When Shughart and Gordon requested to be inserted to protect the second crash site their request was refused twice, but they persisted until they were given permission to go down. It's mind blowing to me that they could see exactly what they they were facing, had already offered to go but were refused and were even ordered not to go, and they had plenty of time to think about what they were doing and to reconsider, but they kept insisting until they were allowed to go. That's more than a trained reflex or acting in the heat of the moment. That's exceptional courage. The officer in command of the Delta detachment, Lt Col Gary L. Harrell (played by Steve Ford as "Cribbs" in the movie - surviving active Deltas were given fictitious names in the movie), said in an interview "They (Shughart and Gordon) knew there was nothing else to back them up. It was just them. They felt like it was so important to go that they needed to go. Where do we find men like that? It wasn’t like they just decided they’d hop off the helicopter and thought that somebody would come to their rescue. We had two helicopters down. We had the capacity to get one. We didn’t have the capacity to get two. They knew what was going on.”
Came here to make sure that this was said. Your words are accurate. Both were Delta Snipers. I'm an old Navy guy myself and a field operator. Worked with the Army in JTFs quite a bit. As I understand it: If you want something done, you give it to the Army. If you want something HARD done, you give it to the Rangers. If you want something IMPOSSIBLE done, you give it to Delta... and shit gets done. Delta will not willingly allow someone to be taken captive while they can see it happen, but in this case the numbers they faced could not be surmounted even by two of the greatest marksmen you'd want defending your position. They knew going in that it was a one-way ride, but they went anyway, because Durant's chances WITHOUT their intervention were ZERO. By selling their lives VERY DEARLY (over 2 dozen enemy dead and scores of wounded) they gave pause to advancing Somalis who took Durant captive instead of killing him outright. They were awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously and courage like theirs is the reason such an award was created. Their names will never be forgotten in my lifetime if I can help it and I thank you for shining that same light on their actions.
It's a heroic tale but it's also very sad. Nobody wants to leave the comrades behind, but when over 30 people die trying to save five... The cost was too great. Nobody wants to talk about it or say it, but they should have let those men in the helicopter die, because a casualties completely outweighed the reward
The real Brad Thomas was uncomfortable about including the scene when he was afraid to go back, but the director told him that it was important to show that even someone as highly trained as he was could be terrified, and that he was able to overcome his fear.
That dude is wild. His interview on the team house was crazy, and after being one of the most elite soldiers in the world, he is now a rock star. That's just so wild to me.
Also, just wanted to add one more thing: Josh Hartnett is on the cover because the movie was largely told from the perspective of Chalk 4, and Josh Hartnett is the leader of Chalk 4. Obviously they needed to have some higher level perspective as well to explain the entire Battle of Mogadishu, but for the most part all the ground movements are centered around Chalk 4.
@@fyfyi6053 Yes, I've already seen a lot of reactions from the two and George is constantly laughing. I mean, I understand that they both do reactions and that they have their own thoughts, but sometimes it's annoying that George laughs about something in almost every second scene. It's a nice guy as you say, but with certain films he could really save himself from laughing at everything and everyone.
@@fyfyi6053 ...My late grandmother laughed at this sort of thing out of anxiety and atypical coping mechanisms, coming from far worse. Did she genuinely find people being blown apart and tortured amusing, or was it maybe a reaction to a movie?
@@fyfyi6053 wtf you talking about? I see some people agree, but I've never noticed it. I hope this isn't a case where now that I've read about it I start noticing it more and it starts bothering me too. 🤔 After reading this comment I kinda skipped through this reaction again and I didn't catch one laugh, though, except for one that was for a somewhat funny scene thaẗ́s kind of meant to be laughed at anyway...
@@wheresatari668 George loves learning about different events in history and movies are often his gateway to that. He reads the comments to learn more and reads articles about them after the movie. If he says 'someone tell us in the comments' he's especially interested. It's not the job of every Canadian to know every American Conflict and soldier's contributions.
Randy Shugart's widow asked the friend who identified his body after it had been dragged through streets and abused how bad it was (she had seen some terrible casualties before as a nurse), and he told her that she wouldn't have been able to recognize him. One of the Somali witnesses who didn't know what was going on with the battle saw some other Somalis beating one of the American bodies. He begged them to stop and told them that defiling the dead is against Islam, and they told him to leave or they would kill him.
Dude shut the fuck up and stop dickriding delta. Its always a single person like you in the comments “ermergerd gordon and shugaurt make me so horny let me tell you all about them”. You are cringe as fuck.
Another big star in this movie that you might've missed was Tom Hardy. He was one of the two that had to go looking for their unit. Also Lucius Malfoy was Capt. Steele.
I never realized Tom Hardy was in this. And I only just now realized, in watching the reaction, that the third guy that joins them is freaking Scotty Smalls from The Sandlot.
@@Jumpman67 which is ironic because the Dark Knight Rises is one of the worst movies he is in. Not his fault. Just shit film. And yes I know he was in Star Trek Nemesis. Dark Knight Rises is worse
22:36 The real Danny McKnight consciously resisted showing any fear because he believed that if his soldiers saw his losing his cool, they could lose heart and fall apart emotionally. He deliberately walked upright rather than run and duck which, interestingly enough, is a long tradition among British officers for much the same reason . The 5th Earl of Longford famously said "Don't bother ducking. The men don't like it, and it doesn't do any good" before being killed at the Battle of Gallipoli, and Winston Churchill said "It's no use ducking. The bullets have already passed you." The Linybeige channel has a very good video about this tradition called "British Officers Don't Duck?"
I wouldnt put too much tryst in linybeige. For a guy who is supposed to be versed in history he was a brexit supporter. No one who truly knows history would be a brexiteer.
There are a couple of famous stories about British officers from the World Wars. One about the officer who kicked a football across no man's land when his troops went "over the top" to distract them from the bullets coming at them. The other was in "A Bridge Too Far" where an officer always carried an umbrella because he could never remember the passwords to get back onto base.
2 года назад
It's also a long tradition among British officers to be useless shits.
@@carlossaraiva8213 -- Clearly, the fact that you judge someone by their politics is evidence enough you have no clue what YOU are talking about. You just made me trust Lindybeige completely.
@@carlossaraiva8213 That sounds like complete loony toons reasoning. Next time someone offers you an MRi to check for brain tumors, you should take it.
This is Somalia, it's not a straight up war, its a very limited engagement to deal specifically just with certain warlords in a humanitarian crisis. There's loads of stuff they can't do here. They have to be brief and surgical. Optics are important.
@@MikeB12800 yup. That's why they were se to get peacekeepers to help with the armored vehicle rescue, but there was some... incivility associated with the lack of camaraderie between the forces.
@@bluebird3281 "optics... why are they more important than American lives and the mission." Who says they are? You're underestimating the complexity of the situation. Yes, to an extent its a purely political theater to deny the use of AC130 gunships. But thats because a mission like the one in Somalia is inherently political, because the problem is partly political. We didn't go in to invade Somalia. It wasn't about destroying the country or defeating its people. It was a humanitarian crisis that hit the roadblock of the difficultly of stopping the warlords from perpetuating said crisis for their own ends. All actions against said warlord needed to be as surgical and minimal in footprint as possible because of the fact that the armed forces wanted to avoid the appearance of invading and thus lose the good will of those we tried to work with against the warlord. It was also a UN sanctioned action, so we had to follow cer6ain international limits on engagement within a mixed theater. Other armies are present as well and they represent different takes on the problem. It's inherently a weak position but one that many in the states still felt was the right thing morally. The loss of American lives could have hypothetically been averted by the use of more forces and dedicated AC-139 gunship support, but there's no guarantee that this would have actually prevented the blackhawks from going down. It's still a complex theater and the guy who fell still fell in a way no one could have predicted. The Somali use of on the ground intel was faster than we thought, and reprisals were swifter than predicted. In some ways one could say we just shouldn't have been there to begin with, but the administration at the time really wanted foreign policy to reflect a kind of global concensus in preventing the escalation of regional conflicts to the point that they become unchecked humanitarian atrocities akin to the "killing fields" or the holocaust. Obviously a less interventionist view would have never committed us to such a goal, but once there, trying to act in as valiant and competent way as possible despite the limits placed on us is commensurate with the larger mission of armed service... correct?
This was Eric Bana's breakout Hollywood role. At the time Eric was known as a stand up comedian but had acted in two Australian movies. Russell Crowe recommended him to Ridley Scott who employed him without and audition. The rest is history.
Delta is considered a Tier 1 SMU (special mission unit) under the command of JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command along with units like Seal Team 6) while Rangers (and Special Forces) are considered Tier 2 special operations units still under Army control. Delta will accept recruits from any branch of the military but primarily recruit from Rangers and Special Forces. Delta is also not officially recognized as existing by the Army thus its many nicknames (The Unit, CAG(Combat Applications Group), Delta.
Incorrect. Tiers aren't based on how elite they are. The whole 'tier' thing is misunderstood by people that have never served and rely on video games. Tiers are budgetary. Technically, a Navy Carrier Group is Tier 1. If you are talking about special operations unit budgets, the Ranger Regiment would have a higher budget than Delta and DEVGRU combined. So they'd be Tier 1 in that mix. But we don't really care as long as the job gets done. Play all the video games you like. Rangers are now doing missions that only 20 years ago were considered Delta only. And no SOF JTF works without using the Ranger Regiment as the backbone, which is why we have stood up two new Batts in recent years. SOCOM and JSOC don't work in a battlespace without Regiment. And Delta is recognized by the rest of the Army. Read this public Congressional testimony by General Downing in 2006. He talks about them five times, on camera. I'd say that's recognition. www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-109hhrg33596/html/CHRG-109hhrg33596.htm Ex- B Co 3/75.
18:12 Air Force Pararescue Jumper (PJ) Timothy A. Wilkinson received the Air Force Cross (second highest award for valor for Air Force personnel) for his actions during the Battle of Mogadishu. He had to run back and forth between the buildings while under fire to treat the wounded. The other soldiers joked that he didn't get hit because the Somalis didn't realize what an slow runner he was and were firing to far ahead of him as he ran, and one of the Rangers, seeing "Wilkie," run back and forth and survive, said "God really loves medics.
I’ve heard the “timing” of this movie get mentioned by others before but I’ve always seen it differently. In 1999 saving private ryan was released and it literally redefined the War movie as we know it. As a result everyone wanted to make a gritty realistic war movie. In quick Succession we got movies like enemy at the gate, wind talkers, the thin red line, we were soldiers, black hawk down, flags of our fathers etc. The early 2000s was the period where war movies were being released on mass. Not just in the US either. This period saw Taeguki from korea, 9th company from russia and Downfall from Germany. It has been suggested that Black hawk down was propaganda for what was happening at the time. It’s often forgotten though that this was the same time spielberg had literally just redefined an entire genre, paving the way for a completely new generation of war movies. Also what was happening around that time is kinda irrelevant as they had finished filming two months before 9/11 had even happened. So there is literally no way they could of intended the movie be used for morale / public support.
War movies are ALWAYS propaganda. The advertising was pure American exceptionalism porn. At the time, and even today it's treated as one of the few unambiguous stories of American military heroism in 21st Century film, but given the context of what led up to this event it would've been propagandistic even without the event that preceded its release.
@@Starbuckanear2012 You watched that movie and that's your take away from it??? I don't know how you can see the botched mismanaged cluster train wreck of a mission continuously devolving before our eyes all the while people dying left and right for nothing and call it propaganda. Propaganda for what how to die senselessly?
@@carlevans8825 As if there is a better system. I imagine that the Conoco corporate compound must have had pretty good infrastructure and was a useful strategic location. Does producing oil make them evil somehow? Were the omitted pro American Somali forces involved in the black hawk down incident? There were U.N armored cars rescuing the American troops, were those not the Malaysians? When you say food was making it to the Somali people do you mean other than the followers of Aidid? Are you suggesting the Aidid should have been allowed to control those shipping lanes? Would not the DOD have all perinate details needed for the script? What makes you say there wasn't a need for 30,000 troops for humanitarian aid? How was Bush sending them after he lost the election "the biggest political issue"? Clinton could have reversed it; do you think 30,000 troops were already there before Clinton was sworn in 50 or less days later. The biggest political issue was Clinton no allowing them to use armor for the mission because it was "too high profile. Anyone can practice propaganda, why is your propaganda somehow better?
Something else to keep in mind is the unique media coverage the entire Somali conflict had, to the extent that CNN correspondents were waiting for US Marines on the beach when they arrived. It was covered differently than any conflict had been up to that point and therefore the public had different perceptions of it than other relatively small military interventions. Here's a clip of the on-beach coverage: ruclips.net/video/Xj9Fn3qG-Cw/видео.html
The code words were systematic. Female names for air phases of the operation, male for ground phases. Each was sequenced alphabetic. So, the prep and planning was probably something like Alex, the air recon was Barbara, staging in the helicopters was Edward. Then, takeoff was Irene.
The images of dead servicemen being roughly carried through the streets of Mogadishu were a source of great national pain when it happened. This is truly a great film.
The melancholic song that comes both at the beginning and at the end of the movie is Gortoz a Ran by Denez Prijent. It is sung in the regional language Breton from western France and talks about someone in a dark place in his life waiting and hoping for an external event to take him away, with a lot of references to coastal wild nature, rain and wind. The text is very poetic, full of inspiring images and very open to interpretation. The second voice is by Lisa Gerard who also sings the main theme from the movie Gladiator. It is such a beautiful song.
While the Rangers may have been taught basic Somali phrases, the Delta members assigned to Operation Gothic Serpent (official name for the Mogadishu mission) would've been well-versed in the local language to be able to converse with local contacts and informants. Since Delta recruited heavily from the Green Berets (who learned the local languages of the area they were assigned to) the practice followed suit.
But every Murican speaks Murican in movies, even tho it makes little sense. Even if English is someones 2nd/3rd language they would still be confused by someone yelling in that language, that they would like miss what was said.
From my experience in Afghanistan: We received a little card with common phrases but never had to use it. Generally you just use body motion, pointing, or other physical symbology to indicate your intent. It's surprisingly good as a universal language for basic things (move, stay down/back, come here, yes/no).
on a quieter sort of note, John Plaster wrote in his 'SOG' war memoirs that, even though they had interpreters, often, when they were on an op in Laos, making noise was a major no no, so the whole team practiced a form of sign language, so they could 'sign' that they saw men or a trail or a bunker complex. Even without knowing their language, they could make themselves understood in a prehistoric man 'pre speech' kind of way. Of course, all that went out the window if you got into contact with the NVA>
Oof. I always get the PTSD twitches when I watch this movie. It's the most accurate modern warfare movie that I've seen. The frustrating chain of command, main base giving you instructions that are completely useless, the seemingly infinite number of enemies who can just drop their gun into a bush and technically become civilians, feeling like the whole country is against you. 15 months of that and you're just supposed to go back home and starting working some 9-5 job stocking shelves? They also got the sound of someone shooting at you correct. It's a very identifiable high pitched whine. I had a bullet punch a hole through the front of my helmet cover and out the back. My face was in somebody's crosshairs.
I saw this movie when I was 7, not long after 9/11. I didn’t know that a decade later I would serve in this unit, but it has been the greatest honor of my life. This is a movie, and it’s impossible to show the real level of violence and brutality that occurred that day Edit: to answer George’s question- Rangers are a Tier 2 special operations unit tasked with forcible entry and direct action raids. They often operate along side delta force and navy seals. Rangers are used as a sledge hammer for socom, if you got a problem that needs to be gone tomorrow, that’s who you send
@@TK-hw2ph : Outstanding. Common point of reference, first guy I met was RSM Rick Merritt when I checked in from RIP. He was on CQ and smoking a cigarette on top of the company steps. He has just pinned on his E-5 or E-6 as he was still wearing pin ons and hadn't had time to go to town and get his shit sewn on. He just smiled and pointed me in the right direction. I ended up in 2nd Platoon. He was always willing to help anyone out and get them squared away even if they weren't in his platoon. Very nice guy, awesome leader. And yes, the rumours of him doing ruck runs around Lawson in his bare feet are 100% true. :) This is when we were on Way Street across from Peden Field, not the Club Med the guys are in now. :) You have no idea how good you had it in that new compound. Me and few others from back in the day went down for the 25th activation ceremony of 3/75 and were blown away at the facilities. All we could say through most of the tour was "Holy Shit!". Truly awesome. You guys definitely deserved it. A couple of us tried to track Merritt down when we arrived but his C-5 or C-17 was literally taxiing for take off from Lawson when we got down to the bottom of Cardiac Hill. Missed him by about ten minutes. We were bummed out, but a bunch of us still stay in touch with him.
Just to be clear, the overall peacekeeping mission in Somalia involved almost two dozen countries and was mandated by the UN. Due to the anarchy and starvation in Somalia, the United Nations created the "UN-sanctioned United Task Force" (UNITAF). At least 23 countries sent personnel and/or military. In fact, about 1,400 troops from the Canadian Airborne were part of the operation. This movie focuses on the major battle of the operation which primarily involved U.S. forces. I remember when this happened. CNN kept playing the video of Somalis dragging the naked, dead bodies of the two Delta operators through the dirty streets. There was also video of Somalis jumping up and down on one of the Black Hawks that went down.
Just an FYI about Rangers: These guys are HARD! Their entire training regimen is geared toward a goal of 72 hours nonstop combat. The annual Best Ranger competition is a 72 hour contest where the contestants go straight from one event to the next, only stopping to change socks or restock ammo and water. They eat when the can, often during an event. Their physical training is unequaled.
Shughart and Gordon both were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions. When I was in the Army, I got to train in a mock town that was built for urban warfare training at Fort Polk, LA, and it was named after Shughart and Gordon. It is a pretty sobering thing to train in that environment.
@supernicko123 What time frame were you at Ft Polk? My father spent his retirement as a contractor and then finally retired and was the Commandant of the V.F.W. post there!...from Wyoming USA 🇺🇸 👋🤠
The movie the guy who had the fit was watching is called "The Jerk" PLEASE add it to your list. Steve Martin back when he was still zany in the 70's. Still regarded as a classic comedy and it's also kinda sweet
When I was deployed in 2005 Command Sergeant Major Gallagher was our 1st Brigade CSM in the 3rd Infantry Division. He was there for our combat patch ceremony. His character is not in the movie but he fought and was wounded during this battle. All the guys were in awe of this legend. Sadly he passed away in 2014. P.S. hot brass under the collar sucks
Cliff “Elvis” Wolcott, the pilot of the first Black Hawk that crashed, was already a living legend amongst Army chopper pilots after his flying in Desert Storm. As his Black Hawk was going down, he made a last minute correction so the helicopter went in nose first, sacrificing himself to try to save the guys in the back.
This is my favorite military movie of all time now some people will complain that it's not like the book will screw them because it's pretty accurate there are a few things that are dramatized but I've been fascinated with this battle my entire life and I've done hours and hours of research I've watched videos and documentaries from soldiers that were there that approve of this movie and some that were there to help guide the movie. The movie is not just about the book it is based on actual events and predict them very well
In the book, when describing the Delta assault on the initial building, they actually talk about how if you shout 'get down' and 'drop your gun' in people's native language loudly when people are treaumatized by the initial assault, they do it. So, they do actually learn at least enough to talk TO people in the native languages.
"Is there a moment in U.S. history where the country isn't in some sort of conflict?" 225 out of 243 years since 1776 have been wartime. Those of us that come from families with longstanding traditions of military service can mark generations by the wars they served in. It is, at this point a part of our culture. There will always be those that don't want us to intervene in another nation's quest to attain liberty, but there are also many of us that cannot imagine doing anything else. This is not to say all our conflicts have been legitimate, but there were many that soldiers felt a duty not only to our home but to the oppressed people in the lands we have occupied. For example Afghanistan, or Iraq for many of us that served in the Global War on Terror.
The character of Grimes is based on a real person, but the real person ended up going to prison for something very disgusting, so the name was changed.
I’m excited that you two are finally getting to this movie. I was not there, but everyone in the army at the time (such as moi) knew guys who were there. Mike Steele (he was the company commander) and I went through IOBC, Airborne school and Ranger school together. Later in the 90s I served in the same battalions as several NCOs and troops who were there. I only watch reactions to this movie now - reactors who were either too young at the time or who weren’t born yet - because this movie always pisses me off. This was a screwed up mission which should never have happened for many reasons. The movie does a good job at capturing the mistakes made and the reality of our military under the Clinton Administration if the viewer is paying very close attention to both the action and the dialogue. Having inside knowledge also helps. Brand new infantry officers at Infantry Officer Basic Course (IOBC) and new infantry captains at Infantry Officer Advanced Course (IOAC) spend a lot of time learning and gaming former battles as part of their training. THIS ACTION is ignored … funny how that happens! Even at Command and General Staff College (CGSC) at Ft. Leavenworth, at least when I went through after this action happened, also seemed to avoid any Lessons Learned reviews of this battle. And we see the results of that in the early stages in Iraq and Afghanistan. For those who knew Mike Steele from the beginning, this movie shows the change that happened in him. The guy portrayed (accurately) here and the colonel who would later (rightly) be relieved of command in Iraq WAS NOT the Mike Steele I knew. In any case, I am glad that you reacted to this movie. 😊
The military spends a lot of money on historians and after-action analysis, and subsequently ignores anything that doesn't fit in with top brass' prejudices and pet theories.
4:04 The Rangers in this movie are the soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. The 75th Ranger Regiment is a light infantry, special-operations capable unit that is attached to the Army's Special Operations Command, alongside the "actual" Army's Special Forces (aka the Green Berets). They are like the Army's elite shock troops that are called upon for specific and highly dangerous missions that a regular Army infantry unit might not be able to accomplish. Although their missions and capabilities are very different, they can be compared to the Army's Green Berets, the Navy SEALs and the Marine Corps' Force Recon and MARSOC Raiders.
The macho actor that played the American general is none other than Sam Shepard, RIP. He was a very accomplished playwright and many considered the best of his generation.
@@photobackflip Battle Beneath the Earth (1967) your typical anti China propaganda during Vietnam war ... i think its still on YT , as all quality movies .
This was adapted from the Mark Bowden novel of the same name. The HBO miniseries Generation Kill is similar in style to this, and was adapted from its novel counterpart. Other films similar to this are American Sniper, Lone Survivor and 13 Hours
4:10 Rangers are a part of the US Army. They're infantry, but they're much more extensively trained than 'standard' infantry. They do air and water insertions into hostile territory, as scouts or quick strike units. One of their most common jobs is to back up units like the Navy SEALs or Delta (who, if you dont know, are highly specialized and trained special forces, basically the pinnacle of badass soldiers). Rangers are sent out in regular sized units, so you often have a whole platoon backing up a small unit of Delta, like in the movie (ie there were a dozen or so Delta and *multiple dozens* of Rangers). They're not as well trained as, say, Navy SEALs, but they are, by and large, much better operators than regular soldiers.
U.S. Army Rangers mission and purpose: The Rangers' primary mission is to engage the enemy in close combat and direct-fire battles. This mission includes direct-action operations, raids, personnel and special equipment recovery in addition to conventional or special light-infantry operations. They're considered spec-ops, but closer to specialized infantry than the more highly clandestine Delta force, which equates more closely with U.S. Navy Seals, Marine Force Recon, etc.
I think Josh Hartnett is featured on the movie poster because in a sense, the story is told from Sgt. Eversman’s perspective. IIRC, much of the narrative in the book came from his memories and account.
I listened to the director speaking and he said that the guy that got blown in half actually lived for a few hours before passing away. This movie is brutal and realistic and something of an anti war film as it shows the horror of war. Great reaction guys and thanks
Two things. The warlord the US was looking for, had a son who had moved to America. The son enlisted in the Marines and was actually deployed to Somalia. Years later, after the son mustered out of the Marines and the warlord father had stepped down, the ex-Marine son would become President of Somalia. Second, one of the reasons this story is so important is because the Rwandan Genocide would occur shortly after this. Despite the horrors that were being reported, the US public had no appetite for sending US troops into another African civil war. Polling showed that it was footage of dead service men being dragged through the streets of Mogadishu that had the most effect focusing that refusal.
same! I got it on bluray, the hottest sound editing, up there with Saving Private Ryan! I keep rewinding listening to the rotor blades hitting the ground when they crash the 1st helicopter! I love the way Ridley Scott films his stuff too!
I haven't watched this movie in years, and forgot just how absurdly intense it is. Also, I believe Jeremy Piven actually learned to fly a helicopter for this film, if I'm not mistaken.
All the actors went through a couple weeks of training with their respective military counterparts. Most went through abreiviated ranger training, learning how to fire and use weapons, some went with delta force and learned how to use explosives to blow open doors and such and the actors playing the pilots spent a week in a blackhawk simulator.
The Blackhawk is the most common US Army utility helicopter. It serves a lot of different roles in various configs (and other branches use additional variants like the Navy Seahawk or Coast Guard Jayhawk). They are classed as a medium helo, so not the biggest but also not the smallest.
@@bloodymarvelous4790 Biggest could be measured a few different ways but I would generally agree for US Army helos the chinook is the biggest. Not the largest in the US inventory though, that's the 53 series by just about every measure. None of those in Army service though.
FUN FACT: Orlando Bloom had infact broken his back falling off a roof/terrace in 1998 when he was 1998. He was told he may never walk again. Then he filmed LOTR and filmed this movie Black Halwk Down, where his character falls from the Helicopter and breaks his back. So ironically enough he knew exactly what that experience would be like.
This film is based on a true story from 1996. Not everything shown in the film is real. Fun fact: Evan McGregor, Orlando Bloom and Tom Hardy were in this film as supporting actors.
14:08 these two Legends recieved the Medal of Honor for choosing to be put down to protect a 160th SOAR Blackhawk crew KNOWING they weren’t going to make it. Both were killed in action as shown. Both the DELTA Operators and Rangers were absolute heroic Legends and this movie does a great job to show how everything went sideways so fast. RIP to those lost.
8:04 the pilots for this helicopter unit are not your average run of the mill pilots. They are world renowned for their skill. Most guy get in a helicopter and fly it like you'd drive a car, these guys strap the helicopter on and it becomes an extension of their body.
I remember when this was on the news. They showed the snipers dragged through the streets on the evening news. I didn't understand how serious the battle was until the movie came out.
Speaking as someone who's been in the US Army for 21 years as an infantryman (57 months deployed to 'combat zones'), no. There is no year where the US hasn't been involved in some sort of conflict. Politicians like to use different words. Police actions. Security assignments. Joint training missions. But all of them usually revolve around some sort of conflict. Some, like the Pacific theater, aren't as 'direct action' for our personnel. Namely because the 'bad guys' focus on the indigenous forces more than the US ones. Some, like Afghanistan, Iraq, or Africa has US forces mixing it up on an almost monthly basis. But none of that is 'news worthy' to a deafened western public. Which while very naive, is also kind of the point of having military personnel operating around the globe. The fact that some 30 year old housewife doesn't generally have to worry about being abducted while going to the supermarket (like most of Africa deals with) is kind of the whole idea. It's also why America is s damn good at waging war and it the ONLY nation who has proven to have global force projection. Military might is about one of the only massive exports the US still has to be honest. Somalia during this time was a disaster for the US and reshaped the way we approach Africa relations. Brave men left out to dry because of political choices. Even more ironic was the fact that we caused all the tribal warfare because we flooded the country with weaponry during the Cold War to counter Russian backed elements. Just one big circle clusterfuck. Rangers are also the first level of SOCOM forces. While their mission set is vastly similar to the normal infantry ground pounders, they usually receive a higher level of training, better equipment, and deal with less bullshit detail crap, which leaves them more time to train and be proficient at waging war. So, think of them as advanced infantry Battalions or 'shock troops'. They still focus on the battalion/company size direct action fight (unlike SF or Delta which has a whole different mission set) but Rangers are basically the top tier of that ability. Also don't get confused with those being 'ranger qualified' (which means they attended Ranger school and earned the tab) and the 'Batt Boys', which are the ones in Blackhawk Down. These are the guys who serve in the three Ranger Battalions (75th Ranger regiment). Budget is a major issue for the US military believe it or not. But our offensive mission sets are always tailored (if we can) around us having a 3-1odd ratio. Granted, reality isn't always forgiving in this department and you're forced to adapt, but that's the base level guidelines. When entering a theater of operations, most Soldiers are provided with a 'phrase book' which highlights common phrases in the local language. Which can be a huge boon if a Soldier takes it seriously. One of my old company commanders was a former SF operator and spoke both Farsi and Arabic flawlessly. The rapport that man built while dealing with locals was unreal and was personally responsible for a lot of the success our unit had in 03-05 and 07-09. The 'rocket launchers' are Russian made RPGs (rocket propelled grenades). The ones here were the RPG-7s. The projectile charge ranged from 40 to 150 mm with a rocket in the rear that increased its range from 150 to 500 meters. The warhead could pierce through 320 mm of armor and when it first launched in the late 60's it caused the US a lot of headaches. But they are also prone to malfunctions and require some user knowledge on operation. I had one bounce off the hood of my HUMVEE in early '04 because the shooter forgot to pull the warhead's pin prior to firing it or it simply malfunctioned (we think). Being that it flew another 170 meters after the ricochet before blowing we could never verify. MSG Gordon and SFC Shughart last stand to save pilot Michael Durant was heroism at it's finest. They killed over 25 of the enemy while wounding countless others. Both were awarded the Medal of Honor.
I'd recommend watching "The Outpost" on Netflix ASAP. (It will be removed Sept. 30). It's a fantastic modern warfare movie about the battle of Kamdesh and has Orlando Bloom, Scott Eastwood and Caleb Landry Jones (Banshee from XMen First Class). Even if you don't do a reaction, it's a solid movie to just watch. Edit: Rangers are a special forces branch of the army.
I haven't seen that movie yet but my cousin's son is in that movie. He was given more screen time and he had pictures of being at the director's house for a superbowl party with Scott Eastwood. He really served in Afghanistan too, I'm guessing he'd be the only Latino soldier who has lines
Rangers are an elite force in the Army. They are a step below special forces, but still very highly regarded. They use rangers for big, loud, and important missions like this. Special forces are used for more specialized, covert missions that requires tact and precision.
It is important to note that Delta Force are incredible soldiers. In reading this book it talked about how the Delta Force chopper pilots... On their day off... Would take their choppers and practice high speed runs between buildings with only a foot or two clearance between the blades and the structures. Then.. The Delta Force soldiers at night would climb in the rafters of the barracks using night vision. They would hunt rats with throwing knives. All of this to keep their skills sharp.
4:10 George asks what Rangers are and what they do Rangers (as in the 75th Ranger Regiment, which is what we're talking about in the context of this movie - "Ranger" is also a broad designation that can be used to anyone who has gotten through Ranger school, regardless of what unit they're in) are a light infantry special operations force. They do perimeter security for higher tier special operations units (like what you see in the film) as well as reconnaissance, raids, air assaults from helicopters, jumps from planes, etc. It wouldn't be inaccurate to think of them as the "entry level" for Army special operations, although it's rather more complicated than that. Rangers generally don't have the same level of training that Army Special Forces (aka Green Berets) or Delta Force have, but each unit has a different mission and a specific function. The Rangers are generally the least selective of the army special operations but are still considered an elite force. They also tend to be individually younger than Special Forces and especially Delta.
I feel so bad for Simone, she looked more than a little shell shocked and a bit queasy there. She even said one scene made her light headed. Honestly I understand, I appreciate a well made movie and some of them can be very graphic.
Oh, the humorous parts: many people (myself included) use humor to relieve stress, and among soldiers in particular there is a definite affinity for dark, "Gallows" humor. The film clip showed at the American base just before the lieutenant goes into seizures was a well-known scene from the Steve Martin film "The Jerk". In actuality, a famous line from that scene was shouted by one of the Rangers while under fire during the battle; I don't want to go into specifics because The Jerk is an excellent film in its own right & possibly one you'll want to react to in the future. If anything, the movie downplays soldiers' proclivity for joking around in its effort to be a "hoorah, MURRICA!" spectacle.
I've seen this movie once. That was enough. I had left the army a few years before this happened. I had a bunch of buddies that got caught up in that firefight. They can't even watch this movie without having flashbacks of that terrible day.
2:11 - To answer this question, yes, there have been a few. America was born through war, and specializes in war and dealing death all around the world. The United States has been in a near-constant state of war, or entangled in some armed conflict or insurrection somewhere in the world, for 237 out of the 248 years since the Declaration of Independence. Only 11 years of actual peace, so far. As you can probably guess, at the time I'm writing this, America is currently at war: it's embroiled in multiple counter-insurgencies across the Middle East and Africa, mostly against the remnants of ISIS & their satellite factions/allies.
I can’t recommend the book enough. It’s a fascinating story that inspired the movie and includes interviews of people on the other side. Read it if you get the chance…
As someone who is currently serving in the Canadian armed forces. When I deployed to Afghanistan we did learn a handful of basic words and phrases prior to deploying.
The Delta Force guys were absolute bad asses. Also an AC-130 gunship could have been really useful as it could have laid down a lot of accurate, pinpoint destruction from a relatively safe altitude. If I remember correctly, what happened in Somalia cost the Secretary of Defense his job partially because he refused to allow the AC-130s to be used there.
The book actually debates whether or not that would have made it worse or better. Iirc the book says that interviews with soldiers there say that the little birds did what they were tasked and that wasn’t a determining factor of the the mission outcome. Surprised me reading it because I thought for sure that was a point the book was going to make.
I love your reaction videos and this movie is special to me! My mother, now a retired veteran was very good friends with most of the pilots depicted in the movie. From my understanding she was in charge of monitoring air traffic and communication with the pilots so she was on the radio listening to it all. To THIS day she refuses to watch this movie because in her own words "I had to sit there and listen over the comms as my friends died. I don't need a Hollywood actor to remember that". She was also pregnant with me at the time, I would be born a month later.
I always loved the scene where the Ranger who had seen his best friend killed before him turns to the Sgt and says "I don't want to go back out there" and the Sgt says "You have to make your choice now or live with it forever". And as the rescue convoy runs out the gate the Sgt looks in the mirror and sees him still making up his mind. And at the last moment he jumps on board and you go "Yeessss!". Because haven't we all felt like that?
I served in the US Army in the late 1990s, part of the time in the 75th Ranger Regiment, and I knew a few guys who were there in the real Battle of Mogadishu. (None of the ones who were featured in this movie, though.) But nothing like this happened to me. This and "Jarhead" are the two best post-Vietnam war movies ever made. And it's funny, because "Black Hawk Down" is a lot more like what you expect when you join the military, but "Jarhead" is a lot more like what you get... (P.S. Watch "Jarhead" next. That's my generation's "Full Metal Jacket.")
As far as the local languages go, in modern times the army will hand out literature with common/important phrases. Special operations people often have proper language training too.
Fun fact, when a copy got into Mogadishu itself, the locals CHEERED the film, they thought it was a movie about them kicking ass. Kinda funny how that worked out. Just a fact people may enjoy
thanks for watching this, great reaction. Lots of good info and context in the comments here. Just want to second that Mark Bowden's book on this event is worth a read or listen. George, your comment that the movie does a good job of maintaining "spatial awareness" of where everyone is is spot on. I really connected with this movie when it came out because it tackled a real humanitarian problem. Even though it was a poorly-conceived mission in many ways, and there are really no good solutions for situations like this, the courage under fire and tactical brilliance of US forces was really inspiring to me. Yes, they underestimated how effective RPGs could be against helicopters, and they had a lot of problems with realtime information sharing, but that doesn't take away from how well they maneuvered and executed on the ground.
As an American armchair historian, I'd like like to answer To answer some of your questions here: "Where do Rangers sit in the hierarchy of the US military?" - The Fat Electrician puts it the best by calling them "America's sharpest blunt weapon" and "apex grunts." That Uncle Sam sends these guys in when they want and issue *gone* and when they DO NOT care about what it looks like to others. "Is there a year in that country's (the US) history that it isn't involved in some kind of conflict?" - Yes, a few years in its 240+ year history of existence... But not many. There are many reasons for this but, in more recent times, it's because when the US tried to stay out of the affairs of other countries... which resulted in not just one... but TWO world war, European-born, oopsy doopsy fucky whuckies. Then Uncle Sam decided that we needed to provide and finance the world with the LARGEST "un-healthcare" system (military industrial complex) *EVER IN HUMAN HISTORY* , so that the rest of the First World can enjoy their "free" healthcare systems. "Too high profile. Why is that a problem?" - 2 answers there... 1) They are "trying" to care about international optics here (which proves to be MASSIVE and CATASTROPHIC mistake)... 2) Washington was full of idiots even back then. Because if they had even just one AC-130 in the air that day, this movie probably wouldn't exist and many soldiers might still be alive. Here are some sources that can explain a little more: 75th Ranger Regiment by The Fat Electrician ruclips.net/video/rVARCC31WZs/видео.html&ab_channel=TheFatElectrician The Fat Electrician Reviews: The AC-130 ruclips.net/video/5HOhKG8XNvU/видео.html&ab_channel=TheFatElectrician
Kind of some gross flippant commentary here on the US military here. Internal civil war caused the Somali government to collapse and the United Nations went in because there were 300,000 people dead. A warlord, crime boss, started executing UN inspectors and the Americans were charged with capturing or killing him. When you hear 300,000 people were killed you say "somebody should do something!". By the time this is over there was more than 500,000 dead. What does optics mean? "Has America ever gone a whole year without a war?!" About a year after this 600,000 people were killed with machetes clubs and small arms in Rwanda. 250,000+ women were raped. Nobody did anything. Because people were making comments like "has America ever gone a whole year without a war?" And nobody else cared or wanted to get lumped in. The name for saying somebody should do something but not doing anything because you're afraid of how it would look in the media is "Somali syndrome" it's also known as "I want to help. But I'm not going to."
@@adamantiumrage Oh no, you wouldn't want that. The Canadians historically have been the most brutal troops in the formerly British Empire. Not only against the Amerindian tribes - whom they brutalized to a Chris Columbus level(my Grammy was kidnapped by the whiteman and sent to Indian School) and against the Americans in the war of 1812- but famously against the Germans for executing the wounded, prisoners, and in a few cases - laming the prisoners and executing them a few days later. Modern Canada has great refugee settlement and relocation programs. Its just... one thing to give a battered woman a new place to live, and anothe to go back to her house later that night to grab that ONE thing she forgot with a a buddy and a bat.
To more directly answer George's question, Rangers are the most elite infantry in the US Army. There is an interview with a guy named Brad Thomas. He was in Mogadishu as a ranger and went on to join Delta/CAG. Really wild to hear him talk about his experience.
@@cliveklg7739 yeah, that's just wrong. First of all, special forces and delta are not infantryman. They have a different job than them, so you can't really compare the two. Sure, airborne, air assault, mountain, and other specialized units are elite, but rangers are top dogs without peers (again, among infantrymen). That is why they are the only special operations infantry unit.
@@cliveklg7739 actually, he’s right. He said most elite INFANTRY unit. Which is correct. SF and SFOD-D (Delta) are special operation units and force multipliers. Airborne is infantry, but more specialized range of operations.
Could still feel the pain. After seeing the Bodies of our Dead Brothers. As they where dragged naked through the streets. To have Disrespected there Bodies as they did. No one could ever fathom the Rage we felt in ourselves. .
The two soldiers that jumped into the first Blackhawk to treat the wounded were actually Air Force Pararescue. A special forces unit trained in medical procedures. The scene of them running back to base, the actual run inspired what's called The Mogadishu Mile in Pararescue training. From what I understand, the trainees run a mile with all their gear, carrying a dummy simulating a casualty. I've talked to some of those guys and they say it's one of the most grueling miles they've ever run.
I remember from the book that sometimes 'Pararescue' guys were sometimes looked down upon because they don't go thru the same 'grueling' training that the Spec Ops people do, you could just 'join'. Of course, they did a heck of a job.
Depending on which country you're operating in, you'll learn some basic phrases like "Show me your hands" that you can use, or you'll have an interpreter with you who'll translate for you. Then there's also the fact that most people tend to freeze up and stop moving around when you point a weapon at them.
@ shawnanderson6313 No it was not, it was in Morocco. And sadly both the actors and the crew all decided to make themselves noted by stating in every interview how they could not understand why local women would not go to the hotels with them... I guess americans think there is only one culture in the world.
It is a joke buddy, I was alluding to the fact that Minneapolis has the largest Somalia population outside of Somalia. By Americans are you referring to white European ancestry ? Because the US probably one of the most diverse countries in the world in terms of culture and people.@@isabelsilva62023
Tier One : Delta Force, Seal Team 6, Ranger Recon Company, CIA Special Activities Division Tier Two: US Army Special Forces, Navy Seals, 75th Ranger Rgt Tier Three: 82nd Airborne Div, 101st Airborne , 10th Mountain, 1st Armored Div, 1st Cavalry Div.
There were some creative decisions made for the movie--many of the main characters are actually amalgamations of several soldiers, no effort at all was made to explain previous events which led to the Somalis' hatred of the US military, the Rangers weren't really forced to run alone through the streets at the end--but for the most part, the movie stays true to the book, and the book is *the* authoritative retelling of the Battle of Mogadishu. The combat sequences in the movie are frighteningly realistic, because the film had the full support of the US Military. The early scene showing soldiers "fast roping" out of the helicopters onto the street showed _actual_ US Army soldiers doing that, filmed specifically for this movie. All of the actors went through abbreviated basic training regimens with active duty US Army units (those playing Delta Force/SEALs got Special Operations training). There is a full length commentary featuring several of the actors & filmmakers out there, which is well worth watching. I also highly recommend reading the book by Mark Bowden which gives a much more detailed (and accurate) depiction of the events leading up to the battle, as well as the battle itself.
@4:10 - Each branch of the US military has it's Special Forces (SF) in addition to its bulk of enlisted personnel. In the Army, these are the Rangers, the Green Berets, SOAR (Special Operations Aviation), and Delta Force. Delta Force is the army equivalent of Navy Seals and the smallest of all four of these. In this movie, you see three of these SF groups. The Rangers (the bulk of the troops in the film), SOAR or Special Operations Air Regiment "the Nightstalkers" (the Special Helicopter Pilots and Crew in this file and who also flew the SEAL team members into Pakistan to kill Osama Bin Laden in 2012), and Delta Force (the elite guys like Delta Force Snipers Gary Gordon and Randy Shugart who were killed in Somalia (in the film protecting the downed helicopter pilot by themselves) and who later received the Medal of Honor, also "Hoot" (Actor Eric Bana). I don't believe "DELTA" exists on any official table of organization for the Army unless that has changed, but in reality everyone knows it exists as a unit. DELTA recruits heavily from the Rangers and from the Green Berets for its members. Rangers are unique in that they are primarily geared towards fighting behind enemy lines (as they do in this film) either by helicopter insertion, parachute, or other means of insertion. I had three "former" Rangers in my DEA Special Agent class back in 1998, and those guys could run FOREVER.... I'm sure an actual Ranger will chime in here and provide much better clarification.
The only Special Forces are the "green berets". That's their actual name: US Army Special Forces. They wear the famous green beret where they get their nickname from. Whereas Rangers wear a tan beret (used to be black), and airborne units may wear a maroon beret. The term is "special operations forces" for elite units in general. The Navy equivalent of Delta Force is specifically SEAL Team Six, aka DEVGRU (short for Naval Special Warfare Development Group). The "regular" SEAL Teams are the Navy equivalent of the Army Rangers, but the sorts of missions they do are often quite different and they have different specializations. Rangers are trained specifically for airfield capture. SEALs are trained in maritime operations, particularly underwater demolition. But in the Global War on Terror, pretty much every special operations unit is doing a lot of counter-terrorism, which used to be largely the purview of units like Delta, SEAL Team Six, and to an extent Special Forces (which are trained in insurgency/counterinsurgency and training local forces). The Marines get in on the action with MARSOC. The Air Force has its Special Operations Command with various types like Pararescuemen, Combat Controllers, Special Reconnaissance, etc. Air Force special operations forces were on the ground in Mogadishu on that day coordinating close air support and providing medical aid. There were also a small number of SEAL Team Six snipers in Mogadishu that day but they don't appear in this movie and few people know they were ever there, as mainly the Rangers, Delta Force, and SOAR got all the attention. In the film, you can always tell the Delta guys by the black helmets they're wearing. They are literally skateboarding helmets, instead of the standard issue ballistic helmets worn by just about everyone else. Standard helmets were not easily modified back then, and Delta needed to attach things to their helmets like night vision. They also wanted greater visibility while on their missions, and the bulkier ballistic helmets worn by the Rangers in the film have a pretty significant front "brow" to obscure the view. The thinking was, Delta would not be getting into a lot of heavy firefights where shrapnel would be flying around, so the added protection of the kevlar wasn't needed. They would move quickly, attack with the element of surprise, and the biggest threat was actually bumping their heads on things while moving quickly through buildings. So, lightweight skateboarder helmets is what they wore. These same factors ended up going into a new standard issue ballistic helmet with attachment points and better vision some years later.
Black Hawk Down had a very large cast well-known actors and unknown actors who would go on to become famous: SSG Matt Eversman: Josh Hartnett (Penny Dreadful) SFC Norm "Hoot" Gibson: Eric Bana (Hulk, Troy) SPC John "Grimesey" Grimes: Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting, Moulin Rouge, Star Wars prequel trilogy) LTC Danny McKnight: Tom Sizemore (Saving Private Ryan, Natural Born Killers) SPC Lance Twombly: Tom Hardy (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Mad Max: Fury Road, Venom) LT John Beales: Ioan Gruffudd - (Fantastic Four) SFC Kurt "Doc" Schmid: Hugh Dancy - (Ella Enchanted, Hannibal) CPT Mike Steele: Jason Issacs - (Harry Potter series) PFC Todd Blackburn: Orlando Bloom (The Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean) MG William F. Garrison: Sam Shepard (The Right Stuff) SFC Jeff Sanderson: William Fichtner (Prison Break, Mom, Armageddon) MSG Gary Gordon: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) CW4 Clifton Wolcott: Jeremy Piven (Entourage) CW4 Michael Durant: Ron Eldard (ER, Deep Impact, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
I was a sophomore in high school when this happened. I remember being pissed to see the bodies being dragged through the streets on the news. This movie is fairly accurate. I have read the book and watched several documentaries on this. Some key differences: 1. Everyman wasn’t at the first crash site, he was on the convoy. Also, the crash site wasn’t in a roundabout area, it was more of an alley. However, the chopper did clip a building when it crashed as shown. 2. The character of Grimes is fictional, he never existed. 3. The inexperience of the Rangers wasn’t fully shown. They were shooting at the Delta guys in the target building at one point and many of them froze up when the shit hit the fan. Some deleted scenes touch more on this. Some trivia: 1. When star41 lands at the first crash site to evacuate Sgt. Bush and the other operator, the pilot in the movie is the actual pilot who did it in real life.
Grimes was actually "real", they just changed his name because the real guy (SPC John Stebbins) was so horrible (he was found guilty of some messed up shit in like 2000).
@@beardedgeek973 Real Fucken easy to talk like that on RUclips lmaoo being prepared to die doesn’t mean you aren’t scared. Especially when there’s an entire city of people shooting at you from all sides
@@beardedgeek973 The soldiers being dragged through the streets were the two Delta Force snipers who volunteered to go in to defend the crashed chopper. This may seem counterintuitive to those who've never been in/around the military, but there actually are rules in warfare. Among many other things, they prohibit stripping a fallen enemy naked and dragging his corpse through the streets. It's one thing to kill an enemy in combat, it's another thing entirely to desecrate their body afterwards.
When Shughart and Gordon requested to be inserted to protect the second crash site their request was refused twice, but they persisted until they were given permission to go down. It's mind blowing to me that they could see exactly what they they were facing, had already offered to go but were refused and were even ordered not to go, and they had plenty of time to think about what they were doing and to reconsider, but they kept insisting until they were allowed to go. That's more than a trained reflex or acting in the heat of the moment. That's exceptional courage. The officer in command of the Delta detachment, Lt Col Gary L. Harrell (played by Steve Ford as "Cribbs" in the movie - surviving active Deltas were given fictitious names in the movie), said in an interview "They (Shughart and Gordon) knew there was nothing else to back them up. It was just them. They felt like it was so important to go that they needed to go. Where do we find men like that? It wasn’t like they just decided they’d hop off the helicopter and thought that somebody would come to their rescue. We had two helicopters down. We had the capacity to get one. We didn’t have the capacity to get two. They knew what was going on.”
They were completely worthy of getting the Medal of Honor.
Came here to make sure that this was said. Your words are accurate. Both were Delta Snipers. I'm an old Navy guy myself and a field operator. Worked with the Army in JTFs quite a bit. As I understand it: If you want something done, you give it to the Army. If you want something HARD done, you give it to the Rangers. If you want something IMPOSSIBLE done, you give it to Delta... and shit gets done. Delta will not willingly allow someone to be taken captive while they can see it happen, but in this case the numbers they faced could not be surmounted even by two of the greatest marksmen you'd want defending your position. They knew going in that it was a one-way ride, but they went anyway, because Durant's chances WITHOUT their intervention were ZERO. By selling their lives VERY DEARLY (over 2 dozen enemy dead and scores of wounded) they gave pause to advancing Somalis who took Durant captive instead of killing him outright. They were awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously and courage like theirs is the reason such an award was created. Their names will never be forgotten in my lifetime if I can help it and I thank you for shining that same light on their actions.
Courage?
You mean Balls made out of Vibranium.
If two men ever deserved the CMH, it was them. Rest their souls. They're my heroes.
It's a heroic tale but it's also very sad. Nobody wants to leave the comrades behind, but when over 30 people die trying to save five... The cost was too great. Nobody wants to talk about it or say it, but they should have let those men in the helicopter die, because a casualties completely outweighed the reward
The real Brad Thomas was uncomfortable about including the scene when he was afraid to go back, but the director told him that it was important to show that even someone as highly trained as he was could be terrified, and that he was able to overcome his fear.
That dude is wild. His interview on the team house was crazy, and after being one of the most elite soldiers in the world, he is now a rock star. That's just so wild to me.
I mean thats what really happened, the guys did an interview and thats how the entire conversation went down
Jeff Struecker had Brad Thomas on his podcast and they revisited that moment together, it was a really great listen.
Also, just wanted to add one more thing: Josh Hartnett is on the cover because the movie was largely told from the perspective of Chalk 4, and Josh Hartnett is the leader of Chalk 4. Obviously they needed to have some higher level perspective as well to explain the entire Battle of Mogadishu, but for the most part all the ground movements are centered around Chalk 4.
@@fyfyi6053 Yes, I've already seen a lot of reactions from the two and George is constantly laughing. I mean, I understand that they both do reactions and that they have their own thoughts, but sometimes it's annoying that George laughs about something in almost every second scene. It's a nice guy as you say, but with certain films he could really save himself from laughing at everything and everyone.
@@fyfyi6053 ...My late grandmother laughed at this sort of thing out of anxiety and atypical coping mechanisms, coming from far worse. Did she genuinely find people being blown apart and tortured amusing, or was it maybe a reaction to a movie?
@@fyfyi6053 wtf you talking about? I see some people agree, but I've never noticed it. I hope this isn't a case where now that I've read about it I start noticing it more and it starts bothering me too. 🤔 After reading this comment I kinda skipped through this reaction again and I didn't catch one laugh, though, except for one that was for a somewhat funny scene thaẗ́s kind of meant to be laughed at anyway...
@@wheresatari668 George loves learning about different events in history and movies are often his gateway to that. He reads the comments to learn more and reads articles about them after the movie. If he says 'someone tell us in the comments' he's especially interested. It's not the job of every Canadian to know every American Conflict and soldier's contributions.
Randy Shugart's widow asked the friend who identified his body after it had been dragged through streets and abused how bad it was (she had seen some terrible casualties before as a nurse), and he told her that she wouldn't have been able to recognize him. One of the Somali witnesses who didn't know what was going on with the battle saw some other Somalis beating one of the American bodies. He begged them to stop and told them that defiling the dead is against Islam, and they told him to leave or they would kill him.
Dude shut the fuck up and stop dickriding delta. Its always a single person like you in the comments “ermergerd gordon and shugaurt make me so horny let me tell you all about them”. You are cringe as fuck.
Another big star in this movie that you might've missed was Tom Hardy. He was one of the two that had to go looking for their unit. Also Lucius Malfoy was Capt. Steele.
I never realized Tom Hardy was in this. And I only just now realized, in watching the reaction, that the third guy that joins them is freaking Scotty Smalls from The Sandlot.
Nobody cared who he was til he put on the mask.
Funny how he was in both This and Band Of Brothers
A lot of Brits in this movie
@@Jumpman67 which is ironic because the Dark Knight Rises is one of the worst movies he is in. Not his fault. Just shit film. And yes I know he was in Star Trek Nemesis. Dark Knight Rises is worse
22:36 The real Danny McKnight consciously resisted showing any fear because he believed that if his soldiers saw his losing his cool, they could lose heart and fall apart emotionally. He deliberately walked upright rather than run and duck which, interestingly enough, is a long tradition among British officers for much the same reason . The 5th Earl of Longford famously said "Don't bother ducking. The men don't like it, and it doesn't do any good" before being killed at the Battle of Gallipoli, and Winston Churchill said "It's no use ducking. The bullets have already passed you." The Linybeige channel has a very good video about this tradition called "British Officers Don't Duck?"
I wouldnt put too much tryst in linybeige. For a guy who is supposed to be versed in history he was a brexit supporter. No one who truly knows history would be a brexiteer.
There are a couple of famous stories about British officers from the World Wars. One about the officer who kicked a football across no man's land when his troops went "over the top" to distract them from the bullets coming at them. The other was in "A Bridge Too Far" where an officer always carried an umbrella because he could never remember the passwords to get back onto base.
It's also a long tradition among British officers to be useless shits.
@@carlossaraiva8213 -- Clearly, the fact that you judge someone by their politics is evidence enough you have no clue what YOU are talking about. You just made me trust Lindybeige completely.
@@carlossaraiva8213 That sounds like complete loony toons reasoning. Next time someone offers you an MRi to check for brain tumors, you should take it.
This is Somalia, it's not a straight up war, its a very limited engagement to deal specifically just with certain warlords in a humanitarian crisis. There's loads of stuff they can't do here. They have to be brief and surgical. Optics are important.
It was a U.N. mission.
@@MikeB12800 yup. That's why they were se to get peacekeepers to help with the armored vehicle rescue, but there was some... incivility associated with the lack of camaraderie between the forces.
Optics are important to who? And why are they more important then American lives and success of the mission?
@@bluebird3281 "optics... why are they more important than American lives and the mission."
Who says they are?
You're underestimating the complexity of the situation.
Yes, to an extent its a purely political theater to deny the use of AC130 gunships. But thats because a mission like the one in Somalia is inherently political, because the problem is partly political. We didn't go in to invade Somalia. It wasn't about destroying the country or defeating its people. It was a humanitarian crisis that hit the roadblock of the difficultly of stopping the warlords from perpetuating said crisis for their own ends. All actions against said warlord needed to be as surgical and minimal in footprint as possible because of the fact that the armed forces wanted to avoid the appearance of invading and thus lose the good will of those we tried to work with against the warlord.
It was also a UN sanctioned action, so we had to follow cer6ain international limits on engagement within a mixed theater. Other armies are present as well and they represent different takes on the problem.
It's inherently a weak position but one that many in the states still felt was the right thing morally.
The loss of American lives could have hypothetically been averted by the use of more forces and dedicated AC-139 gunship support, but there's no guarantee that this would have actually prevented the blackhawks from going down. It's still a complex theater and the guy who fell still fell in a way no one could have predicted. The Somali use of on the ground intel was faster than we thought, and reprisals were swifter than predicted.
In some ways one could say we just shouldn't have been there to begin with, but the administration at the time really wanted foreign policy to reflect a kind of global concensus in preventing the escalation of regional conflicts to the point that they become unchecked humanitarian atrocities akin to the "killing fields" or the holocaust.
Obviously a less interventionist view would have never committed us to such a goal, but once there, trying to act in as valiant and competent way as possible despite the limits placed on us is commensurate with the larger mission of armed service... correct?
Would you say it was a special military operation?
This was Eric Bana's breakout Hollywood role. At the time Eric was known as a stand up comedian but had acted in two Australian movies. Russell Crowe recommended him to Ridley Scott who employed him without and audition. The rest is history.
I was not expecting him to have started his performance career as a comedian. I only saw hom as an actor. Wild.
He's a far better comedian imo. But his best acting role will always be Chopper.. Damn brilliant film.
I loved him in "The Castle", but then again, I love everything about that movie.
@@kingleech16 Tell 'em they're dreamin'!
@@MattMichaelVO 😁😁😁
Delta is considered a Tier 1 SMU (special mission unit) under the command of JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command along with units like Seal Team 6) while Rangers (and Special Forces) are considered Tier 2 special operations units still under Army control. Delta will accept recruits from any branch of the military but primarily recruit from Rangers and Special Forces. Delta is also not officially recognized as existing by the Army thus its many nicknames (The Unit, CAG(Combat Applications Group), Delta.
90% of the best US soldiers don't make it through the initial phase of selection. Those guys are as tough as nails.
Incorrect. Tiers aren't based on how elite they are. The whole 'tier' thing is misunderstood by people that have never served and rely on video games.
Tiers are budgetary. Technically, a Navy Carrier Group is Tier 1. If you are talking about special operations unit budgets, the Ranger Regiment would have a higher budget than Delta and DEVGRU combined. So they'd be Tier 1 in that mix. But we don't really care as long as the job gets done. Play all the video games you like.
Rangers are now doing missions that only 20 years ago were considered Delta only. And no SOF JTF works without using the Ranger Regiment as the backbone, which is why we have stood up two new Batts in recent years. SOCOM and JSOC don't work in a battlespace without Regiment.
And Delta is recognized by the rest of the Army. Read this public Congressional testimony by General Downing in 2006. He talks about them five times, on camera. I'd say that's recognition.
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-109hhrg33596/html/CHRG-109hhrg33596.htm
Ex- B Co 3/75.
Don't forget, the 24th Special Tactics Squadron of the US Air Force is also a Tier-1 SMU and part of JSOC.
They also work alongside the CIA in missions that the government does not acknowledge
@@michaelkirk4056 What the OP said isn't "incorrect", it just benefits from additional explanation.
“Where’s the rescue squad?”
We’re it.
Nothing but complete respect for Shughart and Gordon.
Absolute Legends.
18:12 Air Force Pararescue Jumper (PJ) Timothy A. Wilkinson received the Air Force Cross (second highest award for valor for Air Force personnel) for his actions during the Battle of Mogadishu. He had to run back and forth between the buildings while under fire to treat the wounded. The other soldiers joked that he didn't get hit because the Somalis didn't realize what an slow runner he was and were firing to far ahead of him as he ran, and one of the Rangers, seeing "Wilkie," run back and forth and survive, said "God really loves medics.
I had a chance encounter and met him roughly 8 months after arriving at my first duty station in 2000
The book is really worth a read. The crazy thing about the movie is that the horror of the event is toned down.
Wayyyy toned down. The first time I looked into my jaw dropped more and more on how graphic it got in this
I’ve heard the “timing” of this movie get mentioned by others before but I’ve always seen it differently.
In 1999 saving private ryan was released and it literally redefined the War movie as we know it.
As a result everyone wanted to make a gritty realistic war movie. In quick Succession we got movies like enemy at the gate, wind talkers, the thin red line, we were soldiers, black hawk down, flags of our fathers etc. The early 2000s was the period where war movies were being released on mass. Not just in the US either. This period saw Taeguki from korea, 9th company from russia and Downfall from Germany.
It has been suggested that Black hawk down was propaganda for what was happening at the time. It’s often forgotten though that this was the same time spielberg had literally just redefined an entire genre, paving the way for a completely new generation of war movies.
Also what was happening around that time is kinda irrelevant as they had finished filming two months before 9/11 had even happened. So there is literally no way they could of intended the movie be used for morale / public support.
War movies are ALWAYS propaganda. The advertising was pure American exceptionalism porn. At the time, and even today it's treated as one of the few unambiguous stories of American military heroism in 21st Century film, but given the context of what led up to this event it would've been propagandistic even without the event that preceded its release.
@@Starbuckanear2012 You watched that movie and that's your take away from it??? I don't know how you can see the botched mismanaged cluster train wreck of a mission continuously devolving before our eyes all the while people dying left and right for nothing and call it propaganda. Propaganda for what how to die senselessly?
@@carlevans8825 As if there is a better system.
I imagine that the Conoco corporate compound must have had pretty good infrastructure and was a useful strategic location. Does producing oil make them evil somehow?
Were the omitted pro American Somali forces involved in the black hawk down incident?
There were U.N armored cars rescuing the American troops, were those not the Malaysians?
When you say food was making it to the Somali people do you mean other than the followers of Aidid?
Are you suggesting the Aidid should have been allowed to control those shipping lanes?
Would not the DOD have all perinate details needed for the script?
What makes you say there wasn't a need for 30,000 troops for humanitarian aid?
How was Bush sending them after he lost the election "the biggest political issue"? Clinton could have reversed it; do you think 30,000 troops were already there before Clinton was sworn in 50 or less days later.
The biggest political issue was Clinton no allowing them to use armor for the mission because it was "too high profile.
Anyone can practice propaganda, why is your propaganda somehow better?
Something else to keep in mind is the unique media coverage the entire Somali conflict had, to the extent that CNN correspondents were waiting for US Marines on the beach when they arrived. It was covered differently than any conflict had been up to that point and therefore the public had different perceptions of it than other relatively small military interventions.
Here's a clip of the on-beach coverage: ruclips.net/video/Xj9Fn3qG-Cw/видео.html
@@Starbuckanear2012 Guess we should have let the genocide and mass starvation go on….
The code words were systematic. Female names for air phases of the operation, male for ground phases. Each was sequenced alphabetic. So, the prep and planning was probably something like Alex, the air recon was Barbara, staging in the helicopters was Edward. Then, takeoff was Irene.
“All units: Irene. I say again: Irene.”
One of my favorite lines in the movie.
Irene also means “Peace”
@@joshuasantana685 interesting
@@Rob-eo5ql "Fuckin' Irene!"
@@rsrt6910 “IIIIIRRRRENNNEE!” lol
The images of dead servicemen being roughly carried through the streets of Mogadishu were a source of great national pain when it happened. This is truly a great film.
The melancholic song that comes both at the beginning and at the end of the movie is Gortoz a Ran by Denez Prijent. It is sung in the regional language Breton from western France and talks about someone in a dark place in his life waiting and hoping for an external event to take him away, with a lot of references to coastal wild nature, rain and wind. The text is very poetic, full of inspiring images and very open to interpretation. The second voice is by Lisa Gerard who also sings the main theme from the movie Gladiator. It is such a beautiful song.
This movie perfectly encapsulates an old military saying, "No plan survives contact with the enemy".
The scene with the Black Hawks and MH-6s flying in formation is epic. Not to mention the incredible score from Hans Zimmer
I literally listen to the soundtrack too
While the Rangers may have been taught basic Somali phrases, the Delta members assigned to Operation Gothic Serpent (official name for the Mogadishu mission) would've been well-versed in the local language to be able to converse with local contacts and informants. Since Delta recruited heavily from the Green Berets (who learned the local languages of the area they were assigned to) the practice followed suit.
But every Murican speaks Murican in movies, even tho it makes little sense. Even if English is someones 2nd/3rd language they would still be confused by someone yelling in that language, that they would like miss what was said.
My son was given phrase books when he was in Afghanistan.
@@YekouriGaming it makes alot of sense, its easier for casual viewership
@@josephg.1.130 Well yearh, but the Somali people are speaking Somalian with subtitles anyway?
@@YekouriGaming and?
From my experience in Afghanistan: We received a little card with common phrases but never had to use it. Generally you just use body motion, pointing, or other physical symbology to indicate your intent. It's surprisingly good as a universal language for basic things (move, stay down/back, come here, yes/no).
I still remember Serb/Croat for "Stop or I'll shoot!" Learned it back in 1996.
Yeah when the dude with a big gun shouts at you and points downwards, I think most people would get the idea.
on a quieter sort of note, John Plaster wrote in his 'SOG' war memoirs that, even though they had interpreters, often, when they were on an op in Laos, making noise was a major no no, so the whole team practiced a form of sign language, so they could 'sign' that they saw men or a trail or a bunker complex. Even without knowing their language, they could make themselves understood in a prehistoric man 'pre speech' kind of way. Of course, all that went out the window if you got into contact with the NVA>
Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon. Played by Johnny Strong, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. Medal of honor recipients. True heroes.
Oof. I always get the PTSD twitches when I watch this movie. It's the most accurate modern warfare movie that I've seen. The frustrating chain of command, main base giving you instructions that are completely useless, the seemingly infinite number of enemies who can just drop their gun into a bush and technically become civilians, feeling like the whole country is against you. 15 months of that and you're just supposed to go back home and starting working some 9-5 job stocking shelves?
They also got the sound of someone shooting at you correct. It's a very identifiable high pitched whine. I had a bullet punch a hole through the front of my helmet cover and out the back. My face was in somebody's crosshairs.
I heard they show this movie at recruit training facilities.
Many of the pilots, who helped make the movie, was there during the real mission and knew the pilots of the crashed helicopters.
I saw this movie when I was 7, not long after 9/11. I didn’t know that a decade later I would serve in this unit, but it has been the greatest honor of my life. This is a movie, and it’s impossible to show the real level of violence and brutality that occurred that day
Edit: to answer George’s question- Rangers are a Tier 2 special operations unit tasked with forcible entry and direct action raids. They often operate along side delta force and navy seals. Rangers are used as a sledge hammer for socom, if you got a problem that needs to be gone tomorrow, that’s who you send
I have only one question... Why were you watching this movie at age 7?
@@sdv73168 I was born in the 90’s I walked 6 blocks to school at 5 years old. Parental supervision was rare.
What Batt were you in? I was B Co 3/75. Got out in 91.
@@michaelkirk4056 I was B co. 3/75 2013-2020 RLTW
@@TK-hw2ph : Outstanding.
Common point of reference, first guy I met was RSM Rick Merritt when I checked in from RIP. He was on CQ and smoking a cigarette on top of the company steps. He has just pinned on his E-5 or E-6 as he was still wearing pin ons and hadn't had time to go to town and get his shit sewn on. He just smiled and pointed me in the right direction. I ended up in 2nd Platoon. He was always willing to help anyone out and get them squared away even if they weren't in his platoon. Very nice guy, awesome leader. And yes, the rumours of him doing ruck runs around Lawson in his bare feet are 100% true. :)
This is when we were on Way Street across from Peden Field, not the Club Med the guys are in now. :) You have no idea how good you had it in that new compound. Me and few others from back in the day went down for the 25th activation ceremony of 3/75 and were blown away at the facilities. All we could say through most of the tour was "Holy Shit!". Truly awesome. You guys definitely deserved it.
A couple of us tried to track Merritt down when we arrived but his C-5 or C-17 was literally taxiing for take off from Lawson when we got down to the bottom of Cardiac Hill. Missed him by about ten minutes. We were bummed out, but a bunch of us still stay in touch with him.
Just to be clear, the overall peacekeeping mission in Somalia involved almost two dozen countries and was mandated by the UN. Due to the anarchy and starvation in Somalia, the United Nations created the "UN-sanctioned United Task Force" (UNITAF). At least 23 countries sent personnel and/or military. In fact, about 1,400 troops from the Canadian Airborne were part of the operation. This movie focuses on the major battle of the operation which primarily involved U.S. forces.
I remember when this happened. CNN kept playing the video of Somalis dragging the naked, dead bodies of the two Delta operators through the dirty streets. There was also video of Somalis jumping up and down on one of the Black Hawks that went down.
The movie they were watching with Steve Martin is called The Jerk and it is awesome. Definitely worth watching.
HE HATES THESE CANS!
I was born a poor black child...
Just an FYI about Rangers: These guys are HARD! Their entire training regimen is geared toward a goal of 72 hours nonstop combat. The annual Best Ranger competition is a 72 hour contest where the contestants go straight from one event to the next, only stopping to change socks or restock ammo and water. They eat when the can, often during an event. Their physical training is unequaled.
Shughart and Gordon both were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions. When I was in the Army, I got to train in a mock town that was built for urban warfare training at Fort Polk, LA, and it was named after Shughart and Gordon. It is a pretty sobering thing to train in that environment.
@supernicko123 What time frame were you at Ft Polk? My father spent his retirement as a contractor and then finally retired and was the Commandant of the V.F.W. post there!...from Wyoming USA 🇺🇸 👋🤠
@@billallen4793 I was in Fort Polk in 2003 with the 1/501st PIR out of Fort Richardson, Alaska.
The movie the guy who had the fit was watching is called "The Jerk"
PLEASE add it to your list. Steve Martin back when he was still zany in the 70's.
Still regarded as a classic comedy and it's also kinda sweet
When I was deployed in 2005 Command Sergeant Major Gallagher was our 1st Brigade CSM in the 3rd Infantry Division. He was there for our combat patch ceremony. His character is not in the movie but he fought and was wounded during this battle. All the guys were in awe of this legend. Sadly he passed away in 2014. P.S. hot brass under the collar sucks
I was there both before and again months after this event when I was in the Marine Corps. They certainly got the look of the Somalia right.
Cliff “Elvis” Wolcott, the pilot of the first Black Hawk that crashed, was already a living legend amongst Army chopper pilots after his flying in Desert Storm. As his Black Hawk was going down, he made a last minute correction so the helicopter went in nose first, sacrificing himself to try to save the guys in the back.
This is my favorite military movie of all time now some people will complain that it's not like the book will screw them because it's pretty accurate there are a few things that are dramatized but I've been fascinated with this battle my entire life and I've done hours and hours of research I've watched videos and documentaries from soldiers that were there that approve of this movie and some that were there to help guide the movie. The movie is not just about the book it is based on actual events and predict them very well
This movie was not made as a response to 9/11 it was filmed months before 9/11 happened.
In the book, when describing the Delta assault on the initial building, they actually talk about how if you shout 'get down' and 'drop your gun' in people's native language loudly when people are treaumatized by the initial assault, they do it. So, they do actually learn at least enough to talk TO people in the native languages.
As a soldier at home when this was happening, it was heartbreaking to watch our fallen being dragged through the streets on live tv
Same thing here, watching it at Ft. Campbell and seeing no response afterwards.
When I was deployed for OIF I, we were taught half a dozen phrase in Arabic; some of which I still remember. Hot brass; the pain is real.
"Is there a moment in U.S. history where the country isn't in some sort of conflict?"
225 out of 243 years since 1776 have been wartime. Those of us that come from families with longstanding traditions of military service can mark generations by the wars they served in. It is, at this point a part of our culture. There will always be those that don't want us to intervene in another nation's quest to attain liberty, but there are also many of us that cannot imagine doing anything else. This is not to say all our conflicts have been legitimate, but there were many that soldiers felt a duty not only to our home but to the oppressed people in the lands we have occupied. For example Afghanistan, or Iraq for many of us that served in the Global War on Terror.
The character of Grimes is based on a real person, but the real person ended up going to prison for something very disgusting, so the name was changed.
I’m excited that you two are finally getting to this movie. I was not there, but everyone in the army at the time (such as moi) knew guys who were there. Mike Steele (he was the company commander) and I went through IOBC, Airborne school and Ranger school together. Later in the 90s I served in the same battalions as several NCOs and troops who were there.
I only watch reactions to this movie now - reactors who were either too young at the time or who weren’t born yet - because this movie always pisses me off. This was a screwed up mission which should never have happened for many reasons. The movie does a good job at capturing the mistakes made and the reality of our military under the Clinton Administration if the viewer is paying very close attention to both the action and the dialogue. Having inside knowledge also helps.
Brand new infantry officers at Infantry Officer Basic Course (IOBC) and new infantry captains at Infantry Officer Advanced Course (IOAC) spend a lot of time learning and gaming former battles as part of their training. THIS ACTION is ignored … funny how that happens! Even at Command and General Staff College (CGSC) at Ft. Leavenworth, at least when I went through after this action happened, also seemed to avoid any Lessons Learned reviews of this battle. And we see the results of that in the early stages in Iraq and Afghanistan.
For those who knew Mike Steele from the beginning, this movie shows the change that happened in him. The guy portrayed (accurately) here and the colonel who would later (rightly) be relieved of command in Iraq WAS NOT the Mike Steele I knew.
In any case, I am glad that you reacted to this movie. 😊
The military spends a lot of money on historians and after-action analysis, and subsequently ignores anything that doesn't fit in with top brass' prejudices and pet theories.
4:04 The Rangers in this movie are the soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. The 75th Ranger Regiment is a light infantry, special-operations capable unit that is attached to the Army's Special Operations Command, alongside the "actual" Army's Special Forces (aka the Green Berets). They are like the Army's elite shock troops that are called upon for specific and highly dangerous missions that a regular Army infantry unit might not be able to accomplish. Although their missions and capabilities are very different, they can be compared to the Army's Green Berets, the Navy SEALs and the Marine Corps' Force Recon and MARSOC Raiders.
The macho actor that played the American general is none other than Sam Shepard, RIP. He was a very accomplished playwright and many considered the best of his generation.
The two snipers that go in to help the second helicopter where both awarded the Medal of Honor. Our nations highest military honor.
If George wanted to avoid controversies then he shouldn't have even said anything.
Definitely add 13 Hours to your watchlist. Such a great film. John Krasinski is fantastic.
agreed
Excellent movie. Hacksaw Ridge is another must-watch.
@@photobackflip Battle Beneath the Earth (1967) your typical anti China propaganda during Vietnam war ... i think its still on YT , as all quality movies .
@@photobackflip Nah, I'll watch 'Branded Women' or 'Battle of Neretva' instead.
This was adapted from the Mark Bowden novel of the same name. The HBO miniseries Generation Kill is similar in style to this, and was adapted from its novel counterpart. Other films similar to this are American Sniper, Lone Survivor and 13 Hours
4:10 Rangers are a part of the US Army. They're infantry, but they're much more extensively trained than 'standard' infantry. They do air and water insertions into hostile territory, as scouts or quick strike units. One of their most common jobs is to back up units like the Navy SEALs or Delta (who, if you dont know, are highly specialized and trained special forces, basically the pinnacle of badass soldiers). Rangers are sent out in regular sized units, so you often have a whole platoon backing up a small unit of Delta, like in the movie (ie there were a dozen or so Delta and *multiple dozens* of Rangers).
They're not as well trained as, say, Navy SEALs, but they are, by and large, much better operators than regular soldiers.
U.S. Army Rangers mission and purpose: The Rangers' primary mission is to engage the enemy in close combat and direct-fire battles. This mission includes direct-action operations, raids, personnel and special equipment recovery in addition to conventional or special light-infantry operations. They're considered spec-ops, but closer to specialized infantry than the more highly clandestine Delta force, which equates more closely with U.S. Navy Seals, Marine Force Recon, etc.
I think Josh Hartnett is featured on the movie poster because in a sense, the story is told from Sgt. Eversman’s perspective. IIRC, much of the narrative in the book came from his memories and account.
I listened to the director speaking and he said that the guy that got blown in half actually lived for a few hours before passing away. This movie is brutal and realistic and something of an anti war film as it shows the horror of war. Great reaction guys and thanks
Two things. The warlord the US was looking for, had a son who had moved to America. The son enlisted in the Marines and was actually deployed to Somalia. Years later, after the son mustered out of the Marines and the warlord father had stepped down, the ex-Marine son would become President of Somalia.
Second, one of the reasons this story is so important is because the Rwandan Genocide would occur shortly after this. Despite the horrors that were being reported, the US public had no appetite for sending US troops into another African civil war. Polling showed that it was footage of dead service men being dragged through the streets of Mogadishu that had the most effect focusing that refusal.
This remains my favorite war movie set in modern times. Saw it in theaters, was absolutely captivated.
same! I got it on bluray, the hottest sound editing, up there with Saving Private Ryan! I keep rewinding listening to the rotor blades hitting the ground when they crash the 1st helicopter! I love the way Ridley Scott films his stuff too!
I haven't watched this movie in years, and forgot just how absurdly intense it is. Also, I believe Jeremy Piven actually learned to fly a helicopter for this film, if I'm not mistaken.
He certainly mastered piloting a helicopter a lot better than he mastered playing Scrabble!
All the actors went through a couple weeks of training with their respective military counterparts. Most went through abreiviated ranger training, learning how to fire and use weapons, some went with delta force and learned how to use explosives to blow open doors and such and the actors playing the pilots spent a week in a blackhawk simulator.
The Blackhawk is the most common US Army utility helicopter. It serves a lot of different roles in various configs (and other branches use additional variants like the Navy Seahawk or Coast Guard Jayhawk). They are classed as a medium helo, so not the biggest but also not the smallest.
@@bloodymarvelous4790 Biggest could be measured a few different ways but I would generally agree for US Army helos the chinook is the biggest. Not the largest in the US inventory though, that's the 53 series by just about every measure. None of those in Army service though.
FUN FACT: Orlando Bloom had infact broken his back falling off a roof/terrace in 1998 when he was 1998. He was told he may never walk again. Then he filmed LOTR and filmed this movie Black Halwk Down, where his character falls from the Helicopter and breaks his back. So ironically enough he knew exactly what that experience would be like.
This film is based on a true story from 1996. Not everything shown in the film is real.
Fun fact: Evan McGregor, Orlando Bloom and Tom Hardy were in this film as supporting actors.
14:08 these two Legends recieved the Medal of Honor for choosing to be put down to protect a 160th SOAR Blackhawk crew KNOWING they weren’t going to make it. Both were killed in action as shown. Both the DELTA Operators and Rangers were absolute heroic Legends and this movie does a great job to show how everything went sideways so fast. RIP to those lost.
8:04 the pilots for this helicopter unit are not your average run of the mill pilots. They are world renowned for their skill. Most guy get in a helicopter and fly it like you'd drive a car, these guys strap the helicopter on and it becomes an extension of their body.
I remember when this was on the news. They showed the snipers dragged through the streets on the evening news. I didn't understand how serious the battle was until the movie came out.
Speaking as someone who's been in the US Army for 21 years as an infantryman (57 months deployed to 'combat zones'), no. There is no year where the US hasn't been involved in some sort of conflict. Politicians like to use different words. Police actions. Security assignments. Joint training missions. But all of them usually revolve around some sort of conflict.
Some, like the Pacific theater, aren't as 'direct action' for our personnel. Namely because the 'bad guys' focus on the indigenous forces more than the US ones. Some, like Afghanistan, Iraq, or Africa has US forces mixing it up on an almost monthly basis. But none of that is 'news worthy' to a deafened western public. Which while very naive, is also kind of the point of having military personnel operating around the globe.
The fact that some 30 year old housewife doesn't generally have to worry about being abducted while going to the supermarket (like most of Africa deals with) is kind of the whole idea. It's also why America is s damn good at waging war and it the ONLY nation who has proven to have global force projection. Military might is about one of the only massive exports the US still has to be honest.
Somalia during this time was a disaster for the US and reshaped the way we approach Africa relations. Brave men left out to dry because of political choices. Even more ironic was the fact that we caused all the tribal warfare because we flooded the country with weaponry during the Cold War to counter Russian backed elements. Just one big circle clusterfuck.
Rangers are also the first level of SOCOM forces. While their mission set is vastly similar to the normal infantry ground pounders, they usually receive a higher level of training, better equipment, and deal with less bullshit detail crap, which leaves them more time to train and be proficient at waging war. So, think of them as advanced infantry Battalions or 'shock troops'. They still focus on the battalion/company size direct action fight (unlike SF or Delta which has a whole different mission set) but Rangers are basically the top tier of that ability.
Also don't get confused with those being 'ranger qualified' (which means they attended Ranger school and earned the tab) and the 'Batt Boys', which are the ones in Blackhawk Down. These are the guys who serve in the three Ranger Battalions (75th Ranger regiment).
Budget is a major issue for the US military believe it or not. But our offensive mission sets are always tailored (if we can) around us having a 3-1odd ratio. Granted, reality isn't always forgiving in this department and you're forced to adapt, but that's the base level guidelines.
When entering a theater of operations, most Soldiers are provided with a 'phrase book' which highlights common phrases in the local language. Which can be a huge boon if a Soldier takes it seriously. One of my old company commanders was a former SF operator and spoke both Farsi and Arabic flawlessly. The rapport that man built while dealing with locals was unreal and was personally responsible for a lot of the success our unit had in 03-05 and 07-09.
The 'rocket launchers' are Russian made RPGs (rocket propelled grenades). The ones here were the RPG-7s. The projectile charge ranged from 40 to 150 mm with a rocket in the rear that increased its range from 150 to 500 meters. The warhead could pierce through 320 mm of armor and when it first launched in the late 60's it caused the US a lot of headaches. But they are also prone to malfunctions and require some user knowledge on operation. I had one bounce off the hood of my HUMVEE in early '04 because the shooter forgot to pull the warhead's pin prior to firing it or it simply malfunctioned (we think). Being that it flew another 170 meters after the ricochet before blowing we could never verify.
MSG Gordon and SFC Shughart last stand to save pilot Michael Durant was heroism at it's finest. They killed over 25 of the enemy while wounding countless others. Both were awarded the Medal of Honor.
Outstanding, informative shit. Both harrowing yet full of truth. Thank you for the breakdown and for your valiant service.🪖
I'd recommend watching "The Outpost" on Netflix ASAP. (It will be removed Sept. 30). It's a fantastic modern warfare movie about the battle of Kamdesh and has Orlando Bloom, Scott Eastwood and Caleb Landry Jones (Banshee from XMen First Class). Even if you don't do a reaction, it's a solid movie to just watch.
Edit: Rangers are a special forces branch of the army.
Send to the top
Also recommend for realistic modern mitary films "13 Hours."
I haven't seen that movie yet but my cousin's son is in that movie. He was given more screen time and he had pictures of being at the director's house for a superbowl party with Scott Eastwood. He really served in Afghanistan too, I'm guessing he'd be the only Latino soldier who has lines
@@Malo-Hombre71 is that Daniel Rodriguez?
His name is Ernest Cavazos, I don't know what his character's name in the movie was
Rangers are an elite force in the Army. They are a step below special forces, but still very highly regarded. They use rangers for big, loud, and important missions like this. Special forces are used for more specialized, covert missions that requires tact and precision.
It is important to note that Delta Force are incredible soldiers. In reading this book it talked about how the Delta Force chopper pilots... On their day off... Would take their choppers and practice high speed runs between buildings with only a foot or two clearance between the blades and the structures.
Then.. The Delta Force soldiers at night would climb in the rafters of the barracks using night vision. They would hunt rats with throwing knives. All of this to keep their skills sharp.
4:10 George asks what Rangers are and what they do
Rangers (as in the 75th Ranger Regiment, which is what we're talking about in the context of this movie - "Ranger" is also a broad designation that can be used to anyone who has gotten through Ranger school, regardless of what unit they're in) are a light infantry special operations force. They do perimeter security for higher tier special operations units (like what you see in the film) as well as reconnaissance, raids, air assaults from helicopters, jumps from planes, etc.
It wouldn't be inaccurate to think of them as the "entry level" for Army special operations, although it's rather more complicated than that. Rangers generally don't have the same level of training that Army Special Forces (aka Green Berets) or Delta Force have, but each unit has a different mission and a specific function. The Rangers are generally the least selective of the army special operations but are still considered an elite force. They also tend to be individually younger than Special Forces and especially Delta.
I feel so bad for Simone, she looked more than a little shell shocked and a bit queasy there. She even said one scene made her light headed. Honestly I understand, I appreciate a well made movie and some of them can be very graphic.
The scene near the end, where an old man crosses the street carrying a dead child is haunting.
Happened IRL too
Speaking of Military, please watch Hacksaw Ridge after this. It's Incredible True Story. Besides you'll see Andrew Garfield for the fourth time.
Oh, the humorous parts: many people (myself included) use humor to relieve stress, and among soldiers in particular there is a definite affinity for dark, "Gallows" humor. The film clip showed at the American base just before the lieutenant goes into seizures was a well-known scene from the Steve Martin film "The Jerk". In actuality, a famous line from that scene was shouted by one of the Rangers while under fire during the battle; I don't want to go into specifics because The Jerk is an excellent film in its own right & possibly one you'll want to react to in the future. If anything, the movie downplays soldiers' proclivity for joking around in its effort to be a "hoorah, MURRICA!" spectacle.
I've seen this movie once. That was enough. I had left the army a few years before this happened. I had a bunch of buddies that got caught up in that firefight. They can't even watch this movie without having flashbacks of that terrible day.
2:11 - To answer this question, yes, there have been a few. America was born through war, and specializes in war and dealing death all around the world. The United States has been in a near-constant state of war, or entangled in some armed conflict or insurrection somewhere in the world, for 237 out of the 248 years since the Declaration of Independence. Only 11 years of actual peace, so far.
As you can probably guess, at the time I'm writing this, America is currently at war: it's embroiled in multiple counter-insurgencies across the Middle East and Africa, mostly against the remnants of ISIS & their satellite factions/allies.
I can’t recommend the book enough. It’s a fascinating story that inspired the movie and includes interviews of people on the other side. Read it if you get the chance…
As someone who is currently serving in the Canadian armed forces. When I deployed to Afghanistan we did learn a handful of basic words and phrases prior to deploying.
The Delta Force guys were absolute bad asses. Also an AC-130 gunship could have been really useful as it could have laid down a lot of accurate, pinpoint destruction from a relatively safe altitude. If I remember correctly, what happened in Somalia cost the Secretary of Defense his job partially because he refused to allow the AC-130s to be used there.
were!?
The book actually debates whether or not that would have made it worse or better. Iirc the book says that interviews with soldiers there say that the little birds did what they were tasked and that wasn’t a determining factor of the the mission outcome. Surprised me reading it because I thought for sure that was a point the book was going to make.
not a munitions expert, but an ac130 sounds a little overkill in an urban civilian area of operations.
This is what happens when politicians run military ops, they turn into cluster **cks.
Simone's intros are one of the main reasons I keep watching. Lol
I love your reaction videos and this movie is special to me! My mother, now a retired veteran was very good friends with most of the pilots depicted in the movie. From my understanding she was in charge of monitoring air traffic and communication with the pilots so she was on the radio listening to it all. To THIS day she refuses to watch this movie because in her own words "I had to sit there and listen over the comms as my friends died. I don't need a Hollywood actor to remember that". She was also pregnant with me at the time, I would be born a month later.
I always loved the scene where the Ranger who had seen his best friend killed before him turns to the Sgt and says "I don't want to go back out there" and the Sgt says "You have to make your choice now or live with it forever". And as the rescue convoy runs out the gate the Sgt looks in the mirror and sees him still making up his mind. And at the last moment he jumps on board and you go "Yeessss!". Because haven't we all felt like that?
0:25 Simone's intro and Georges reaction to them are one of the best parts - cost be damned!
Google John Stebbins. He is who Ewan MacGregor’s character is based on. You will see why his name is changed. Some hero…
I served in the US Army in the late 1990s, part of the time in the 75th Ranger Regiment, and I knew a few guys who were there in the real Battle of Mogadishu. (None of the ones who were featured in this movie, though.) But nothing like this happened to me.
This and "Jarhead" are the two best post-Vietnam war movies ever made. And it's funny, because "Black Hawk Down" is a lot more like what you expect when you join the military, but "Jarhead" is a lot more like what you get...
(P.S. Watch "Jarhead" next. That's my generation's "Full Metal Jacket.")
As far as the local languages go, in modern times the army will hand out literature with common/important phrases. Special operations people often have proper language training too.
Every Eric Bana (Hulk) joke you made I couldn’t help but smile
I hope you guys read the book about this someday. It’s amazing
Fun fact, when a copy got into Mogadishu itself, the locals CHEERED the film, they thought it was a movie about them kicking ass. Kinda funny how that worked out. Just a fact people may enjoy
thanks for watching this, great reaction. Lots of good info and context in the comments here. Just want to second that Mark Bowden's book on this event is worth a read or listen. George, your comment that the movie does a good job of maintaining "spatial awareness" of where everyone is is spot on. I really connected with this movie when it came out because it tackled a real humanitarian problem. Even though it was a poorly-conceived mission in many ways, and there are really no good solutions for situations like this, the courage under fire and tactical brilliance of US forces was really inspiring to me. Yes, they underestimated how effective RPGs could be against helicopters, and they had a lot of problems with realtime information sharing, but that doesn't take away from how well they maneuvered and executed on the ground.
As an American armchair historian, I'd like like to answer To answer some of your questions here:
"Where do Rangers sit in the hierarchy of the US military?"
- The Fat Electrician puts it the best by calling them "America's sharpest blunt weapon" and "apex grunts." That Uncle Sam sends these guys in when they want and issue *gone* and when they DO NOT care about what it looks like to others.
"Is there a year in that country's (the US) history that it isn't involved in some kind of conflict?"
- Yes, a few years in its 240+ year history of existence... But not many. There are many reasons for this but, in more recent times, it's because when the US tried to stay out of the affairs of other countries... which resulted in not just one... but TWO world war, European-born, oopsy doopsy fucky whuckies. Then Uncle Sam decided that we needed to provide and finance the world with the LARGEST "un-healthcare" system (military industrial complex) *EVER IN HUMAN HISTORY* , so that the rest of the First World can enjoy their "free" healthcare systems.
"Too high profile. Why is that a problem?"
- 2 answers there... 1) They are "trying" to care about international optics here (which proves to be MASSIVE and CATASTROPHIC mistake)... 2) Washington was full of idiots even back then. Because if they had even just one AC-130 in the air that day, this movie probably wouldn't exist and many soldiers might still be alive.
Here are some sources that can explain a little more:
75th Ranger Regiment by The Fat Electrician
ruclips.net/video/rVARCC31WZs/видео.html&ab_channel=TheFatElectrician
The Fat Electrician Reviews: The AC-130
ruclips.net/video/5HOhKG8XNvU/видео.html&ab_channel=TheFatElectrician
Kind of some gross flippant commentary here on the US military here. Internal civil war caused the Somali government to collapse and the United Nations went in because there were 300,000 people dead. A warlord, crime boss, started executing UN inspectors and the Americans were charged with capturing or killing him.
When you hear 300,000 people were killed you say "somebody should do something!". By the time this is over there was more than 500,000 dead.
What does optics mean? "Has America ever gone a whole year without a war?!"
About a year after this 600,000 people were killed with machetes clubs and small arms in Rwanda. 250,000+ women were raped. Nobody did anything. Because people were making comments like "has America ever gone a whole year without a war?" And nobody else cared or wanted to get lumped in.
The name for saying somebody should do something but not doing anything because you're afraid of how it would look in the media is "Somali syndrome" it's also known as "I want to help. But I'm not going to."
THIS. How about Canada steps up and handles some international affairs.
@@adamantiumrage Oh no, you wouldn't want that. The Canadians historically have been the most brutal troops in the formerly British Empire. Not only against the Amerindian tribes - whom they brutalized to a Chris Columbus level(my Grammy was kidnapped by the whiteman and sent to Indian School) and against the Americans in the war of 1812- but famously against the Germans for executing the wounded, prisoners, and in a few cases - laming the prisoners and executing them a few days later.
Modern Canada has great refugee settlement and relocation programs. Its just... one thing to give a battered woman a new place to live, and anothe to go back to her house later that night to grab that ONE thing she forgot with a a buddy and a bat.
That Steve Martin movie they were watching is "The Jerk". Very hilarious movie you should consider adding to your watch list!
To more directly answer George's question, Rangers are the most elite infantry in the US Army. There is an interview with a guy named Brad Thomas. He was in Mogadishu as a ranger and went on to join Delta/CAG. Really wild to hear him talk about his experience.
False. it goes regular Army Grunts. The next tier of training you have Rangers, Airborne, Mountain, etc. Then Green Berets. And finally Delta.
@@cliveklg7739 yeah, that's just wrong. First of all, special forces and delta are not infantryman. They have a different job than them, so you can't really compare the two.
Sure, airborne, air assault, mountain, and other specialized units are elite, but rangers are top dogs without peers (again, among infantrymen). That is why they are the only special operations infantry unit.
@@cliveklg7739 actually, he’s right. He said most elite INFANTRY unit. Which is correct. SF and SFOD-D (Delta) are special operation units and force multipliers. Airborne is infantry, but more specialized range of operations.
Navy Seals. Hard Stop
@@TheGunderian what do the NAVY SEALS have to do with the ARMY?
Could still feel the pain. After seeing the Bodies of our Dead Brothers. As they where dragged naked through the streets. To have Disrespected there Bodies as they did. No one could ever fathom the Rage we felt in ourselves. .
The two soldiers that jumped into the first Blackhawk to treat the wounded were actually Air Force Pararescue. A special forces unit trained in medical procedures. The scene of them running back to base, the actual run inspired what's called The Mogadishu Mile in Pararescue training. From what I understand, the trainees run a mile with all their gear, carrying a dummy simulating a casualty. I've talked to some of those guys and they say it's one of the most grueling miles they've ever run.
I remember from the book that sometimes 'Pararescue' guys were sometimes looked down upon because they don't go thru the same 'grueling' training that the Spec Ops people do, you could just 'join'. Of course, they did a heck of a job.
The Little Bird pilot that extracted the Delta operator at the first Black Hawk crash site was the actual pilot that did it in real life.
Depending on which country you're operating in, you'll learn some basic phrases like "Show me your hands" that you can use, or you'll have an interpreter with you who'll translate for you. Then there's also the fact that most people tend to freeze up and stop moving around when you point a weapon at them.
Fun fact, this movie was shot in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
@ shawnanderson6313 No it was not, it was in Morocco. And sadly both the actors and the crew all decided to make themselves noted by stating in every interview how they could not understand why local women would not go to the hotels with them... I guess americans think there is only one culture in the world.
It is a joke buddy, I was alluding to the fact that Minneapolis has the largest Somalia population outside of Somalia. By Americans are you referring to white European ancestry ? Because the US probably one of the most diverse countries in the world in terms of culture and people.@@isabelsilva62023
A thing to remember about the timing of the film; is that the movie was already scheduled for release when the attacks happened.
Tier One : Delta Force, Seal Team 6, Ranger Recon Company, CIA Special Activities Division
Tier Two: US Army Special Forces, Navy Seals, 75th Ranger Rgt
Tier Three: 82nd Airborne Div, 101st Airborne , 10th Mountain, 1st Armored Div, 1st Cavalry Div.
@3:50 Yep that was Steve Martin in one of his classic movies The Jerk. You guys should definitely add it to your list.
There were some creative decisions made for the movie--many of the main characters are actually amalgamations of several soldiers, no effort at all was made to explain previous events which led to the Somalis' hatred of the US military, the Rangers weren't really forced to run alone through the streets at the end--but for the most part, the movie stays true to the book, and the book is *the* authoritative retelling of the Battle of Mogadishu.
The combat sequences in the movie are frighteningly realistic, because the film had the full support of the US Military. The early scene showing soldiers "fast roping" out of the helicopters onto the street showed _actual_ US Army soldiers doing that, filmed specifically for this movie. All of the actors went through abbreviated basic training regimens with active duty US Army units (those playing Delta Force/SEALs got Special Operations training).
There is a full length commentary featuring several of the actors & filmmakers out there, which is well worth watching. I also highly recommend reading the book by Mark Bowden which gives a much more detailed (and accurate) depiction of the events leading up to the battle, as well as the battle itself.
@4:10 - Each branch of the US military has it's Special Forces (SF) in addition to its bulk of enlisted personnel. In the Army, these are the Rangers, the Green Berets, SOAR (Special Operations Aviation), and Delta Force. Delta Force is the army equivalent of Navy Seals and the smallest of all four of these. In this movie, you see three of these SF groups. The Rangers (the bulk of the troops in the film), SOAR or Special Operations Air Regiment "the Nightstalkers" (the Special Helicopter Pilots and Crew in this file and who also flew the SEAL team members into Pakistan to kill Osama Bin Laden in 2012), and Delta Force (the elite guys like Delta Force Snipers Gary Gordon and Randy Shugart who were killed in Somalia (in the film protecting the downed helicopter pilot by themselves) and who later received the Medal of Honor, also "Hoot" (Actor Eric Bana). I don't believe "DELTA" exists on any official table of organization for the Army unless that has changed, but in reality everyone knows it exists as a unit. DELTA recruits heavily from the Rangers and from the Green Berets for its members. Rangers are unique in that they are primarily geared towards fighting behind enemy lines (as they do in this film) either by helicopter insertion, parachute, or other means of insertion. I had three "former" Rangers in my DEA Special Agent class back in 1998, and those guys could run FOREVER.... I'm sure an actual Ranger will chime in here and provide much better clarification.
The only Special Forces are the "green berets". That's their actual name: US Army Special Forces. They wear the famous green beret where they get their nickname from. Whereas Rangers wear a tan beret (used to be black), and airborne units may wear a maroon beret. The term is "special operations forces" for elite units in general. The Navy equivalent of Delta Force is specifically SEAL Team Six, aka DEVGRU (short for Naval Special Warfare Development Group). The "regular" SEAL Teams are the Navy equivalent of the Army Rangers, but the sorts of missions they do are often quite different and they have different specializations. Rangers are trained specifically for airfield capture. SEALs are trained in maritime operations, particularly underwater demolition. But in the Global War on Terror, pretty much every special operations unit is doing a lot of counter-terrorism, which used to be largely the purview of units like Delta, SEAL Team Six, and to an extent Special Forces (which are trained in insurgency/counterinsurgency and training local forces). The Marines get in on the action with MARSOC. The Air Force has its Special Operations Command with various types like Pararescuemen, Combat Controllers, Special Reconnaissance, etc. Air Force special operations forces were on the ground in Mogadishu on that day coordinating close air support and providing medical aid. There were also a small number of SEAL Team Six snipers in Mogadishu that day but they don't appear in this movie and few people know they were ever there, as mainly the Rangers, Delta Force, and SOAR got all the attention.
In the film, you can always tell the Delta guys by the black helmets they're wearing. They are literally skateboarding helmets, instead of the standard issue ballistic helmets worn by just about everyone else. Standard helmets were not easily modified back then, and Delta needed to attach things to their helmets like night vision. They also wanted greater visibility while on their missions, and the bulkier ballistic helmets worn by the Rangers in the film have a pretty significant front "brow" to obscure the view. The thinking was, Delta would not be getting into a lot of heavy firefights where shrapnel would be flying around, so the added protection of the kevlar wasn't needed. They would move quickly, attack with the element of surprise, and the biggest threat was actually bumping their heads on things while moving quickly through buildings. So, lightweight skateboarder helmets is what they wore. These same factors ended up going into a new standard issue ballistic helmet with attachment points and better vision some years later.
There was no messaging in this movie, it was a accurate account of what occurred during that raid.
Black Hawk Down had a very large cast well-known actors and unknown actors who would go on to become famous:
SSG Matt Eversman: Josh Hartnett (Penny Dreadful)
SFC Norm "Hoot" Gibson: Eric Bana (Hulk, Troy)
SPC John "Grimesey" Grimes: Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting, Moulin Rouge, Star Wars prequel trilogy)
LTC Danny McKnight: Tom Sizemore (Saving Private Ryan, Natural Born Killers)
SPC Lance Twombly: Tom Hardy (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Mad Max: Fury Road, Venom)
LT John Beales: Ioan Gruffudd - (Fantastic Four)
SFC Kurt "Doc" Schmid: Hugh Dancy - (Ella Enchanted, Hannibal)
CPT Mike Steele: Jason Issacs - (Harry Potter series)
PFC Todd Blackburn: Orlando Bloom (The Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean)
MG William F. Garrison: Sam Shepard (The Right Stuff)
SFC Jeff Sanderson: William Fichtner (Prison Break, Mom, Armageddon)
MSG Gary Gordon: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones)
CW4 Clifton Wolcott: Jeremy Piven (Entourage)
CW4 Michael Durant: Ron Eldard (ER, Deep Impact, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
I was a sophomore in high school when this happened. I remember being pissed to see the bodies being dragged through the streets on the news.
This movie is fairly accurate. I have read the book and watched several documentaries on this. Some key differences:
1. Everyman wasn’t at the first crash site, he was on the convoy. Also, the crash site wasn’t in a roundabout area, it was more of an alley. However, the chopper did clip a building when it crashed as shown.
2. The character of Grimes is fictional, he never existed.
3. The inexperience of the Rangers wasn’t fully shown. They were shooting at the Delta guys in the target building at one point and many of them froze up when the shit hit the fan. Some deleted scenes touch more on this.
Some trivia:
1. When star41 lands at the first crash site to evacuate Sgt. Bush and the other operator, the pilot in the movie is the actual pilot who did it in real life.
I mean if you're not prepared to see your soldiers dragged thru the streets, don't send them in. And if you're not prepared to die, don't join up.
Grimes was actually "real", they just changed his name because the real guy (SPC John Stebbins) was so horrible (he was found guilty of some messed up shit in like 2000).
@@beardedgeek973 Real Fucken easy to talk like that on RUclips lmaoo being prepared to die doesn’t mean you aren’t scared. Especially when there’s an entire city of people shooting at you from all sides
@@beardedgeek973 I mean you're not wrong but it doesn't make it any easier to see
@@beardedgeek973 The soldiers being dragged through the streets were the two Delta Force snipers who volunteered to go in to defend the crashed chopper. This may seem counterintuitive to those who've never been in/around the military, but there actually are rules in warfare. Among many other things, they prohibit stripping a fallen enemy naked and dragging his corpse through the streets. It's one thing to kill an enemy in combat, it's another thing entirely to desecrate their body afterwards.