During the battle, the Airfield Services Detachment (ASD) was responsible for providing ammunition and fuel to the helicopter armada. By 1516 hours the Forward Area Rearm and Refuel Point (FARP) was fully functional and providing 17 PD warhead rockets to the helicopters to start the operation. The FARP team consisted of five ASD members, the B Company Armament Team and a medic. Throughout the next 18.5 hours the FARP team provided approximately 12,500 gallons of fuel in 60 to 80 gallon increments – this was done by hot refueling the helicopters. They also loaded over 100 rockets and over 50,000 rounds of mini-gun ammunition. Hot rearming and refueling is a hazardous operation that requires a great deal of situational awareness, attention to detail and speed. As the helicopters approach the pad the refuelers and armament soldiers position themselves next to the hoses, ammunition and rockets. The pilot then positions his helicopter between the ordnance, fuel and soldiers with on feet to spare on each side. Then like a pit crew at the Indianapolis 500, the FARP team skillfully refuels the helicopter, loads the rockets and mini-gun ammunition while the rotor blades are turning feet above their heads at an idle speed. When the job is complete, the soldiers move back into their hunched over position a few feet back protecting their faces from the propeller blast and flying debris. The helicopter then cranks up to full throttle and flies off the pad to rejoin the fray. This operation lasts no longer than four to seven minutes.

During occasions when the pilots were able to get out of the aircraft and relieve themselves, they recounted stories of the ongoing battle to the FARP team. These accounts helped bring the team to a feverish pitch in their efforts to get the helicopters off the pads even faster. As the evening wore on the FARP team started providing water to the pilots as they landed. Around 2200, the ASD Non-Commissioned Officer In-Charge (NCOIC) was able to take hot food to the FARP members. During one ten-minute period when the helicopters were on the ground at the FARP the FARP team dragged the pilots out of their cockpits to get them to eat. It had been the first chow for them since lunch – if they even ate lunch at all. Some of the pilots were so wired from the battle that they couldn't eat. Around 0800 the next morning, a Staff Sergeant managed to get omelets and bacon from the ASP. The team members elected to pass up their breakfast in favor of feeding the exhausted pilots. One of the pilots was in such a hurry that he ended up throwing up everything he had just ate. Then the last of the helicopters rotated through the FARP. This time to de-arm as the operation was now over and it was time to close down the FARP and recover the 90 rockets that had been broken out, pick up the empty ammunition cans and return them to the ASP, then back to the hangar to clean up the mess there.

AS the rearming and refueling operations were ongoing at the FARP, two more ASD soldiers operated the 10th Mountain Division's refueling point. Throughout the night they passed over 15,000 gallons of gas to the helicopter that constantly rotated through - all the while these soldiers watched tracers and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) go by the helicopters engaged over Mogadishu. The Rangers had pulled most of their support from the hangar area to join the battle. This left the remaining ASD soldiers to find, draw, transport, and issue all the ammunition necessary to sustain the battle for TF Ranger and elements of the 10th Mountain Division's Quick Reaction Force (QRF). In addition, the second HEMMT used by the detachment was constantly running re-supply missions to the FARP HEMMT and refuel point in between cold refueling helicopters, fixed wing aircraft and dodging bullets as they drove around the airfield. After the feverish pitch of the battle had slowed to a more manageable level and all the ammunition was pushed forward, those ASD soldiers at the hangar assisted the litter teams pulling the scores of wounded off the seemingly endless stream of medevac helicopters.

When the battle was over and all the soldiers present or accounted for, the responsibilities of the detachment were ongoing. Now there was time to top off all the HEMMTs, clean up and return to the ASP the tons of ammunition from the issuing point at the hangar, inventory what was left, and make plans to reorder to bring us up to acceptable levels. When all the soldiers of the ASD finally returned to the hangar, equipment inventories were taken, weapons and individual equipment cleaned and everyone joined in a general clean-up around the hangar to get rid of the blood and gore and loose wreckage of the night's battle. Around 1500 that afternoon most of the detachment then dropped off into their cots in exhaustion.

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