Aden’s View of the Crash

Black Hawk Down

This flow presents the first crash through the perspective of a local teenager whose home and family are caught in the battle.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

Helicopters over Home Helicopters over Home from "Black Hawk Down". A Civilian Witness The City Below Abdiaziz Ali Aden heard helicopters and gunfire near his home.

Helicopters over Home from "Black Hawk Down". A Civilian Witness The City Below Abdiaziz Ali Aden heard helicopters and gunfire near his home.

A Civilian Witness The City Below Abdiaziz Ali Aden heard helicopters and gunfire near his home. He ran toward the disturbance and encountered a scene of armed Americans, Somali fighters, and frightened residents. Fear Takes Shape The soldiers appeared to him as unfamiliar, armored figures. His view establishes how the raid looked from the neighborhood rather than from the command aircraft.

The Wreck Hits the House The Wreck Hits the House from "Black Hawk Down". A Home Damaged Impact in the Alley A Somali fighter fired an RPG at the passing helicopter, which spun into Aden's house and alley.

The Wreck Hits the House from "Black Hawk Down". A Home Damaged Impact in the Alley A Somali fighter fired an RPG at the passing helicopter, which spun into Aden's house and alley.

A Home Damaged Impact in the Alley A Somali fighter fired an RPG at the passing helicopter, which spun into Aden's house and alley. The crash brought dust, debris, and immediate danger to his family. Family Pulled Free Aden found his parents and siblings trapped beneath a fallen roof. They survived, but the wreck transformed their home into part of the battlefield.

Hiding Beside the Wreck Hiding Beside the Wreck from "Black Hawk Down". A Civilian in the Line of Fire Shelter under a Car Aden hid beneath an old Volkswagen as American soldiers and Somali gunmen exchanged fire nearby.

Hiding Beside the Wreck from "Black Hawk Down". A Civilian in the Line of Fire Shelter under a Car Aden hid beneath an old Volkswagen as American soldiers and Somali gunmen exchanged fire nearby.

A Civilian in the Line of Fire Shelter under a Car Aden hid beneath an old Volkswagen as American soldiers and Somali gunmen exchanged fire nearby. A soldier saw him but moved on when he appeared unarmed. No Safe Distance The battle continued around the crash, with a Little Bird landing nearby and gunfire striking the car that sheltered him. Aden's home and family remained exposed to forces he could not control.

October 3, 1993, afternoon

October 3, 1993, shortly after the first crash

October 3, 1993, later that afternoon