NEVER FORGET: It's The 30-Year Anniversary Of Black Hawk Down

Tuesday marks the 30-year anniversary of the infamous Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia.

The events of October 3, 1993 - commonly known as Black Hawk Down - are forever carved into the minds of Americans and our proud military history.

A task force known as Task Force Ranger comprised of Army Rangers, Delta Force operators and other special operations warriors was deployed to Somalia to stop a genocide being carried out by warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid.

Hundreds of thousands of Somolians were dead from starvation and food had become a weapon. The Clinton administration along with the United Nations decided action must be taken, and America's best warriors were sent to take out Aidid and his clan.

It’s been 29 years since Black Hawk Down. (Credit: Public Domain, Wiki Commons)

It's been 30 years since the Battle of Mogadishu.

After lots of early success, October 3 turned into a nightmare straight out of hell. A mission was drawn up to capture some of Aidid's top men and it was conducted in broad daylight.

What should have been a quick snatch and grab turned into an absolute disaster after two helicopters were shot down in the city.

The mission pivoted from a snatch and grab to securing the crash site. A couple hundred Americans were now fighting a city turned loose against them.

Yet, they didn't run for their lives. They dug in and fought to the bitter end. The Rangers and Delta Force commandos fought like absolute dogs, despite being outnumbered in a city of 1.1 million people turned against them and fighting all the way into the next day.

By the time the dust settled, 18 Americans were dead and several more were wounded.

The heroism of Black Hawk Down represents American exceptionalism.

I've had the honor of getting to know several guys who fought in Black Hawk Down, and the thing that sticks out most to me is how little fear they showed when going back out in the street.

Brad Thomas, Jeff Struecker and Dan Schilling all pretty much tell the same story about getting back to the hangar and reloading. Everyone knew death awaited them on the streets of Mogadishu after the main convoy had already been shot to hell and two helicopters were brought down.

Yet, they got their guns, loaded as much ammo as they could possibly carry and got back out on the streets to save their friends and teammates. That's the kind of courage you can't describe with words.

It's a shining example of American exceptionalism.

Two of the battle's biggest heroes were Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart. The two Delta Force snipers inserted into Mike Durant's crash site on a suicide mission in hopes of buying time and saving Durant's life.

Both were killed in a last stand gunfight, and both earned the Medal of Honor for their selfless action. The scene depicting this moment in "Black Hawk Down" is always tough to watch, but worth it.

So, on this day, take a moment to remember all the heroes in Mogadishu 30 years ago. They fought to the bitter end to save their friends and teammates, and it's a shining example of why America's spirit remains unbreakable.