By Jared M. Tracy, PhD. The year marks thirty years since the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia on October The U. Task Force Ranger had already made six attempts to track down Aidid since its arrival in August , capturing members of his inner circle along the way. Intended to last less than an hour, the mission on 3 October devolved into some of the fiercest urban combat since Vietnam, becoming an overnight fight for survival and exfiltration in the face of thousands of SNA and irregular fighters.
With the support of conventional, joint, and international partners, ARSOF soldiers achieved their tactical objectives, but at the cost of eighteen lives lost, dozens more wounded, and two downed MH Black Hawk helicopters. Shughart , who posthumously received the Medal of Honor. Public perception of the battle was initially shaped by media coverage, as it would take time for the Department of Defense DoD to research and publish detailed historical accounts on U. From the outset, the U.
Army Special Operations Command USASOC sought to ensure that the battle and those who fought and died in it were appropriately represented and received a fitting tribute. As a result, the award-winning Black Hawk Down helped shape popular understanding about this significant event. Ken Nolan was the only credited screenwriter, though he was assisted by Bowden and others with the ever-evolving script. Filming took place primarily in and around Rabat, Morocco, between March and June This relationship all started with a phone call from the Pentagon to Fort Bragg in late Toney, Jr.
With the DoD already on board, Brown enthusiastically pledged full support to the producers. The pace moved quickly due to the short amount of time between the request for support and the designated time for filming.
While realizing that the filmmakers would take creative license, the 75th and th went through great pains to guarantee that their units, soldiers, and fallen heroes were as truthfully represented as possible. They strove for realism and accuracy, to include ensuring that the characters talked, looked, and acted like real ARSOF soldiers.
