By the fall of 1992, the nation of Somalia was war-torn and ravaged by famine. They could have taken a belt of 7.62 ammo from the door gunner and delinked it. Much of the food was hijacked by Mohamed Aidid's militia, and suddenly hundreds of thousands more Somalians were at risk of dying. Their ammunition nearly depleted, Gordon and Shughart were killed by Somali militias gunfire. Master Sergeant Gordons extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest standards of military service and reflect great credit upon, his unit and the United States Army. While a Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) team went to secure it, a second Super Six-Four was also downed. Gordon and Shughart were a sniper team providing sniper cover from the air in helicopter Super Six-Two. Theres an on-going debate on whos tougher: a Navy SEAL or a member of the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachments Delta Unit, a.k.a. While providing critical suppressive fire at the second crash site, Sergeant First Class Shughart and his team leader learned that ground forces were not immediately available to secure the site. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to use this website. Once on the ground, they were armed with only their weapons and sidearms. He then drew his pistol and held off the attackers as long as possible, eventually being mortally wounded. In December 1986, Gordon volunteered to join the 1st Special Operational Detachment-Delta (1SFOD-D), better known as Delta Force. Legendary Delta Force operator Norm Hooten talks about his storied career, his scariest moment, and the one thing to always remember in a firefight. In 1978, he was assigned to the 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Lewis, Washington. As a result, Ive found myself increasingly interested in recreations of famous guns used around the world. In December 1983, Shughart returned to active duty and the following year attended Special Forces training. Michael Durant Below is a excerpt of American Valor's interview with Michael Durant whose life was saved by Medal of Honor recipients Gary Gordon and Randall Shughart. However, it added that the family "was never notified that this was happening. They did that, even though large numbers of armed Somali militia were converging the area. In the movie, there is a single scope ring at the front of the receiver holding an Aimpoint CompM. After his father, Herbert Shughart, left the Air Force, the Shugharts moved to Newville, Pennsylvania, to live and work on a dairy farm. Wolcott's body is finally recovered. If youve never heard of this rifle or you dont understand the fascination with it, let me say that its not just the rifle its the story behind it. When debris and enemy ground fires at the site caused them to abort the first attempt, Sergeant First Class Shughart and his team leader were inserted one hundred meters south of the crash site. The opposition was much larger and better organized then originally thought and the mission began to take a turn for the worse. The United Nations tried to aid with the resulting famine, but its food rations were seized by local warlords. On October 3, 1993 members of the elite US Army rangers and SOCOMs Delta Force executed a mission to attempt the capture of Gen. Mohammed Farah Aidid. The award read in part: "Master Sergeant Gordon's . Durant suffered a crushed vertebra in his back and a compound fracture of his left femur. Russias Alpha Group compared to the Delta Force. Their ammunition nearly depleted, Gordon and Shughart were killed by Somali militias gunfire. [1], Shughart joined the United States Army while attending Big Spring High School in Newville, entering upon graduation in 1976. How many Delta Force died in Black Hawk Down? United States Army Medal of Honor recipient (19581993), Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, List of post-Vietnam Medal of Honor recipients, "Randall D. Shughart, Sergeant First Class", United States Army Center of Military History, "For 8 Years, a Strained Relationship With the Military", "Cargo Ship Shughart (T-AKR 295) Named After Medal of Honor recipient", "Carlisle Barracks to dedicate Shughart Hall", "JFK Special Warfare Museum: Medal of Honor recipients", "Remarks by the President at Medal of Honor ceremony", "U.S. Army Infantry Homepage: National Infantry Museum Operation Restore Hope", "Naming of Randall D. Shughart United States Post Office Building in Newville, Pennsylvania", "Special Forces Association Chapter LXIV, SFC Randall Shughart Memorial Chapter, Carlisle, PA", "Veterans Memorial Grove and The Battle of Mogadishu Monument", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Randy_Shughart&oldid=1130617837, People from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Members of the United States Army Special Forces, American military personnel killed in action, United States Army Medal of Honor recipients, Battle of Mogadishu (1993) recipients of the Medal of Honor, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. [7], In the 2001 film Black Hawk Down, Shughart was portrayed by actor Johnny Strong. Shughart was assigned to 1st SFOD-D (Delta Force) and transferred to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in June 1986. A CSRT (Combat Search and Rescue team) was dispatched to the first crash site to secure it, and a short time later, another Black Hawk, Super 64 (Super Six Four), was shot down as well. He kept repeating his request twice until he finally received permission to engage. Scan this QR code to download the app now. He joined the Boy Scouts and played football in high school, graduating in 1978. Randall David Shughart (August 13, 1958 October 3, 1993) was a United States Army Delta Force operator who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Mogadishu, during Operation Gothic Serpent in October 1993. Randy Shughart - Wikipedia Master Sergeant Gordons extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest standards of military service and reflect great credit upon him, his unit and the United States Army, Gordons citation says. With all of the ground forces still trying to help Super Six-One, there was no one left to help at the crash site of Super Six-Four. Your email address will not be published. Their 'Go bag'. "We've had a lot of people come forward wanting to help. On 24 July 1996, Aidid and his men clashed with the forces of former allies Ali Mahdi Muhammad and Osman Ali Atto. His M14 has a camouflage paint scheme and an Aimpoint CompM2/M68 reflex sight. "What happens with these is that over time the paint will fade," the mortician said to Insider. On October 3, 1993, they engaged in Operation Gothic Serpent, a joint-force assault mission to apprehend key advisers to Mohamed Farrah Aidid, a Somali warlord. The bodies of 50 Somalis were later found surrounding the chopper. Its on GunSpots YouTube channel right now. Durant acknowledged that he might have been wrong in his identification but was reluctant to push for the record to be changed since he was not sure. Sergeant First Class Shughart used his long range rifle and side arm to kill an undetermined number of attackers while traveling the perimeter, protecting the downed crew. Eighteen Americans were killed. The M14 rifle is used by Delta Force Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart (Johnny Strong), most notably when he and MSG Gary Gordon (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) are covering the second crash site. Gary Gordon, a Special Forces soldier was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Mogadishu. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Both operators died in the battle. [6] Shughart's body was eventually recovered and is buried in Westminster Cemetery, Carlisle, Pennsylvania. 1st Class Randy Shughart provided precision sniper fire from the lead helicopter during a building assault and at two helicopter crash sites. The Shughart-Gordon MOUT site was named for Medal of Honor recipients Sgt. Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart were the only soldiers participating in Operation Gothic Serpent (Battle of Mogadishu) to receive the military's highest honor and the first Medal of Honor recipients since the Vietnam War. Get instant access to exclusive stock lists, expert market analysis and powerful tools with 2 months of IBD Digital for only $20! As militants swarmed closer to the crash site, finally they were allowed to get on the ground. Gordon, 33, was a sniper team leader with the Army's 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, otherwise known as "Delta Force.". Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart: The real heroes of the Battle of Mogadishu With the ARMS #18 mount and the Aimpoint PRO installed, we are now about 90% of the way to the finished product. Gary Gordon, A Hero Who Died In The Heat Of Somalia [1] According to Durant's book In the Company of Heroes, the Somalis counted 25 of their militia dead after the firefight. Background: Shughart was born August . The fourth pilot was captured and later released. as well as other partner offers and accept our. Aidid was fatally wounded in a battle with a rival militia two years later. His actions saved the pilots life. Shughart's dead body is torn from the Black Hawk: the mob tears the top of his uniform off and carries him through the street with his bare chest facing up. Gordon and Shughart lost their lives in the assault. On October 3, 1993, during an assault mission to apprehend advisors to the Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid, a Black Hawk helicopter with the call sign Super Six-One was shot down in the city. Howe said that Gordon would not have given his weapon to someone while he could still fight. Mission commanders denied their request; in fact, they said that the situation was already too dangerous for the three Delta snipers to effectively protect the Blackhawk crew from the ground because overwhelming Somali militias outnumbered them. How often do you need to soak a kokedama? An estimated half million Somalis were already dead, and hundreds of thousands more were facing possible starvation. Today we remember one of our most famous Special Operations warriors. Shughart and Gordon were inserted approximately 100 metres (330 ft) from the crash site, armed with their sniper rifles and sidearms, and made their way to the downed Blackhawk. Meaning the part over the action is open but there are some Picatinny slots at the rear and front of the receiver. He is a posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor. Trained as a combat engineer, he became a Special Forces engineer with the 2nd Battalion of the 10th Special Forces Group. The pilot of their helicopter said that anyone in their right mind would never have gone in, but they insisted on it because they were comrades in danger, because they believed passionately in the creed that says, I will not fail those with whom I serve., Gary Gordon and Randall Shughart died in the most courageous and selfless way any human being can act, he concluded. Before we find you.". What is the white stuff in my gas fireplace? Both Shughart and Gordon were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for their selfless sacrifice, the first time it had been awarded since the Vietnam war. It is believed that Gordon was the first to be killed. Gary Gordon and Sgt. Gary I. Gordon and Randall D. Shughart were true warriors and the finest American heroes. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? Once he committed to something, the way was clear. Shughart (1958-93) was buried in Carlisle. American Valor . Stories of Valor . Michael Durant . Interview | PBS ", Chun said, "One removed the three other severely injured crew members, while the other provided covering fire and then they quickly assessed their situation. The showdown pitted 160 special operations soldiers arriving in 19 helicopters and 12 vehicles against 3,000 Aidid men. News outlets broadcasted searing images of mobs dragging the bodies of dead Army Special Operators and helicopter crewmen . Click the Go To Forum Thread link below to jump in and discuss this article and much more! After his team member was fatally wounded and his own rifle ammunition exhausted, Master Sergeant Gordon returned to the wreckage, recovering a rifle with the last five rounds of ammunition and gave it to the pilot with the words, good luck. Then, armed only with his pistol, Master Sergeant Gordon continued to fight until he was fatally wounded. Gordons body was eventually recovered and is buried in Lincoln Cemetery, Penobscot County, Maine. *Real-time prices by Nasdaq Last Sale. and opinions expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the Armed with their sniper rifles and sidearms, Shughart and Gordon were inserted approximately 100 metres (330 ft) from the crash site and made their way to the downed Black Hawk. Shughart was buried in Carlilse, Pennsylvania and Gordon in Penobscot County, Maine. The story of Black Hawk Down began when Delta Force arrested 20 Somalis. Both mens bodies were recovered. As a Delta operator, he advanced to Team Sergeant. Like I said earlier, I didnt do anything that wasnt strictly aesthetic. As for the Shughart M14, its an extremely iconic weapon, and Im proud to have one that resembles that legendary rifle. The infamous picture of the US Soldier being dragged shirtless through the street was not either of the CAG Snipers. The only way to rescue survivors was for the Gordon-Shughart-Hallings copter to go in. Unlike other members of the armed forces, the Delta Force is granted a lot of freedom in how they live and what they look like. Ridley Scott directed the movie. Were the bodies of Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon recovered? Positioned approximately 3.5 miles southeast of Self Airfield, Shughart-Gordon is the largest of the three sites. Shughart retrieved Gordon's CAR-15 rifle and gave it to Durant to use. In the movie, which was released in 2001, it looks as if the rifle has a split rail mount. Master Sergeant Gordon's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest standards of military service and reflect great credit upon him, his unit and the United States Army. Master Sergeant Gordons sniper team provided precision fires from the lead helicopter during an assault and at two helicopter crash sites, while subjected to intense automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fires. Gary I. Gordon, for their actions on Oct. 3, 1993. The Battle of Mogadishu - ArcGIS StoryMaps Gordon and Shughart were a sniper team for Delta Force and were assigned to over watch the operation, engaging targets from the Blackhawk. His M14 has a camouflage paint scheme and an Aimpoint CompM2/M68 reflex sight. He was deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia, amid its civil war in 1993, where he and Sergeant 1st Class Randy Shughart both volunteered to protect the survivors of a helicopter crash during a difficult mission to apprehend a Somali warlord. Who were the 2 soldiers in Black Hawk Down? He and his future wife, Carmen, met when she was visiting her grandparents, and they engaged in a three-year correspondence after he joined the Army.
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