I had been pulling radio shifts for the prior five weeks. At approximately 1400 hours we were awakened and told that two Blackhawk helicopters had been shot down during a hit on a target. The assault force was separated and pinned down. A firefight broke out and a part of the unit was cut off. They set up a perimeter around the crash site to protect the helicopter and the bodies of the pilots. At that time the remainder of the Rangers re-organized to extract the cut-off element and exfiltrate the bodies. All support personnel were required to maintain the Ranger guard posts. I was put in the mess hall guard tower in the rear of the compound – it was a heavy machinegun position.
I wasn't on watch but an hour before I was relieved from my post and informed that I was to be going out with a U.S. Navy SEAL Commander. He was ordered by the Commanding General to link up with the Malaysians and to ensure that their APCs (armored personnel carriers) linked up with the rest of the rescue force. The force was comprised of three Pakistani tanks, 12 to 14 Malaysian APCs, 10th Mountain Division Quick Reaction Force (QRF) troops and our Joint Special Operations Task Force (JSOTF) force. The SEAL Commander's mission was to provide liaison support to the Malaysian APC force and to oversee the movement to the target crash site.
My communications package was a FM command net. I had good communications with all the forward elements. I had intermittent communications with higher headquarters – this was due interference caused by the city infrastructure. The tension was high and I think everyone knew something was going to happen.
Within approximately five minutes after we left the final United Nations (UN) gate, we started receiving intermittent fire. It seemed like we returned fire with everything we had. I saw a MK-19 (automatic grenade launcher) gunner "smoke" his gun. At this time he had to be handed a M-60 machinegun to continue fire into his sector. An E-4 from the 10th Mountain QRF took a tracer round in his let arm. It burned part of his sleeve and I remember it hitting his arm but I can't remember if it went in or just grazed him. Either way, it pushed him back onto me.
It seemed like an eternity for us to get down National Street to the intersection we were supposed to turn at. Once we got to the intersection the enemy fire intensified. The SEAL Commander and I agreed it would be better to be on foot and we ran to the right side of the road – movement was slow. The Seal Commander then tried to get the UN APCs to move faster – they were very hesitant moving down that street. The longer we stayed in one place the more fire we took. The heaviest fire fight was when we got in front of the two hotels.
The hotels were strong points for the Somalia National Army (SNA). Lots of small arms fire and RPG launches were reported previously originating from this area. Once we got past the hotels we moved down a side street for a block or two. The SEAL Commander wanted to get closer to the crash site. We worked our way up to the First Squad, First Platoon, 10th Mountain QRF. Once we got to the lead element we crossed over the street and linked up with the assault force. The assault force had wounded personnel and a UN APC moved down the street to evacuate the wounded. A short time later, a Hummer arrived to take out the wounded troops' weapons and gear. After that there was a lull in the fire as we waited for the PJ's to cut the body of a pilot out of the helicopter wreckage. It was around 0500 when they finished – it began to get light out.
During the several hours that we waited, there were "danger close" fire missions called in – and performed by the helicopters. We then started our exfiltration using the side streets and the UN APCs for cover. The SEAL Commander and I moved with a portion of the assault force taking the same route back because the convoy was stretched back to National and there were no mines along this route.
We took heavy fire during the return movement. One RPG round – or some other type of explosive – impacted very close to us. I remember seeing one of the officers falling but I do not think he was hit. When we got back to the intersection we started stuffing people into Hummers in order to expedite movement to a UN gate in the New Port area. There were Pakistani tanks covering our movement as we loaded the Hummers. Again, we took fire as we moved down the road. I did not return fire because I was stuffed in the back with the SEAL Commander on top of me and three NCOs behind me. One NCO and the SEAL Commander returned fire until we arrived at the New Port gate area. We then checked ourselves for wounds and were met by one of our Blackhawk helicopters. Myself and the SEAL Commander and approximately seven or eight other personnel took the first bird back to the compound.
I was proud and grateful to see all the smiling faces when we got off the helicopter. I would support the SEAL Commander or any other member of the units involved at any time and any place. I am very proud of the people I work with, the people I support, my country, and being assigned to a unit like this.
| HOME | CONCEPTS | DOCTRINE |
| OPERATIONS 1 | OPERATIONS 2 | TECHNOLOGY |
| COMMERCIAL | RESEARCH | ISSUES |
| COMMENTS | SIGN GUESTBOOK | VIEW GUESTBOOK |
| UNITS/IMAGES | DEDICATION |
Get your own Free Home Page