The United States Army has a long tradition of humanitarian relief. No such operation has proven as costly or shocking, however, as that undertaken in Somalia from August 1992 to March 1994. Greeted initially by Somalis happy to be saved from starvation, U.S. troops were slowly drawn into inter-clan power struggles and ill-defined "nation-building" missions. The American people woke up one day in early October 1993 to news reports of dozens of our soldiers killed or wounded in fierce fighting in the streets of the capital city, Mogadishu. These disturbing events of a decade ago have taken on increasing meaning after the horrific attacks of 11 September 2001. The Army began by assisting in relief operations in Somalia, but by December 1992 it was deeply engaged on the ground in Operation RESTORE HOPE in that chaotic African country. In the spring of the following year, the initial crisis of imminent starvation seemed to be over, and the U.S.-led Unified Task Force (UNITAF) turned over the mission to the United Nations, leaving only a small logistical, aviation, and quick reaction force behind to assist. The American public seemed to forget about Somalia. That sense of "mission accomplished" made the events of 3-4 October 1993 more startling, as Americans reacted to the spectacle of dead U.S. soldiers being dragged through the streets by cheering Somali mobs-the very people Americans thought they had rescued from starvation. This after action report, prepared shortly after the U.S. withdrawal by a working group including Lt. Gen. Thomas M. Montgomery, Commander of U.S. Forces in Somalia, provides an excellent summary of the series of events that drew us deeper and deeper into Somali internal affairs. It is preceded by a short historical overview of the U.S. involvement in Somalia written by Dr. Richard W. Stewart, a historian at the U.S. Army Center of Military History and a veteran of Somalia. The after action report concludes with a number of timely and insightful observations and lessons. We believe that this absorbing report will stimulate further interest in and study of this extraordinarily important U.S. operation.

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