Overview: Military Events in Somalia

Thanks to Doorgunner and his web site in honor of Somalia veterans for the following timeline of military actions in Somalia. He served as a door gunner on a UH-60 Black Hawk. If you'd like to see photos and more information about his tour in Somalia, click here:

Dec 09	US Force Recon Marines and Navy SEAL's, followed by Company F, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment arrive in Mogadishu, launching America's intervention in Somalia.
Dec 12	First US combat action, 2 Marine Cobra gunships destroy an armed Somali vehicle. 2 Somalis KIA.
Dec 20	Marines secure village of Kismaayo in the first US combined amphibious assault since the Vietnam War.
Dec 23	An American federal/civilian employee is killed by a land mine.
Dec 25	US Marines fire on a vehicle, killing 3 Somalis.
Jan 06	Marines on a recon patrol in village of Afgoy kill a Somali gunman.
Jan 06	Largest military confrontation of Restore Hope. 500 Marines engage in a shoot-out with Warlord Aidid's forces in Mogadishu. 15 Somalis are taken POW, no US casualties.
Jan 10	Marines kill 3 Somali gunmen.
Jan 11	Operation Nutcracker. 900 Marines sweep through the Bakara bazaar. No casualties on either side.
Jan 12	First US KIA. Marine killed while on patrol in Mogadishu.
Jan 13	A US Navy corpsman is WIA by a Somali sniper.
Jan 14	Operation Condor Ratchet. 6 UH-60 Blackhawks from the 10th Mountain Division, carrying Alpha Co. 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry, Air-Assaults in and surrounds Abu Airfield next to village of Afgoy.
Jan 15	20 men from 10th Mountain Divisions Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry kill 6 Somalis in Bale Dogle. No US casualties.
Jan 16	Peak US troop strength 25,800.
Jan 25	Cobras from 10th Mountain Divisions 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment destroy 6 armed vehicles, killing 8 Somalis in Kismaayo.
Jan 26	A Marine is KIA by sniper fire in Mogadishu.
Feb 24	Kismaayo Ablaze. 2nd Battalion 87th Infantry engages Somali militias in dozens of firefights: at least 23 Somalis are killed. No US casualties.
Feb 25	3 Marines are WIA while clearing Kilometer-4 traffic circle in Mogadishu.
Mar 02	Members of 10th Mountain Divisions Bravo Company 2/87 Infantry fight their way out of a crossfire in Kismaayo. 4 grunts, while pinned down, kill 9 Somalis. No US casualties.
Mar 03	A Special Forces member is KIA by a land mine.
Mar 17	A Marine is WIA during a shoot-out with gunmen in the Bakara Market. 1 Somali killed.
Apr 23	Last Marine patrol in Somalia conducted in Mogadishu.

May 05	Phase II, dubbed Operation Continue Hope, of the US intervention in Somalia begins.
May 17	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is approved for Somalia veterans by the Joints Chief of Staff.
Jun 05	2 US soldiers (trucker and engineer) are wounded in the bloodiest day in 3 months during running battles across Mogadishu. An 85 man company from 1/22 Infantry, 10th Mountain Division, is air assaulted in to repel further attacks.
Jun 11	US troops participate in a retalitory strike against Aidid's forces for the June 5 ambush. The UN strikes a second heavy follow-up blow against Aidid. US Special Operations AC-130 Spectre gunships attack six targets in capital city of Mogadishu.
Jun 16-17	Six hours of fierce street battles are fought by UN troops backed by US helicopters, to capture Aidid's headquarters. One American GI is slightly injured. 130 GIs of the 1/22 Infantry are rushed in to back the UN forces.
Jun 27	Two GIs are WIA while clearing debris from 21 October Road.
Jun 28	US helicopters attack Somali positions killing 2 gunmen.
Jun 30	13 US helicopters attack a Somali compound.
Jul 06	Two US soldiers are WIA when a Rocket Propelled grenade hits their guard post.
Jul 12	17 US helicopters conduct an attack on Aidid compound-at least 13 Somalis are killed.
Jul 19	Two US MP's are hit by sniper fire. US soldier WIA during RPG attack on compound.
Jul 21	a GI is WIA in a rocket attack. Return fire from a Cobra kills one Somali gunman.
Jul 23	Amry Chief of Staff authorizes 10th Mountain Division soldiers to wear the combat patch, shoulder sleeve insignia-former wartime service and overseas service bar.
Jul 24	Two Green Berets are WIA when their HUMVEEs are ambushed.
Aug 04	Two GIs are WIA in a convoy ambush near Bale Dogle.
Aug 05	Three GIs are WIA in mortar/RPG attacks in Mogadishu.
Aug 07	US convoy is attacked and 5 Somalis are killed in an hour-long battle near village of Afgoy. US helicopters assist.
Aug 08	Four US GIs are KIA. A land mine blows up their HUMVEE in the suburb of Medina causing the worst US death toll to date.
Aug 19	Four US soldiers are WIA by an explosive under their vehicle.
Aug 22	Six US soldiers are WIA when their truck is blown up.
Aug 26	Manhunt begins. 3rd Battalion. 75th Ranger Regiment and 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment (DELTA) deploy to Somalia to capture Aidid.
Aug (?)	Operation "Eyes Over Mogadishu" steps up helicopter flights over the capitol.
Aug 30	50 Rangers stage a raid in search of Aidid, leader of Somalia.
Sep 07	Two Rangers are WIA during a two-hour assault against an Aidid compound.
Sep 09	Two GIs are WIA on the October 21 Road as Cobras kill numerous Somalis.
Sep 13	Three US soldiers are WIA in a 2-hour clash in Mogadishu. About 200 GIs are ambushed by 200 Somali gunmen. Two US helicopters lay down heavy fire, killing 15 and wounding 40 Somalis.
Sep 21	Rangers capture a key Aidid aide in a helicopter borne raid.
Sep 26	Three GIs are KIA. Their Blackhawk helicopter is shot down by an RPG. During a gun battle to reach the crash site, 3 Americans from the QRF are WIA.
Oct 01	US troop strength in Somalia 5,675 (4,228 under UN command and 1,447 in the Quick Reaction Force).
Oct 03-04	Battle at Bakhara Market. Bravo Company, 3rd Ranger Battalion.,75th Regiment, Delta Force members, pilots of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Companies A and C 2nd Bn. 14th Infantry 10th Mountain Division, and Company C, 41st Engineer Battalion, battle 1,000 Somalis in Mogadishu. 18 US KIA, 78 WIA. Somali loss is estimated at 300 killed and 600 wounded.
Oct 06	Last US KIA. A Green Beret is killed during a mortar attack at the Mogadishu Airport. 12 GIs are WIA. Three Marines are WIA elsewhere. Mortaring of the Ranger hangar compound
Oct 08	Army policy directive authorizes wartime awards (only for actions since June 5th, 1993) and Combat Infantryman Badges and Medical Badges for participants in Somalia fighting. AC130 spectre gunships come back to Mogadishu and shell the city.
Oct 09	Cease-Fire. Aidid unilaterally declares a "total cease fire." Clinton bars retaliation against Aidid.
Oct (?)	5,370 US reinforcements deploy to Somalia. 1,700 in Somalia and 3,670 Marines offshore.
Oct 19	Two US Blackhawk helicopters are fired upon by RPG's over Mogadishu.
Oct 22	Withdrawal of 750 Rangers from Somalia is complete.
Oct 26	Somali gunmen fire on US infantry unit. Two trucks in the convoy are hit. Fire returned but no casualties.
Nov 12	US soldiers wound two Somalis near K-4 traffic circle. GIs are fired on by small arms and RPG's.
Nov 13	GIs kill a Somali armed with a grenade launcher near the Embassy Compound.
Nov 17	Manhunt Ends. UN Security Council officially calls off the search for Aidid.
Nov 29	Navy SEAL's kill a Somali gunman in Mogadishu. In another incident, 2 Somali gunmen are killed.
Dec 06	USS America battle group with 5,500 sailors, departs coast, reducing offshore strength from 9,195 to 3,833. USS Independence takes up station.
Dec 12	Two US MP's are WIA by Somali gunman in Mogadishu. Navy SEAL's kill a Somali gunman.
Dec 17	2/14 Infantry, 10th Mountain Division, departs Somalia.
Dec 26	US troops kill 2 Somali gunmen in Mogadishu.