Randy Shughart Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Randy Shughart

Born	(1958-08-13)August 13, 1958 Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
Died	October 3, 1993(1993-10-03) (aged 35) Mogadishu, Somalia
Buried	Westminster Cemetery, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1976–1993
Rank	Sergeant First Class
Unit	2nd Ranger Battalion Delta Force
Battles/wars	Operation Just Cause Operation Gothic Serpent Battle of Mogadishu †
Awards	Medal of Honor Purple Heart

Randall David Shughart (born August 13, 1958 – died October 3, 1993) was a brave soldier in the United States Army's special forces unit called Delta Force. He was given the Medal of Honor after he died. This award is the highest honor a soldier can receive in the United States. He earned it for his heroic actions during a battle in Mogadishu, Somalia, in October 1993. This event was part of a mission called Operation Gothic Serpent.

Early Life
Military Career
- Battle in Somalia
Medal of Honor
USNS Shughart
In Popular Culture
Images for kids
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Early Life

Randy Shughart was born on August 13, 1958, in Lincoln, Nebraska. His father was in the United States Air Force. After his father left the Air Force, Randy's family moved to Newville, Pennsylvania. There, they lived and worked on a dairy farm.

Military Career

Randy Shughart joined the United States Army in 1976, right after he finished high school. He completed his basic training and then went to Airborne School to learn how to parachute. In 1978, he joined the 2nd Ranger Battalion. This is a special unit known for its tough training.

Later, Randy went into the Army Reserve for a few years. In 1983, he returned to active duty. The next year, he trained to become a Special Forces soldier. By 1986, he was part of the elite Delta Force. He became an Assistant Team Sergeant in this highly skilled unit.

Battle in Somalia

In 1993, Randy Shughart was sent to Mogadishu, Somalia. He was part of a group called Task Force Ranger. Their mission, called Operation Gothic Serpent, was to capture some dangerous people.

On October 3, 1993, during this mission, two American helicopters were shot down. These were Black Hawk helicopters. One was called Super Six-One, and the other was Super Six-Four.

Randy Shughart and his teammate, Gary Gordon, were providing sniper cover from another helicopter. They saw that the second crash site was in great danger. Many hostile people were gathering around it. Gordon asked to be put on the ground to protect the injured crew.

Their commanders said no at first because it was too risky. But Gordon kept asking. Finally, he and Shughart got permission to go. They landed about 100 meters from the crash site. They fought their way through the dangerous streets to reach the downed helicopter.

Inside, the pilot, Chief Warrant Officer Michael Durant, was badly hurt. Shughart and Gordon bravely defended the helicopter and its crew. They fought against a large crowd of attackers. It is believed that Gordon was shot first. Shughart then continued to fight alone. He was also fatally wounded shortly after. Their heroic actions saved the pilot's life, though Durant was taken hostage. Randy Shughart's body was later recovered. He is buried in Westminster Cemetery in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Medal of Honor

On May 23, 1994, Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon were both given the Medal of Honor. This was done after they died. They were the first soldiers to receive this award since the Vietnam War.

Randy Shughart's father, Herbert Shughart, went to the award ceremony. He bravely spoke out against the president at the time, Bill Clinton. He felt that the president was responsible for his son's death.

The official award citation praised Sergeant First Class Shughart's incredible bravery. It said he provided sniper fire from a helicopter. Then, he and his team leader volunteered to go to a crash site. They knew it was very dangerous. They fought their way to the injured crew members. Shughart protected the crew until he ran out of ammunition and was killed. His actions saved the pilot's life.

USNS Shughart

In 1997, the U.S. Navy honored Randy Shughart by naming a ship after him. The ship is a large cargo vessel called USNS Shughart (T-AKR-295). It was the first of its kind to be changed from a regular cargo ship into a military transport ship.