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. Gary Gordon and Randy Shugart had crept up along the side of the helicopter and poked their heads into the cockpit. Halling stayed behind to man a door gun as one of the helicopter's gunners had been wounded. With the ARMS #18 mount and the Aimpoint PRO installed, we are now about 90% of the way to the finished product. A smoke grenade gave Gordon and Shughart some cover as they fought their way 100 yards through a shantytown to the downed craft. Several months later, he completed a pre-ranger course (currently known as SURT, Small Unit Ranger Tactics), was granted a slot to attend Ranger School, graduated, and earned the Ranger Tab. Gary Gordon and Randall Shughart were deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia as part of Task Force Ranger. Gary Gordon and Sgt. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Gary Gordon, however, concluded that there was no way the downed Black Hawk crew could survive on their own because they were outnumbered and critically wounded. In December 1983, Shughart returned to active duty and the following year attended Special Forces training. Enter a Melbet promo code and get a generous bonus, An Insight into Coupons and a Secret Bonus, Organic Hacks to Tweak Audio Recording for Videos Production, Bring Back Life to Your Graphic Images- Used Best Graphic Design Software, New Google Update and Future of Interstitial Ads. The bodies of 50 Somalis were later found surrounding the chopper. They could have taken a belt of 7.62 ammo from the door gunner and delinked it. The two sergeants were part of a sniper team aboard another Blackhawk, hovering. Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon fought their way to the downed Blackhawk. In the end, 19 American soldiers were killed, including six Delta Force operators, and 73 were wounded. Gary Gordon and Sgt. I chose to get the FDE stock Standard Issue M1A from Springfield Armory. Get market updates, educational videos, webinars, and stock analysis. views and opinions of Springfield Armory. I used an Aimpoint PRO for the optic and I kept the original mount on the Aimpoint PRO; I just removed the spacer to make it sit lower. Gordon, 33, was a sniper team leader with the Army's 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, otherwise known as "Delta Force.". With us, you can buy or sell guns. Where is Randy Shughart buried? 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. The opposition was much larger and better organized then originally thought and the mission began to take a turn for the worse. After his third request to be inserted, Master Sergeant Gordon received permission to perform his volunteer mission. 1st Class Randy Shughart provided precision sniper fire from the lead helicopter during a building assault and at two helicopter crash sites. Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? To me, it looks like he had thinner stripes on the gun than I usually paint, so I held the can closer to get the paint strip narrower. Both mens bodies were recovered. Shugart was the first one to be mortally wounded at about the same time he ran out of ammo. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. Was he Sgt. Notice: Information contained herein is not and should not be construed as an offer, solicitation, or recommendation to buy or sell securities. Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart were the only soldiers participating in Operation Gothic Serpent (Battle of Mogadishu) to receive the militarys highest honor and the first Medal of Honor recipients since theVietnam War. "When Master Sergeant Gordon learned that ground forces were not immediately available to secure the crash site, he and another sniper unhesitatingly volunteered to be inserted to protect the four critically wounded personnel, despite being well aware of the growing number of enemy personnel closing in on the site," his medal citation reads. MOGADISHU (Reuters) Somali insurgents dragged soldiers bodies through the streets of Mogadishu before burning them on Wednesday in heavy fighting that killed at least 16 people and injured scores more, witnesses said. Springfield Armory recommends you seek qualified and competent training from a During Operation Gothic Serpent in Somalia, Durant was the pilot of helicopter Super Six Four. His was the second MH-60L of two Black Hawk helicopters to crash during the Battle of Mogadishu on October 3, 1993. Gordon and two sergeant first class subordinates, Shughart and Brad Hallings, had been providing fire cover from another helicopter, but they knew this wasn't enough if the crew of the second downed chopper was to be saved. Michael Durant was released after 11 days of captivity. "Many believed that it would not last long and would encounter little opposition.". They risked their lives without hesitation.. Two Delta Force operators Master Sgt. The Army master sergeant's third request to commanders was approved with this warning: Undaunted, Gordon and Randy Shughart a fellow Delta Force sniper went into the Mogadishu maze with guns blazing and took down a slew of terrorists. If they had not come in, I wouldnt have survived. For their bravery and actions beyond the call of duty, the United States government awarded both Shugart and Gordon the Medal of Honor, the only snipers to have ever received the MOH. Did the two delta snipers that defended the Super Six Four - Quora The ceremony was presided over by President Bill Clinton and attended by the families. As the second Blackhawk, containing Chief Warrant Officer Michael Durant, was hit and crashed, Master Sergeant Gary I. Gordon and Sergeant First Class Randall D. Shughart, were in a nearby Blackhawk monitoring radio traffic. The pair landed 100 meters south of the crashsite and, armed with sniper rifles and pistols, fought their way to the downed Black Hawk. On May 23, 1994, President Clinton awarded Gordon and Shughart the Medal of Honor, joining just 3,000 others in two centuries. As a Delta operator, he advanced to Team Sergeant. One gun on the list that I have been fortunate to add is the M1A, a semi-automatic version of the M14. "This was an example of direct, honest communication and extremely high trust between a team leader and higher command," said Clayton Chun, author of "Gothic Serpent" and chairman of the Department of Distance Education at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pa. "The snipers' training, adaptive thinking, values and commander's confidence in them allowed them to unequivocally accept the very high risk and take action.". Building the Black Hawk Down M14 - The Armory Life 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. He was awarded the Medal of Honor with Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart for heroic actions he performed during Operation Gothic Serpent (Battle of Mogadishu) in October 1993. All content is protected by copyright and may not be used for commercial purposes without prior written permission. The showdown pitted 160 special operations soldiers arriving in 19 helicopters and 12 vehicles against 3,000 Aidid men. As militants swarmed closer to the crash site, finally they were allowed to get on the ground. One result was disruption of the African country's agriculture, resulting in 300,000 people dying of starvation. When Master Sergeant Gordon learned that ground forces were not immediately available to secure the second crash site, he and another sniper unhesitatingly volunteered to be inserted to protect the four critically wounded personnel, despite being well aware of the growing number of enemy personnel closing in on the site. Gordon rarely talked about the details of his military career. Engaged in combat with Aidids militia, the Ranger forces on the ground were unable to assist. I didnt dive deep into what trigger Shughart would have had, or glass bedding of the action, etc. When superiors reluctantly approved the mission, Gordon grinned and gave a thumbs up, but Hallings had to stay behind to man the minigun because its operator was wounded. The infamous picture of the US Soldier being dragged shirtless through the street was not either of the CAG Snipers. Who was the real hoot in Black Hawk Down? The Lincoln Police Department on Tuesday announced it was "with an extremely heavy heart" to report that the gravestone of Gordon, a native of the city, may have been vandalized within the last two weeks. Gary I. Gordon was born in Lincoln, Maine, and graduated from Mattanawcook Academy in 1978. Dylan Casey is a gun enthusiast with a digital media degree who is GunSpot's Creative Director. In 2003, Michael Durant published a book, In the company of heroes where he described events on that day on how he saw it. Shughart was buried in Carlilse, Pennsylvania and Gordon in Penobscot County, Maine. "Gordon was the epitome of the dependable individual who so believes in taking responsibility that he gives his life to protect his fellow men," Fred Borch, author of "For Military Merit: Recipients of the Purple Heart," told IBD. The U.S. Army aimed to prevent that, with Gordon's Delta outfit landing in Mogadishu in the summer of 1993. Shughart and Gary Gordon, both Delta Force operators and snipers died in Mogadishu, Somalia in October 1993 after being inserted alone into a crash site for a Blackhawk helicopter which had been shot down while raiding a headquarters of Somali militiamen headed by Mohamed . I have the utmost respect for the two men and, as a gun enthusiast and creator, I wanted to do a project that could honor their memory. . It also should be noted that Shughart would have had an older Aimpoint, probably the Aimpoint 2000 according to my findings. 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 . 1st Class Randy Shughart, who gave their lives to save their fellow soldiers during the fierce Battle of Mogadishu, are the focus of the latest graphic novel in the Association of the U.S. Army's series on recipients of the nation's highest award for valor. Available Ranger forces on the ground could not assist the downed helicopter crew of the second crash site as they were already engaged in heavy combat with Somalis militia and making their way to the first crash site. Several months later, he completed the pre-ranger course, obtained a spot at Ranger School and earned his Ranger Tab. By most accounts, Gordon was killed first, with Shughart returning to an injured Mike Durant to give him Gordons carbine. Gordon and Shugart are among the Americans honored on Memorial Day, which remembers those who died serving in the military. At the time, MSG Gordon was Sniper Team Leader during a joint-force assault mission to apprehend key advisers to Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid and the warlord himself if possible. In 1996, the US Navy held a ceremony in Newport News, Virginia, during which it named the roll-on/roll-off ship USNS Gordon. The aftermath of this confrontation shifted American foreign policy and led to an eventual termination of the United Nations mission in Somalia in 1995. Gary Gordon and Randy Shugart - Military Veterans of Disqus Who were the 2 soldiers in Black Hawk Down? 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. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved 5 How many Delta Force died in Black Hawk Down? 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. Who were the 2 soldiers in Black Hawk Down? Bush authorized the dispatch of U.S. troops to Somalia to assist with famine relief as part of the larger United Nations effort. 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. However, it added that the family "was never notified that this was happening.". The fourth pilot was captured and later released. These During the assault, a Black Hawk helicopter was shot down and the rescuers were ambushed. ", Suddenly Durant heard Gordon say, "Damn. Without a doubt, they saved my life. I made a video about cloning the Gordon Carbine, too. Hoot seems to be a merge of Hooten and Howe in the book, which features more prominently in the book than Hooten. If you feel like I left out Gary Gordon, fret not. Godron, 33, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Mogadishu. The Shughart-Gordon MOUT site was named for Medal of Honor recipients Sgt. Gary Gordon is buried in Lincoln Cemetery in Penobscot . The story of both Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon during Operation Gothic Serpent in Mogadishu is one of bravery and sacrifice. After their third request to be inserted, Sergeant First Class Shughart and his team leader received permission to perform this volunteer mission. Through negotiation and threats to the Habr Gidr clan leaders by ambassador Robert B. Oakley, all the bodies were eventually recovered. As a result, Ive found myself increasingly interested in recreations of famous guns used around the world. [6] Shughart's body was eventually recovered and is buried in Westminster Cemetery, Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Shell also rave about her three Maltese dogs whenever she gets the chance. The award read in part: "Master Sergeant Gordon's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty reflect great credit upon him, his unit and the United States Army.". They were the only service members participating in Operation Gothic Serpent to receive the award, and were its first recipients since the Vietnam War. This page was last edited on 31 December 2022, at 02:43. In 1996 the US Navy named two ships after Shughart and Gordon in honor of their heroic actions. Get instant access to exclusive stock lists, expert market analysis and powerful tools with 2 months of IBD Digital for only $20! In reality, the helicopter was not evading RPG fire, as portrayed in the movie. Required fields are marked *, Visit our friends and partners at Nortrack for tracking and other tactical training. The thoroughness of the pages after the story in the book all seem to indicate that Mark Bowden wrote it very, very diligently. 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. His M14 has a camouflage paint scheme and an Aimpoint CompM2/M68 reflex sight. Equipped with only his sniper rifle and a pistol, Master Sergeant Gordon and his fellow sniper, while under intense small arms fire from the enemy, fought their way through a dense maze of shanties and shacks to reach the critically injured crew members. After putting the gun back together, I ended up putting on a National Match leather sling to get the same look from the film. When the site was overrun by the Somali militia, Durant was the only survivor and was held hostage for 11 days until he was released to the Red Cross.

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