1993, mogadishu, somalia. You’ve probably seen the movie, and know how horrible that day was for any of our special operations forces involved.
If you think you've ever had a bad day, read this:
Calvert receive a phone call from him August 24. "I knew he was leaving for somewhere, but I didn't know where and he wouldn't tell. The only clue I got
was when he said, ‘Watch CNN very close.’"
Calvert continued to receive letters from him every day.
August 20:
“I kept waking up all night long. I sleep in the corner of our tent. I must have rolled over and stared at the stars for hours. There are a few times in a person’s life that really makes them think. One of those being when you think it may be your time to go.”
The on September 26, seven days before he would be killed, he wrote:
“Yesterday was probably the coldest, darkest, saddest day of my life. I stood at attention, rendering a salute as three American soldiers were rolled by in humvees, in caskets draped with American flags. These three men being the ones killed in action on Friday night. I stood by and watched as tears began to form in my eyes and the eyes of my fellow Rangers. We all felt a warm spot in our hearts for those brave men who gave their lives for God, country and his fellow American brothers and sisters, believing what they were doing was right. Not only does my heart go to these men, who made the greatest sacrifice of all, but their wives, children and loved ones. I
feel for them the most. War is very sad and kills everyone in some way. I can’t help to think if it had been me in one of these caskets.”
In his last letter to Calvert, he perhaps sensed the final outcome. On the morning of October 3, he wrote:
“Somalia has forced me to wake up and take a hard look at my life. It has made me change a lot of my views. Most of all I’ve learned that there is no better time to say what you are thinking than right now. Because you may never get a chance to say it.”
Calvert said she is not sure if she will see the movie because she said Kowalewski’s death was horrible.
According to the Bowden book, Kowalewski was driving a Humvee when he was
shot in the shoulder. He absorbed the blow and kept on steering.
“Alphabet, want me to drive?” asked Pfc. Clay Othic, who was seated in the
front seat.
“No, I’m OK.”
Bowden writes, “Othic was struggling in the confined space to apply pressure
dressing to Alphabet’s bleeding shoulder when a grenade launcher rocketed in
from the left. It severed Alphabet’s left arm and ripped into his torso. It didn’t explode. Instead, the two-foot-long missile was embedded in Alphabet’s chest, the fins protruding from his left side under his missing arm, the point sticking out the right side. He was killed instantly.”
Cheers to a TRUE hero. that's the soldier's picture above. he served in operation gothic serpent after 300,000 somalis had died at the hands of war lords and Clinton decided to intervene. They were supposed to have gone fully loaded with the best artllery and tanks - instead Clinton wanted them to be low profile, and as such they had to content themselves with humvees, and no apache helicpoters. Guess that wasnt low profile enough was it.