"Black Hawk Down" site revisited 20 years later

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Lara Logan reports on a defining moment in the history of U.S. Special Operations: the first battle between American forces and al Qaeda.

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The following script is from "Super 6-1" which aired on Oct. 6, 2013. The correspondent is Lara Logan. Max McClellan, producer.

60 Minutes Web Extra

It was a defining moment in the history of U.S. Special Operations and it was the first time American forces faced al Qaeda in battle. You may remember it as "Black Hawk down," a phrase immortalized on the battlefield in Somalia 20 years ago this past week.

Super 6-1 was the call sign of the first Black Hawk helicopter to be shot out of the sky that day, setting in motion a series of events that remain seared into America's memory: the sight of U.S. soldiers being dragged through the streets, the capture of a badly wounded American pilot named Mike Durant.

When the fighting ended, America pulled out of Somalia with the dead and wounded, but left behind the wreckage of Super 6-1. Tonight, you are going to see and hear things about that day you never have before and meet an American couple determined to bring home a lost piece of American history.

To get to the crash site of Super 6-1, you have to travel into the Bakara market, the worst part of Mogadishu.

David Snelson: There's still people there very sympathetic with the Shabab.

Lara Logan: Which is basically al Qaeda in Somalia?

David Snelson: It's al Qaeda in Somali.

David Snelson is a former warrant officer for U.S. Army Intelligence, and he's been running a private security company here with his wife, Alisha Ryu, for the past three years. He took us to the crash site with a small army of 20 armed guards.

Lara Logan: So the biggest threats here really are IEDs, homemade bombs?

David Snelson: IEDs. VBIEDs. Or vehicle IEDs.

The violent history of this ancient Arab city is written in the ruins that still dominate these streets. Somalia has been a country without a government for most of the past two decades and it's only now beginning to emerge from the chaos. David's guards set up a ring of security when we got to the site.

David Snelson: It's just down over here, right, right here.

Lara Logan: Oh my gosh. This tiny little alleyway?

David Snelson: It's just this tiny alleyway.

There's nothing marking the spot, just a sense of history and the knowledge that this epic battle unfolded right here where Super 6-1 came down. You can see where the wreckage was laying in these haunting images taken in the days after the battle. The smashed hulk of the main rotor was right against the wall where we were standing.

David Snelson: In fact, I'm relatively confident that this, this section of the wall was probably damaged in the crash and just never been repaired.

How it ended up here began with a top secret mission. A task force of U.S. Special Operations troops were sent in to hunt down a violent warlord, Mohamed Farrah Aidid, who was preventing U.S. and UN troops from feeding starving Somalis.

Norm Hooten: The mission that day was to capture key leaders of his executive staff. We had all of his executive staff at one meeting which was very rare. Usually you get one or two but to have 10-12 key leaders in one spot was, was just, was just something we couldn't turn down.

Norm Hooten was one of the special operators leading the assault force that day and in 20 years he has never spoken publicly about the battle.

60 Minutes was able to obtain this surveillance video which has not been seen publicly until now. Here you can see the very beginning of the mission. Hooten was flown in on one of these "Little Bird" helicopters to the target building, which was quickly enveloped in clouds of dust.

Lara Logan: How well did you and your men execute that main-- the main objective of the mission?

Norm Hooten: It was flawless. From the time we set down to the time we called for the helicopters to come back and get us, I would say it was no more than five minutes and it was over.

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by tedy83 October 7, 2013 1:36 PM EDT: I just sent in a comment but if permitted I wish to modify it. Ms. Logan stated that Mogadishu is an ancient Arab city. It is an ancient Somali city. The Somalis are not Arabs black Africans. She also referred to its violent history. When I lived there as a Peace Corps volunteer in 1966,7 Mogadishu was a peaceful city in which I could walk anywhere day and night without being hassled. In fact the whole country was peaceful. Disputes were settled by elders. But trouble was in the wings as first the Soviets and then we supported a dictator who overthrew Somalia's freely elected parliament.; Reply to this comment


by tedy83 October 7, 2013 1:26 PM EDT: Lara Logan claimed that Mogadishu is "an ancient Arabic city". As a former Peace Corps volunteer who lived in Mogadishu for the better parts of 1966,7 I can assure you that Mogadishu is not an Arabic town but an ancient Somali city. The Somalis are not Arabs but black Africans.; Reply to this comment


by F111ECM October 7, 2013 12:24 AM EDT: It's real simple. All of the US Forces that were there in country that day and time were hung out to dry. This should never have happened and when it started to happen those on the opposing side to the the UN forces who were responsible for starting this fight should have been clobbered with everything we had. This country and the western world have been fighting with different factions in the Middle East for over 35 years now. When will it end?; Reply to this comment


by cabinfever2013 October 6, 2013 11:02 PM EDT: I am watching this piece on the Blackhawk and thinking... what matters here? what is the story? Is it the fact that 100 people were killed needlessly to recover two dead bodies? No.... it's all about recovering pieces of twisted metal. That is twisted.; Reply to this comment


by monalois October 6, 2013 8:28 PM EDT: I just want all those that were there that it matters to me too. Me and many others. It matters!; Reply to this comment