Customer Reviews

The Battle of Mogadishu: Firsthand Accounts from the Men of Task Force Ranger

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a nice addition to the Black Hawk Down book and movie. Basically it is the story of six soldiers who were part of the battle in 1993. Yes, this book is not Black Hawk Down, but it does provide additional insight into this battle. I thought the six authors did well in providing their own picture of the battle. All six had different perspectives on what happened and this is shown through their stories.

If you have one book to read about this battle, it would be Black Hawk Down. However, this is a nice addition for those interested in knowing further info on this infamous battle.

This book is made of many firsthand accounts of soldiers who were there. It is good supplementry reading to Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down.

This is a great book if you would like to get details of what its like to be in a battle. Yes some of the stories seem rushed or "not complete" but one must remember how much goes on during an actual fire fight, and how much information a person has to process. It is impossible for one man to remember every little detail that these guys want. The book did do a good job as to offer some different views and perspectives of the battle so that you can get a feeling for the battle as a whole. I recommend this to anyone who wants to know more about the conflict in Somalia, or even just what its like to be a ranger when you put your training to use.

After reading Black Hawk Down, this book helped me to really put all the events into perspective. While Mark Bowden gave the reader the bigger picture, this book goes into details Bowden was unable to expand upon. I really enjoyed the personal tone and feeling you experience from each individual. You get to know a little part of the writer as they tell their own experince during this campaign.

Another reviewer bagged on Eversmann's lack of intensity, and something along the lines of poor writing skills, stating he should have let someone else tell his story. So he used some cliche phrases to put his story together. Would you rather him critize the men flying him to and sometimes from missions? And if he really believes that guy is solid or " A real stand up guy", why can't he say that? If that's what he thought of the person, he is just being honest. To me, the entire point of this book is (underlined and bold font!) THEIR PERSONAL account. This was not suppose to be their story in someone elses words. I loved Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down, don't get me wrong. But his book was about the mission from what he gathered, in his style of writing. He IS a writer. The beauty of The Battle of Mogadishu is that these men are not writers by trade. They were military personnel sent to Somalia to complete a task. They didn't go there to get a book deal, they went serving their country. This book is about the MEN of Task Force Ranger. Each of them experienced something different, and you get a real feel for that through their OWN words. These men wanted to tell us their own story and I believe that was accomplished. If they wanted someone else to tell their stories, they would have stoped at Black Hawk Down. This book tells you about the men that fought in this battle and shows how it all fits together. If you aren't narrow minded and just looking for an honest account of this campaign, this book is definately a book for you. If you are lookin for glamor, glitz and a Harvard English Litterature graduate writing style, you will be disappointed.

In October of 1993, United States military forces in Mogadishu, Somalia, performed a raid in the city in hopes of capturing two advisers to warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid. The targets were acquired, but during the extraction process multiple complications arose and the situation turned into an all-out battle. U.S. Rangers, Airborne and Delta Force members suddenly found themselves confronting what seemed an entire city of armed individuals. It was as if the entire city was trying to kill the soldiers.

This book is the story of the two days, October 3 and 4, when the Battle of Mogadishu took place. But more than that, this book is told by six of the soldiers themselves about a decade after the events.

As can be expected, the writing here is not the strongest. But these men are not professional writers. Many of them were, and some still are, professional soldiers.

That being said, there is much of interest here. With six different soldiers telling their stories, the reader gets six different points of view of the events from those days.

It wasn't a pretty picture for the U.S. troops, and the stories provided here show it. There are deaths of friends, nearly unimaginable decisions to be made at the snap of a bullet, civilians to worry about and much, much more.

Fans of military history will want to read this one. "The Battle of Mogadishu" wasn't written by a journalist or novelist. The soldiers themselves speak here. And that's what makes this book special.

This book is probably more important than Blackhawk Down in understanding the actions during the Battle for Mogadishu. Eversmann and Schilling brought together the first-hand accounts that before now had gone around the military in fourth- and fifth-hand drinking tales, stories told with awe and respect, as well as a certain degree of humor - Wilkinson's explanation for the reason he wasn't shot crossing the street is a perfect example. An absolutely vital read for anyone interested in the battle or in the true battlefield demands of special ops heroes.

Wow, a terrific read! Short, to the point and by the soldiers who were there. A great compliment to Mark Bowden's book. With 35 years of military experience, I often get bored with stories written by the higher ranking officers, who often weren't in the front lines of the battle they write of, and seem to want to praise themselves. You won't see that in this book. Straight from the enlisted and self-critical of their own actions. Hats off to Matt and Dan and all the rest!

I really enjoyed this book! I read it in one week because it was so interesting when I started reading it I couldn't put it down. One thing that really grabbed my attention vividly is that when the troops in Somalia went out on patrol they said that when the Somalian's saw that there were Americians in the streets they would stop fighting each other and turn thier attention toward the Americans and start firing at them!

After I read this book, I couldn't watch the movie anymore because the book and the movie are somewhat different. It's kind of hard to watch the movie and see events unfold that didn't actually happen. For instance, the movie portrays Eversman as being in the stronghold with Kurth and some of the other Rangers all night after securing the Super 61 crash site and maybe I missed it somewhere in the book but I don't remember reading that. From what I read, Eversman went back to the airport after the hostage snatch. The movie is more "Hollywood" I think although the movie is very good but I think Eversman's version is told more accurately and more detailed. I really enjoyed it!

This is a very good collection of the stories of some of the men who fought in the battle of Mogadishu. This book is an excellent companion to "Black Hawk Down." Here we have the personal recollections of individuals soldiers who were on the ground during the intense battle and we see their "little part" through their eyes. We share their impressions and understanding of just what was going on. While a full overview of the battle is certainly a worthwhile study and read, I find this "one on one" account quite informative. The style is easy. For those unfamiliar with many of the terms used, the authors have provided a reasonable glossary. Hopefully we will get more of the same down the line. Recommend this one highly.

A personal and thoughtful account of tragedy and bravery written by thoughtful, brave men. Each account is a gift to the reader. The book was wonderfully edited and put together in a more then graspable manner. Well done guys ... God Bless.