Before school ended, last year, I enrolled in AP Language and Composition. One of the requirements for the course was to read a couple of books and write a summary essay on them afterward.
While searching around for an interesting novel, one of the books I chose was Black Hawk Down.
Built on the bond of brotherhood and the strength of a family, the U.S. military is the strongest family in the world. Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden emphasizes this theme through the memories they have made together.
I had seen the movie multiple times and was not fond of the idea of reading a book in which I already knew what would happen. I eventually decided to go along with the notion of reading the book, although I already knew the plot. Soon I figured out that the book gave more detail about the soldiers and their relationships on and off the battlefield than the movie offered.
The book gave me the same intense heart pounding feeling as the movie did. Every time I opened the book feelings of patriotism lined inside of me. The story took place in Somalia, during their Civil War.
The book follows a 100-man squad of marines fighting their way through the enemy infested city. Only supposed to take an hour, the squad’s mission to abduct two lieutenants of a Somali warlord was thwarted due to an enemy ambush.
Along the way to Black Hawk helicopters went down. The group of soldiers had to go and secure the crash sites for survivors while battling off the attackers.
The entire contingent of Somali fighters in the city of Mogadishu tailed the small squad. They were against the clock to retrieve the grounded crew and to make sure that there was no crew members lost in their battalion.
The fighting lasted throughout the night with gunfire being exchanged constantly. Rescue was on the way, but they would get ambushed and lead in the opposite way from the crash sites.
The level of detail presented in the emotions of the soldiers was unbelievable. I felt as if I was standing right in the room while a loved one received the news of their deceased family members.
This book is a tribute to those who fought the tremendous test of survival and sacrifice. The sacrifices these soldiers made for each other were very selfless and humbling.
The stories these soldiers give is a lesson everyone can use in their life. When things begin to get difficult fight till the end.
This writer can be reached via Twitter: @GarchaKevin8.
For more opinions, read the Oct. 14 article, COLUMN: Ebola virus continues to infect.
