Col. Larry Perino, Col. Lee VanArsdale, and Command Sgt. Maj. Kyle Lamb recently sat down with the Modern War Institute at West Point to discuss the Battle of the Black Sea. They participated in Operation Gothic Serpent which the public is largely familiar with through the book and film “Black Hawk Down.” The interview contains a terrific overview of what happened in the lead-up to October 3rd, 1993, when Delta Force operators and Rangers were pinned down and engaged in a massive firefight with militias in Mogadishu. Also in the interview are some outstanding notes from Sergeant Major Lamb and Colonel Collins (the moderator) about tactical planning, manifesting troops, how over-planning for operations can slow things down on target, and comparing missions in Mogadishu to later missions in Iraq.
This article originally appeared on NEWSREP.com