Memorial Day 2024
Sfc. Randall D. Shughart, United States Army, distinguished himself by actions above and beyond the call of duty on 3 October 1993, while serving as a Sniper Team Member, United States Army Special Operations Command with Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu, Somalia. Sfc. Shughart provided precision sniper fires from the lead helicoper during an assault on a building and at two helicopter crash sites, while subjected to intense automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fires. While providing critical suppressive fires at the second crash site, Sfc. Shughart and his team leader learned that ground forces were not immediately available to secure the site. Sfc. Shughart and his team leader unhesitatingly volunteered to be inserted to protect the four critically wounded personnel, despite being well aware of the growing number of enemy personnel closing in on the site. After their third request to be inserted, Sfc. Shughart and his team leader received permission to perform this volunteer mission. When debris and enemy ground fires at the site caused them to abort the first attempt, Sfc. Shughart and his team leader were inserted one hundred meters south of the crash site. Equipped with only his sniper rifle and a pistol, Sergeant First Class Shughart and his team leader, while under intense small arms fire from the enemy, fought their way through a dense maze of shanties and shacks to reach the critically injured crew members. Sfc. Shughart pulled the pilot and the other crew members from the aircraft, establishing a perimeter which placed him and his fellow sniper in the most vulnerable position. Sfc. Shughart used his long range rifle and side arm to kill an undetermined number of attackers while travelling the perimeter, protecting the downed crew. Sfc. Shughart continued his protective fire until he depleted his ammunition and was fatally wounded. His actions saved the pilot's life. Sfc. Shughart's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest standards of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.
The above is the official citation for Randy Shughart's posthumous awarding of the Medal of Honor he earned deployed with Task Force Ranger, 3 October 1993. You may know of the battle from the movie Blackhawk down. It was to be a snatch and grab of two highly valued targets by Delta force operators. Army Rangers provided on ground cover for the Delta operators, while they assaulted the building to capture the targets. They were all dropped on the target by fast roping from helicopters to surround the building.The attack involved 19 aircraft , twelve vehicles and 160 men. What could go wrong? The answer, EVERYTHING! At 3:32 pm they launched the attack in broad daylight right into the center of the Warlord's stronghold. It was like poking a hornets nest. The streets soon filled up with AK and RPG toting, hyped up khat chewing militia, shielded by non-combatants. The streets were barricaded so that vehicles intended for egress from the target site were blocked so they couldn't evacuate. The Quick Reaction Force (QRF) made up of 101st Airborne were likewise blockaded out. Two Blackhawk helicopters were shot down by RPG's (rocket propelled grenades) and quickly surrounded. Survivors of the crash were in an intense firefight with the odds stacked against them. This is when Randy and another sniper volunteered to be dropped into one of the crash sites to help. They had to fight their way in and then fought valiantly to hold off the enemy. When they ran out of ammunition they succumbed to enemy fire. The pilot was captured and later released into US custody.
To date there have been 3,460 Medal of Honor winners, 378 of whom are from Pennsylvania. The first MOH was awarded from the Civil War. Randy Shughart was form Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Never forget Sfc, Randy Shughart sacrifice.