‘Black Hawk Down’ and the Battle That Never Ends with a Delta Force Legend

On October 3, 1993, a US Army operation in Mogadishu, Somalia, which was supposed to take 45 minutes, lasted for more than 18 hours. Delta Force operators had surgically and swiftly taken high value targets supporting warlord Mohamed Farrah Aydid into custody. However, when a Black Hawk helicopter crashed, the original plan to leave the city had to be abandoned - and then another Black Hawk went down. Tragedy ensued in the form of the longest sustained firefight since Vietnam. HBH is deeply honored to welcome US Army Delta Force Command Sergeant Major Tom Satterly, and his amazing wife Jen. Off the battlefield, the Satterly's are just as heroic. They are remarkably open about their own mental health struggles and now run the All Secure Foundation, which has helped thousands of combat families with PTSD and other mental health issues which arise from the complex toll of military service.Even as the overnight battle in Mogadishu was winding down, the violence was still incredibly dangerous, to the extent that Tom and a small group of remaining soldiers could not be driven or air-lifted out of the city. As depicted near the end of the 2001 blockbuster movie ‘Black Hawk Down’ directed by Ridley Scott, Tom and that small group had no choice but to run through RPG and AK-47 fire and out of downtown to safe harbor. That specific action is so legendary in military circles that every year around early October current and former soldiers gather to run what is now known as the ‘Mogadishu Mile’ to pay homage almost 30 years later.To this day, the public knows very little about the US military’s most secretive and advanced Special Operations Unit, which goes by the official name of US Army First Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D). It is most commonly known as Delta Force, where Tom Satterly spent 20 of his 25 years in the Army. Tom led hundreds of missions, including Operation Red Dawn, which captured none other than Saddam Hussein. He is the recipient of numerous medals including 5 Bronze Stars, with 2 for Acts of Valor. Tom and Jen Satterly are a true inspiration and we thank them for their groundbreaking work, commitment and courage. If you are suffering from PTSD or know someone who is, please look into the All Secure Foundation for help. And make sure to check out the book Tom co-authored, ‘All Secure: A Special Operations Soldier's Fight to Survive on the Battlefield and the Homefront’.Thanks for listening, and don’t forget to download, subscribe, rate, and review Heroes Behind Headlines.