On October 3, 1993, during Operation Gothic Serpent, an assault mission to apprehend advisers to Mohamed Farrah Aidid, the Black Hawk helicopter with the call sign Super Six-One was shot down in the city. When the site was overrun by the Somali militia, Durant was the only survivor and was held hostage for 11 days until he was released to the Red Cross. Shughart left active duty and went into the Army Reserve in June 1980. Who were the 2 soldiers in Black Hawk Down? Combat Infantryman Badge with Star . The initial insertion attempt failed and they had to insert about 100 meters away from the crash site. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved Randall D. Shughart posthumously received the Medal of Honor and Gary I. Gordon for their heroic actions during the Battle of Mogadishu in October 1993. The Springfield Armory M1A is a civilian version of the M14 rifle designed and manufactured by Springfield Armory, Inc., beginning in 1974. As they monitored the downing of the 2nd Blackhawk it was evident that ground forces would not be available anytime soon to secure the crash site and protect the crew of four, whom all survived the crash. In 1996 the US Navy named two ships after Shughart and Gordon in honor of their heroic actions. Gordon and Shughart lost their lives in the assault. All content is protected by copyright and may not be used for commercial purposes without prior written permission. Some of the things happening in convoy getting lost seem to be consolidated onto McKnight. Among her accomplishments are being the Founder of the true crime blog, Stories of the Unsolved, which garners between 400,000 and 500,000 views annually, and a contributor for John Lordans Seriously Mysterious podcast. Its on GunSpots YouTube channel right now. What happened to the pilot in Black Hawk Down? Shughart left active duty and went into the Army Reserve in June 1980. ", The pilot wrote: "He sounded almost irritated, like this was just going to make things harder for him. When superiors reluctantly approved the mission, Gordon grinned and gave a thumbs up, but Hallings had to stay behind to man the minigun because its operator was wounded. Shughart was assigned to Delta Force and was transferred to Fort Bragg, North Carolina in June 1986. They could have taken a belt of 7.62 ammo from the door gunner and delinked it. Citation: Sergeant First Class Shughart, United States Army, distinguished himself by actions above and beyond the call of duty on 3 October 1993, while serving as a Sniper Team Member, United States Army Special Operations Command with Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu, Somalia. Designed to support up to a battalion-level assault, this . In October 1993, elite American troops launched a disastrous raid in the Somali capital Mogadishu. I'm hit. Both pilots were killed in the resulting crash and two of the crew chiefs, Staff Sgt. 2000-2023 Investor's Business Daily, LLC. [3] It is believed that Gordon was the first of the two to be killed by the surrounding mob. Content on this website is free to use and share, but please provide a link back to Spec Ops Magazine as a source. He enlisted in the U.S. Army the same year at age 18, and after serving with the 2nd Battalion of the10th Special Forces Group, he was chosen to join the 1st SFOD-D (Delta Force) as a sniper. Two are Master Sergeant Gary Gordon and Sergeant First Class Randall Shughart. Their ammunition depleted, Gordon and Shughart were killed by Somali gunfire. Then a second Black Hawk was shot down, and militia members and an armed mob converged on the site. We'll go in and re-sand the letters and repaint them because it only last so long because of the weather.". Shughart was buried in Carlilse, Pennsylvania and Gordon in Penobscot County, Maine. Russias Alpha Group compared to the Delta Force. Your email address will not be published. After putting the gun back together, I ended up putting on a National Match leather sling to get the same look from the film. Helicopter with call sign Super 61 (Super Six One). In December 1983, Shughart returned to active duty and the following year attended Special Forces training. Their ammunition nearly depleted, Gordon and Shughart were killed by Somali militias gunfire. Today, the CompM is not easily attainable, and I couldnt find a split mount like that either. Stories of the Unsolved. For their efforts during the Battle of Mogadishu, Gary Gordon and Randall Shughart were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. [2] Several months later, he completed a pre-ranger course (currently known as SURT, Small Unit Ranger Tactics), was granted a slot to attend Ranger School, graduated, and earned the Ranger Tab. Guns like an M16A1, a Rhodesian baby poop camo-painted FAL, the FNC, the M1 Garand, etc., are all guns I hope to add to my gun safe one day. Shughart retrieved Gordon's CAR-15 rifle and gave it to Durant to use. Mogadishu is a typical third . Shortly after, Shughart was killed, the site was overrun and Durant was taken hostage. and our Where is Randy Shughart buried? ". Who was the real hoot in Black Hawk Down? After completing Special Forces training, Shughart was transferred to Fort Bragg, North Carolina and assigned to Delta Force. His M14 has a camouflage paint scheme and an Aimpoint CompM2/M68 reflex sight. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? Shughart retrieved Gordons CAR-15 and gave it to Durant to use. In 1996, the US Navy held a ceremony in Newport News, Virginia, during which it named the roll-on/roll-off ship USNS Gordon. [5], There was some confusion in the aftermath of the action as to who had been killed first. Before we find you.". The ship was the first "Large Medium Speed Roll On/Roll Off (LMSR) ship" to undergo conversion from a commercial container vessel to a sealift cargo ship.[14]. After Aidid's forces killed 24 Pakistani soldiers that were part of the United Nations, the U.N. Security Council called for the militia leaders to be arrested or killed. First, let's give them their due. On the first call, mission commanders denied their request to go there and protect the site of the downed helicopter until reinforcements arrived. Several months later, he completed a pre-ranger course (currently known as SURT, Small Unit Ranger Tactics), was granted a slot to attend Ranger School, graduated, and earned the Ranger Tab. Gordon, the sniper team leader, requested they be inserted at the 2nd crash site. Chief Warrant Officer Mike Durant was already defending the aircraft with an MP5 but was unable to move from his chair due to a crushed vertebra in his back and a comminuted fracture of his left femur. Shell also rave about her three Maltese dogs whenever she gets the chance. Sergeant First Class Shughart and his team leader unhesitatingly volunteered to be inserted to protect the four critically wounded personnel, despite being well aware of the growing number of enemy personnel closing in on the site. The ceremony was attended by a number of officers and politicians including Shughart's commanding officer at the time of his death; John W. Douglass, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition; Senator Bob Kerrey; and others. Realtime quote and/or trade prices are not sourced from all markets. Master Sergeant Gordons extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest standards of military service and reflect great credit upon him, his unit and the United States Army, Gordons citation says. He then drew his pistol and held off the attackers as long as possible, eventually being mortally wounded. News outlets broadcasted searing images of mobs dragging the bodies of dead Army Special Operators and helicopter crewmen . Sign up for notifications from Insider! There are few military servicemen who have received the Medal of Honor and had their actions portrayed in a Hollywood movie. They established a defensive perimeter around the crash site. EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. Their ammunition nearly depleted, Gordon and Shughart were killed by Somali militias gunfire. Wikipedia says this: "Aftermath After the battle, the bodies of several of the conflict's U.S. casualties (Black Hawk Super 64's crewmembers and their defenders, Delta Force soldiers MSG Gordon and SFC Shughart) were dragged through Mogadishu's streets by crowds of local civilians and SNA forces. At Ft. Polks JRTC, the largest town inside of The Box is named Shughart-Gordon. The first phase of the assault went well, but shortly after an initial step, one of the Armys Black Hawk helicopters providing insertion and air support to the assault team, was shot down and crashed the downtown in the hostile controlled area. Randy and the Delta Force Team were assisting Army Rangers on Operation Gothic Serpent in October 1993 in Mogadishu, Somalia. Gary Gordon. They were tasked to provide sniper support from the air during the battle, but things went wrong after two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down. Shughart and Gordon were inserted approximately 100 metres (330 ft) from the crash site, armed with their sniper rifles and sidearms, and made their way to the downed Blackhawk. The Somalis claimed 315 of their own died and 812 were wounded. Their names were MSG Gary Gordon and SFC Randal (Randy) Shughart. It was later reported Durant initially misidentified who was killed first, but did not wish to change the official record. Mission commanders felt it too dangerous and believed the snipers would be of more assistance in the air. Shughart retrieved Gordon's CAR-15 and gave it to Durant to use. Master Sergeant Gordons sniper team provided precision fires from the lead helicopter during an assault and at two helicopter crash sites, while subjected to intense automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fires. Cookie Notice By this time, more Somali militiamen were arriving intent on either capturing or killing the American servicemen. Their request was denied by command twice, but the men persisted. The infamous picture of the US Soldier being dragged shirtless through the street was not either of the CAG Snipers. What is the most elite unit in the military? On October 3, 1993 members of the elite US Army rangers and SOCOMs Delta Force executed a mission to attempt the capture of Gen. Mohammed Farah Aidid. Bush authorized the dispatch of U.S. troops to Somalia to assist with famine relief as part of the larger United Nations effort. Michael Durant, the pilot of the second downed chopper, wrote in "In the Company of Heroes": "To me, they were like Batman and Robin, only much better, and they just walked up to my aircraft like they were out for a stroll in the park. Gordon (1960-93) was born in Lincoln, Maine, a mill town of 5,000 nestled in the northern forests. . Sergeant First Class Shughart continued his protective fire until he depleted his ammunition and was fatally wounded. The U.N. declared an end to the mission in April 1994. . Sergeant First Class Shughart provided precision sniper fires from the lead helicopter during an assault on a building and at two helicopter crash sites, while subjected to intense automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fires. In the movie, there is a single scope ring at the front of the receiver holding an Aimpoint CompM. He initially served with the 2nd Battalion of the 10th Special Forces, then became a sniper for the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, better known as Delta Force an elite Army anti-terror unit. Gordon and two sergeant first class subordinates, Shughart and Brad Hallings, had been providing fire cover from another helicopter, but they knew this wasn't enough if the crew of the second downed chopper was to be saved. Prior to its hiatus, she also served as the Head of Content for UK YouTube publication, TenEighty Magazine. Police officers from Maine are investigating a possible vandalism case of a gravestone belonging to US Army Master Sgt. The term M1A is a proprietary title for Springfield Armorys M14-pattern rifle. Despite the fact that he was critically low on ammunition, he provided some of it to the dazed pilot and then radioed for help. Gordon and Shugart are among the Americans honored on Memorial Day, which remembers those who died serving in the military. Eighteen Americans were killed. As such, the US Army sent in its Special Forces to protect the humanitarian efforts and prevent the continued rise of the warlords. Shughart deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia, in 1993 as part of Task Force Ranger operations. In December 1986, Gordon volunteered to join the 1st Special Operational Detachment-Delta (1SFOD-D), better known as Delta Force. After their third request to be inserted, Sergeant First Class Shughart and his team leader received permission to perform this volunteer mission. Equipped with only his sniper rifle and a pistol, Master Sergeant Gordon and his fellow sniper, while under intense small arms fire from the enemy, fought their way through a dense maze of shanties and shacks to reach the critically injured crew members. The next biggest part of the build, that is also the hardest part of the build, is to get a red dot on the rifle like Shugharts. He chose the military and 'I shall not fail those with whom I serve' became his simple religion. Shugart was the first one to be mortally wounded at about the same time he ran out of ammo. Delta Force operatives dont typically wear a uniform and, even when they do, the nature of that uniform is classified and no one outside of the Unit would be able to recognize it. The mission ultimately culminated in what became known as the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu. Gary Gordon and Sgt. Your email address will not be published. They likely had an extra bag with ammo that they would have taken with them. The events of this mission have been well documented in the book Blackhawk Down, and the movie of the same title that was based on the book. The information has been obtained from sources we believe to be reliable; however no guarantee is made or implied with respect to its accuracy, timeliness, or completeness. . Sergeant First Class Shughart's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest standards of military service and reflect great credit upon him-self, his unit and the United States Army. (Photo Credit: US Army / Wikimedia Commons)Gordon wanted to assist the helicopter, but his request was denied. Sergeant First Class Shughart continued his protective fire until he depleted his ammunition and was fatally wounded. At the time, MSG Gordon was Sniper Team Leader during a joint-force assault mission to apprehend key advisers to Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid and the warlord himself if possible. Just know that my build is like the movie version but in aesthetics only. Shughart's dead body is torn from the Black Hawk: the mob tears the top of his uniform off and carries him through the street with his bare chest facing up. All rights reserved. On May 23, 1994, Gordon and Shughart were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the United States military's highest decoration for valor under . Unlike other members of the armed forces, the Delta Force is granted a lot of freedom in how they live and what they look like. I only tried to match it in appearance and not performance. They did that, even though large numbers of armed Somali militia were converging the area. By most accounts, Gordon was killed first, with Shughart returning to an injured Mike Durant to give him Gordons carbine.

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