What do you think?
Rate this book
With My Shield: An Army Ranger in Somalia
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.
In 1993 Lieutenant James Lechner, a member of the 3rd Ranger Battalion, was selected for a top secret special operations task force being sent to Mogadishu, Somalia, to capture the insurgent leader Mohamed Farah Aideed. In early October, after weeks on the ground and conducting a number of raids in the city, the Task Force is called upon to conduct a daring daylight mission into the heart of Aideed's territory. During the raid, following the initial dangerous fast rope insertion and subsequent capture of a group of Aideed's lieutenants, one of the Task Force Black Hawk helicopters is shot down and Lechner and his comrades are soon caught up in the fiercest combat involving US forces since the Vietnam War. In the middle of the hostile city, deep in the enemy's stronghold, the small group of Rangers and special operators now find themselves fighting not only to rescue the downed helicopter's crewmen, but also to save their own lives.
This first-hand account tells the story of how these elite warriors were able to stand together and prevail against incredible odds. It gives the reader the perspective of an Army Ranger fighting on the ground, combined with professional military analysis, in a groundbreaking book that tells the complete story with never-before-revealed details.
In 1993 Lieutenant James Lechner, a member of the 3rd Ranger Battalion, was selected for a top secret special operations task force being sent to Mogadishu, Somalia, to capture the insurgent leader Mohamed Farah Aideed. In early October, after weeks on the ground and conducting a number of raids in the city, the Task Force is called upon to conduct a daring daylight mission into the heart of Aideed's territory. During the raid, following the initial dangerous fast rope insertion and subsequent capture of a group of Aideed's lieutenants, one of the Task Force Black Hawk helicopters is shot down and Lechner and his comrades are soon caught up in the fiercest combat involving US forces since the Vietnam War. In the middle of the hostile city, deep in the enemy's stronghold, the small group of Rangers and special operators now find themselves fighting not only to rescue the downed helicopter's crewmen, but also to save their own lives.
This first-hand account tells the story of how these elite warriors were able to stand together and prevail against incredible odds. It gives the reader the perspective of an Army Ranger fighting on the ground, combined with professional military analysis, in a groundbreaking book that tells the complete story with never-before-revealed details.
- GenresMilitary HistoryWar
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2023
11 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 17, 2025
A good short book. I listened at double speed until chapter 4 to get past the usual “hell week is the pinnacle of training” and “fell in love with a waitress” parts. (I have read a lot of special forces books already).
This would be a good follow up book after “Black Hawk Down” and “In the Company of Heroes.”
A new detail for me was that Bill Clinton denied the Rangers’ request to have a C130 gunship overhead. That was standard practice for Rangers and they were surprised at the level of White House interference. Clinton also only wanted lightly armored Humvees instead of heavy armored Humvees. Perhaps Clinton was hoping less guns meant less crime.
Sadly, the day of Blackhawk Down is effectively Somalia’s only national celebration but it’s celebrated as if it’s their Independence Day not a day of mourning.
This would be a good follow up book after “Black Hawk Down” and “In the Company of Heroes.”
A new detail for me was that Bill Clinton denied the Rangers’ request to have a C130 gunship overhead. That was standard practice for Rangers and they were surprised at the level of White House interference. Clinton also only wanted lightly armored Humvees instead of heavy armored Humvees. Perhaps Clinton was hoping less guns meant less crime.
Sadly, the day of Blackhawk Down is effectively Somalia’s only national celebration but it’s celebrated as if it’s their Independence Day not a day of mourning.
July 19, 2024
A first hand account of the resilience and honor of the American warfighter. It shows the reality of combat that isn't glorified by Hollywood.
December 10, 2024
Seen on Jocko podcast - nice book, solid lessons.
April 1, 2025
Fantastic read. Gives us more insight into Black Hawk Down and the culture of the Rangers.
October 30, 2024
An exceptional book providing a distinct perspective on The Battle of Mogadishu. Highly recommended for a motivating read.
August 17, 2023
A moving and memorable memoir of a US Ranger participant of the Black Hawk Down raid in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Black Hawk Down must rate as one of the finest war movies that I have ever watched. To read the grim memoir of a participant was a real privilege and brought back many visual images of the film.
To be honest, when I first started to read the book, it seemed too ‘over the top’ with the US Special Forces being the best in the world, etc. However, after completing the first chapter or so, my perception and enjoyment of the book changed completely. It was a brutally honest account of the training, expertise, and skills of an SF operator in the US Army Rangers working alongside the Delta forces and highly skilled helicopter aircrews.
As most of us know, the raid was not an outstanding success, despite the incredible bravery, well-honed military skills, and sacrifices made by the soldiers and helicopter pilots. Unfortunately, as the armed forces know only too well, the meddling of politicians can make their lives very difficult in preparing for combat operations. In this particular raid, the political unwillingness to utilise a recommended AC130 gunship to support the troops on the ground caused dozens of unnecessary US casualties.
The author is an amazing individual, who survived and overcame a horrific injury through incredible perseverance. Hats-off to the US military for supporting one of their own and ensuring that the author was able to successfully return to his unit. Sadly, the UK military does not give the same level of support to their wounded heroes, generally preferring to discharge them, rather than welcome them back into the service..
In summary, a brilliant book. I would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy military non-fiction and personal accounts of true warriors.
Black Hawk Down must rate as one of the finest war movies that I have ever watched. To read the grim memoir of a participant was a real privilege and brought back many visual images of the film.
To be honest, when I first started to read the book, it seemed too ‘over the top’ with the US Special Forces being the best in the world, etc. However, after completing the first chapter or so, my perception and enjoyment of the book changed completely. It was a brutally honest account of the training, expertise, and skills of an SF operator in the US Army Rangers working alongside the Delta forces and highly skilled helicopter aircrews.
As most of us know, the raid was not an outstanding success, despite the incredible bravery, well-honed military skills, and sacrifices made by the soldiers and helicopter pilots. Unfortunately, as the armed forces know only too well, the meddling of politicians can make their lives very difficult in preparing for combat operations. In this particular raid, the political unwillingness to utilise a recommended AC130 gunship to support the troops on the ground caused dozens of unnecessary US casualties.
The author is an amazing individual, who survived and overcame a horrific injury through incredible perseverance. Hats-off to the US military for supporting one of their own and ensuring that the author was able to successfully return to his unit. Sadly, the UK military does not give the same level of support to their wounded heroes, generally preferring to discharge them, rather than welcome them back into the service..
In summary, a brilliant book. I would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy military non-fiction and personal accounts of true warriors.
August 7, 2024
I’ve always had a fascination and interest in the battle of Mogadishu, it begun as a young kid when I first watched the movie Black Hawk Down. As a young child I was in awe of the bravery, heroism and skill that the men of the 160th SOAR, Delta operators and Rangers portrayed that day. And after reading this book, I am still in awe, just as I was as a child.
This book gives a brilliant account of the events leading up to the battle, the battle itself and the aftermath. It fills lots of gaps and provides new details on various aspects that may have been misconstrued over the years. The author weaves his own personal experiences in the book along with the wider events of the battle taking place methodically. Reading this book felt as fast paced and anxiety infusing, just as the film did the first time I ever watched.
It’s a battle that requires a greater level of awareness and understanding. I’ll finish this with one of my favourite quotes from the author, which illustrates the significance of this battle and the importance of future generations to learn and understand what occurred that fateful day.
“October 3 and the battle of Mogadishu remains one of the greatest days of my life. I do not use those terms loosely or to imply that it was all positive, but to illustrate the monumental nature and impact the battle had on my life.”
This book gives a brilliant account of the events leading up to the battle, the battle itself and the aftermath. It fills lots of gaps and provides new details on various aspects that may have been misconstrued over the years. The author weaves his own personal experiences in the book along with the wider events of the battle taking place methodically. Reading this book felt as fast paced and anxiety infusing, just as the film did the first time I ever watched.
It’s a battle that requires a greater level of awareness and understanding. I’ll finish this with one of my favourite quotes from the author, which illustrates the significance of this battle and the importance of future generations to learn and understand what occurred that fateful day.
“October 3 and the battle of Mogadishu remains one of the greatest days of my life. I do not use those terms loosely or to imply that it was all positive, but to illustrate the monumental nature and impact the battle had on my life.”
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews