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Round 2
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Bob
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Fay,nc
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11/20/97 8:49:15 PM
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Say what squadron was delta steve assigned too or still
assigend, as well as the $$ amount each source was paid for
the story!!!!
Looking forward to the email . kl7nl@msn.com
thanks
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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No one was paid for information in writing this story. The Delta soldier has asked not to be further identified.
MB
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Delta John
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Ft Bragg, NC
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11/20/97 11:14:12 PM
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Does Delta Steave ever mention the part about how he and his
guys came out onto the roof of the target (Hotel) to look
over the roof and come under fire by the ranger blocking
force on the street corner who saw them up there? Does
Delta Stea
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Delta John
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Ft Bragg, NC
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11/20/97 11:17:40 PM
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Does Delta Steave ever express his opinion on his faith in
the rangers ability to operate in and around his people
effectively?
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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Keep reading.
MB
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Delta John
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Ft Bragg, NC
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11/20/97 11:19:44 PM
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Is the true reason why the second squadron of Delta sent
into Mogadishu? what role they picked up?
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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More of this will follow in the series, but, in short, Squadron C was sent to Mogadishu to capture Mohamed Farah Aidid and/or enough leading members of his clan to remove them from the political equation. UN administrator Jonathan Howe, a retired US admiral, believed that removing Aidid or his top aides would be a shortcut to setting up a Somali democracy.
MB
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After Charlie
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Bragg
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11/20/97 11:23:42 PM
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In your weapons glossary you mention that the minigun is
"capable of firing 6,000 rounds of 7.62..." I think you
might want to mention that that is 6,000 round per minute!!!
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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Thanks. The words got dropped somehow in the trip from the newspaper to on-line.
MB
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Before echo
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Bragg
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11/20/97 11:26:39 PM
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Mark, check your lingo...it's "chopper" or "helo"-but never
call it a "copter"!! Get with it; the story is teeming with
authenticity--don't blow it now! Thanks.
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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I'll watch it. Thanks.
MB
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Peter Wright
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Plano, TX
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11/21/97 12:20:58 AM
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Very good article.
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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Thanks for your comment.
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prn
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Reno, NV
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11/21/97 4:12:14 AM
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Usually something this good with Special Ops as the focus
comes from Clancy or Marchinko and is highly fictional but
with real hardware and tactics. Nelson's reactionary
shooting, etc....
I have it from a good source that the Squadrons a
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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The last part of your message was cut off. Thanks for what was there.
MB
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John Rafes
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Phila. PA
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11/21/97 8:25:08 AM
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Great Stuff! How about more on "What went Wrong"? Why didn't
they anticipate the level of resistence?
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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At the end of the series there will be stories that examine that question in more detail. It is also addressed at length in the documentary film based on the series which will air Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 9 PM on Channel 12, WHYY.
MB
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Don Carlson
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Bloomington, Illinois
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11/21/97 10:38:04 AM
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What are your thoughts about the small town, mid America
roots of many of these brave soldiers? Ironically I was
born in Ft. Dodge, IA and work in Clinton, Il (home of two
soldiers in the battle),combined pop. less than lower
merion.
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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I think the military tradtion still runs stronger in middle America than in its urban centers, and probably always has. I grew up in Glen Ellyn, Ill, where Memorial Day, Veteran Day, the 4th, etc. were major events.
MB
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jack green
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copperas cove texas
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11/21/97 10:48:17 AM
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Mark - Kudos on your series, it's magnificent!
Question: Is there a composite of the videos available?
Where can I acquire a copy of the videos? I want as much as
can be made available. Again, Well done! jlg
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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The video material is drawn primarily from our documentary film, "Good Intentions, Deadly Results," which will air in Philly on Dec. 2nd. I have no national air date yet. The helpful folks here at on-line are talking about making this whole webpiece available on CD-rom.
Thanks
MB
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garry norsworthy
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philly suburb,pa.
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11/21/97 11:16:26 AM
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MARK BOWDEN,AS A TWO TOUR VET WHO COMPILED NUMEROUS MISSIONS
(LONG RANGE PATROL) WHILE A MEMBER OF A RANGER TM...I`D LIKE
TO STATE `BLACKHAWK DOWN` IS AN UNEQUIVOCABLE EXAMPLE OF
RANGER TENACITY AND HONOR...RANGERS LEAD THE WAY...GARRY
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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Thanks for your comment.
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Joe Byrnes
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Morristown, NJ
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11/21/97 11:30:56 AM
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Hi, this is Joe - thanks for the phone conversation. E-mail
address is joe@datacode.net or nsdq@nightstalkers.com
Joe
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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Thanks, Joe.
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DTD
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Newburgh, NY
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11/21/97 11:45:00 AM
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Nice job Mark, One thing Telscher was a Sgt. E-5. Also
please tell AKA Cop to stop his crying.I can tell you that
E-6 J. Burns is in Atlanta, I will try to locate his #. I
have to see the docu. Dec 2. I will contact you via land
line. Take c
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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Lance Gray
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Frisco, Texas
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11/21/97 12:33:42 PM
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It's hard to read this detailed story which involved my
brother-in-law Casey Joyce who was a Ranger killed in
Somalia. The trauma of this event changed our family
forever. In the despair over Casey's death I found
CHRIST...love...and comfor
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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I'm sure you know better than I do how deeply respected and fondly remembered Casey Joyce is among the Rangers in Somalia. I hope this account makes more people aware of his heroism and tragic sacrifice. Thanks for your note.
MB
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Officer
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Phila, PA
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11/21/97 12:36:30 PM
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Wednesdays story mentions a soldier "finishing off" a moving wounded Somali. This is a crime unless the Somali was reaching for a weapon. Did the Army investigate?
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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To my knowledge, none of the men involved in the Battle of Mogadishu were accused of or investigated for war crimes.
MB
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Schroeder
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Glenside, Pa
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11/21/97 1:09:44 PM
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Above continued: Mark please excuse this Officer from Philly. As an Infantry Officer I am ashamed of him. What good would come in investigating the Ranger who "Finished Off" the wounded enemy.
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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Lt Schroeder
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Glenside, Pa
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11/21/97 1:18:56 PM
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Mark, who planned this raid, was it the Batallion Commander and his staff or was it planned by someone else. With all the brass in the area was micromgt. a problem?
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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The mission was planned from the ground up, that is, the Ranger, Delta and SOAR commanders together worked up templates for various kinds of missions -- taking down a house, vehicle, etc. Specific planning for each individual mission was done hastily before launch, based on recon photos of the target and intelligence. As I understand it, the brass pretty much just signed off on the final plan.
MB
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James R. Keller
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Taylorsville, UT
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11/21/97 2:15:50 PM
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What you are doing is great. I was there that night of 3
October 1993 with 2-14 Infantry Battalion. Being in the
lead vehicle that went in the second time to rescue Task
Force Ranger. It is about time someone told the story.
the problem i
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Mark Bowden
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11/21/97 4:06:23 PM
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Thanks, James. We lost the last lines of your message.
MB
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dave karasic
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quincy, ma
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11/21/97 3:23:30 PM
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This is some of the most exciting, powerful journalism I've
ever read.
Bravo, and keep up the good work.
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Mark Bowden
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11/20/97 5:00:57 PM
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Thanks. MB
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Drew Bowden
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Arnold, MD
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11/21/97 4:18:27 PM
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Why, after Super 61 was shot down by an RPG, did they send Super 64 to fly over the same area, exposed to the same risk?
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Mark Bowden
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11/20/97 5:00:57 PM
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The helicopters were keeping the growing mobs of Somalis off the assault forces. Even with their firepower on the ground, the choppers were essential to keep from being overrun. When I was in Somalia, the Habr Gidr fighters all said that if it weren't for the helicopters, they would have killed all the Americans. The Rangers readily agree. MB
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Robert Redding
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Erie, Colorado
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11/21/97 4:21:42 PM
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What about Shugart and Gordon? Did your Delta contacts talk about their involvement in the operation
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Mark Bowden
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11/20/97 5:00:57 PM
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See Chapter 8. MB
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