Why wasn't Durant rescued?

chronoserpent

chronoserpent

Active member
I just finished reading "In the Company of Heroes", Michael Durant's autobiography where he talks about his capture by Somalians during the events popularized in the Black Hawk Down book and movie.

My question is, why wasn't Durant rescued by force? He never explained this in the book. Did the US believe a political solution was more realistic (which is true in the later stages, because they were relatively nice to him after a while)? Did they never locate where Durant was hidden? Was a forced rescue deemed too difficult since two helicopters had just been shot down?
 
I was under the impression that with the rabbit warren that made up the MOG, there would have been great difficulty in finding him or effecting a safe rescue.
Either way he was released not that long after.
 
He was released to the Swedish field hospital after negotiations.
At no time were american forces sure enough of his location to execute an extraction by force.

//KJ.
 
I've Read Black Hawk Down, as well as The Battle Of Mogadishu. And am currently going to obtain Nightstalkers, the 160th SOAR. The unit Durant was in.

But, ask yourself this, if you were a hostage negotiator in say, a city somewhere in the U.S., and you could A. reason with the hostage taker, not to harm the hostage, and take more time, but get him safely.

Or, you B. Send in the SWAT or CIRT team, and blow everybody's heads off, possible enticing the hostage taker to kill your man in the process, or loose some of your guys taking him down.

That's roughly like Mike Durant's encounter. Sorry about that, but I think you understand the point.
 
As I recall (and I did a research paper on the battle as a whole), Durant was traded to a rival clan, then handed to Habr Gidr. After having changed hands, and slipping into the labyrinthine city that is the Mog, chances of locating him would have been slim to none.
 
As was said before, 'The Mog' is a twisted laberinth of streets and huts. Its quite easy to get lost (as what happened during the Battle of Mogadishu). The reason Durant wasn't rescued was because they couldn't get a fix on his position.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top