Operation Gothic Serpent facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Operation Gothic Serpent |
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| Part of the Somali Civil War and the UNOSOM II mission | |||||||
 Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in Somalia, 1993. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Supported by: | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 William F. Garrison |
 Mohamed Farrah Aidid |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 30,000+ combined troops | 4,000–6,000+ militia mixed with civilian combatants | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
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Operation Gothic Serpent was a military operation that happened in Mogadishu, Somalia, in 1993. It was led by the American military during the Somali Civil War. The main goal was to capture Mohamed Farrah Aidid, a powerful Somali leader. He was wanted by the United Nations (UN) after his forces attacked UN troops.
This operation took place from August to October 1993. It was overseen by the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) from the United States. A key part of the operation was a mission to arrest two of Aidid's top helpers. This mission led to a very intense fight known as the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu.
The battle was very difficult for the American, Malaysian, and Pakistani forces. Aidid's group, the Somali National Alliance, won a big victory. The Battle of Mogadishu was one of the toughest city battles for the US military until 2003. After this event, America changed its foreign policy. This also led to the end of the United Nations mission in Somalia in 1995.
Contents
Why Did the Operation Happen?
In December 1992, US President George H. W. Bush sent the military to join the UN. This was part of Operation Restore Hope. Their main job was to bring peace back to Somalia. The country was suffering from a civil war and a terrible famine. Different group leaders were fighting for control.
In May 1993, the groups fighting in Somalia agreed to a peace meeting. This meeting was suggested by Mohamed Farrah Aidid. His group, the Somali National Alliance, had formed in June 1992. Aidid had declared himself Somalia's president. Many Somali people, including women and children, did not like the international forces. They often fought against US troops in Mogadishu.
On June 5, 1993, a very deadly attack happened. Twenty-four Pakistani soldiers were killed in an ambush. This happened in an area of Mogadishu controlled by Aidid.
UN Takes Action Against Aidid
After the ambush, hopes for peace quickly disappeared. The next day, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 837. This resolution called for the arrest and trial of those who did the ambush. US warplanes and UN troops then attacked Aidid's strongholds.
Aidid refused to give up, and the fighting between Somalis and UN forces grew worse. On August 8, 1993, Aidid's fighters used a remote-controlled bomb. It hit a US Army vehicle, killing four soldiers. Two weeks later, another bomb hurt seven more soldiers.
Forming Task Force Ranger
Because of these attacks, President Bill Clinton approved a special military group. This group was called Task Force Ranger. It had about 160 elite US troops, including Army Rangers and Delta Force operators. They flew to Mogadishu to find and capture Aidid.
On August 22, this force arrived in Somalia. It was led by Major General William F. Garrison. He was the commander of JSOC at that time.
The force included:
- B Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment
- C Squadron, 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D)
- Helicopters and crew from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. These included MH-60 Black Hawks and AH/MH-6 Little Birds.
- Navy SEALs from the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU)
- Air Force Pararescuemen and Combat Controllers.
Life in Mogadishu
In Mogadishu, Task Force Ranger lived in an old hangar and construction trailers. Conditions were basic, and they often faced mortar attacks. They also did not have easy access to clean drinking water.
During September, the force carried out several successful missions. They arrested people who supported Aidid and took away hidden weapons. Aircraft also flew over the city often. This was to get people used to seeing military planes. It also helped the soldiers learn the city's narrow streets.
On September 21, the force captured Osman Ali Atto. He was a financier for Aidid. A Delta team stopped his vehicle convoy as he was leaving the city.
A few days later, on September 25, Aidid's men shot down a Black Hawk helicopter. They used a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG). Three crew members were killed. Even though this helicopter was not part of Task Force Ranger, its destruction was a big win for Aidid's forces.
The Battle of Mogadishu Begins
On October 3, 1993, the task force learned that two of Aidid's leaders were in Mogadishu. They sent 19 aircraft, 12 vehicles, and 160 men to arrest them. During the mission, Private Todd Blackburn fell 70 feet from a helicopter. He was badly hurt.
The two Somali leaders were quickly arrested. The prisoners and Blackburn were put into ground vehicles. But armed fighters and civilians, including women and children, quickly gathered. Sergeant Dominick Pilla and a Somali fighter shot at each other at the same time. Both were killed. The commanders were shocked, as they did not expect any deaths.
During the first hours of the battle, a MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, Super Six One, was shot down. A Somali fighter used an RPG. Both pilots died, but the rest of the crew survived the crash.
Later, another Black Hawk, Super Six Four, was also shot down by an RPG. No rescue team could reach the crash site right away. The small surviving crew, including pilot Michael Durant, could not move. Two Delta snipers, Master Sergeant Gary Gordon and Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart, gave cover from another helicopter. They bravely asked to go to the crash site. On their third try, they were given permission, knowing it was very dangerous.
When they arrived, they tried to protect the site. Gordon was killed, leaving only Durant and Shughart. Shughart fought off and killed many Somali fighters. Eventually, Shughart was also killed, and Durant was taken hostage. Both Shughart and Gordon were given the Medal of Honor for their brave actions.
Meanwhile, the other Rangers and Delta operators fought their way to the first crash site. They found the crew there. Soon, they were surrounded by Somali fighters. The Somalis tried many times to attack the US positions. But they were pushed back by heavy gunfire and helicopter attacks.
A rescue convoy was put together. It included US Army soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division, along with Malaysian and Pakistani forces. After heavy fighting, the rescue convoy broke through. They rescued the surrounded forces.
The mission to capture Aidid's helpers was successful. But the battle became the toughest close combat for US troops since the Vietnam War. In the end, two MH-60 Black Hawks were shot down. Another was badly damaged. Eighteen US soldiers, one Malaysian, and one Pakistani soldier were killed. Many more were wounded. Somali casualties were also very high. The American public was upset by the outcome and wanted the troops to leave.
After the Battle
Two days after the battle, Somali fighters launched a mortar attack. It hit a US compound. Delta operator Sergeant First Class Matt Rierson was killed, and 12 other Delta operators were injured.
US Troops Leave Somalia
After the battle, President Clinton ordered more troops to protect US soldiers. He also wanted a full withdrawal by March 31, 1994. Most troops left Somalia by March 25, 1994. A few hundred US Marines stayed offshore. But all US and UN troops finally left Somalia in March 1995. This was part of Operation United Shield.
What Was the Impact?
US Secretary of Defense Les Aspin resigned in late 1993. Some blamed him for not allowing US Army tanks in Somalia. These tanks might have helped rescue the trapped soldiers earlier. US political leaders thought tanks would make the mission look less like peacekeeping.
Osama bin Laden, who lived in Sudan at the time, mentioned this operation. He saw the US withdrawal as a sign of American weakness.
In Popular Culture
The events of the battle are shown in the book Black Hawk Down. There is also a film with the same name. The video game Delta Force: Black Hawk Down by NovaLogic also features the battle. It is also in the board wargame Lock 'n Load: A Day of Heroes. And it is mentioned in Howard E. Wasdin's book, SEAL Team Six.
