Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War

Summary

Ninety-nine elite American soldiers are trapped in themiddle of a hostile city. As night falls, they are surrounded by thousands ofenemy gunmen. Their wounded are bleeding to death. Their ammunition andsupplies are dwindling. This is the story of how they got there—and how theyfought their way out.

This is the story of war.

Black Hawk Down drops you into a crowded marketplacein the heart of Mogadishu, Somalia with the US Special Forces and puts you inthe middle of the most intense firelight American soldiers have fought sincethe Vietnam war.

Late in the afternoon of Sunday, October 3, 1993, thesoldiers of Task Form Ranger was send on a mission to capture two toplieutenants of a renegade warlord and return to base. It was supposed to takethem about an hour. Instead, they were pinned down through a long and terriblenight, locked in a desperate struggle to kill or be killed.

When the unit was finally rescued the following morning,eighteen American soldiers were dead and dozens more badly injured. The Somalitoll was far worse; more than five hundred felled and over a thousand wounded.Award-winning literary journalist Mark Bowden’s dramatic narrative capturesthis harrowing ordeal through the eyes of the young men who fought that day. Hedraws on his extensive interviews of participants from both sides—as well asclassified combat video and radio transcripts—to bring their stories to life.

Authoritative, gripping, and insightful, Black Hawk Downis a riveting look at the terror and exhilaration of combat destined to becomea classic of war reporting.