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Special Operations Command: Difference between revisions
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While Marines from the 24th MEU provided an interim QRF (Force Recon Det and helicopters from HMM-263), the task force arrived in the country and began training exercises. The Marines were asked to take on the Aidid snatch mission, but having the advantage of being in the area for more than two months, decided after mission analysis that the mission was a "no-go" due to several factors, centered around the inability to rescue the crew of a downed helicopter (re: the indigenous forces technique of using RPGs against helicopters and blocking the narrow streets in order to restrict the movement of a ground rescue force). This knowledge was not passed on to the Rangers, due to the Marines operating from the USS Wasp and the Rangers remaining on land. TF Ranger was made up of operators from [[Delta Force]], [[75th Ranger Regiment]], [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|160th SOAR]], SEALs from the [[Naval Special Warfare Development Group]], and Air Force special tactics units.{{r|socomch}}{{r|BHD}} During August and September 1993, the task force conducted six missions into [[Mogadishu]], all of which were successes. Although Aidid remained free, the effect of these missions seriously limited his movements.{{r|BoG}} | While Marines from the 24th MEU provided an interim QRF (Force Recon Det and helicopters from HMM-263), the task force arrived in the country and began training exercises. The Marines were asked to take on the Aidid snatch mission, but having the advantage of being in the area for more than two months, decided after mission analysis that the mission was a "no-go" due to several factors, centered around the inability to rescue the crew of a downed helicopter (re: the indigenous forces technique of using RPGs against helicopters and blocking the narrow streets in order to restrict the movement of a ground rescue force). This knowledge was not passed on to the Rangers, due to the Marines operating from the USS Wasp and the Rangers remaining on land. TF Ranger was made up of operators from [[Delta Force]], [[75th Ranger Regiment]], [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|160th SOAR]], SEALs from the [[Naval Special Warfare Development Group]], and Air Force special tactics units.{{r|socomch}}{{r|BHD}} During August and September 1993, the task force conducted six missions into [[Mogadishu]], all of which were successes. Although Aidid remained free, the effect of these missions seriously limited his movements.{{r|BoG}} | ||
On 3 October, TF Ranger launched its seventh mission, this time into Aidid's stronghold the [[Bakara Market]] to capture two of his key lieutenants. The mission was expected to take only one or two hours.{{r|BHD}} Helicopters carried an assault and a ground convoy of security teams launched in the late afternoon from the TF Ranger compound at Mogadishu airport. The TF came under increasingly heavy fire, more intense than during previous missions. The assault team captured 24 Somalis including Aidid's lieutenants and were loading them onto the convoy trucks when a [[UH-60 Black Hawk|MH-60 Blackhawk]] was hit by a [[rocket-propelled grenade]] (RPG).{{r|socomch}}{{r|BoG}} A small element from the security forces, as well as an [[MH-6]] assault helicopter and an MH-60 carrying a fifteen-man combat search and rescue (CSAR) team, rushed to the crash site.{{r|socomch}}{{r|BHD}}{{r|BoG}} The [[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|battle]] became increasingly worse. An RPG struck another MH-60, crashing less than {{convert|1|mi|1}} to the south of the first downed helicopter. The task force faced overwhelming Somali mobs that overran the crash sites, causing a dire situation.{{r|BHD}} A Somali mob overran the second site and, despite a heroic defense, killed everyone except the pilot, whom they took prisoner. Two defenders of this crash site, [[Gary Gordon|Master Sergeant Gary Gordon]] and [[Randy Shughart|Sergeant First Class Randall Shughart]], were posthumously awarded the | On 3 October, TF Ranger launched its seventh mission, this time into Aidid's stronghold the [[Bakara Market]] to capture two of his key lieutenants. The mission was expected to take only one or two hours.{{r|BHD}} Helicopters carried an assault and a ground convoy of security teams launched in the late afternoon from the TF Ranger compound at Mogadishu airport. The TF came under increasingly heavy fire, more intense than during previous missions. The assault team captured 24 Somalis including Aidid's lieutenants and were loading them onto the convoy trucks when a [[UH-60 Black Hawk|MH-60 Blackhawk]] was hit by a [[rocket-propelled grenade]] (RPG).{{r|socomch}}{{r|BoG}} A small element from the security forces, as well as an [[MH-6]] assault helicopter and an MH-60 carrying a fifteen-man combat search and rescue (CSAR) team, rushed to the crash site.{{r|socomch}}{{r|BHD}}{{r|BoG}} The [[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|battle]] became increasingly worse. An RPG struck another MH-60, crashing less than {{convert|1|mi|1}} to the south of the first downed helicopter. The task force faced overwhelming Somali mobs that overran the crash sites, causing a dire situation.{{r|BHD}} A Somali mob overran the second site and, despite a heroic defense, killed everyone except the pilot, whom they took prisoner. Two defenders of this crash site, [[Gary Gordon|Master Sergeant Gary Gordon]] and [[Randy Shughart|Sergeant First Class Randall Shughart]], were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.{{r|socomch}}{{r|BHD}}{{r|BoG}} About this time, the mission's quick reaction force (QRF) also tried to reach the second crash site. This force too was pinned by the Somali fire and required the fire support of two [[AH-6]] helicopters before it could break contact and make its way back to the base.{{r|socomch}} | ||
[[File:Battle of mogadishu map of city.png|thumb|Map of the main battle sites during the [[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Battle of Mogadishu]]]] | [[File:Battle of mogadishu map of city.png|thumb|Map of the main battle sites during the [[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Battle of Mogadishu]]]] | ||
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[[File:Special Forces Medic in Afghanistan.jpg|thumb|A Special Forces soldier from [[7th Special Forces Group (United States)|7th SFG(A)]] gives an [[Afghans|Afghan]] boy a coloring book in [[Kandahar Province]] during a meeting with local leaders, 12 September 2002]] | [[File:Special Forces Medic in Afghanistan.jpg|thumb|A Special Forces soldier from [[7th Special Forces Group (United States)|7th SFG(A)]] gives an [[Afghans|Afghan]] boy a coloring book in [[Kandahar Province]] during a meeting with local leaders, 12 September 2002]] | ||
In the initial stages of the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]], USSOCOM forces linked up with CIA Paramilitary Officers from [[Special Activities Division]] to defeat the Taliban without the need for large-scale conventional forces.{{r|Lehman}} This was one of the biggest successes of the global [[War on Terrorism]].{{r|Time Waller}} | In the initial stages of the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]], USSOCOM forces linked up with CIA Paramilitary Officers from [[Special Activities Division]] to defeat the Taliban without the need for large-scale conventional forces.{{r|Lehman}} This was one of the biggest successes of the global [[War on Terrorism]].{{r|Time Waller}} | ||
These units linked up several times during this war and engaged in several furious battles with the enemy. One such battle happened during [[Operation Anaconda]], the mission to squeeze the life out of a Taliban and Al-Qaeda stronghold dug deep into the [[Shah-i-Kot Valley]] and [[Arma Mountains]] of eastern Afghanistan. The operation was seen as one of the heaviest and bloodiest fights in the War in Afghanistan.{{r|Time Anaconda}} The battle on an Afghan mountaintop called [[Takur Ghar]] featured special operations forces from all 4 services and the CIA. Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, Air Force Combat Controllers, and Pararescuemen fought against entrenched Al-Qaeda fighters atop a {{convert|10000|ft|m|adj=on}} mountain. Subsequently, the entrenched Taliban became targets of every asset in the sky. According to an executive summary, the [[Battle of Takur Ghar]] was the most intense firefight American special operators have been involved in since 18 U.S. Army Rangers were killed in [[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Mogadishu]], Somalia, in 1993.{{r|Takur Ghar}}{{r|Takur Ghar summary}}{{r|Roberts Ridge}} During [[Operation Red Wings]] on 28 June 2005, four Navy SEALs, pinned down in a firefight, radioed for help. A Chinook helicopter, carrying 16 service members, responded but was shot down. All members of the rescue team and three of four SEALs on the ground died. It was the worst loss of life in Afghanistan since the invasion in 2001. The Navy SEAL [[Marcus Luttrell]] alone survived.{{r|Lone Survivor}}{{r|Sole Survivor}} Team leader [[Michael P. Murphy]] was awarded the | These units linked up several times during this war and engaged in several furious battles with the enemy. One such battle happened during [[Operation Anaconda]], the mission to squeeze the life out of a Taliban and Al-Qaeda stronghold dug deep into the [[Shah-i-Kot Valley]] and [[Arma Mountains]] of eastern Afghanistan. The operation was seen as one of the heaviest and bloodiest fights in the War in Afghanistan.{{r|Time Anaconda}} The battle on an Afghan mountaintop called [[Takur Ghar]] featured special operations forces from all 4 services and the CIA. Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, Air Force Combat Controllers, and Pararescuemen fought against entrenched Al-Qaeda fighters atop a {{convert|10000|ft|m|adj=on}} mountain. Subsequently, the entrenched Taliban became targets of every asset in the sky. According to an executive summary, the [[Battle of Takur Ghar]] was the most intense firefight American special operators have been involved in since 18 U.S. Army Rangers were killed in [[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Mogadishu]], Somalia, in 1993.{{r|Takur Ghar}}{{r|Takur Ghar summary}}{{r|Roberts Ridge}} During [[Operation Red Wings]] on 28 June 2005, four Navy SEALs, pinned down in a firefight, radioed for help. A Chinook helicopter, carrying 16 service members, responded but was shot down. All members of the rescue team and three of four SEALs on the ground died. It was the worst loss of life in Afghanistan since the invasion in 2001. The Navy SEAL [[Marcus Luttrell]] alone survived.{{r|Lone Survivor}}{{r|Sole Survivor}} Team leader [[Michael P. Murphy]] was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in the battle.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://taskandpurpose.com/history/michael-murphy-operation-red-wings/|title=On June 28, 2005, Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy was killed in Afghanistan after demonstrating extreme heroism and leadership while he and his three SEAL teammates were under attack by the Taliban. Two years later, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.|date=28 June 2020}}</ref> | ||
===Global presence=== | ===Global presence=== | ||