FEATURED EXHIBITS

BATTLE OF MOGADISHU

On October 3rd, 1993, Task Force Ranger, made up of US Special Forces, attempted to seize several key leaders in the Habar Gedir clan. The plan involved dropping in several elements of Delta Force on top of the target’s building and then to load the targets into a military convoy. However, the convoy ran into unexpected resistance from roadblocks set up by militiamen.

After the targets were secured, several Black Hawk helicopters were circling around the area waiting to be of assistance to the troops on the ground. Immediately afterward, an RPG (Rocket-Propelled-Grenade) hit Super Six One, one of the Black Hawks, and forced it to crash land in the city. Much of the forces on the ground were redirected to the crash site to help out the crew. Very soon afterwards, another RPG struck Super Six Four in the tail rotor and the Black Hawk was forced to crash land in the city as well.

When the majority of the ground forces reached the first crash site, they became pinned down by several roving bands of Somali militiamen. With the confusion of the battle, the US Rangers became entrapped in several buildings near the first crash site. Only, two snipers were able to drop onto the second crash site to protect the crew. However, soon afterwards all the crew, except one, and the snipers were killed when their position was overrun. The militiamen took one crewman, Michael Durant, alive. He would be later released unharmed.

The US and UN forces had not been prepared for a rescue mission and were woefully unprepared. Meanwhile, in the first crash site the US forces garrisoned several buildings and waited throughout the night for reinforcements while Somali militiamen continued to pour bullets into their position. A massive convoy headed out from the US headquarters in the nearby airport, and they were only able to reach the trapped forces the next day after encountering fierce resistance on the way. In the end, the US accomplished the mission however at a cost of 18 servicemen along with 79 injuries. The Malaysian UN forces lost one soldier along with seven injured. Finally, the Pakistanis had two injuries. It is estimated that the Somali militiamen lost somewhere between 500-2000 people in that one battle alone.