In 1993, the U.S. sent special forces into Mogadishu, Somalia after the country’s civil war. The majority of the population in Somalia was starving, and humanitarian aid sent into the starving population was being seized by militias loyal to Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid. It became the mission of three U.S. special operations forces — 75th Rangers, Delta Force counter-terror operators, and 160th SOAR – Night Stalkers — to capture Aidid.
These special forces flew in on Black Hawk helicopters, which lowered them to the ground in order to complete their mission. However, an unexpected attack by Somalian forces brought two of the helicopters down immediately. The U.S. soldiers struggled to combat the overwhelming attacks from the Somalis, but fought with every ounce of their lives. Ultimately, 1,000 Somali militants were killed and 19 U.S. troops lost their lives. The harrowing battle was depicted in the movie “Black Hawk Down,” which is regarded as one of the best ever war films.
Below are five videos of the best moments from the movie:
This is by far one of the best combat scenes from the movie. Warning: Portions of it are graphic due to the depiction of violence and war.
This scene shows the horrors of flying in a helicopter over a combat zone.
This clip shows not only the pressure of war on the American side, but the impact war had on the Somalian side as well. We see this when the video states: “There will always be killing. This is how things are in our world”
This scene is perfectly orchestrated and shows the differences in cultures and fighting styles between the Americans and Somalians. Not only is Somalia economically distraught, but they are using the money they do have to supply locals with weapons to fight in local markets.
The best was saved for last with this video. This clip shows the true spirit and integrity of the United States military. It also shows that even though these men fear for their lives, they continue to put themselves in harm’s way to defend their great nation.
