surprised by the 10th Mountain. These regular army soldiers seemed completely out of place in this combat zone. While the Delta and Rangers were shooting, the 10th Mountain were standing around talking to each other and laughing.
Eventually, the cockpit around the body of Cliff Wolcott was dismantled and pulled from the wreckage. After destroying the helicopter the force was ready to roll out. The 10th Mountain loaded back up on their armored vehicles and it was soon found that there was not enough room for the Rangers and Delta operators on board. So, the plan was for the original assault force to use the vehicles as cover and walk out. This plan quickly failed however, when the Malaysian drivers hit the gas and left those on foot stranded. So began what became known as the "Mogadishu Mile" the men, low on ammo, ran out of the city. They didn't stop to provide cover for each other. They just shot and ran at the same time.
Links
The links I chose were; http://inquirer.philly.com/packages/somalia, which is about the book of Black Hawk Hawk Down. The Philadelphia Inquirer is the newspaper that originally ran articles about the events in Somalia written by the author, Mark Bowden.
The other link is to http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0265086/, this website tells about the movie Black Hawk Down, which was directed by Ridley Scott with help from Mark Bowden.
The other link is to http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0265086/, this website tells about the movie Black Hawk Down, which was directed by Ridley Scott with help from Mark Bowden.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Page 300 Update
When Mike Durant came to at the crash site of Super Six Four, a crowd of armed Somalis was beginning to grow around him. Delta snipers Shugart and Gordon asked to be dropped in. When they were on the ground they moved to the crashed helo. As they arrived they found Durant in the crash and the two crew chiefs in the back. Ray Frank, the copilot of Super Six Four, had crawled out and was firing at the growing mob outside. Durant was startled when the two Delta operators showed up. He had expected to hear the sound of the convoy when rescue arrived and he hadn't heard a thing.
Durant did not realize that these two men were the only ones able to get to him at this point and was under the impression that there was a large rescue team there to save the crew. The two operators pulled Durant from the wreck and strategically placed him were he could provide cover with his firearm. He was impressed with the skill of the operators. As they left him to go defend the perimeter, he was relieved to be rescued but, a short time later, he heard the sound of Gary Gordon yell "I'm hit". Then Randy Shugart came back to Durant and gave him Gordon's weapon. Soon again, after Shugart left he heard him scream and then all was silent. The crowd came rushing around the crash and took Durant hostage.
Meanwhile, the men around the first crash site were fairing better. Several of the Rangers were hit and out of the fight but there were still enough to hold the perimeter. Captain Steele set up a perimeter and refused to move any further due to the heavy fire. It was also starting to get dark and none of the soldiers had brought night vision because the mission was supposed to last only two hours at the most and had expected to be home before nightfall. Now they were going to be stuck there all night because the ground convoy had long since returned back to base.
The Delta commanders had been beginning to get angry at Steele for his outright refusal to move. They needed to set up a tighter perimeter to make it easier for the little birds to make attack runs. Without Steele moving to a better position, their task was harder.
Durant did not realize that these two men were the only ones able to get to him at this point and was under the impression that there was a large rescue team there to save the crew. The two operators pulled Durant from the wreck and strategically placed him were he could provide cover with his firearm. He was impressed with the skill of the operators. As they left him to go defend the perimeter, he was relieved to be rescued but, a short time later, he heard the sound of Gary Gordon yell "I'm hit". Then Randy Shugart came back to Durant and gave him Gordon's weapon. Soon again, after Shugart left he heard him scream and then all was silent. The crowd came rushing around the crash and took Durant hostage.
Meanwhile, the men around the first crash site were fairing better. Several of the Rangers were hit and out of the fight but there were still enough to hold the perimeter. Captain Steele set up a perimeter and refused to move any further due to the heavy fire. It was also starting to get dark and none of the soldiers had brought night vision because the mission was supposed to last only two hours at the most and had expected to be home before nightfall. Now they were going to be stuck there all night because the ground convoy had long since returned back to base.
The Delta commanders had been beginning to get angry at Steele for his outright refusal to move. They needed to set up a tighter perimeter to make it easier for the little birds to make attack runs. Without Steele moving to a better position, their task was harder.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Page 250 and Counting
At Chalk Two's original blocking position the war had finally seemed like it died down. Just as it seemed that their corner was completely under their control, Captain Steele came in over the radio. They were ordered to move to the first crash site and help secure the perimeter around it. Originally, the plan had been to move to the site on the Humvees but the convoy had left them behind. Reluctantly they started out on foot.
Soon after Chalk Two arrived at the first crash site, the CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue) team roped in to take care of any wounded at the helicopter. While the team was dropping in Sgt. Paul Howe, a Delta operator, was on the roof of the target building still. He saw the helicopters dropping men but didn't know why. He had been too busy inside the building to realize that Wallcott's bird had gone down.
Once the Rangers and Delta were finished at the target they were ordered to move to the site. The convoy would drive in to secure the perimeter and pick everyone up. As the convoy drove off, the Rangers under the command of Captain Steele and Sergeant Howe's Delta team would move there on foot. Howe remembered feeling uneasy about moving there on foot, in a city where they were surrounded by thousands of Somali militia.
Most of the Delta operatives, however, felt that they were the perfect soldiers for the job. This is what they trained for (and rather extensively at that). They moved through the streets and buildings as if they owned them. Captain Steele, one of the Ranger commanders, did not like the the presence of Delta. He recognized that they did their job and are extremely good at what they did. The operatives thought for themselves though and did not follow the rule book as the Rangers had been taught. When Steele's Rangers saw Delta they copied them, followed their lead and abandoned the standard Ranger operating procedures.
Half way to the crash site, Steele and the Delta team, got pinned down and couldn't finish their movement to the crash. Most of the Rangers at this point were extremely scared and looking to Delta for reassurance. Then, Sgt. Earl Fillmore, one of the Delta operatives, was shot in the head and killed instantly. The Rangers thought, "If the D-boys [Delta] are getting killed, what chance do I have?" After this, the assault force could not move. They had to stay where they were and hold out for the convoy.
Soon after Chalk Two arrived at the first crash site, the CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue) team roped in to take care of any wounded at the helicopter. While the team was dropping in Sgt. Paul Howe, a Delta operator, was on the roof of the target building still. He saw the helicopters dropping men but didn't know why. He had been too busy inside the building to realize that Wallcott's bird had gone down.
Once the Rangers and Delta were finished at the target they were ordered to move to the site. The convoy would drive in to secure the perimeter and pick everyone up. As the convoy drove off, the Rangers under the command of Captain Steele and Sergeant Howe's Delta team would move there on foot. Howe remembered feeling uneasy about moving there on foot, in a city where they were surrounded by thousands of Somali militia.
Most of the Delta operatives, however, felt that they were the perfect soldiers for the job. This is what they trained for (and rather extensively at that). They moved through the streets and buildings as if they owned them. Captain Steele, one of the Ranger commanders, did not like the the presence of Delta. He recognized that they did their job and are extremely good at what they did. The operatives thought for themselves though and did not follow the rule book as the Rangers had been taught. When Steele's Rangers saw Delta they copied them, followed their lead and abandoned the standard Ranger operating procedures.
Half way to the crash site, Steele and the Delta team, got pinned down and couldn't finish their movement to the crash. Most of the Rangers at this point were extremely scared and looking to Delta for reassurance. Then, Sgt. Earl Fillmore, one of the Delta operatives, was shot in the head and killed instantly. The Rangers thought, "If the D-boys [Delta] are getting killed, what chance do I have?" After this, the assault force could not move. They had to stay where they were and hold out for the convoy.
Friday, January 30, 2009
200 Pages and Still Going
When Durant's Super Six Four got hit he thought all most nothing of it. The big Black Hawk was built for battle. The bird had been hit in the tail, right where the oil for the tail rotor was stored. Mike Goffeena saw the whole thing go down. Durant found that he could still fly the helicopter and set off toward the Task Force base. For about a mile Goffeena trailed behind him just to make sure that Super Six Four could make the distance back to base. Satisfied, Goffeena started to turn around and head back. Just as that happened, however, there was a large explosion on the tail boom. The tail rotor had disintegrated. Super Six Four began an uncontrollable spin down to the earth. Once word got out the Durant Six Four had gone down the three hummvees that carried Blackburn to base set out for the crash.
Goffeena was now circling above his crashed friend. He had three Delta snipers in the back of his chopper. As the Somalian militia made their way towards the crash, the Delta snipers said they would be more effective fighting from the ground and requested they be set down. This request was denied on the basis that no one knew if there were any survivors. It was just then that Goffeena saw his friends, Mike Durant and Ray Frank, moving on the ground and beginning to return fire with their sub-machine guns.
During this all the convoy was still lost. An air force controller decided to take things into his own hands. He bypassed the C2 helicopter and started talking to the Orion spy plane above them. No one in the convoy knew a second bird had gone down but, the spy plane had. The radio operators on the Orion saw that the situation at the second site was dire and started giving directions to the convoy to head there. Upon, realizing this the convoy demanded directions to the first site.
Goffeena was now circling above his crashed friend. He had three Delta snipers in the back of his chopper. As the Somalian militia made their way towards the crash, the Delta snipers said they would be more effective fighting from the ground and requested they be set down. This request was denied on the basis that no one knew if there were any survivors. It was just then that Goffeena saw his friends, Mike Durant and Ray Frank, moving on the ground and beginning to return fire with their sub-machine guns.
During this all the convoy was still lost. An air force controller decided to take things into his own hands. He bypassed the C2 helicopter and started talking to the Orion spy plane above them. No one in the convoy knew a second bird had gone down but, the spy plane had. The radio operators on the Orion saw that the situation at the second site was dire and started giving directions to the convoy to head there. Upon, realizing this the convoy demanded directions to the first site.
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