Besides being known as the black hawk down man of the movie of his story, and writing the book in the company of heroes, durant received three prestigious medals during his career the purple heart, the distinguished flying cross, and the distinguished service medal. When ridley scotts black hawk down came out in 2001 it had all the features that make a great movie. Black hawk down site revisited 20 years later cbs news. When he decided to write this book, the government wouldnt give him any information, but when he attended one of the soldiers funerals, he found that many soldiers were glad to tell their story to someone. Super 64 was shot down in the battle of mogadishu that claimed the lives of 18 us soldiers. Having finished reading black hawk down, i cannot believe how incredible the conflict was. They are being replaced by the shantytowns and urban sprawl of disintegrating societies such as somalia, bosnia and haiti. Aftermathedit after the battle, the bodies of several of the conflicts u. This is how 2 delta force snipers earned the medal of honor.
A nearby black hawk, callsign super 62, circled near the crash site to provide covering fire. Timeline of the 1993 battle of mogadishu wikipedia. Heroes of black hawk down moh recipients shughart and gordon. Ah 64 apache night attack against talibanfighters in afganistan duration. Having read some of the excellent pieces that mark bowden originally wrote for the philadelphia inquirer many of them still online, one is prepared for the thrilling and detailed account he gives of the october 3, 1993, mission in which about 100 u.
The area where the first black hawk super six one crash lands is a large open area surrounded by large 23 story buildings. Steven spielberg is producing blackhawk, his first dc comics adaptation, and may even direct. Black hawk down helicopter scenes, haunting theme music soundtrack. The true story that inspired the movie black hawk down with. Black hawk down survivors relive the moment medal of honor. He was a company commander in the 3rd battalion, 75th ranger regiment during the somalia mission operation gothic serpent, which resulted in the now famous book and movie black hawk down, wherein he was portrayed by actor jason isaacs. Black hawk down black hawk down is a nonfiction novel written by mark bowden. On this day, october 3, 1993, battle of mogadishu black hawk. The true story that inspired the movie black hawk down. A picture taken by black hawk down survivor gerry izzo from the helicopter callsign super 65 looks back at three black hawk helicopters, super 64, 66 and 67. Actionwar drama based on the bestselling book detailing a neardisastrous mission in somalia on october 3, 1993. Thats the first description of mcmahon in the book by journalist mark bowden called black hawk down. Who are the main characters of blackhawk down book and movie.
New black hawk down footage shows crash of super 61 helicopter. Black hawk super 64, piloted by chief warrant officer michael durant, takes the place of black hawk super 61 circling over the city. What happened to the wreckage of super 64, one of the. But on a list of dc comics best known properties, spielbergs chosen subject is very, very low. Ridley scott has yet to do a directors cut of black hawk down, and i doubt he ever will due to his negative feelings about how the alien and blade runner directors cuts turned out. It was during this time at 1640 hrs when black hawk super 64 piloted by cw3 mike durant was hit by an rpg and crashed. It was during this time at 1640 hrs when black hawk super 64 piloted by.
That is holding the aircraft as steady as possible so the rangers can slide down the ropes as quickly and safely as possible. Id read killing pablo by the same author which was similarly written. In mr nevilles new book, day of the rangers, three mogadishu veterans. What happened to the wreckage of super 64, one of the black. Michael durant, the pilot of the black hawk super 64, was depicted throughout the film black hawk down. The scene is from the black hawk down extended cut, not a directors cut as the unknown person posted above. It documents efforts by the unified task force to capture somali faction leader mohamed farrah aidid in 1993, and the resulting battle in mogadishu between united states forces and aidids militia. Click play on the video below to watch the trailer.
Durant recounts the day he was captured and held hostage in 1993 and talks about how that experience has shaped who he is today. Black hawk down tribute to the 25th anniversary duration. Twentyeight minutes after super 61 was shot down, the black hawk designated super 64 and piloted by chief warrant officers 3 mike durant and raymond frank took an rpg to the tail rotor and crashed about a mile from the first crash site. Bowdens book black hawk down was great, but itcoh beat it by a mile imo. Black hawk down survivors relive the horrific battle for. It is a nonfiction account of the battle of mogadishu in somalia, which resulted from us forces attempt to capture the two lieutenants of mohamed farrah aidid, a warlord who oppressed the somali people and stole their humanitarian aid. It was adapted from a book by american journalist mark bowden black hawk down. Us 20 years later,never before seen video of black hawk down emerges. Black hawk down real footage and radio transmissions youtube. Differences between black hawk down book vs movie page 1. When 18 american soldiers were killed and images broadcast of bodies dragged through the streets of an enigmatic african city, it was a horrible blow to the national psyche. The crew of super 64 a month before the battle of mogadishu.
This is what happened to the real black hawk down pilot after his. Special operatation museum for example, here is the min. But the pilot of super 64 michael durant survived and was captured. Super 64 was shot down also with an rpg rocket propelled grenade. New black hawk down footage shows crash of super 61. Upon reaching the site, about 90 rangers and delta force operators found themselves under heavy fire. It is important to note that the events depicted in the book and movie titled blackhawk down are based on the very real events of the first battle of mogadishu also called the battle of black see. The film tells the story of the battle of mogadishu also known as the day of the rangers after the elite group of us soldiers who were involved in the operation. When the second black hawk, call sign super 64, was shot down, three rangers volunteered to be inserted to the crash site to hold off the somalis until help could arrive.
Super 64 shot down, gordon and shughart defend the crash site. War, and helicopter pilot mike durants book, in the company of heroes. He has written for mens journal, the atlantic monthly, sports illustrated, and rolling stone over the years, and as a result of his book, black hawk down. The pilot of the second one shot down, michael durant, was the only survivor of the crash. Mike steele, were dropped by helicopter deep into the capital city of mogadishu to capture two top lieutenants of a somali warlord. The true story that inspired the movie black hawk down with super. A story of modern war, by mark bowden, is an inthestreets account of the now infamous seventh mission of task force ranger and delta force in mogadishu, somalia. This is how 2 delta force snipers earned the medal of. The battle of mogadishu was part of operation gothic serpent. A new video shows the first minutes of the deadly black hawk down battle. Special forces soldiers, supported by helicopters, were sent into the middle of mogadishu, somalia, to abduct two of the warlord mohammed.
Super six one actually landed in a narrow alleyway surrounded by quite small one story houses. Mike durant, who was taken prisoner after the fateful black. It should be clear from black hawk down that the sort of battlefields preferred by the u. Who are the main characters of blackhawk down book and. Helicopter super six ones pilot and copilot were killed instantly. This is how 2 delta force snipers earned the medal of honor in. Hes the real black hawk down pilot shot down and captured during the battle of mogadishu in 1993. A story of modern war kindle edition by bowden, mark. Recovered m4 minigun of the black hawk helicopter callsign. In the company of heroes book autographed by mike durant.
Director ridley scotts adaptation of the true war story of the attack on a group of u. Michael dane steele born september 15, 1960 is a retired colonel of the united states army. A story of modern war, bowdens received international recognition. Already a classic of war reporting and now reissued as a grove press paperback, black hawk down is mark bowdens brilliant account of the longest sustained firefight involving american troops since the vietnam war. Though the momentum of battle was still on tf rangers side, it was firmly lost when a second black hawk super 64 was shot down just 20 minutes after super 61. When ridley scotts black hawk down came out in 2001 it had all. A story of modern war is a 1999 book by journalist mark bowden. Apr 24, 2017 the pilot of the second one shot down, michael durant, was the only survivor of the crash. What he has to say about the two men who saved him is amazing. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading black hawk down. You have to ignore all of the chaos that is going on around and completely concentrate on the tasks at hand.