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BlackHawk Down: A Story of Modern War
by Mark Bowden -reviewed by Chris Wahla
Book cover
On the afternoon of Sunday, October3, 1993, soldiers from Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu, Somolia were sent of a mission of capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord and return to base. It was supposed to take them about an hour. But the crowded marketplace in Mogadishu, Somalia became the site of one the most intense firefight American soldiers have fought since the Vietnam War. Eighteen American soldiers lost their lives during that battle, which raged on until the next morning and also resulted in dozens more badly injured. The Somali toll was even more horrific: more than five hundred killed and over a thousand wounded.

Award-winning journalist Mark Bowden of the Philadelphia Inquirer captures this story in a dramatic narrative that lets the reader see the story through the eyes of the young men that fought that day. His extensive interviews of participants from both sides - as well as classified combat video and radio transcripts - brings their stories to life.

This book (which also was the basis of a video of the same name that was shown on CNN) is truly an example of how NOT to fight a battle, where prior planning could have possibly saved many lives on both sides. This book is a spectacular account of heroism under fire and belongs in the library of anyone with an interest in military affairs.

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