GPS UNIT FOUND IN AFGAN CAVE BELONGED TO U.S. SOLDIER KILLED IN SOMALIA

ABC RADIO NEWS

[1Old Pro]

This announcement could tie Al Quada terrorists to Somalian war lords. Spokesman says it also could have been purchased on Black market (I find the later more unlikely).

Details to follow

[1Old Pro]

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world/DailyNews/STRIKE_MAIN.html

Somalia-Afghan Link Device Found in Afghanistan May Have Belonged to Soldier Killed in 1993

March 20 — U.S. forces searching caves and bunkers in eastern Afghanistan have recovered a satellite GPS device that apparently belonged to an American special forces soldier killed nine years ago in Somalia, officials said today.

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"We currently believe this GPS belonged to Army Master Sgt. Gary Gordon, an Army special ops force soldier killed in Somalia in 1993," said Brig. Gen. John Rosa.

The handheld global positioning device appeared to be in working order, and could have been used to aid coordination among Taliban and al Qaeda fighters during Operation Anaconda.

Rosa said officials do not know how the device wound up in a cave in the Shah-e-Kot mountains, where allied forces fought in the recently ended Operation Anaconda.

"It could obviously tie al Qaeda to Somalia," he said.

It was also possible, Rosa added, that the GPS device had been sold on the black market.

The GPS unit had the name "G. Gordon" etched onto the device itself and sewn into the pouch holding it. Gordon was killed during a rescue attempt after two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down in Mogadishu, the Somali capital.

He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions, which were chronicled in the book, Black Hawk Down, and the movie of the same name.

The GPS system was a civilian model favored by some special forces commandos in the early 1990s, because of the device's small size.

Mortar, Grenade Attack on U.S. Forces

In an attack that highlighted the continuing threat from pockets of al Qaeda and Taliban resistance, gunmen armed with machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars attacked U.S. coalition forces in eastern Afghanistan today, wounding one U.S. soldier and sparking a firefight that lasted for an hour.

The wounded U.S. soldier was shot in the arm at an airfield in the eastern Afghan town of Khost today, Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clarke said.

He was in stable condition and coalition troops were conducting a search of the area.

U.S. troops called in an AC-130 gunship to help repel the attacking al Qaeda and Taliban fighters. A B-1 bomber dropped illumination rounds in the area.

Exploring the region after the shootout, U.S. forces found spent shells and blood, but no enemy fighters.

The skirmish came two days after the end of Operation Anaconda, the largest ground offensive in the Afghan war, which was also waged in eastern Afghanistan, close to the border with Pakistan.

Anaconda an ‘Unqualified Success’

On Tuesday, the U.S. military was on the defensive over its declaration that Operation Anaconda was an "absolute and unqualified success."

Although Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had said enemy fighters would have to "surrender or die," allied Afghan commanders have suggested that many escaped to Pakistan, and questioned U.S. military claims that hundreds of al Qaeda and Taliban were killed.

"Only 50 to 60 were killed. Most of them escaped," an aide to Afghan Defense Minister Mohammad Fahim told Reuters.

But Maj. Gen. Frank Hagenbeck, commander of coalition troops in Afghanistan, said the U.S.-led operation in the Shah-e-Kot region in eastern Afghanistan had dealt a "body blow" to al Qaeda and Taliban fighters.

"Escaped? Of course, some people got out of Shah-e-Kot. But I take exception to any supposition that large numbers escaped," he said. "We destroyed hundreds of al Qaeda's most experienced fighters and terrorists. We destroyed their base of terrorist operations and we eliminated their sanctuary."

Hard Landing

In other developments …

  A number of U.S. soldiers were injured Tuesday when their helicopter made a hard landing in southern Afghanistan. It was not due to enemy fire, according to Reuters.

  Citing Bush administration officials, The Associated Press reported that authorities in Sudan have detained a suspected al Qaeda official and questioned him about the plot to blow up Los Angeles International Airport during the millennium celebrations and the attack on the USS Cole in a port in Yemen.

[Dog]

Sgt. Gary Gordon

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Al Qaeda Had Mogadishu G.I.-Hero's Property

NewsMax | 03/20/2002 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[fella]

A little more of "The Clinton Legacy".

[gridlock]

I always thought Al Queda was involved in Somalia. I was there before things got bad, in the late 80's, and the word was that all the guns were coming from non-governmental sources in Saudi Arabia. Nobody knew what that meant back then. Now we all know.

When the old WWII leftover rifles started getting replaced with shiny new AK47's, I knew it was time to get out of Mogadishu. Six months later, all He!! broke loose.

[hchutch]

I saw Black Hawk Down, and the one scene that just got to me was when Gordon and Shughart volunteered, were told the odds, and still went it.

[1Old Pro]

A little more of "The Clinton Legacy".

No kidding, Klintoon let this cancer grow and it cost us 3,000 lives and counting.

[1Old Pro]

I saw Black Hawk Down, and the one scene that just got to me was when Gordon and Shughart volunteered, were told the odds, and still went it.

The odds should have been better, but it was Clintoon and Warren Christopher who let this happen and it grew into the WTC attacks.

[browardchad]

Exploring the region after the shootout, U.S. forces found spent shells and blood, but no enemy fighters.

I'm beginning to wonder if someone will someday find a "mass grave" containing all these so-called warriors -- and, of course, it will be taken as proof that we were only pretending to fight in Afghanistan, while secretly committing "mass genocide." Of course, by that time we might all be living in an Islamic world state. </bitter sarcasm

[Capitalist Eric]

I read the circumstances of his death... Unbelievable... I hope that, when the time comes, I have half the brass he did...

FReegards,

[doug from upland]

To: ALL -- never forget these men

Killed on Oct. 3 and 4, 1993
With posthumous awards.

Sgt. First Class Randy Shughart, a Delta soldier killed defending the crew of Super 64, the Medal of Honor.

Master Sgt. Gary Gordon, a Delta soldier who was killed after jumping in to defend the crew of Super 64, the Medal of Honor.

CWO Cliff Wolcott, pilot of Super 61, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star and the Air Medal with Valor Device.

CWO Donovan Briley, copilot of Super 61, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star and Air Medal with Valor Device.

Staff Sgt. William Cleveland, a crew chief on Super 64 Silver Star, Bronze Star and Air Medal with Valor Device.

Staff Sgt. Thomas Field, a crew chief on Super 64, Silver Star, Bronze Star and Air Medal with Valor Device.

CWO Raymond Frank, copilot of Super 64, Silver Star, Air Medal with Valor Device.

Staff Sgt. Daniel Busch, who crashed on Super 61 and was killed defending the downed crew, the Silver Star.

Sgt. Cornell Houston, who was killed fighting on the rescue convoy, the Bronze Star with Valor Device.

Sgt. Casey Joyce, who was killed on the Lost Convoy, the Bronze Star with Valor Device.

Spec. James Cavaco, who was killed on the Lost Convoy, the Bronze Star with Valor Device.

Cpl. Jamie Smith, who bled to death with the pinned-down force around crash site one, the Bronze Star with Valor Device.

Sgt. Dominick Pilla, who was killed on the convoy rescuing Pfc. Todd Blackburn, the Bronze Star with Valor Device.

Pfc. Richard Kowalewski, who was killed on the Lost Convoy, the Bronze Star with Valor Device.

Sgt. Lorenzo Ruiz, who was killed on the Lost Convoy, the Bronze Star with Valor Device.

Sgt. First Class Earl Fillmore, Delta soldier killed moving to the first crash site.

Pfc. James Martin, who was killed on the rescue convoy.

Master Sgt. Tim "Griz" Martin a Delta soldier killed on the Lost Convoy.

[The G Man]

"I saw Black Hawk Down, and the one scene that just got to me was when Gordon and Shughart volunteered, were told the odds, and still went it."

Agreed. Bravery in its truest form.

[hchutch]

I've never forgiven Clinton and Aspin for throwing those troops into the mess without support. The fact we had to lose brave men like Gordon and Shughart only deepened my anger.

[Henchster]

I think we should put it right here in the thread:

"Without a doubt, I owe my life to these two men and their bravery." CW3 Mike Durant

Master Sergeant Gordon, United States Army, distinguished himself by actions above and beyond the call of duty on 3 October 1993, while serving as Sniper Team Leader, United States Army Special Operations Command with Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Master Sergeant Gordon's sniper team provided precision fires from the lead helicopter during an assault and at two helicopter crash sites, while subjected to intense automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fires. When Master Sergeant Gordon learned that ground forces were not immediately available to secure the second crash site, he and another sniper unhesitatingly volunteered to be inserted to protect the four critically wounded personnel, despite being well aware of the growing number of enemy personnel closing in on the site.

After his third request to be inserted, Master Sergeant Gordon received permission to perform his volunteer mission. When debris and enemy ground fires at the site caused them to abort the first attempt, Master Sergeant Gordon was inserted one hundred meters south of the crash site. Equipped with only his sniper rifle and a pistol, Master Sergeant Gordon and his fellow sniper, while under intense small arms fire from the enemy, fought their way through a dense maze of shanties and shacks to reach the critically injured crew members. Master Sergeant Gordon immediately pulled the pilot and the other crew members from the aircraft, establishing a perimeter which placed him and his fellow sniper in the most vulnerable position.

Master Sergeant Gordon used his long range rifle and side arm to kill an undetermined number of attackers until he depleted his ammunition. Master Sergeant Gordon then went back to the wreckage, recovering some of the crew's weapons and ammunition. Despite the fact that he was critically low on ammunition, he provided some of it to the dazed pilot and then radioed for help.

Master Sergeant Gordon continued to travel the perimeter, protecting the downed crew. After his team member was fatally wounded and his own rifle ammunition exhausted, Master Sergeant Gordon returned to the wreckage, recovering a rifle with the last five rounds of ammunition and gave it to the pilot with the words, "good luck." Then, armed only with his pistol, Master Sergeant Gordon continued to fight until he was fatally wounded. His actions saved the pilot's life.

Master Sergeant Gordon's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest standards of military service and reflect great credit upon, his unit and the United States Army.

[1Old Pro]

Aspin

That's the name I forgot. I believe he prevented resupply in Somalia....tanks etc.

[Henchster]

I forgot to thank you for the excellent link.

It just burns my heart to think that we lost fine men like these because Clinton was unwilling to "Allocate Assets" because he needed to save the military budget for his massive family and friends vacation airlifts to India, Africa, etc., etc.

[justacivilian]

The fact we had to lose brave men like Gordon and Shughart only deepened my anger.

Mine as well!

A new petition has been submitted by William Mark Patterson, wmp920@msn.com. The petition title is: Petition to support and commend American troops who fought in Somalia. The petition URL is http://www.PetitionOnline.com/USHEROES/petition.html The petition is directed to United States Senators and Representatives. The start date is 2002.0311. The end date is 2003.0311.