WTVM Editorial 10/05/21: Our Silver Star Heroes

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - Our own Fort Benning is where every Army Ranger trains.

Rangers are the best of the best and they prove it every time they face the enemy, especially when the battle is chaotic and ruthless.

That was definition of the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993, when two Black Hawk helicopters went down as part of an effort to capture members of a warlord’s inner circle.

The battle was so fierce and legendary that the movie Black Hawk Down was made to immortalize it.

For the 28th anniversary of the Battle of Mogadishu, 18 Army Rangers received the Silver Star, three of them posthumously, for the gallantry they displayed in Somalia.

10 of the 18 Rangers stood on stage at Fort Benning last Friday to receive the nation’s third highest service medal, given only to those exhibiting extraordinary bravery against enemy combatants.

Past recipients of the Silver Star include such famous military men as General John Pershing, famous soldier turned actor Audie Murphy, Former Secretary of State Alexander Haig, Senator John Kerry, Army Gen. George Marshall, and Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North.

Women have not been excluded from Silver Star awards: three Army nurses who served in World War I were recognized in 1918 as have recently deployed women in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Receiving The Silver Star is a high honor signifying bravery.

And we can never thank these soldiers enough for the training, discipline, and sacrifices they made during that deadly battle in Somalia, just as we can never thank all soldiers in every service branch for keeping us safe no matter where that chore takes them.

The Silver Star is awarded individually but it also seems to signify the leadership and team effort Rangers are known for…and we are proud of and thankful for each and every one of them.

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