Though the momentum of battle was still on TF RangerвЂ™s side, it was firmly lost when a second Black Hawk - Super 64 - was shot down just 20 minutes after Super 61. Things went south, entirely, when Super 61, one of the Black Hawks attached to the assault element, was shot down killing both pilots and seriously injuring its crew chiefs and two Delta operators in the main cabin during the crash. Things began going awry during the mission, however, and Somali irregulars and militia began amassing in considerable numbers, putting up an unexpectedly ferocious fight. A convoy of Humvees and trucks would roll in immediately after to pick up the assault team and the prisoners back to the Mogadishu International Airport, where TF Ranger maintained its headquarters and garrison. Members of Task Force Ranger pose for a picture in Somalia, 1993 (Photo US Army)Дelta operators and Rangers would be inserted from the air by Night Stalkers in MH-60s near the target building, secure the site and capture the high value targets. The events of Gothic Serpent were documented in Mark BowdenвЂ™s best seller, вЂњBlack Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War,вЂќ and helicopter pilot Mike DurantвЂ™s book, вЂњIn The Company of Heroes.вЂќ The missionвЂ™s primary intent was to capture a pair of high-ranking officials of the Habr Gedir clan, led by warlord Mohamed Farrah Aided. It would be known as вЂњGothic Serpent,вЂќ though in later years, it would more popularly be known as the Black Hawk Down incident. 3, an operation was launched with TF Ranger running the show entirely. Both Gordon and Shughart were old hands in the special operations community, the former having served with 10th Special Forces Group before being selected to join Delta Force, and the latter having served with the 75th Ranger Regiment. Known as Task Force Ranger, the deployment package consisted of Rangers from the ArmyвЂ™s 75th Ranger Regiment, Night Stalkers from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, and operators from Delta Force, among many others.ДЄttached to the Delta contingent were a pair of sharpshooters - MSG Gary Gordon and SFC Randy Shughart. In August of 1993, a task force consisting of members of AmericaвЂ™s elite special operations units were deployed to Somalia after a deadly IED attack on American military personnel who were, at the time, in country conducting a humanitarian mission. Of the many incredible stories of bravery and brotherhood that emerged from the day, one in particular stood out enough that two of the soldiers within would posthumously receive the Medal of Honor for their heroism and sacrifice.

27 years ago, the Black Hawk Down incident was unfolding on the streets of Mogadishu, Somalia, when a pair of US Army MH-60 Black Hawks were shot down by Somali militia toting rocket propelled grenades.

High warlords medal of valor