Mogadishu!: Heroism and Tragedy

The plan was to capture the top lieutenants of Somali warlord Muhammad Aidid, whose gunmen had been killing soldiers of the U.N. peacekeeping force. But the mission started unraveling when two U.S. Army helicopters crashed in the streets of Mogadishu. DeLong (War Heroes) and California journalist Tuckey's hair-raising narrative focuses on the ad hoc formation of successive rescue missions that were in turn ambushed by Aidid's followers and menaced by crowds that turned into howling mobs. Before it was over, 18 GIs had been killed. This detailed account of the action of Oct. 3-4, 1993, shows that practically everything that could go wrong did, despite outstanding leadership and troop performance. The authors deliver a stinging rebuke to former Defense Secretary Les Aspin for denying field commanders' requests for armored equipment. Recommended for readers who enjoy suspenseful accounts of close combat. Illustrations. (Dec.)