Gary Gordon: Sniper Team Leader

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I do not consider myself a very impressionable person. At my age I do not have anyone that I look up to anymore, but as a young man I can think of a few that have been an influence in my life. Most were people I knew and were in leadership positions to me, but one I never met or knew personally. His name was Gary Gordon. Many people are familiar with the movie “Black Hawk Down” and the very real events that occurred during that operation on which that movie is based. Gary was one of the Special Forces Soldiers serving as a Sniper Team Leader under the United States Army Special Operations Command with Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu, Somalia. Gary Gordon’s story has influenced me by showing me what selflessness, courage, and inspiring others really means. In 1993 members of the 75th Ranger Regiment and 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta (SFOD-D) or “Delta Force” were tasked with capturing Mohamed Farrah Aidid, a dangerous warlord. Without rehashing the entire “Black Hawk Down” movie, the operation went south. Two of the transport helicopters were shot down by Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG). Gary was providing over watch with his teammate, Randall Shugart, at the time of the …show more content…

Upon reaching the downed helicopter, Gordon and Shugart pulled the crew from the wreckage. Among them was pilot Michael Durant, who was severely injured with a broken leg and spinal injury. The two snipers defended the crew from wave after wave of attackers. Eventually, running extremely low on ammo, Gordon was fatally wounded. Shugart handed Gordon’s weapon to Durant, now the only remaining crew member, and said “good luck”. Down to his pistol, Shugart was killed shortly after, and Durant was taken prisoner only to be released to the International Committee of the Red Cross eleven days

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