Michael Durant

Although Michael Durant was brutally beaten, witnessed the deaths of his allies, and taken hostage in Somalia, he is inclined to fly back and aid the dying country if the chance ever arose. On October 3, 1993 while piloting an MH-60 Blackhawk in Mogadishu, he and his Super 64 crew were shot down by an RPG (Rocket-Propelled Grenade) during "The Battle of Mogadishu" in the campaign to capture the Somalian warlord, Mohamed Farrah Aidid, also known as, "Operation Gothic Serpent". Durant was taken prisoner (POW: Prisoner of War). however his unit wasn't as fortunate, and they were killed by the enraged militia. The few that possess the bravery to fight on the front line, the selflessness to sacrifice their lives for their country, and the strength to survive through fatal moments are the soldiers of the world, one being Michael Durant. 

Durant fought bravely in various heated battles which many have dreaded over for days. An example of Michael's bravery is after he was released from Somalia:

"After getting his legs back under him, he endured 10 months of grueling training. And he showed them, all right. He even beat several guys from his unit. It took him only 3 hours and 37 minutes to finish the 26.2 miles. Not world class time, but certainly faster than the average runner. He'd come a long way, but at the finish line, he just wanted to get back in that cockpit and fly once again."("NaVOBA")

The injuries Durant suffered should've kept him from enduring the physical activities he participated in, but he denied the pain, and his dedication to protecting the country granted him the strength to continue doing so. Although the fatalities of war should of driven him away from the thought of re-enlisting, he pushed pass the fear, pain and thought of the ones he would protect. Mike's brave deeds earned him the honor to acquire the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, three Air medals, and the POW medal. A few years after retirement, Durant spoke of why he joined the military:

 "I think pretty much without exception, what I've heard described as a feeling of I'm not fighting for my country anymore, I'm not fighting for my paycheck, I'm not fighting for the flag, I'm fighting for the guy next to me. I'm fighting for my comrades. I'm gonna do whatever it takes so that we get out of this alive."(PBS) 

Durant quotes that he's not fighting for the pay, but for his brothers in arms and their families. He fights for the ones that can't fend for themselves.

Enlisting in the military is an immense sacrifice to anybody in the world. Michael would've had a peaceful life with his wife and children, but instead his unselfish manner allowed him to choose his country over safety: "USA born July 23, 1961 in Berlin, NH. He entered the United States Army in August 1979. Following basic training and AIT at the Defense Language Institute, he was assigned to the 470th Military Intelligence Group, Fort Clayton, Panama as a Spanish voice intercept operator. He was accepted and attended the Warrant Officer Basic Course followed by Primary Flight Training at Fort Rucker, Alabama."(Waller). Durant was born in 1961 and entered the military at the age of eighteen, a young age. He was dedicated to his flag and thought of the ones he would protect before his own safety. After his release he was mortally injured by his captors, yet expresses his compassion towards them during an interview: "Given his level of skill and experience, would he return to Somalia to fly in aid if the opportunity arose today? He laughs. 'You caught me off-guard with that one,' Mr. Durant says. 'You know that is something that as an individual I would absolutely be willing to do. However, I would have to factor in what my wife's thoughts on that are.'"(Dilley.) Even when the civilians and militia were nothing but hostile and relentless to him, he would still go back and restore peace within the country.

Not only was Durant a peaceful soldier, but he was an even better survivor. When he was a hostage in Somalia he received severe beatings and horrendous treatment: "The impact broke his femur and injured his back... As a prisoner, Mr. Durant was treated with 'hostility across the board'... 'I suffered diarrhea, and being immobile it created quite a mess,' he adds."(Dilley). The helicopter crash caused him to break his femur and injure his back, and the deaths of the men in his unit, but he surprisingly survived. As Mike said, he was treated with hostility throughout the city such as coming from women, and men with guns. In addition to his survival, is when he was found by the helicopter crash: He survived but was severely injured in the crash: "He was beaten by a mob on the streets of the city and sustained 11 days of captivity by a Somali warlord. Through the streets of Somalia, Durant survived various beatings and was discharged after 11 days of his captivity"(NaVOBA). Because he was an American soldier, he was treated with hostility from the civilians of Mogadishu. He survived eleven whole days in a life-threatening city.

Soldiers are guardians, our leaders through perilous events, and the Army Rangers live by their motto, "Rangers lead the way". Because of his job, Durant encountered various hardships in a single evening, and the one he's most commonly acknowledged for is being the captive of the Somalian militia. During heated medevac missions, Mike bravely saved numerous lives, survived captivity in a hostile environment, and protected his country. Because of Durant's sacrifice to his country and his strength to meet death, and refusal to die makes him a hero.

        "He was trying to convey in a lighthearted way that he was okay, to lessen their worry for him. At the bottom of the note he wrote,'NSDQ'. Durant stayed down until the next day when he heard his wife Lorrie's voice on the BBC. What she said were the four words that brought tears to his eyes. What she said were the four words whose initials the pilot had penned at the bottom of his note. Lorrie said, 'Like you always say, Mike, Night Stalkers Don't Quit.' His message of defiance had gotten through."(Bowden 393)

Durant risked his life unnecessarily, and suffered for us, so he deserves to be remembered as a hero even after he takes his grave.

Works Consulted

Kristof, Nicholas D. "Let them be P.O.W.'s.(prisoners of war status for detainees in           Cuba)(Column)." New York Times 29 Jan. 2002: A27(N); A21(L). Global Issues In            Context. Web. 9 Dec. 2013.

Michael J. Durant." Contemporary Authors Online. Detroit: Gale, 2006. Biography in Context.     Web. 9 Dec. 2013.

Waller, Douglas. "DURANT." DURANT. N.p., Apr. 2002. Web. 10 Dec. 2013

American Valor." PBS. PBS, 11 Nov. 2003. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.

Dilley, Ryan. "Black Hawk Survivor 'would Return to Help Somalis'" BBC News. BBC, 08 Sept.             2011. Web. 12 Dec. 2013.

NaVOBA - National Veteran-Owned Business Association." NaVOBA. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2013.

Bowden, Mark. "Blackhawk Down"