Shughart left active duty and went into the Army Reserve in June 1980. Medal of Honor recipients For their efforts during the Battle of Mogadishu, Gary Gordon and Randall Shughart were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Place and date: 3 October 1993, Mogadishu, Somalia. Gordon's body was eventually recovered and is buried in Lincoln Cemetery, Penobscot County, Maine. Two Delta Force operators Master Sgt. By the fall of 1992, the nation of Somalia was war-torn and ravaged by famine. 2023 Springfield Armory. Notice: Information contained herein is not and should not be construed as an offer, solicitation, or recommendation to buy or sell securities. After putting the gun back together, I ended up putting on a National Match leather sling to get the same look from the film. Durant suffered a crushed vertebra in his back and a compound fracture of his left femur. It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. During his service, he participated in such missions as Operation Just Cause and the Persian Gulf War. Anyway, for my build, I did the ARMS #18 mount because it had the appropriate height. When debris and enemy ground fires at the site caused them to abort the first attempt, Sergeant First Class Shughart and his team leader were inserted one hundred meters south of the crash site. On October 3, 1993, they engaged in Operation Gothic Serpent, a joint-force assault mission to apprehend key advisers to Mohamed Farrah Aidid, a Somali warlord. Several months later, he completed a pre-ranger course (currently known as SURT, Small Unit Ranger Tactics), was granted a slot to attend Ranger School, graduated, and earned the Ranger Tab. He initially served with the 2nd Battalion of the 10th Special Forces, then became a sniper for the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, better known as Delta Force an elite Army anti-terror unit. Master Sergeant Gordon continued to travel the perimeter, protecting the downed crew. Shughart was buried in Carlilse, Pennsylvania and Gordon in Penobscot County, Maine. They were at the Black Hawk with the call sign Super 62 (Super Six Two). On Oct. 3, Gordon was the sniper team leader during Operation Gothic Serpent, an American operation that targeted Aidid's key advisers in the slums of Mogadishu. The scenario-based is on Mark Bowdens bestseller Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War. Randall D. Shughart posthumously received the Medal of Honor and Gary I. Gordon for their heroic actions during the Battle of Mogadishu in October 1993. While its believed Gordon was the first to die, the official version states it was Shughart. The Aimpoint PRO has a nearly identical aesthetic to the CompM and can still be put in a singular scope ring should you desire that. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Of the four man crew, only Chief Warrant Officer Mike Durant survived, suffering a crushed vertebra and comminuted fracture to his left femur. Gordon wanted to be inserted to secure the crash site as hostile Somalis were converging on the area. As for the Shughart M14, its an extremely iconic weapon, and Im proud to have one that resembles that legendary rifle. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Citation Reads:Rank and organization: Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army. Citation: Master Sergeant Gordon, United States Army, distinguished himself by actions above and beyond the call of duty on 3 October 1993, while serving as Sniper Team Leader, United States Army Special Operations Command with Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu, Somalia. and opinions expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the As militants swarmed closer to the crash site, finally they were allowed to get on the ground. The M14 rifle is used by Delta Force Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart (Johnny Strong), most notably when he and MSG Gary Gordon (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) are covering the second crash site. [3] It is believed that Gordon was the first of the two to be killed by the surrounding mob. No doubt about it, the rifle in the movie is a full-length M14, similar to the Standard Issue M1A. Mike Durant survived and is alive today. Gary Gordon and Randall Shughart were deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia as part of Task Force Ranger. 17:40 Snipers Shughart and Gordon are killed: Somali crowds overrun Durant's crash site, killing Shughart, Gordon, and every member of the crew, except Durant, who is carried off by militia through the city. By most accounts, Gordon was killed first, with Shughart returning to an injured Mike Durant to give him Gordon's carbine. In December 1986, Gordon volunteered to join the 1st Special Operational Detachment-Delta (1SFOD-D), better known as Delta Force. Their request was denied by command twice, but the men persisted. This page was last edited on 31 December 2022, at 02:43. As they monitored the downing of the 2nd Blackhawk it was evident that ground forces would not be available anytime soon to secure the crash site and protect the crew of four, whom all survived the crash. They did that, even though large numbers of armed Somali militia were converging the area. They set up a defense perimeter and gave Durant a rifle to protect their rear, since he was the only one in condition to help them. Aidid was fatally wounded in a battle with a rival militia two years later. The story of Black Hawk Down began when Delta Force arrested 20 Somalis. It wasn't a scream or a plea, just a statement of fact, like someone who'd nicked himself with a vegetable knife. Like I said earlier, I didnt do anything that wasnt strictly aesthetic. 1st Class Randall D. Shughart and Master Sgt. He joined the Boy Scouts and played football in high school, graduating in 1978. Despite having inflicted heavy casualties against the Somalis, the two Delta snipers were too outnumbered and outgunned. The ship was the first "Large Medium Speed Roll On/Roll Off (LMSR) ship" to undergo conversion from a commercial container vessel to a sealift cargo ship.[14]. Two Delta Force operators Master Sgt. A CSRT (Combat Search and Rescue team) was dispatched to the first crash site to secure it, and a short time later, another Black Hawk, Super 64 (Super Six Four), was shot down as well. [4] Command's position was that the snipers could be of more assistance by providing air cover. Entered service at: Born: Lincoln, Maine. "MSG Gary Gordon is not only a hometown hero for Lincoln, he's an American Hero," the police department said on social media. Overhead, other Army helicopters came under fire from RPGs and had to withdraw. Speaking about the pairs heroic efforts in Somalia, Clinton said: Gordon and Shughart knew their own chances of survival were extremely bleak. ". The MSG Gary Gordon and hisDelta Forcesniper teammatesSFC Randall Shughartand SFC Brad Hallings, who were providing sniper cover from the air, wanted to be dropped at the second crash site to protect the four critically wounded crew. Sergeant First Class Shughart continued his protective fire until he depleted his ammunition and was fatally wounded. The U.S. Army aimed to prevent that, with Gordon's Delta outfit landing in Mogadishu in the summer of 1993. views and opinions of Springfield Armory. Gary Gordon. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Sergeant First Class Shughart's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest standards of military service and reflect great credit upon him-self, his unit and the United States Army. Upon his third request, he and Shughart were inserted, armed with rifles and pistols. "What happens with these is that over time the paint will fade," the mortician said to Insider. He joined the Army while attending Big Spring High School in Newville, entering upon graduation in 1976. . The Lincoln Police Department said that while it may have been a case of vandalism, it also could have also been a "work in progress" with gold lettering on the engravings. Place and date: 3 October 1993, Mogadishu, Somalia. He kept repeating his request twice until he finally received permission to engage. The sniper team began to engage, the attacking Somalis from the opposite side of the wreckage. Born into a US Air Force family, he joined the Army while in high school. Sergeant First Class Shughart used his long range rifle and side arm to kill an undetermined number of attackers while traveling the perimeter, protecting the downed crew. Carmen Gordon wrote a letter to their children and had it published to help others coping with similar loss: "Your father had two families. At the same time, Gordon returned to Durant and calmly asked if there were more weapons (he was out of ammo) and then retrieved some from the down Blackhawk, and began to reengage the attackers. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Raid: How Delta Force Took Out Notorious Terrorist? Background. It was second ship to undergo conversion from a commercial container vessel to a Large Medium Speed Roll-On/Roll-Off (LMSR) sealift ship. In 1996 the US Navy named two ships after Shughart and Gordon in honor of their heroic actions. Armed with their sniper rifles and sidearms, Shughart and Gordon were inserted approximately 100 metres (330 ft) from the crash site and made their way to the downed Black Hawk. Get instant access to exclusive stock lists, expert market analysis and powerful tools with 2 months of IBD Digital for only $20! After all that is said and done, the build is complete. Immediately after the battle, the Somalis counted 25 of their own men dead with many more severely wounded. Master Sergeant Gary Ivan Gordon and Sergeant First Class Randall David Shughart, both members of the 1st SFOD-D, were part of the Task Force engaged in Operation Gothic Serpent (later known as Battle of Mogadishu) during the U.S. intervention in Somalia on October 3, 1993. Gary Gordon and Sgt. Dylan Casey is a gun enthusiast with a digital media degree who is GunSpot's Creative Director. Sergeant First Class Randall David Shughart, 2nd Battalion of the10th Special Forces Group, Mark Bowdens bestseller Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War, Rob Guzzo: The Tragic Story of a Dedicated Navy SEAL, The Day of the Rangers: An unforgettable moment in military history. It was of crew chief Cleveland. Content on this website is free to use and share, but please provide a link back to Spec Ops Magazine as a source. Guns like an M16A1, a Rhodesian baby poop camo-painted FAL, the FNC, the M1 Garand, etc., are all guns I hope to add to my gun safe one day. Sorry, an error occurred and we could not sign you up. After Aidid's forces killed 24 Pakistani soldiers that were part of the United Nations, the U.N. Security Council called for the militia leaders to be arrested or killed. Gordon, however, repeated his request until he got permission. In 1978, he was assigned to the 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Lewis, Washington. On May 23, 1994, President Clinton awarded Gordon and Shughart the Medal of Honor, joining just 3,000 others in two centuries. Not a surprise, since the Vietnam War was on TV every night. But, as you will see, this setup is very close to the one in the movie. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. ", Chun said, "One removed the three other severely injured crew members, while the other provided covering fire and then they quickly assessed their situation. Both Gordon and Shughart laid down their lives to save their brothers in arms. Gordon and two sergeant first class subordinates, Shughart and Brad Hallings, had been providing fire cover from another helicopter, but they knew this wasn't enough if the crew of the second downed chopper was to be saved. In December 1992, the United States began Operation Restore Hope. Ownership data provided by Refinitiv and Estimates data provided by FactSet. Shortly afterwards, Shughart was killed and Durant was taken alive. After his third request to be inserted, Master Sergeant Gordon received permission to perform his volunteer mission. In 1989, Gordon was with the outfit in Operation Just Cause, the invasion of Panama to capture its dictator, Manuel Noriega. He was not there at night since he was on the convoy that finally returned to base after failing to reach the crash site. Sergeant First Class Shughart provided precision sniper fires from the lead helicopter during an assault on a building and at two helicopter crash sites, while subjected to intense automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fires. Shughart and Gordon are dropped 100 meters from the site and the two men held off a horde of Somali attackers and ultimately saved the life of the lone survivor of the crash, Chief Warrant Officer Mike Durant. Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart were the only soldiers participating in Operation Gothic Serpent (Battle of Mogadishu) to receive the military's highest honor and the first Medal of Honor recipients since the Vietnam War. His M14 has a camouflage paint scheme and an Aimpoint CompM2/M68 reflex sight. I'm hit. The latest content straight to your inbox plus an automatic entry to each of our monthly giveaways! Bush authorized the dispatch of U.S. troops to Somalia to assist with famine relief as part of the larger United Nations effort. The events of this mission have been well documented in the book Blackhawk Down, and the movie of the same title that was based on the book. Before painting, I took the gun out of the stock and the handguard off as well as the rubber buttpad.