Shughart and Gordon’s Last Stand

Black Hawk Down

This flow follows two commandos as they volunteer to defend Durant’s crash site and are killed protecting its survivors.

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Bearing strength in each event

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A Voluntary Insertion A Voluntary Insertion from "Black Hawk Down". Two Men Go In A Rescue Force Too Small With crowds closing around Super 64, Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon volunteered to land near the wreck.

A Voluntary Insertion from "Black Hawk Down". Two Men Go In A Rescue Force Too Small With crowds closing around Super 64, Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon volunteered to land near the wreck.

Two Men Go In A Rescue Force Too Small With crowds closing around Super 64, Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon volunteered to land near the wreck. They were sent in to help the injured crew hold a perimeter until the ground force arrived. A Dangerous Commitment The two commandos entered a crash site already under pressure. Their decision expressed a duty to protect the men below, even though no larger rescue team could immediately support them.

Holding the Perimeter Holding the Perimeter from "Black Hawk Down". A Defense in Isolation Helping the Crew Shughart and Gordon moved among the injured crew and tried to keep attackers away from the wreck.

Holding the Perimeter from "Black Hawk Down". A Defense in Isolation Helping the Crew Shughart and Gordon moved among the injured crew and tried to keep attackers away from the wreck.

A Defense in Isolation Helping the Crew Shughart and Gordon moved among the injured crew and tried to keep attackers away from the wreck. Their small force faced growing numbers around a damaged aircraft. Help Does Not Arrive A ground reaction force was still assembling, and the nearby Little Bird had to leave for fuel. The defenders were left to hold the position without the promised immediate reinforcement.

The Final Defense The Final Defense from "Black Hawk Down". The Position Falls Last Resistance After Gordon was hit, Shughart continued defending the crash site.

The Final Defense from "Black Hawk Down". The Position Falls Last Resistance After Gordon was hit, Shughart continued defending the crash site.

The Position Falls Last Resistance After Gordon was hit, Shughart continued defending the crash site. Durant heard the gunfire and understood that the two men who had come to help him were facing the full attack. Their Legacy The site was overrun, and both men were killed. Their actions later brought the Medal of Honor and made their attempt to save the crew one of the battle's defining stories.

October 3, 1993, late afternoon

October 3, 1993, evening