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

by Matthew Eversmann

Book Overview

"No matter how skilled the writer of nonfiction, you are always getting the story secondhand. Here's a chance to go right to the source. . . . These men were there."-MARK BOWDEN (from the Foreword)It... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345459652
• ISBN13: 9780345459657
• Release Date: August 2004
• Publisher: Presidio Press
• Length: 221 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

The 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.

Terrific!

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!

GREAT BOOK

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, 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.

Absolutely exceptional first hand accounts

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.

EXCELLENT COLLECTION - WELL DONE

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.