Mogadishu!: Heroism and Tragedy - Hardcover

DeLong, Kent; Tuckey, Steven

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0275949257 ISBN 13: 9780275949259

Publisher: Praeger, 1994

Synopsis

Every American should read this book in order to gain a clear insight about military combat and war.
From the foreword by Ross Perot

Recommended for readers who enjoy suspenseful accounts of close combat.
Publishers Weekly

Most Americans remember…the two troubling televised images that follwed [the operation]….But there is more about that day that is told in this book and that should be known by Americans.
The Wall Street Journal

Among America's clearest memories of ongoing conflict in Somalia will certainly be the swollen, bloodied face of helicopter pilot Michael Durant, displayed on the international television news reports after his capture in Mogadishu on October 3, 1993. While the failed mission leading to Durant's imprisonment captured the rage and anguish of the world, few Americans truly understood how many U.S. Army Ranger compatriots shared Durant's fortitude and courage there. Indeed, Durant was only one member of the elite Task Force Ranger Regiment deployed to apprehend Mohammed Farrah Aidid, Somailia's most powerful warlord on the fateful October day.

Here is the little-known story of the 15 fierce, deadly hours of fighting that followed the Americans tightly calibrated attempt to target Aidid. Moment by moment, Mogahishu! recounts how this mission, intended to deflate the heart of Somali resistance, became instead a tragic showcase for the heroism and breathtaking self-sacrifice of the American servicement--and the catalyst of U.S. withdrawal of peacekeeping troops. Mogadishu! reveals while the operation produced on the most decorated military units in American history, it cost 18 of America's best-trained servicemen their lives. Using rare testimony from other military personnel, Kent DeLong offers the first complete account of how these Americans died, not for glory but for each other, far from their loved ones in a God-forsaken place called Mogadishu.

About this title

About the Author

KENT DELONG is the attending physician of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. He has a private medical practice in internal medicine with an emphasis in preventive and addictive medicine. He is a member of the board of DeLong International Inc., and has published numerous articles on commodities, addiction, and military history.

From the Back Cover

Among America's clearest memories of ongoing conflict in Somalia will certainly be the swollen, bloodied face of helicopter pilot Michael Durant, displayed on international television news reports after his capture in Mogadishu on October 3, 1993. While the failed mission leading to Durant's imprisonment captured the rage and anguish of the world, few Americans truly understood how many U.S. Army Ranger compatriots shared Durant's fortitude and courage there. Indeed, Durant was only one member of the elite Task Force Ranger Regiment deployed to apprehend Mohammed Farrah Aidid - Somalia's most powerful warlord - on that fateful October day. Here is the little-known story of the 15 fierce, deadly hours of fighting that followed the Americans' tightly calibrated attempt to target Aidid. Moment by moment, Mogadishu! recounts how this mission, intended to deflate the heart of Somali resistance, became instead a tragic showcase for the heroism and breathtaking self-sacrifice of American servicemen - and the catalyst for U.S. withdrawal of peacekeeping troops.

Reviews

The plan was to capture the top lieutenants of Somali warlord Muhammad Aidid, whose gunmen had been killing soldiers of the U.N. peacekeeping force. But the mission started unraveling when two U.S. Army helicopters crashed in the streets of Mogadishu. DeLong (War Heroes) and California journalist Tuckey's hair-raising narrative focuses on the ad hoc formation of successive rescue missions that were in turn ambushed by Aidid's followers and menaced by crowds that turned into howling mobs. Before it was over, 18 GIs had been killed. This detailed account of the action of Oct. 3-4, 1993, shows that practically everything that could go wrong did, despite outstanding leadership and troop performance. The authors deliver a stinging rebuke to former Defense Secretary Les Aspin for denying field commanders' requests for armored equipment. Recommended for readers who enjoy suspenseful accounts of close combat. Illustrations.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Praeger
• Publication date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0275949257
• ISBN 13: 9780275949259
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 144