On October 3, 1993, in the course of the Battle of Mogadishu, U.S. Army Grasp Sergeant Gary Gordon—a local of Lincoln, Maine—gave his life to avoid wasting the crew of a Black Hawk helicopter that had been shot down over the town. Realizing that the injured crew couldn’t survive an advance of enemy forces with solely aerial protection, MSG Gordon requested that his helicopter mission commander deposit him on the bottom to defend the wounded crew. The mission commander twice refused, as a result of excessive hazard, however relented on MSG Gordon’s third request due to his persistence and forceful ardour.
As soon as on the bottom, MSG Gordon, together with fellow sniper Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart, fought their option to the injured crew, extracted all 4 injured troopers from the gun-shot riddled plane, and fought valiantly till out of ammunition. It’s estimated MSG Gordon and SFC Shughart killed greater than 25 enemy forces earlier than they have been killed, saving the lives of the crew. Their extraordinary heroism gained widespread recognition as the topic of the guide and film Black Hawk Down. For his bravery, Gary Gordon was awarded the nation’s highest army honor—the Medal of Honor—posthumously.
Over time, I’ve attended quite a few commemorative occasions in honor of MSG Gordon. Most lately, I attended the revealing ceremony for MSG Gordon’s Medal of Honor Memorial in Lincoln in August 2021. The ten-foot bronze statue was commissioned by the City of Lincoln and the Special Forces Charitable Belief, and it displays the everlasting gratitude and respect they’ve for MSG Gordon.
MSG Gordon represents one of the best of Maine and one of the best of America’s service women and men. That’s why I lately wrote to Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, urging him to call a DDG-51 destroyer constructed at Bathtub Iron Works after this Medal of Honor soldier. From the patriots who gained America’s independence to the heroes of our time, many ships of america Navy bear the names of those that have demonstrated extraordinary valor within the protection of freedom. There isn’t any doubt that MSG Gordon is deserving of this honor.
In my letter, which was signed by my Maine congressional colleagues together with Gov. Janet Mills, we emphasised that MSG Gordon’s service and sacrifice encapsulate American heroism and braveness. His story is one which needs to be honored and remembered by naming a Bathtub-built warship the USS Gary Gordon.
Throughout my service within the Senate, I’ve had the chance to take part in lots of U.S. Navy ship christenings at BIW and have seen the satisfaction officers and crew have of their ship’s namesake. The warfighting functionality of a DDG-51 Arleigh Burke class destroyer exemplifies MSG Gordon’s preventing spirit and could be an inspiration to all who would have the privilege to serve aboard the USS Gary Gordon. With such a namesake, the crew of the ship could be impressed to serve with the identical perseverance and bravado as MSG Gordon.
The integrity, devotion to obligation, and braveness that outline MSG Gordon have been solid proper right here in Maine, in his household and his group. A memorial to MSG Gordon that stands in entrance of the Lincoln City Workplace describes a particular fraternity whose “frequent bond is unusual valor.” These are becoming phrases to commemorate a Medal of Honor soldier who fought with distinctive heroism and who gave his life in order that his comrades would possibly reside. Wherever it sails, a U.S. Navy ship named in his honor could be a strong reminder that our nation has been blessed all through our historical past by bizarre residents who possess the character and the power to do extraordinary issues.
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