The untold story of 'Black Hawk Down'

Leslie Andres

Since it opened in theaters in New York and Los Angeles in December, “Black Hawk Down” has received mixed reviews.

The movie, starring an ensemble cast that includes William Fichtner, Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Sam Shepard and Tom Sizemore, has been both hailed and criticized for its non-stop action during the incredible battle American soldiers faced when two UH-60 Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopters were shot down in the Somali capital of Mogadishu.

Based on Mark Bowden’s book of the same name, the movie tells the story of the Battle of Mogadishu, set on Oct. 3, 1993, during the Somali Civil War.

In the operation that was supposed to take place that day, an elite force of 120 U.S. Delta unit and Ranger infantry were to be dropped into Mogadishu to capture two of Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid’s lieutenants. Instead, two Black Hawk choppers were shot down. What was supposed to be an hour-long operation turned into a disaster in which 18 Americans were killed and 73 wounded in a bid to escape after the helicopters were shot down. In keeping with the Rangers’ heroic code of leaving no man behind, the soldiers also tried to rescue the downed helicopters’ crew.

But while the makers of the movie, directed by Ridley Scott, intended to stay as close as possible to the events as unfolded in the book, one thing they played down was the involvement of other United Nations forces in the battle. In particular, they played down the efforts of Malaysian soldiers who mounted a rescue mission to bring the American forces out of the deadly situation, which is something the book didn’t leave out.

Without taking away from the heroism and courage under fire the American soldiers showed, it would have been good if the moviemakers had given some consideration to the efforts of the Malaysians. Being a Malaysian myself, I may be a little biased, but in all fairness to the Malaysian forces involved in the rescue mission, I thought it was a fact that should not have been played down.

In the rescue mission, 11 Malaysian officers and 113 troopers of the 19th Battalion Royal Malay Regiment drove into Mogadishu in 32 armored personnel carriers. One Malaysian, a private, was killed in a grenade blast. Nine others were injured in the mission.

When I read the reviews of “Black Hawk Down,” I knew there would be some criticism from the Malaysian government and armed forces. Malaysian Minister of Defense, Najib Razak, said he was disappointed with the portrayal of Malaysian forces.

Malaysian Defense Attache to Thailand, Col. Mohd Rozi Baharom, who was the deputy commander of Malaysian forces in Somalia at the time, was quoted by Malaysian newspapers as being disappointed as well. He said Malaysians spent six hours “crawling through the warzone, rescuing trapped U.S. soldiers.”

The Malaysians were blamed by the American media for being “slow” in rescuing the Rangers, but what actually occurred was that earlier rescue efforts by American forces had proved unsuccessful as helicopters and soft-skinned Humvee vehicles came under heavy fire from Somali militia. It was only after these rescue missions had failed that the decision was made to send in the Malaysian armored personnel carriers, which were considered ideal in extricating the U.S. forces because of their armor and maneuverability. The Malaysians’ professionalism and ability were recognized later when they were put in charge in the United Nations’ second peacekeeping mission in Somalia.

The Malaysian government and armed forces were somewhat pacified Tuesday when U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia, Marie Huhtala, told reporters that the U.S. government recognized the Malaysian soldiers’ role in Mogadishu and knew full well what they had done.

All this, however, has not made me change my mind about wanting to watch the movie. It may play down the role of my fellow Malaysians, but I still want to watch it. From what I’ve heard, the movie promises to show what truly happens in a war, much like the D-Day beaching scene in “Saving Private Ryan,” albeit with none of the character development usually attached to any movie.

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Leslie Andres can be reached at: [email protected]

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