Fort Gordon in Augusta to honor Master Sgt. Gary Gordon as part of a broader Trump rollback of U.S. military base name changes under Biden.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Randall Shughart (left) and Master Sgt. Gary Gordon both posthumously received the Medal of Honor for their heroic actions during the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. Fort Gordon in Augusta has been renamed after Gary Gordon. (Katie Lange/DMA Social Media)
JASPER, Ala. — Michael Durant blacked out as his helicopter spun out of control and crashed in Mogadishu. The impact broke his back and his right leg. As he regained his senses, the pilot realized he was trapped in the wreckage with an armed mob closing in. That is when his saviors arrived.
Two U.S. Army Delta Force snipers — Gary Gordon and Randall Shughart — pulled Durant out of his downed Black Hawk. Then they held off attackers in a fierce firefight before they were both killed. Their heroism in Somalia on that day in 1993 is featured in the bestselling book and Academy Award-winning film of the same name, “Black Hawk Down.”
“I was a sitting duck,” Durant recalled during a recent interview. “There is almost no doubt that I would have been killed, had they not acted.”
JASPER, Ala. — Michael Durant blacked out as his helicopter spun out of control and crashed in Mogadishu. The impact broke his back and his right leg. As he regained his senses, the pilot realized he was trapped in the wreckage with an armed mob closing in. That is when his saviors arrived.
Two U.S. Army Delta Force snipers — Gary Gordon and Randall Shughart — pulled Durant out of his downed Black Hawk. Then they held off attackers in a fierce firefight before they were both killed. Their heroism in Somalia on that day in 1993 is featured in the bestselling book and Academy Award-winning film of the same name, “Black Hawk Down.”
“I was a sitting duck,” Durant recalled during a recent interview. “There is almost no doubt that I would have been killed, had they not acted.”
Michael Durant, left, in 1993 in Somalia. “I was a sitting duck,” Durant recalled about the Battle of Mogadishu, adding about Delta Force snipers Gary Gordon and Randall Shughart: “There is almost no doubt that I would have been killed, had they not acted.”
lliw erew saw ot yeht yeht eht eht eht eht erotser gnimaner trap fo fo fo seman evom yratilim yratilim .sredael snoitallatsni ni ni ni deronoh ronoh dloh rof troffe gnirud degnahc egnahc ynomerec redaorb esuaceb decnuonna retfa noitartsinimda a a .S.U s’pmurT pmurT tnediserP nO .enuJ .nodroG ,yadirF troF rewohnesiE dlanoD etaredefnoC nediB atsuguA
ohw saw saw saw eht eht evals dezingocer tsop renwo yllanigiro fo fo deman eman ni ni ni ronoh daeh yllareneg lareneg degnahc sa dna retfa a ehT tnediserP uK xulK nalK nhoJ stI ,nodroG .aigroeG .rewohnesiE thgiwD .D etaredefnoC atsuguA 3202
na“ rehtehw eht stroppus hcus ”.noitulos ,noitingocer gninoitseuq evom ti evah tnagele .evisivid sevresed ,noisiced scitirc ,tsartnoc gnillac detaluclac detsalb sa dna tuohtiW s’pmurT nI nodroG yraG tnaruD
oT“ A“ — htiw htiw ”.niw-niw erehw saw su pu ot ot emit siht eseht eht eht taht noitulos emas .dias ruo ruo no fo fo eman yratilim yratilim tol ekil ycagel tsuj tsuj sti ti si si snoitallatsni ronoh daeh eh gniog deppilf tlef tnagele emoc ”,segnahc gnieb eb eb ta dna dna lla niaga elba a nodroG yraG troF
Michael Durant near Jasper, Alabama, on Sept. 10, 2025. He praises Delta Force snipers Gary Gordon and Randall Shughart in the book he published in 2003 about his captivity in Mogadishu, “In the Company of Heroes.” Writing it, he said, was cathartic and healing. (Jeremy Redmon/AJC)
dnoces“ tahw ot hguorht gnorts llits esnes ,deriter ytilibisnopser yltrap fo sevil ”.efil woh ronoh sih eh eh sleef sllac dna a ,trahguhS woN nodroG ,tnaruD ,46
sihT“ I“ .eciwt rednauqs .dias elpoep ylno ”.ecno ”,ti ti ti si tog .tfig teg t’nac a tsoM I tnaruD
.sraey .dekrow ,wodiw erehw erew nwot hcuot .neht sreganeet deyats nep slap tem ni ni mih .reh eh rof emid-dna-evif htob emaceb ta deksa dnuora dna tuoba a yehT yehT ,snewO ,nlocniL s’nodroG nodroG nemraC
eH“ gnihctaw saw saw ot ehs .dellacer revo ym ”,em ,efil ni fi eh gniunitnoc eb sa syawla
Gary Gordon with his wife, Carmen, and their children, Brittany and Ian. (Courtesy of Carmen Owens)
,rednet“ saw saw hguoht ,tfos yhs thguat-fles ,dias srebmemer redaer ”.ecneserp .tnegilletni eh eh eh emosdnah dah ,tnedifnoc diva ,tsitra dna dna osla a a snewO snewO nA
tI“ htiw htiw ohw t’nsaw oot ot esoht eht taht dias derotser lanigiro fo won raen eman evol sevil sti ni ni mih sah drah dah llaf yb esab ”,setubirtta rehtona lla .noitartsinimda pmurT ,snewO htroN troF aniloraC ,ggarB
tI“ htiw htiw ohw t’nsaw oot ot esoht eht taht dias derotser lanigiro fo won raen eman evol sevil sti ni ni mih sah drah dah llaf yb esab ”,setubirtta rehtona lla .noitartsinimda pmurT ,snewO htroN troF aniloraC ,ggarB
saw .stiart deniart ot ot hguorht eht eht eht ssennrobbuts sreidlos detceles ,dias fo .snoissim s’yratilim ,yratilim denioj nioj ni sih ylhgih eh puorg ylimaf dellecxe etile ,noitanimreted gnirad htob ta dengissa dna a .S.U snewO eH nodroG nodroG ,ecroF ,yllautnevE atleD ymrA .81
eH“ dluow ehs .dias ton ”,eruliaf tpecca
Fort Eisenhower in Augusta is being renamed after Master Sgt. Gary Gordon of Lincoln, Maine. A Delta Force soldier, Gordon was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, Somalia. He was also portrayed in the 2001 award-winning film “Black Hawk Down.” (Courtesy of Carmen Owens)
raey nehw saw owt eht eht eht emas desiar saesrevo fo deirram noisavni ni ni ni eh eh gnirud deid deyolped .nerdlihc dna raW .S.U yehT naisreP amanaP .snewO .uhsidagoM fluG nodroG nodroG 33 ,0991 9891
dluow ot .ssenyhs detcaer deman ytsedom yratilim etal denigami dnabsuh woh sih mih reh eh gnivah evah sah dah nevig neeb esab dna ,evila retfa a snewO
htiw nehw tnew saw saw spoort pot ot rieht eht eht taht ksat sretroppus emos tohs delleporp-tekcor lennosrep eno eno fo fo fo fo noissim .stnanetueil gnidulcni ni sih sih sretpocileh .edanerg ecrof nwod ,yad derutpac yrwa dengissa dneherppa a ehT nO .tcO .uhsidagoM kwaH tuB kcalB naciremA s’deediA ,3 42 ,3991
htiw saw saw ot eht eht gnillet liat liat nups noitces dnoces rotor delleporp-tekcor deoidar detolip tuo fo fo ekam duol ,retal ti tih sih sih mih retpocileh gnidaeh eh eh .edanerg t’ndluoc .lortnoc ,rednammoc emac yb yb erofeb .gnab kcab kcab ylbmessa trapa osla .dleifria a a a .S.U ehT stnemoM kwaH tnaruD tnaruD tuB kcalB
htiw saw saw ot eht eht gnillet liat liat nups noitces dnoces rotor delleporp-tekcor deoidar detolip tuo fo fo ekam duol ,retal ti tih sih sih mih retpocileh gnidaeh eh eh .edanerg t’ndluoc .lortnoc ,rednammoc emac yb yb erofeb .gnab kcab kcab ylbmessa trapa osla .dleifria a a a .S.U ehT stnemoM kwaH tnaruD tnaruD tuB kcalB
,dleihsdniw .thgirpu ot rieht eht eht eht eht devivrus gnippots bals decreip ylno no fo fo latem srebmem deganam seirujni sehcni sih sih sih sih .dnuorg dnuorg morf morf .ecaf gniusne werc hsarc hsarc detagurroc reppohc .rulb emaceb kcatta dna a enoN eH roF ,tnaruD A
Children walk along the rotor of a wrecked American helicopter in Mogadishu, Somalia. This Blackhawk helicopter, which was used to root out ammo caches, was subsequently shot down by Somali warlords. (Scott Peterson/Liaison 1993)
dessentiw erew dereetnulov gnidlofnu ot ot semit eerht driht yeht rieht eht enecs eucser .sdrocer ,noissimrep yratilim srebmem ni sih ,retpocileh nevig yllanif etarepsed werc noitadnemmoc .woleb erofeb dna dna gnidrocca evoba a yehT trahguhS uhsidagoM gnirevoH nodroG tnaruD
oT“ ,yllaitinI“ erew ew owt owt ot ot ,siht siht ereht ”.meht ”,deucser .dellacer ezilaer .revo ylno fo ,em si .ereh evah eldnah syug tog gniog gniog teg emag t’ndid era era dna eW yehT I tnaruD atleD
egakcerw htiw htiw htiw htiw erehw revetahw tahw erew saw saw saw yltsav desu pu oirt koot ot ot thguoht hguoht neht eht eht eht eht eht taht peews enihcambus edis .thgir dellup snoitisop ,tniop .derebmuntuo tuo eno no fo fo dednal tpek tsuj denioj .gnimmaj ti ti ti sih sih sih sih mih eh eh dah ,nug edanerg thgiferif ecaf desopxe dedolpxe .tsud denwod gnirevoc derevoc evissucnoc ,reppohc ,tsalb yawa srekcatta sa smra .gnihcaorppa dna dna a a ehT trahguhS eH nodroG tnaruD tnaruD tA
dednuow saw saw ot ot yeht neht eht eht taht emos .elfir denruter nar ,tniop tuo fo fo .dellik dellik eh eh dednah .tsrif yllataf detcepxe .eid htob erofeb erofeb elttab srekcatta ,demra dna .noitinumma trahguhS trahguhS ylthgiL s’nodroG nodroG nodroG tnaruD tnaruD tA dnA
yehT“ I“ — tahw erew saw pu ot yeht eht eht llits yks rebmemer rebmemer .dellacer eno no on .em .em gnikool dekool ”,ekil llik ”.ti si egami eh gniog gniog tbuod dednecsed sduolc .yb ta tuoba erehT tahT ,yllaitinI I
gnilley saw saw saw ot hguorht werht hguoht eht taht .deppots tneps ,deraps .tekcos deppir .desaeler .renosirp dedarap ffo ,eson bom efil retal ,detagorretni ni ni ni ni detsioh sih sih mih mih eh eh eh gniworrah tohsnug gniog raeg yllanif yllanif ,ecaf eye trid eid syad enobkeehc ytivitpac yb ekorb erofeb emaceb sgnitaeb srekcatta dna dna dna dna ria a a dednuoW yehT ehT ehT ehT .ailamoS .uhsidagoM s’tnaruD s’tnaruD tnaruD 11
U.S. helicopter pilot Michael Durant is carried on a stretcher to the helicopter from the 46th Combat Support hospital. (Hocine Zaourar/AFP via Getty Images 1993)
hcihw erew erew hguorht eht eht eht reidlos ecivres cilbup srehto noinipo fo fo fo fo srebmem sevil dellik derujni ni ni segami sderdnuh depleh deggard snezod daed demialc egnahc seitlausac gnieb ,elttab dna dna osla a .S.U .S.U esohT .silamoS uhsidagoM neethgiE .aciremA
nehw ekaw ecneloiv spoort hguoht .ereht eht eht eht eht eht eht sreidlos dluohs detfihs weiver dellup ycilop detsisrep gnipeekecaep tuo deredro .snoitarepo fo fo fo tfel devlovni ni ni ni woh ngierof .retsasid ,syad yrtnuoc tabmoc yb emoceb dna osla noitartsinimda a nihtiW detinU .S.U .S.U setatS .ailamoS tnediserP hcraM notnilC notnilC lliB naciremA llA ,4991
aciremA“ ,raey dlrow elihw eht eht eht yllaitnatsbus setaulave-er ,ycilop trap fo yratilim yratilim sti ti gnisaercni ni nairatinamuh sah rof neve erehwesle tuc seirtnuoc stnemtimmoc .tegdub sa sa dnuora dna dna secnailla dia noitartsinimda .S.U pmurT sihT ”tsriF acirfA
aciremA“ ,raey dlrow elihw eht eht eht yllaitnatsbus setaulave-er ,ycilop trap fo yratilim yratilim sti ti gnisaercni ni nairatinamuh sah rof neve erehwesle tuc seirtnuoc stnemtimmoc .tegdub sa sa dnuora dna dna secnailla dia noitartsinimda .S.U pmurT sihT ”tsriF acirfA
The library book
rieht eht ynomitset gnitroppus deviecer dedivorp ylsuomuhtsop fo ssentiweye .snoitadnemmoc htob dna trahguhS ladeM nI .ronoH nodroG tnaruD ,4991
thgiN“ llew ,tinu etaudargrednu koot ot eht niojer derevocer no deniatbo wen gninaem efil ni sih sih retpocileh etaudarg hguone etile .seerged esolc sllac dna osla retfa ”sreklatS laicepS .tnemigeR snoitarepO .uhsidagoM ,elihwnaeM eH eH s’tnaruD noitaivA ht061
thgiN“ llew ,tinu etaudargrednu koot ot eht niojer derevocer no deniatbo wen gninaem efil ni sih sih retpocileh etaudarg hguone etile .seerged esolc sllac dna osla retfa ”sreklatS laicepS .tnemigeR snoitarepO .uhsidagoM ,elihwnaeM eH eH s’tnaruD noitaivA ht061
Michael Durant was able to rejoin the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment after his captivity in Mogadishu. (Courtesy of Michael Durant)
tnarraw yllufsseccusnu eht eht eht taht detrats xis deriter demuser nar yramirp gniyalp .elpoep no reciffo fo fo sniatnuom yratilim tsil si ni ni ni ni ni sderdnuh yekcoh sih eh sah morf rof rehtaf gnireenigne deyolpme ynapmoc debmilc ,nerdlihc feihc sa dna na a a kroY .S.U ehT etaneS nacilbupeR .rebmevoN txeN weN nohtaraM nI eH eH tnaruD .odaroloC ytiC .amabalA .4 ,2202 1002
htiw sllaw rieht eht eht eht eht .devivrus nekcirts llams ecivres moor srednimer gnitcetorp stnirp euqalp eceip gnitniap rehto no lio fo fo fo fo raen seman seman srebmem dellik si ni emoh sih sih .mih eh sah sgnah gnah lluf demarf gnirutaef .yalpsid gnitciped .elttab elttab rehtona dna osla gnola a a .S.U ,yadoT trahguhS nO ,repsaJ nI kwaH nodroG s’tnaruD tnaruD kcalB ,amabalA
nI“ saw meht eht eht ,dias dehsilbup desiarp fo ,ti ni ni ni sih .gnilaeh eh eh citrahtac ytivitpac koob dna osla tuoba gnitirW ,uhsidagoM ”.seoreH tnaruD ynapmoC 3002
A statue of Master Sgt. Gary Gordon in Lincoln, Maine. Gordon, who died in 1993 while attempting to rescue a downed U.S. helicopter pilot in Mogadishu, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. (Mark Rediker/WABI-TV5 via AP 2021)
lluf“ ,etorw ,etorw saw saw gnitisiv detisiv .rolav eht eht eht eht eht eht reidlos skramer drocer sllacer etiuq deraperp ”.gnimlehwrevo tuo fo fo fo fo fo s’noitan yratilim lacol yrarbil sti gnitseretni ni gnironoh nwotemoh yrotsih lacirotsih sih tsehgih cioreh eh eh rof rof rof nellaf ,stcaf ,tneve dne sdeed dekcehc ynomerec ,koob ,koob koob drawa dna dna tuoba a a a drawoT ehT ladeM ,ronoH s’nodroG tnaruD tnaruD tnaruD sA .4991
ohw saw saw dekcut ot eht eht eht eht eht eht nekat deiduts dehcaer tekcop nosrep fo yrarbil tsal ti ni emoh eh dah dnif dne tuokcehc drac ,koob kcab ta dednuotsa dna nehW .nodroG tnaruD
Jeremy Redmon has reported for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 2005.
Jeremy Redmon has reported for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 2005.
