Episode 76: The Battle of Mogadishu, Part Two of Two

Episode 76 of the 18th Airborne Corps podcast is the second of two parts on the Battle of Mogadishu. Normally we release new episodes every Tuesday, however, we’re releasing these two on Sunday, October 3rd and Monday, October 4th - timed for the 28th anniversary of the battle (October 3rd and 4th, 1993).   In this episode, we speak with John Collett, one of Rangers who fast roped into the Mogadishu arms market. John, then an Army Specialist, was an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon gunner. During the fighting he was wounded twice.   John was among 18 veterans of the battle awarded a Silver Star in a special ceremony on Fort Benning just a few days ago on Friday, October 1st of this year. John initially received a Bronze Star Medal with a “V” for Valor for his performance in the fight. The award was upgraded earlier this year.In this episode John tells the full story, the real story of Black Hawk Down. He describes the fear, the anger, the adrenaline, the fighting, the camaraderie – all of it. He also talks about the subsequent post-traumatic stress and the emotional toll of the brutal combat.   This is a story that every American should hear. It’s a story that should remembered.   On this dark anniversary, we should also remember all 19 American Soldiers killed in that battle. Here are their names:       Delta Force Operators   Master Sergeant Gary Ivan Gordon Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart Staff Sergeant Daniel Darrell Busch Sergeant First Class Earl Robert Fillmore, Junior Master Sergeant Timothy Lynn Martin Sergeant First Class Matthew Loren Rierson       3rd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment   Corporal James “Jamie” E. Smith Specialist James M. Cavaco Sergeant James Casey Joyce Corporal Richard “Alphabet” Kowalewski, Senior Sergeant Dominick Pilla Sergeant Lorenzo M. Ruiz   Pilots and Crew of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiments   Staff Sergeant William “Wild Bill” David Cleveland, Senior Staff Sergeant Thomas “Tommie” J. Field Chief Warrant Officer 4 Raymond “Ironman” Alex Frank Chief Warrant Officer 3 Clifton “Elvis” P. Wolcott Chief Warrant Officer 3 Donovan “Bull” Lee Briley   10th Mountain Division Soldiers Sergeant Cornell Lemont Houston, Senior Private First Class Henry Martin, Jr.   The 18th Airborne Corps podcast is the official podcast of the US military. Please subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts