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Operation Gothic Serpent (Black Hawk Down)


Cap Camouflage Pattern I
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  • 3 weeks later...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I

I have previously mentioned TG Faust armor being used by Delta, while Delta may have used TG Faust's Special Forces model at some point, none of these photos show TG Faust in use by anybody, Delta or Rangers. Instead they are wearing Pogressive Technology armor, and some other unidentified style but none have TG Faust armor.

 

Thanks to Mercenary25 and nkomo for this.

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  • 4 months later...
Mercenary25

Update: T.G. Faust body armor WAS INDEED used in Somalia.

Frequently it was heavily customized/modified to Delta's specifications.

-Velcro were added to front.
-ALICE/LC-2 webbing added to front bottom and back.
-Straps added on front panel to attach chest rigs.
-Pouches added inside cummerbunds.

In end it doesn't look like basic T.G. Faust body armor at all. It can be easily passed as Progressive Armor' PT body armor in old photos.

http://www.specwargear.com/product/nato-special-forces-body-armor/

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  • 2 weeks later...
Nkomo and I talked about Faust being used a few years back. I didn't really know anything about it so he educated me on the gear they used. Was really helpful and insightful.

 

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Concernedfuturedogface

Here are pictures of my father. He was a company commander in 10th mountain division when they were sent in to aid and assist the rangers trapped in the city. Being standard leg infantry, his gear wasn't as fancy as a rangers was. He's wearing chocolate chip pattern fatigues and gear. He had standard ALICE gear over a PASGT vest. I know at one point he wore a LBV instead. He carried an M16 A2Posted ImagePosted ImagePosted ImagePosted ImagePosted Image

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

 

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  • 1 month later...
BornInTheWrongGeneration

Black Hawk Down was the first R movie I ever saw. My brother watched it with mw on his laptop in the back seat of my parents van as we drove to Atlanta for the Christmas Holiday. I was immediately hooked. When I got home I picked up a copy of the book and read it. I have always been a fan of military history but I would immediately form an obsession with this operation as I quickly came to idolize Gary Gordon and Randal Shughart. Their actions to me were the epitome of selflessness and honor. Being a millennial, their actions seemed to contrast my generations obsession with themselves. Man must sometimes be selfless and make sacrifices for the greater good. Something I fear my generation does not know.

 

A year ago I graduated college and for my senior trip I decided I want to the Airborne and Special Operations Museum at Fort Bragg. There they had a special exhibit on Gothic Serpent. I have attached some picture that I took while there.

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Excellent photo history . There were a lot of very brave men out there with very little support when most needed. One of the Little Bird pilots was killed a few years after those day's and is buried near here ( buried near his home in Skull Valley, AZ, can't remember his name at the moment ).. I flew a Red Cross Charter into Mogadishu a couple of years prior to our moving troops into the area, same day as I recall the Russians had pulled their people out. Only spent 10 hours there and that was plenty! Thanks for all the photos!

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Cap Camouflage Pattern I

Nice Pics, thanks Born, I hadn't seen those before, too bad they are behind glass so you couldn't get a better photo.

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I just received a small grouping from the Mog Air Base 2nd in charge, an Air Force Cpt. He sent his choco chip top, a Somali 5 shilling note, a 10th Mtn ssi, one of the cut flex cuffs used on the Oct 3-4 Somali prisoners, and a book he wrote called "Somalia Diary". They are on exhibit at the Michigan Military Heritage Museum currently. We are on Facebook and perhaps I will add some pics there shortly. Scott

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Hello Everyone,

I just wanted to add some information that I have found in doing research regarding the equipment used by the Delta operators serving during Operation Gothic Serpent. As far as T.G. Faust Vests, T.G. Faust is still in operation and makes the SF vest just as used during the operation besides the obvious modifications. I spoke with MSG Howe about his gear and he said they had used these vests for a while before Gothic Serpent. They covered the plate pockets on the front with 2 inch black Velcro for attachment of pouches and ID flags. The black vests worn by some Rangers during the operation were not T.G. Faust but I have never been able to find out what manufacturer made them. I can say that there is an example of these vests at the Infantry Museum at Ft. Benning, Georgia. I don't have a photo of said vest but there is a Mogadishu display there for the obvious reason of both Ranger School and the 75th Rangers being there. it is a good display with period items carried by MOG Rangers on display. A few of the Task Force Ranger vets still live in the area of Ft. Benning as well. This is a great thread with terrific content on a very hard conflict to research. When I started hunting information, it seemed like there was nothing out there and no photos anywhere. Black Hawk Down at least told the majority of the story but was sorely lacking on true detail about what the men actually wore. Most of their gear was of course modern to the time of the movie but didn't show the actual equipment as carried. Perhaps Hollywood did that on purpose. Thanks to all who provided photos for this discussion on a truly heroic but forgotten conflict.

Warm Regards,

SSG Robert Rodgers

LRRS

LAARNG

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Cap Camouflage Pattern I

Thanks for the info MACVKiller, good to hear Howe confirmed they used modified T.G. Faust vests.

 

Photos of Delta in operation Just Cause show them wearing the same style modified T.G. Faust vests.

 

IIRC in Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down book he says the Rangers got heavy black vests from Delta, and also mentions something about turtle shell, which lead me to believe they had a removable neck protector, I wish I knew where I put my copy of the book.

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Here are some pictures from the Michigan Military Heritage Museum. These are the recently received items of Air Force CPT. William Sims. He was the 2nd in command of the Air Force contingent at the Mogadishu International Airport during Gothic Serpent. Included here are his book, a flex cuff from one of the Somali detainee's from the mission, his DBDU top, a Somali 5 Shilling Note, and a 10th Mtn SSI along with his picture. Of interest for you uniform collectors are the sterile DBDU, Sims said he sometimes wore rank but nothing else and no rank is apparent in his picture with the 3 colors. Also, the blue UN style beret with only rank, but no UN badge. Enjoy a little different side of the operation! I am expecting an A/75th grouping this weekend, he was there but not involved in the Oct 3-4 mission as that was Bravo. Scott

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The Middle Delta Soldier has an improvised tourniquet round his right ankle. The brand is Velket and they have them in most Combat Lifesaver kits but I suppose the Delta guys could get whatever they needed. The cannisters attached by rubber band to two of the magazines are smoke grenades.

attachicon.gif2.jpg

 

Here is Paul Howe with the face unblurred.

 

Howe is the only one without pockets sewn to his sleeves, he has green velcro on both sleeves, 2nd from left has black velcro on both sleeves 3 and 4th from left both have tan velcro on at least one sleeve, and far right has black velcro with IR glint tape on both sleeves.

 

2nd and 3rd from left have cylinders rubber band'd to the magazine in their rifle.[What is that?]

 

Paul Howe has something written on the rolled up part of his sleeve.

 

The insides of the helmets are different colors.

 

[What does the middle soldier have around his left boot?]

 

Howe has a shotgun attached to his CAR-15

 

3 of them have flashlights attached to the bayonet lug of their rifle[What flashlights?]

 

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Perhaps Ealbert can correct me if I'm wrong but the black boots being worn by Delta we Adidas GSG9 boots.

attachicon.gif1stSFODsomalia22_zps0fe71459.jpg

 

Delta in front of Super 61 "Thunderstruck.

 

Note the veclro with glint tape on the sleeve of the soldier on the far right of the photo.

 

Most men wear black shoes of some type but 3 wear desert boots.

 

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Cap Camouflage Pattern I

Thanks MACV, I got discouraged from looking at the gear by taucco's knee-pad comment, I guess he is right but the reason we are on this forum is because we are the people who care about the gear, and the little variants.

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MSG Howe was greatly appreciative of the idea that people were out there that wanted to know what the men of the operation wore. He was apologetic that he couldn't remember every brand as that stuff just wasn't important then. They wore what Delta issued and modified it to suit them personally. He mentioned to me and later in "Battle of the Black Sea" that he had several sets of gear set up for different missions and photos would show just that as he wears several different variations of his personal battle rattle. I find it fascinating to know what these men carried and how they did it. Especially elite troops like Delta have such a secretive history for obvious reasons so to find these great images with the insight of veterans that were on the ground as well is better than anything one could read. I am a living historian as well as having served 22 years in the Army and I still find all this extremely helpful and informative. There was so much missing in Black Hawk Down and I am glad this forum is doing what it does best. Informing we who care about our military past.

Warm Regards,

SSG Robert Rodgers

LRRS

LAARNG

 


Thanks MACV, I got discouraged from looking at the gear by taucco's knee-pad comment, I guess he is right but the reason we are on this forum is because we are the people who care about the gear, and the little variants.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I

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PFC Clay Othic's vest. It stopped several bullets on October 3rd.

 

I took this at the National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning Georgia. Sorry about the glare and the small size, I resized it a bit too much, but don't really want to mess with resizing it agian.

 

Hopefully someone can ID the model of this vest.

 

I will post more Gothic Serpent items later, and other items from the museum elsewhere.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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