Rating: 
Summary: The Danger of Operations Other Than War (OOTW)
Review: Black Hawk Down (Signet 1999), written by Mark Bowden (a reporter at The Philadelphia Inquirer), is excellent reporting on the strategy and tactics of modern warfare. The book covers an intense firefight, known as the "Battle of the Black Sea," which took place on Sunday, October 3, 1993, in the middle of a marketplace in Mogadishu, Somalia. On that afternoon, a combined force of Army Rangers and Delta Force were assigned the duty of kidnapping two top lieutenants of Mohamed Farrah Aidid (a warlord who headed the Habr Gidr clan) who systematically were robbing the starving populace of food delivered by the international community. The daylight mission was supposed to take one hour. Instead, two Black Hawks were downed by Somali fire and the American soldiers spent the night fighting thousands of armed Somalis. The world awoke the next day to grotesque images of a Somali mob defiling and dragging the corpses of American soldiers through the city streets. Eighteen Americans had died, over seventy were badly injured and one had been captured. Black Hawk Down reports on the terrifying night spent by the American soldiers between the time they were dropped by the Black Hawks in the marketplace and their rescue.The book provides the reader a chilling view of battle as it reports sequences of scenes through the eyes of those who fought it. In a description of a medic's efforts to save a young Ranger, Bowden writes: "Give me some morphine for the pain! Smith demanded.... I can't, Schmid told him. In his state, morphine could kill him.... The young Ranger bellowed as the medic reached with both hands and tore open the entrance wound. Schmid tried to shut out the fact that there were live nerve endings beneath his fingers.... He continued to root for the artery. Every time he reached into the wound Smith lost more blood. Schmid and Perino were covered with it. Blood was everywhere. It was hard to believe Smith had anymore to lose.... "We need medevac NOW. We have [ ] critical who is not going to make it.... "Roger, understand. We are pressing the QRF to get there as quickly as they can. I doubt that we can get a Hawk in there to get anybody out, over.... "We are going to have to hold on the best we can with those casualties and hope the ground reaction force gets there on time." By interviewing the soldiers for their recollection of the events and juxtaposing it with transcriptions of radio tapes of the desperate calls for help, Bowden succeeds in conveying the sense of the horror of war in a manner that is more unsettling than most authors are able to do in their fictional or non-fictional books about war. In that regard, Black Hawk Down is similar to "We Were Soldiers Once...and Young," a book about infantry combat in Ia Drang, Vietnam, written by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore (Ret.) and Joseph L. Galloway (Random House, 1992). Bowden provides such an in-depth account of the battle and so vividly relates the memories and opinions of the soldiers that it's hard to believe that he, himself, was not at the battle. The author's skill in piecing together important sequences of events, his addition of ordinary details (for example, the soldier who wished he had made a restroom stop before the mission) and his description of the surrealism experienced by the soldiers ("this cannot be real!") give the reader a sense of the realism of war. This is an impressive achievement given Bowden's lack of any military background. One criticism I have of the book is the author's failure to follow up on President Clinton's abrupt cancellation of the mission within days of the battle. While Bowden briefly touches on this issue in the Epilogue, he could have elaborated on this stage of events by addressing the soldiers' feelings and opinions concerning this issue. There must have been a tremendous sense of frustration and a sense of "all this for nothing" for those who fought in the mission. Perhaps there was no easy way to address this issue given that the soldiers were still active members of the military and their comments would have been too circumscribed. Another criticism I have of the book is the author's reluctance to address the wisdom of the policymakers who authorized the mission. To the extent he addresses it, he, personally, does not appear to find as much fault as one would think his book warrants. He acknowledges, however, that the rest of the country may be of a different view, especially with respect to the President's role. Bowden reported: "At the Medal of Honor ceremony for the two Delta soldiers killed in action, [the author] read that the father of posthumous honoree Sergeant Randy Shughart insulted the president, telling him he was not fit to be Commander-in-Chief." Despite these minor shortcomings, I found the book to be a raw, gut-wrenching account that vividly captures the ferociousness of urban warfare. Black Hawk Down is written like an action novel; it's gripping and very easy to read. The Battle of the Black Sea was the worst firefight since Vietnam, and is a battle that America has preferred to forget. But, so long as America engages in police action missions and OOTW, we must not forget October 13. In an article in the New York Times (11/2/01), Somalia's president pleaded for America to re-establish relations with his country. He urged American officials to end the cold shoulder treatment "and to realize that Somalia, although not perfect, could be much worse." I would highly recommend that everyone reads Black Hawk Down before America allows its leaders to re-engage with Somalia or to expand its peacekeeping role in places like Bosnia. After reading Black Hawk Down, this reviewer has an indelible image of young Americans going to a distant country to feed starving stangers and returning home in body bags.
Rating:
Summary: A true war classic!
Review: Destined to take it's place among war classics, Black Hawk Down is the story of the events in Somalia on October 3rd, 1993.
The books details a raid that the stationed U.S. Army Rangers staged against Mohamed Farah Aidid, a warlord who declared himself president of Somalia, and was hampering U.N. efforts to feed the starving country.
During the midafternoon, about 180 elite Amry Rangers and Delta Force troops dropped into Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, where they were to capture two lieutenants of the warlord.
Right as the mission began, things went wrong. One Ranger fell eighty feet from the Black Hawk that he was in to the ground. The Somalis, who were excited due to the raid, and due to the drugs that are common among the population began to attack the soldiers who also opened fire. Before too long, a fierce fire-fight began. After the prisoners were loaded onto the convoy of humvees and flatbeds, the convoy began to move out.
Then disaster struck. Using RPGs, (Rocket Propelled Granades) a Somali managed to hit on of the Black Hawk helicopters that was flying over head, causing it to crash to the ground, killing the crew. The soldier's mission changed from a raid to a rescue mission, and they had to fight their way to the crash site. The convoy was turned around, and proceeded to the crash site, but the trucks got lost, resulting in the deaths of a couple soldiers riding back.
Soon, another helicopter was also hit, and crashed, killing several of the crew, and this time, there was no rescue for the survivors.
By the end of the mission, which was supposed to last for an hour, but dragged on into the night, 18 soldiers, of the Rangers and Delta Force were killed, and 73 were seriously wounded. Three more Black Hawks were shot up and forced down, but they returned to the base where they were stationed. This story is among the most horrifying and realistic that I have read. Bowden pulled this story off spectacularly, and I felt that I was in the action while reading it. It flows quickly, making the book about a 1-3 day read. The book divides cleanly into thirds. Right off the bat, he drags us in with the troops going into battle, then backs up and described the base life, and the mission backrounds. Then he moves onto the attack, and then onto the aftermath and rescue of the only surviving pilot, Mike Durant.
Bowden's description of the battle is as realistic as can be. As the soldiers landed, he describes their reactions and thoughts, and accuratly shows the tensions between the Delta Force and Rangers. As the fight escalated, he also describes the Ranger's need to get to the crash sites, with problems between them and the air and the Somalis fighting them.
This is a true war classic.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent retelling of a difficult story
Review: Every American should be required to read this book. It is an excellent example of the finest and worst points of our culture I have ever read. I had heard and read a lot of great things about this book and they were all true. I am encouraging all of my family members and friends to buy this book and read it.
My thanks to the author for sticking with his research and completing this story. And of course my greatest thanks to those men who lived and died in this event. A great testament to the American fighting man and American spirit.
Rating:
Summary: "I wrote this for them"
Review: And so ends this excellent book that was clearly written against all odds to tell this horrible story as seen through the eyes of the soldiers. This book will make you angry and sad and will make you cry without a doubt. It is an emotional roller coaster that I couldn't recommend higher. I would strongly encourage you to start by reading the closing epilogue. Bowden explains his amazement that the story had not been appropriately documented and how he was able to meet many combatants at a memorial dedication that opened the doors for him to write this incredible book. I would also strongly encourage you to read the book prior to the movie. While I enjoyed the movie, the written words of the book more accurately record how deadly this attack was and the terror involved. This is not meant as a negative review on the movie, just the power of this book. I must admit, I only vaguely remembered this event. And that is a sad statement that these men could die in the duty of their country without the nation remembering them. The Somalia mission was to provide food for the starving. But in a country dominated by civil war, the top warlord, Adid, quickly steals the food giving the UN Peace force a reason to expand the mission to controlling Adid. On this day, the Rangers and Delta force storm a meeting to capture two top ranking Adid officials when eventually two Black Hawks are shut down. Immediately surrounded by a frenzied crowd, the Rangers and Delta force must fight to save fellow soldiers overcoming fear and injuries to stay alive. It's absolutely amazing more were not killed, as they had to spend the night in this hostile environment. Areas the book covered well not particularly well covered in the movie include some of the following. The difference in Rangers and Delta Force. I was not aware of the power of the Delta Force and how they trained differently. This may have contributed to the problems of the mission. Lack of water and night vision on the mission. Since they thought this was a one-hour mission beginning at 3:00 in the afternoon, no one thought to bring water. What a terrible mistake in this hot environment under extreme physical duress. In addition, the terror of the "Lost Convoy" could not accurately be reflected in the movie. The book describes how the convoy would stop at each crossroad giving the terrorists time to run one block over and be waiting at every crossroad with a hail of bullets. Basically, every street was a reign of bullets and RPG. No wonder they eventually had to head to the base with over 50% casualties. Also, the plight of Mike Durant, the captured pilot was not covered thoroughly enough in the movie in my opinion. As amazing as this story is, the fact the fighting crew had to run out with the armor support eventually moving ahead of them is even more astounding. I strongly recommend this book to learn more about the brave men who fight for their country.
Rating:
Summary: Laying down their lives...
Review: Black Hawk Down is the most detailed, finely authored account of troops in combat that I have ever read. Author Mark Bowden obviously went to great pains to recreate the events of Oct. 3-4, 1993, when a company-sized unit of mixed Delta Force operators and Airborne Rangers went into the dangerous territory of downtown Mogadishu to extract two lieutenants of the insidious Somalian warlord Aidid. The struggles of our troops to battle seemingly the entire city follows. It's an amazing testament to the training, determination and pride of the U.S. armed forces. It's a shame that the U.S. mission to Somalia was not successful, but you can't fault our troops. They carried out their orders with skill and precision. The failure goes to the politicians who failed to recognize and fully analyze the intransigence of a people gripped by anarchy and the anachronistic clan hierarchy of their society. The American mission to Somalia occurred shortly after our success in the Gulf War, when America was riding high on its military might and we deemed ourselves the world "police force." While there is little doubt that the United States is the world's only remaining super power, even we must know ahead of time that whenever U.S. troops are called upon to defend democracy, we must be prepared for casualties of war. The grisly footage of Somalian mobs defiling the corpses of U.S. troops haunts me to this day. But I'm sad that we did not attempt to complete the mission in Somalia to honor the sacrifices made by these and the other troops who fought and died there. Bowden's account shows both sides of the conflict, but I can't help feeling angry and saddened after reading this book. But I also feel overwhelming pride and respect for the men who fought and died for our country in this conflict.
Rating:
Summary: I couldn't put it down!
Review: What a fascinating and gripping account of modern urban combat! Bowden has written an excellent narrative of the ferocious events in Mogadishu on 3-4 October 1993. I would reccommend this book to any student of history, political science, or military studies--especially soldiers in need of an understanding of how, when even minute mistakes are made in planning, terrible things can happen to deter a unit's mission. One crticism is that Bowden should have shied from the political critique in his Epilogue. Since his book focused on the Rangers' and D-boys' combat experience, that's what he should have discussed. It seems that the political implications leading to US / UN involvement in Somalia were an afterthought and Bowden does a much better job focusing on the stories of the individuals involved. Overall, however, this is a great read and a fascinating testament to the courage, bravery, and devotion to each other shown by those who participated in the terrible Bakara Market Battle.
Rating:
Summary: Black Hawk Down
Review: This book is so cool. It should be on your top ten list. Well, thats what I think. There is so much action and suspense. I cant stop reading it. There are so many facts. I think that the book was relly good. People should read this book if they're into action. You will probably like it just as much as me. I gave this book a five star rating
Rating:
Summary: A Story Of A Modern War
Review: "Black Hawk Down" by Mark Bowden was one of the best war book that I have read. The story is a true story about 500 American soilders and Marines who go to Somalia(Which is located in east Africa) to bring food to all the starving people but War Lord Mohammed Farid Aidid siezes control of the ports where the Americans are giving the food to the people. Mohammed is taking the food to his army. The Americans come and try to arrest some of Mohammed's top Officers. Everything was going as planned. They were ready to transport the prisoners until Wolcott Black Hawk was shot downand 100 American soldiers were pinned down against 1000 angry Somalians. They set up a perimitor around the crash site untill Mike Durrant Black Hawk was hit and they had two blawk hawks in the city and now the whole city is against them. If you want to hear more you should read this book. This is a good book for anybody who likes true storys or war books. Personally, I think it was the best war book I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: Will be considered a classic of American literature
Review: On October 4, 1993, America was rocked by the news that American Special Forces were ambushed in the Somali city of Mogadishu. And, as the television filled with images of dead American soldiers being dragged through the streets, people began to demand to know what happened. The administration of Bill Clinton was rocked, and reacted by quickly announcing that American forces would be pulled out of Somalia as quickly as possible. But, more than most, reporter Mark Bowden wanted to know what really happened in Mogadishu. This is the story of what happened. On the afternoon of October 3, 1993, in a desperate attempt to capture two top aides of warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid, a small force of Rangers and Delta Force commandoes stormed into a house in Aidid's stronghold. However, very quickly things began to go wrong. When two of the Black Hawk helicopters (their pilots specially trained and equipped for night operations) were unexpectedly shot down, the American soldiers quickly found themselves surrounded by armed Somalis who were determined to bring the soldiers to battle and destroy them. As the American commander tried to round up support from Pakistani and Malaysian armored units, the American soldiers fought through the afternoon and through the night. When the fight was finally over, there were 18 Americans dead and 73 wounded, plus some 1,000 Somalis dead or wounded. In this story, author Mark Bowden does an excellent job of taking the reader right into the firefight. This is not a modern Zulu (a 1964 movie of British soldiers fighting against Zulu warriors during the 19th century); this is not a story of heroes and villains. Instead, the author tells the story from both sides, showing the feelings and motivations of both sides, and showing modern combat with all of its horrors and uncertainties. Indeed, what surprised me the most was the profound contempt that the Delta Force "D-Boys" expressed for their Ranger comrades. No, this is quite a story, one that has to be read to be understood. If you are interested in modern warfare, then I would say that you must read this book. Indeed, I would go as far as to say that this book will probably be long considered a classic of modern American literature.
Rating: 
Summary: Shallow, simplistic. Dishonors the dead.
Review: Stunningly shallow and simplistic!!
This book is a total waste of time. It is a shallow, naive, simplistic, shoot-'em-up, rah-rah and surprisingly tedious account of a tragic event. It is poorly written to boot! There is virtually no analysis of what was going on in Somalia. No explanation is offered of why the United States had troops committed there. There is no attempt to even ask the questions of why the US became vilified and hated by the Somalis.
This "journalist" furthermore exposes his own pathetic agenda throughout the book. He constantly hammers away at "weak kneed Washington politicians" (read - Democrats from Bill Clinton back to John F. Kennedy) while never mentioning (or even distorting the fact) that it was George H. W. Bush who sent the troops there originally with an ill-defined plan and virtually no exit strategy.
In his Epilogue he engages in considerable self-congratulations that is embarrassing even to read. He apparently thinks he is making some profound observations, while his whole account is sophomoric at best. His graphic descriptions of the soldiers' death agonies (brains spilling out, testicles blown off, femoral arteries spewing blood, etc.) is a disgrace and worthy of the "National Enquirer". This can only have added untold sadness to the families and friends of those lost. These accounts are even more despicably sensationalistic in light of the Pentagon and White House's current policy of suppressing respectful pictures of coffins returning from Iraq for fear of upsetting the families and demeaning those who died.
War is terrible. These soldiers were "peacekeepers", yet they were both feared and hated by those they were supposedly there to help. The Somalis were dehumanized as "Sammies" and "skinnies", and Mogadishu is constantly described as a dump. What is worse- driving repeatedly over Somali bodies in HumVees and the indiscriminate mass murder of innocent Somalis or dragging bodies of dead soldiers through the streets. Or are they equally horrific and reprehensible? The issue apparently never even occurs to the author.
The loss of the 18 soldiers was and is a terribly tragic event. This author does them no honor.
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