Dear Reader,
On October 3, 1993 elements of Delta Force and The United States Army Rangers engaged in what has come to be known as the First Battle of Mogadishu. Their mission was to secure members of a Warlord known as Mohamed Fara Adid's core political advisors. That part of the mission went of without a hitch. However, while providing air support to the soldiers on the ground, a Black Hawk helicopter commanded by Leiutenant Cliff "Elvis" Wolcott was downed by a Rocket Propelled Grenade. (RPG) Minutes later, another Black Hawk under the command of Michael Durant was shot down. In the ensuing rescue mission, 18 United States soldiers were killed and more than 70 injured. Their heroism in the face of impossible odds is truely a story that everyone should know.The details of the battle are chronicled quite well in the book "Black Hawk Down" by Mark Bowden, and the movie by the same name, directed by Ridley Scott. Both come highly reccomended.
I bring this particular battle to your attention not because of any particular desire to bring up the uncommon valor that soldiers in the military exemplify every day, but rather to call your attention to one soldier in particular, who almost missed the battle entirely.
PFC Todd Blackburn was 18 the day he showed up at the forward operations base that the Rangers had established just outside of Mogadishu. He had completed Ranger school and was looking forward to his first mission as a real life Army Ranger. He was so eager to get into the action. He believed his whole life had been a series of events leading up to this one moment. He wanted to prove himself so badly.
The first stage of the operation called for four Ranger Squads (chalks) to drop into the target zone from Black Hawks and secure the four corners of the building that Adid's advisors were believed to be hiding in. While this was happening, Delta Force would secure the building itself, take the prisoners, and wait for extraction by Captain Danny Mc'Knight's Humvees.
During the insertion of the Ranger chalks by the Black Hawks, the pilot of Blackburn's helicopter engaged in an evasive action because of RPG fire. During the manuver, Blackburn fell from the chopper 30 feet to the ground.
He was immediately rendered unconsious by his fall, and was medevaced by elements of the Humvee extraction force. Blackburn made a full recovery, what he missed was the twenty four hour gun battle against the entirety of Mogidushu to save the downed Black Hawk pilots.
He was so excited for this mission, but one slip up caused him to miss it almost entirely. It was a complete accident, and could have happened to anyone, Blackburn was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
What disturbs me is that I was talking to myself a few hours ago and all of a sudden I was instantly reminded of the way Blackburn had spoken of his mission before he fell. About how excited he was, and how he felt his life had been leading up to this moment.
I talk to myself a lot. As my dad says, sometimes it's the only way to have an intelligent conversation. That internal voice talks back. I was packing my stuff for college, thinking about how I wasn't scared and how I wasn't sad to be going, and how missing people wouldn't really be that bad.
My inner voice called bullshit. And then proceeded to dress me down for even thinking like an Army Ranger Private who's only claim to fame was falling out of a helicopter. It was something of a revelation. I am scared. I like this place, I live here. I don't want to leave. Tonight's the last night in a long time where I'm going to get to sleep on my bed! Hell, It's 2 am right now. I get another four hours if i'm lucky. I said goodbye to people I love not an hour and a half ago. I'm not going to see my sister for another three months. My brother, either, and... somone else. Someone very dear to me.
It's a weight.
But it's a burden I'll carry until I see them again. Because I'm Doug Wood, and I AM strong enough. I'm going on an adventure. I'm going to see the world. Meet new people, see new things, learn secrets and wonders. I will wander, I will roam.
But as the song says, this will always be my home.
-Doug
"I'll come back when you call me. No need to say goodbye."
Regina Spektor, "The Call"
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