Operation Gothic Serpent
$25M
Cost
160
Troops Deployed
19
US Casualties
500
Civilian Deaths
Overview
The failed US special operations raid in Mogadishu to capture Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid's top lieutenants. Two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down, leading to a 15-hour urban battle that killed 19 Americans and an estimated 500-1,000 Somalis.
Outcome
US withdrew from Somalia within months. The debacle shaped US reluctance to intervene in Rwanda (1994) and influenced risk-averse military policy for a decade.
Key Fact
The 'Black Hawk Down' incident lasted 15 hours and involved just 160 US soldiers, but its political impact shaped US foreign policy for a decade.