Mreyna_9160

Task Force Ranger

Events leading to Task Force Ranger

"In January 1991, the leader of Somalia, Mohammed Saied Barre, was overthrown by a group of opposing clans, called the United Somalia Congress. After this revolution, the coalition divided into two groups. One was led by Ali Mahdi, who became President, and the other, by Mohammed Farah Aidid. All together there were four opposing groups: the United Somali Congress (USC), Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF), Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM), and Somali Democratic Movement (SDM), which continued to fight over the dominations in Somalia. In June, 1991, a ceasefire was agreed, which these groups failed to hold. A fifth group, the Somali National Movement (SNM) had already begun to secede in June, from the northwest portion of Somalia, re-naming it the Somaliland Republic, with the leader of the SNM, Abdel-Rahman Ahmed Ali as President."

"In September, 1991 severe fighting broke out in Mogadishu that continued in the following months and spread throughout the country. There were over 20,000 people killed or injured by the end of the year. These wars led to the destruction of the agriculture of Somalia that led to starvation in large parts of Somalia. The international community began to send food supplies, but all the food was hijacked and brought to local clan leaders, who exchanged it with other countries for weapons. An estimated 80 percent of the food was stolen. Leading to even more starvation that led to nearly 300,000 people dieing, and another 1.5 million people suffered, between 1991 and 1992. In July, 1992, after a ceasefire between the clans, the United Nations (UN) sent 50 military observers to watch the distribution of the food."

"Operation Provide Relief began in August, 1992 when the White House announced that U.S. military transports would support the multinational UN relief effort in Somalia. Ten C-130s and 400 people were deployed to Mombasa, Kenya during Operation Provide Relief. They sent airlift aid to several remote areas in Somalia, to reduce reliance on truck convoys, which were constantly getting hijacked. One member of the 86th Supply Squadron was deployed with the ground support, United States Air Force in Europe only contribution to the operation. The Air Force C-130s delivered 48,000 tons of food and medical supplies in six months trying to help the over three million starving people in the country. When this didn't help to stop the massive death and displacement of the Somali people 500,000 dead and 1.5 million refugees, in December 1992 the U.S. initiated a major coalition operation. Operation Restore Hope to assist and protect humanitarian activities and insure proper food distribution. "

Mohamed Farrah Aidid, the main focus of Operation Restore Hope, was born in 1934 and died August 1, 1996 to gunshot wounds he sustained a week earlier in a fight with competing factions. Aidid was educated in Rome and Moscow and served as a Somali politician under President Said Barre. He was imprisoned for six years by President Barre due to his suspicion of Aidid's plans to over throw him. In 1991 Adidid's clan (Habr Gibr) did indeed over throw President Barre and Aidid was released and claimed leader of the United Somali Congress. He later became famous due to the fact that he was one of the U.S. main targets in its Operation Restore Hope. A bounty of $25,000 was put on him for anyone who was able to give information that would let to his capture. Soon after the bounties were placed, Aidid conducted a series of motor attacks on U.S. heliport at Mogadishu airfield.

Task Force Ranger

"Only the dead have seen the end of war." -Plato

Turkish Lieutenant General Cevik Bir and U.S. Navy Admiral Jonathan Howe were responsible for the operations that were being conducted in Somali and were becoming frustrated with the attempts to capture Aidid. They soon requested some special assistance from U.S. by way of the U.S. Army's 1st Special Forces Operation Detachment-Delta (Delta Force). They felt that with the Delta Force along with the ranger regiment that was already in place they would be able to yield their trophy. The force they assembled was between the Delta force and the Rangers were code named designated Task Force Ranger (TFR), and were commanded by Major General William F. Garrison. The fighting core that Task Force Ranger has created would come from the Delta commandos and members of the 75th Ranger Regiment. Air support would come in the form of MH-60 Blackhawk and AH-6J Little Birds Helicopters (since the AC-130 Specter Gun Ships were sent home to Italy by Admiral Howe earlier that month). Finally, the intelligence gathered in the country, with the help from the CIA, endeavored to find Aidid and guide in the task force.

After a briefing of the situation TFR didn't hesitate to go to work. However, the CIA intelligence lost track of Aidid and could only guess on his whereabouts. After conducting a series of raids based on incomplete intelligence, several key members of the Somali National Alliance (SNA) were arrested; however, Aidid managed to slip away untouched.

After a series of SNA motor attacks on the U.S. airfield and the shooting down of a U.S. MH-60 helicopter by the SNA rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG), General Montgomery felt that the situation was getting out of control. Montgomery submitted a request for armor or tanks through his chain of command, but was not approved by Secretary of Defense Les Aspin (he died in February 1994) due to his fears of escalating the conflict. Regardless of the events that had just taken place Admiral Howe stayed focused on achieving his objective of capturing Aidid.

Early in the afternoon of October 3, 1993, a Somali civilian working for the CIA reported that key members of the SNA were planning to meet in a building near the Olympic Hotel in the Bakara Market district of Mogadishu later that afternoon at approximately 1500 hrs. With this information the Rangers prepared to move out onboard fourteen helicopters and headed to the location. The tactics and equipment used for this operation would be the same used for previous raids that were conducted. The Rangers security team would fast rope from the MH-60 helicopter and seal off the mission. Once this was complete, AH6J'S would bring in the Delta Force commandos who would enter the facility and capture the SNA members. Following the capture a vehicle convoy, which departed at the same time as the helicopters would extract the Delta commandos and Ranger security teams and the detainees.

The operation unfolded successful. At approximately 1540 hrs, TFR descended on its target. When the MH-60's arrived