Soviet Union 1991

Fifth update

On October 3, 1993, General Jonathan launched a capture plan codenamed Irene, targeting the financial manager Omar Sharon and the spokesperson Monhamy Hassan Aywa who appeared at the Olympic Hotel. According to the intelligence of the informant, they will have a secret meeting there.

Of course, the CIA made intelligence errors in the Somalia operation and did not realize that the Aidid militia was equipped with SAM anti-aircraft missiles at this time. Not to mention the Black Hawk helicopter, even if the A130 gunship hovered over Mogadishu, the SAM anti-aircraft missile could shoot it down like in the Gulf War.

The incident followed the trajectory of history. General Jonathan's request to Washington for the use of A130 gunships and M1 main battle tanks as support was rejected. The Pentagon did not want to make a big deal about this matter, and they wanted to deal with it quietly. Let the US military carry out a surgical precision operation, and only one shot can eliminate the scourge of Aidid. At the same time, it is also good to establish a positive image of the US military in maintaining world peace.

"The situation in Mogadishu is so complicated, and the intelligence is far less than those office bureaucrats imagine. How can a precise strike be carried out?" General Jonathan said angrily after hearing the reply from Washington.

But the 75th Ranger Infantry Regiment who took the Black Hawk helicopter to Mogadishu did not know that a nightmare was waiting for them. Just after entering the urban area of ​​Mogadishu, the militiamen who were already full of good ideas in the corridor aimed their sights at the helicopter hovering in the sky. They are still waiting for an opportunity to launch an attack after the US ground forces enter Mogadishu.

Just after the ground forces entered Mogadishu, the overwhelming militia surrounded the convoy like locusts. They used the cover of armed pickup trucks and the crowd to shoot at the US combatants.

The UH1 Bird armed helicopter and the Black Hawk helicopter equipped with Vulcan machine guns were responsible for cover in the air, but they had just lowered their altitude. They were suddenly attacked by anti-aircraft missiles from the Somali militia.

This is not an RPG with impressive accuracy. As long as the helicopter is targeted by a shoulder-fired missile, there is no chance to parry. One of them disintegrated directly in the air. The dazzling fire shook the hearts of every Ranger. At the same time, they were also depressed by a question in their hearts, why do these militias have surface-to-air missiles? Why is it not shown in our intelligence?

The reason why Somalia was able to shoot down the Black Hawk helicopter in history was entirely due to the cover of the air firepower network. No one can live in peace in the airspace with dozens of RPGs flying all over the sky, let alone the huge target Black Hawk helicopter. But this time it was not a battle of luck and faith, but a real SAM missile precision strike.

"Is it an RPG strike? Damn it, Colonel Maas, reply to me quickly." Jonathan quickly contacted Colonel Maas who was providing air support on the scene. Even in the cool air-conditioned room, his back became sweaty.

"It's not an RPG strike, it's an anti-aircraft missile. These black militias have missiles! What are the CIA guys doing? They didn't even find out that they have anti-aircraft missiles?" Colonel Maas immediately ordered all helicopters to increase their altitude, although this was useless in the eyes of the SAM shoulder-fired missile. His range can shoot down a high-flying fighter.

General Jonathan's heart suddenly sank. The Somali militia actually has anti-aircraft missiles. This is a major intelligence error!

Soon the second Black Hawk helicopter was shot down. The SAM missile directly caused the Black Hawk helicopter to explode and disintegrate in the air. They had no chance to fall. Seeing this situation, General Jonathan hurriedly asked the Black Hawk helicopter to withdraw from the airspace of Mogadishu, but he said that it was too late when he issued this order. The Black Hawk helicopter in the air was like a moving target. In a blink of an eye, two more Black Hawks were hit on the tail and fell.

This time the Black Hawk really fell. The tail wing with black smoke was like a conspicuous flare rotating in the air. Watching it fall rapidly to the ground. The driver could even see the building enlarged in his pupils, and finally the glass was shattered under the huge impact force. Inertia made him lean forward and then lost consciousness.

The Black Hawk hit the ground and raised dust. The still rotating propeller even cut the iron sheet of a scrapped car. Finally, it stopped rotating when it hit the solid concrete. This section of the propeller was directly inserted into the concrete wall.

Now Jonathan faces the most difficult choice, whether to give up the rescue or go to rescue. This is a difficult choice. Now the ground troops have no cover from the helicopters in the air. Rescue is undoubtedly a dead end, and the price will be even higher. If you choose to give up them. Jonathan's conscience is tormented, and it also violates the promise of not abandoning any soldier.

In the end, Jonathan gave the choice to Major Mike, who was in charge of commanding the convoy on the scene. It was up to him to decide whether to rescue them. And all the costs of this rescue operation were ultimately borne by General Jonathan alone.

Major Mike was holding the intercom, and the sound of the M2 machine gun was too loud. So much so that he had to cover his ears while sitting in the co-pilot seat and hold the intercom close to his lips, saying loudly, "Of course we have to go back to rescue them. Did the general forget his previous promise? We will never abandon any of our teammates, even if they are dead bodies, we will carry them back. So we chose to go back to rescue them."

"You have to think it over, Major Mike. You have no air support now. Even if we want to mobilize other troops, it will not be done in a short time. Your rescue this time will be very difficult, even..."

At this point, Major Mike paused, he calmed down and continued, "There may even be more deaths. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I am very sure of the danger we are facing, and we are also very sure to do this." Major Mike once again reaffirmed his answer. He glanced at the people sitting in the back, and the others looked at him with the same firm eyes, so Mike continued, "Give us the coordinates and road map, and we will go to rescue them now."

"Good luck, Major Mike." General Jonathan put down the walkie-talkie and cursed Mogadishu in a low voice.

The convoy turned at the intersection in front of it and began to head for a journey of death. Countless rocketeers standing on the roof holding RPGs, and militiamen hiding behind wooden windows holding submachine guns and shooting, even armed pickup trucks followed the convoy all the way one or two blocks away to interfere with the shooting.

This Mogadishu operation was far more bloody than the one in history. Mogadishu was full of anti-aircraft missiles, which made it impossible for the US helicopters to provide intelligence and fire support in the air. The ground troops were like a bee without a sense of direction, breaking through the streets and alleys of Mogadishu, but were surrounded by more enemies in a narrow encirclement.

"This is simply our Khe Sanh, our Okinawa." At this time, Major Mike felt like he was back in his father's era in Khe Sanh, Saigon, and when Ho Chi Minh faced the Vietcong Charlie. Bullets flying everywhere, RPG rockets and mortars were pouring down on them like dense rain of bullets.

Every step forward in the convoy paid a huge price. Half of the people in the hot and humid Hummer were alive, and half were soldiers covered in blood and groaning. The 743 bullets shot the machine gunners on the Hummer as moving targets. Although the Africans' shooting skills were not very good, in the face of the dense firepower network, even the most powerful gunners could not resist the crazy shooting of others.

Gun smoke, blood, sweat and painful groans, all of these were imprinted in Major Mike's mind like a nightmare, and made him feel a little regretful that he should not have made such a hasty decision.

Just when he lost consciousness, an RPG suddenly exploded on the flank of the Hummer, and the strong scorching air wave shattered like glass, and then Major Mike was exposed to the enemy's firepower. A stray bullet hit his neck, like a vicious venomous snake biting his artery fiercely.

"Damn it..." Major Mike pressed his neck, but still couldn't stop the blood from flowing out. (To be continued.)