Blackhawk Down

[sajohnston]

I am a little out of touch with news in the states, but I hear that "Blackhawk Down" will be released as a movie in late December. It is supposed to have been done by Jerry Buckinhiemer (sp?). I highly recommend the book by the same name, the author is Mark Bowden. You won't be able to put it down after you pick it up. I know many of the soldiers involved personally, some I work with every day.


I occasionally get asked questions by AO'ers thinking of joining the military, this book is very much a look inside at the type of enemy we now face.

I am anxious to see just how accurate they keep the movie, I hope they don't cheapen the sacrifices of these soldiers with some B.S. "John Woo" Hollywood movie.

Here is a website with everything from radio transmissions from the battle to graphics, etc. Check it out!

http://www.philly.com/packages/somalia/sitemap.asp

If anyone runs across the movie trailer let me know.

Steve

[apache]

Is the full text of the book on that site? BTW, I like your sig image ;)

[sajohnston]

Best I can tell it is a good piece of it. It is just a little hard to read with all of the hot links embedded. The paperback is like $8 USD.

You gotta love the big rig...

[Flamebo]

One of my favorite books, I look forward to the movie but fear they might ruin it...

[Load SM5]

I just read the book a few months ago and loved it. I actually saw the trailer for it 2 days ago when I went a saw "Spy Games". It looked promising.

[Doobie]

Here is a link to the trailer. You may need to download quicktime.http://www.apple.com/trailers/
Who are the guys you know who were there? I too hope that they do a stand up job. I may never have served in a Ranger battalion, but, as a graduate of Ranger school, I hope that the men are shown in a positive light.

p.s. I never call myself a "Ranger". Just a "graduate" or "Ranger qualified" as the real rangers are the men in Regiment.

[sajohnston]

Thanks for the trailer. The only Ranger I know personally from the operation is Melvin DeJesus. He is a CW2/pilot now but was an 11X E3 or E4 then. I can't remember which, I will ask him tonight. I know a lot of the pilots from the operation, my Squadron Commander was a CPT then, a OH-6 "little bird" platoon leader with the 160th SOAR. He was in the air almost the full 17 hours. I have intermittent contact with some of the other warrants since I am in an Apache Air CAV Squadron now.

We were having a few the other night an the topic of the movie came up so it got me thinking. I pray it is better than firebirds; I am going to wash my nouth out now...