Table of Contents

(Subject to confirmation) Introduction Chapter 1: Seed Corn Chapter 2: Climbing the Mountain Chapter 3: Recognizing That I Volunteered as a Ranger Chapter 4: Drumbeat Chapter 5: On the Hunt Chapter 6: Into the Valley Chapter 7: Storm of Steel Chapter 8: Borne the Battle Epilogue

Promotional Information

This is the inside story of an Army Ranger, surrounded and outnumbered, fighting a desperate action on the ground during the Black Hawk Down raid in Somalia in 1993.

About the Author

James Lechner served in the US Army for 27 years and participated in eight operational deployments, including Somalia with Task Force Ranger. Jim has also advised the NSC at the White House and served numerous tours at the CIA. Since his retirement from the US military in 2011, Jim has served in Afghanistan as a counter-insurgency advisor as well as providing support for other US government efforts. Jim lives in Chapin, South Carolina. Published in association with the AUSA Book Program.

Reviews

A powerful and vivid account of the Battle of Mogadishu from the middle of the fight. Here is the clash through the eyes of a soldier's soldier, a man who emerged from the fight badly wounded but unbroken.
*Mark Bowden, author of 'Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War'*

A magnificent book that tells the story of urban fighting in Mogadishu. … It is a phenomenal portrayal of personal courage, small unit commitment, and selfless sacrifice.
*Colonel (retired) Robert Choppa, President of the National Infantry Association*

Jim Lechner has written the most detailed and fascinating account of the 1993 battle in Mogadishu, Somalia, made famous by the movie Black Hawk Down. Jim was a key member of the US Special Operations contingent … [he] is one of the quiet warriors who went beyond what was required and became a warrior of uncommon valor.
*Lieutenant General (retired) “Jerry” Boykin, commander of Task Force Ranger*

Jim Lechner was a key player in nearly every major battle in the War on Terror. His riveting account of the Battle of Mogadishu is a must read for anyone wanting to understand the last 30 years of American military conflict.
*Colonel (retired) Anthony E. Deane, author of 'Ramadi Declassified: A Roadmap to Peace in the Most Dangerous City in Iraq'*

An excellent account of 'life at the sharp end'.
*Miniature Wargames*