Our job does not involve quiet situations. For those there are other organisations.
Parachutist Staff Sergeant Giampiero Monti 183rd Parachute RGT 'NEMBO'
Wounded in combat on 2 July 1993 and awarded a silver medal for military valour.
Introduction by the Webmaster
Rebuilding the glories of 2 July 1993 was not easy. Not easy at all.
I think I have reached, after more than 20 years of research and with the collaboration (of course) of those who lived through that battle, a version very close to reality.
Of those who really lived it, because as the General Paolo Riccò in his book The Black Devils. The true story of the Battle of Mogadishu, the imperial way should have been "the motorway of the sun" if we count one by one all those who claim to have fought us.
The whole world, in words, has fought at pasta, over the years I have heard stories from people who had not even been to Somalia...
However, during my research I discovered that many things and many versions published left and right were far from reality.
There is a version published at the time in a well-known military-oriented monthly magazine, thus the most authoritative at the time, and also circulated on the web that even got the times wrong by reversing the chronology of the first two casualties.
Of course many things are missing in the reconstruction, that's all right. But before writing important details I made sure that these actually happened. Many things did not work properly that day.
It must be remembered, however, that we had been 'fasting' for fifty years, so it seems physiological to me... the last clash of this magnitude was at the end of the Second World War.
Despite everything, even that day, the Parachutists of Italy and the soldiers involved with them, have kept up theItalian Military Honour proving that they could bend yes, but never break.
But what really happened on 2 July 1993?
Let's take a closer look. It is 5 o'clock in the morning on a hot summer Friday. It is 2 July 1993 and we are in Mogadishu, Somalia, mission IBIS and the Alfa and Bravo groupings under the command of General Bruno Loi are ready to carry out yet another round-up.
Until June 1993, the Italian contingent had combed the entire area under its jurisdiction, but lacked the large Aliwa area, neighbourhood through which the Italians were constantly passing, having the Brigade command at Mogadishu, in the former Italian Embassy, in addition to the Italfor XX command at old port while the largest field at Balad, northbound.
Mogadishu and Balad are connected by the Via Imperiale, an artery that runs from the sea to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Built by the Italians in the 1930s, the Via Imperiale is the most important communication road in Somalia and along its route the Italians manned numerous checkpoints: bank, obelisk, national, demon, iron, pasta.
The check point pasta located at the intersection of imperial street and the 21 October Street takes its name from an old abandoned pasta factory overlooking the vast Aliwa district in the heart of the Mohamed Farah Aidid.
I started documenting the Battle in the 1998 when I heard about it from a friend Marshal from the 11th Leonessa Transmission Regiment who was present that day in the Somali capital.
I began to gather as much information as possible, both on paper in books (admittedly few at the time, and few even now) and electronically with the help of the internet.
Subsequently enlisting me at Folgore Parachute Brigade I was flattered to come into contact with those who had actually fought that battle.
Two furious battles were fought in Mogadishu at that time: that of the 3 October 1993 (from which the film Black Hawn Down) that saw American soldiers of the 75th Rangers and Delta Force deployed, and that of the 2 July 1993.
In recent years, information has come out that almost completely completes the 2 July puzzle.
But the most important piece of information still remains a mystery: we still do not officially know, and probably never will, why the Somalis reacted the way they did. It seems that an Italian intelligence team had located him, but it was not the Italians' intention to capture him.
Certainly not the paratroopers deployed by General Loi. Their task was 'only' to comb the area of the pasta factory, carry out the operation Kangaroo 11. The paratroopers had seized a large quantity of weapons and ammunition, that was THEIR job that day. Kangaroo 11, in a sense, had accomplished its mission. What happened next was not part of the operation. Hell, however, is always just around the corner in such cases.
But as always, wounded in the soul, the FOLGORE was not won that day either. Wounded, offended, but not won.
5:00 a.m.: the raking begins
Sunrise of 2 July 1993, the operation Kangaroo 11 is about to leave. It is the 5 a.m. and from Balad it starts to movehe Italian motorcade towards Mogadishu.
General Loi deployed an impressive force: 550 paratroopers and 400 Somali police, transported in VCCs and Fiat 6614s.
Supporting them eight armoured centaur B-1 of the Lancieri di Montebello and seven M-60 tanks of the 132° Ariete. The operation, divided into two groupings, Alfa and Bravo, is followed from above by the eA-129 Mangusta and AB-205 combat lycopters.
The dusty streets of the Somali capital are overtaken by the tracks of the Italian vehicles and after passing Check Point Pasta, the Italian military take up position inside the target zone, a 400 by 700 metre quadrilateral between "Pasta" and "Ferro", an Italian stronghold in a neighbourhood inhabited by Aidid's "Ha-ber-ghidir" tribe. The teams get out of their vehicles and the paratroopers seal off the area. Other teams, supported by the Somali police, begin house-to-house combing in search of weapons.
Tension between the two major Somali leaders, Aidid and Ali Mahdi, is very high and the warlords do not seem willing to put an end to the constant clashes, and there is a risk of clashes with the multinational contingent at any moment. This is precisely why the deployment put in place by General Bruno Loi is so impressive.
Our soldiers know that they are on a peacekeeping mission, but also that a peacekeeping operation between two factions hides considerable pitfalls. No one hopes for this, but anything can happen.
The round-up is almost over. The paratroopers, towards 6 e 30, They find a large cache of weapons: three Somalis are arrested and taken to the base for interrogation. But at this very moment, the situation escalates. Tension begins to mount and the first shots in the air begin to be heard, without however understanding where they are coming from.
The First Fallen
Only a few dozen metres before the end of the round-up and suddenly the Somali policemen disappear.
There is something differently tense in the air. A previously solid balance, the foundation of friendly relations between Somalis and Italians, seems to have suddenly broken down, giving rise to an unexpected wave of tension.
It is Friday, 2 July 1993, and it is 7.40 a.m. when, unexpectedly, the inhabitants of the neighbourhood begin to pour into the streets, hurling insults at the Italians. The first barricades become the stage for intense stone pelting and sporadic gunfire.
Today there is something different in the air. A previously solid balance, the foundation of friendly relations between Somalis and Italians, seems to have suddenly broken down, giving rise to an unexpected wave of tension. It is Friday, 2 July 1993, and it is 7:40 a.m. when, unexpectedly, the inhabitants of the neighbourhood start pouring into the streets, hurling insults at the Italians. The first barricades become the stage for intense stone-throwing and gunfire.
The Italian paratroopers try to keep calm; General Loi, in an attempt to re-establish control over the territory, orders intimidating firing actions. However, every attempt seems futile, with tension escalating momentarily. For the Italian contingent, the episode ends here, perhaps as a warning: the atmosphere is changing, even for the Italians.
But suddenly, the last part of the Italian column found itself blocked by new barricades, and the troops were caught in the crossfire.
Militiamen hide in crowds, in houses, on rooftops. This time it is a real armed clash. The harmony that had previously existed between Italians and Somalis has definitively broken down. After fifty years, Italy finds itself involved in an armed clash, in what should have been a peace mission.
Raiders from the Col Moschin. The Third Special Forces Company sends two detachments of paratroopers. Their task is to flush out Somali snipers and unlock the column pinned down under enemy fire.
A fierce fight began with volleys of SCPs and hand grenades. During yet another assault, at 9:30 about, is hit by a Kalashnikov volley the Colour Sergeant Major Stefano Paolicchi. He had just destroyed a mortar position with a pinpoint throw of two OD-82 grenades.
Shot in the spleen, in the only part not protected by his bulletproof vest, he shouted, dying, to the men of his squad to continue fighting. Transported to the hospital in Mogadishu, he died a few hours later.
It is the first victim of the 2nd of July.
Back to pasta
At this point, General Loi ordered the Bravo grouping, which had in the meantime almost reached Balad, to reverse course and return to Mogadishu, direction pasta to defend it against possible attacks: the men on duty at the garrison were left alone. Captain Riccò, commander of the 15th Black Devils Company of the 186th Par. Regiment Folgore, will recount in his book, He had already realised this during the retreat.
A column of vehicles was then created consisting of three AR76s that would lead the way followed by as many VCCs and two Centaur armoured cars. The Sgt. Maj. Monti asks to return to the Pastificio with his team. His paratroopers follow him voluntarily, among them Massimiliano Zaniolo. No one refuses to take part in the operation.
The column composed of the Parachutists of the XVth of 186th Rgt. and XIIth of the 183rd Par. Rgt. Nembo is approaching hell.
Eyes open, shot in the barrel and you arrive along the Via Imperiale. Further on, near an intersection, there is the check-point pasta, so called because it was set up near an abandoned pasta factory.
The road is initially deserted, on the sides of the carriageway the remains of barricades and a few burning cars, the echoes of the blasts can be heard in the distance. Beyond the crossroads there is an obstacle. Having arrived at 'pasta' the situation seems 'quiet', but three hundred metres further on barricades are being erected. Others are being built behind the column.
Trapped
Captain Riccò realises that he is trapped. He then takes the initiative and with his NCOs and paratroopers tries to clear the area by flushing out the Somalis one by one, house by house, roof by roof.
We are now in the thick of the fighting. The Italian paratroopers are gaining space, but more and more Somalis are arriving. It is clear that they are trying to surround them.
The armoured vehicles are arranged in a staggered position along the imperial route in order to ensure an effective crossfire.
Second Lieutenant Romeo Carbonetti on the first VCC, and Paratrooper Pasquale Baccaro on the second, fire their MGs, clearing everything in front of them. Seg. Maj. Giovanni Bozzini, on the other hand, holds the Browning on the third VCC. The armoured men began to advance, gaining metres.
However, more Somalis arrive, also firing from the pasta factory. One of the VCCs, that of the young second lieutenant Romeo Carbonetti, who exposes his flank to that source of fire, becomes a magnet for bullets. Now it is the Italians who are caught in the crossfire.
Then an instant. An instant that changes everything. The life and future of a group of young soldiers. They are the 10 and 40 of 2 July 1993.
From a side street comes a deadly shot. A RPG-7 hits the according to VCC and the hollow charge pierces the armour, hitting just above the top of the track. These are moments that seem years long. The Sgt. Maj. Bozzini immediately jumps out of the VCC, inside the vehicle it is hell: the hatch suddenly opens and the first injured people come out, the Parachutist Massimiliano Zaniolo first, with a devastated hand, behind him the Sgt. Maj. Monti with a ripped abdomen and deep wounds on his legs. But it is the Parachutist Pasquale Baccaro to the MG: his leg is torn off by the fire dart generated by the anti-tank rocket. He is laid out of the wagon, is still alive, but loses consciousness.
The wounded are placed in a nearby safety zone. However the Captain RIccò is convinced that if they could evacuate the injured quickly, Baccaro could be saved, perhaps even manage to reattach his leg.
Now, however, they must continue to defend themselves and counter-attack as the Somalis, galvanised by the RPG hit, come forward. They intensify their assault, the shots ricocheting off the newly hit VCC, which is still exposed to the militia.
The vehicle is restarted, with difficulty, then removed from its position to avoid being hit again by anti-tank rockets.
Minutes pass, ambulances and rescue are blocked by the thick opposing fire and barricades.
A military helicopter tries to land nearby to pick up the wounded. The positions are marked with red smoke, but there is no chance: it tries twice, but is heavily targeted by Somali fire and has to fall back to base.
You have to do it yourself to get out of the situation.
It is in this, however, that something very serious occurs from a military point of view:
The Captain Riccò notes that its AR76 moves away along with other means including the blindo Centaur towards Pasta. The Battalion Commander and the commander of the 12th Leopardi Company were slightly injured by the wave of shrapnel from the rocket on the armour of the VCC of Baccaro. So the battalion commander considers a retreat to pasta taking most of the means and men with them, WITHOUT NOTICE The 15th Company. Now the Black Devils are alone, without a radio, placed on the AR76 (the one on the VCC communicated on different frequencies) and without the support of the Centaur armoured cars.
Approaching the 11 a.m. and the fighting continues unabated.
The paratroopers of the 15th Company fire volleys with their assault rifles and throw grenades to prevent the Somalis from taking over.
Meanwhile, Captain Riccò is already thinking about how to fall back. They are left alone, without being able to communicate by radio and with several wounded including Paquale Baccaro in a very serious condition.
But there is no more time for the young Apulian paratrooper: he will die in his arms within minutes while trying to quench his thirst.
She was 21 years old. She is the second victim of 2 July. But now we need to evacuate, and quickly. The situation is increasingly dangerous.
Fall back on pasta
The stricken vehicle is restarted, the wounded are loaded on board and the unit leaves the scene of the ambush while the entire neighbourhood is in revolt.
The Black Devils of the 186th Rgt finally reach pasta where they also find the Regimental Commander and other paratroopers. No one knows about the clashes and the losses incurred.
But the chaos, at pasta, reigns supreme. There are too many means and men concentrated in one space. Too much and too much confusion.
In these moments it is a whirlwind of sharp manoeuvres, gunfire, shouted orders. And everything within reach of the Somali militiamen who are about to complete the encirclement. There is fighting everywhere along the Via Imperiale, firing from the side streets, in particular from the pasta factory.
Meanwhile the Second Lieutenant Gianfranco Paglia climbs on the VCC led by Parachutist Renzo Polifrone and take the last wounded away from pasta with orders not to return.
A few dozen metres away the Parachutists Giuseppe Zivillica e Marco Vicenzetto were injured by Somali fire.
They lose a lot of blood and are unable to move: they lie on an armoured centaur car commanded by the Lieutenant Fabio Tirolo of the 8th Montebello Lancers Regiment.
The Parachutist Captain Emilio Ratti He observes the scene and although he has been ordered to stay put and wait for instructions by radio, he decides to use the armoured car to evacuate the wounded: the Tirol submarine refuses. He too is ordered to stay there.
But Captain Ratti does not stand for it. He gives an even more peremptory order, as Tirolo reported in a recent interview in a TV documentary, in these exact words:"Knight, there are two things, either you bring these paratroopers to safety or I shoot you." . Only then does the wagon start moving, however, encountering numerous barricades and gunshots.
Meanwhile, however, the Italian military at pasta are completely surrounded.
A-129 MANGUSTA helicopters and armoured personnel carriers request permission to use their weapons.
If the 105/51 mm of the M-60s and the 105/52 mm of the CENTAURO armoured cars came into action, and if the helicopters could fire the TOW missiles, the task of the troops on the ground would be facilitated and the siege broken with less risk for the IBIS soldiers.
But the General Loi does not feel like risking carnage. The cannon shots between the houses would surely cause a massacre involving innocent civilians. The authorisation to open fire does not come. "Identify and neutralise the centres of fire". Command replies.
This is a very risky job that can only be entrusted to professional soldiers. Snipers and positions are reported from the ground and from helicopters. On the VMs comes the QRF made up of operators from the Col Moschin, which has the most difficult task, that of silencing mortars and rocket launchers by attacking them with individual or team weapons, but without the support of heavy weapons.
Two detachments of raiders set up all the streets parallel to the imperial road, eliminating all the militia one by one.
A house-to-house fight against lurking militiamen develops.
During a release, the Staff Sergeant Stefano Ruaro, a paratrooper raider, is hit in three places in his lower limbs by a Kalashnikov burst while driving his VM.
He loses a lot of blood and has deep wounds in his legs and one arm, but hides behind a vehicle allowing his comrades to continue fighting.
In a total blizzard, with bullets spraying everywhere, the Incursors left a VM90T with the ignition keys inserted. The special forces were the only ones to have this type of vehicle with the Browning 12.7 in the wheelhouse. A group of Somalis takes possession of it.
The militiamen board the Jap, exult, run off with their booty and fire their powerful machine guns at the Italians. They immediately hit a helicopter AB 205 who will be forced to return to base.
However, they are spotted by a combat helicopter A-129 Mongoose led by the Captain Gianni Adami. The pointer frames them and asks for permission to shoot. Curses echo over the intercom, now the juggernaut disappears into the maze of alleys in the neighbourhood.
But the helicopter pilot does not let go of his prey. He flies skimming over the roofs of the houses, and although he is aware that he could be shot down, he engages in close combat. The Somalis react violently: they brandish their large machine gun and hit the helicopter in the front window.
The officer does not take it. The vehicle seems to disappear, but it is only a moment: it is seen again and this time targeted for shooting down. That VM, it will be later learned, carries several kilograms of C-4 explosives inside it, which are used by the Col Moschin Incursors.
The A-129 tilts, frames the target, asks for permission to fire. The "OK" comes. The pilot does not hesitate. The TOW missile hits him and, thanks to the presence of explosives on board, completely disintegrates him, killing all the occupants.
Around pasta the fighting continues unabated.
From old port a column of vehicles is formed to reach pasta again: a VCC-1 of the Carabinieri Parachutist Battalion TUSCANIA, one of the 186th Regiment with the pilot, Paratrooper Polifrone and the Lieutenant Paglia and an armoured CENTAURO of the 8th Lancieri di Montebello Regiment. They pass iron and launch themselves at full speed on the Via Imperiale.
A few obstacles parade in front of them, more gunfire and the Italian vehicles break through the barrier. The Second Lieutenant Andrea Millevoi is the crew chief of the CENTAURO, coordinates the action, sticks his torso out of the turret to better control the situation. He is hit by a volley and dies instantly.
They are the 11 e 30 and is the third victim of 2 July. Almost at the same time, Lieutenant Paglia was also shot.
Five minutes killing zone
The blindado of the Tuscania has already disengaged on the imperial street so that Polifrone's VCC and the Centaur armoured car arrive alone at pasta with one fallen officer (Millevoi) and one seriously wounded (Paglia). Captain Riccò could not believe his eyes: he had asked Paglia to stay at the old port, as he finds him lying dying in the vehicle. He gives orders to load the additional wounded onto armoured vehicles and instructs one of his second lieutenants to head back to the old port and never to return to the combat zone again. This time the order is more peremptory and so it will be.
The Italians, however, gradually disengaged. The incursors set up a security framework, but it is all very precarious. The militiamen receive new reinforcements and the Italian vehicles fall back on the orders of the Command, but from some positions, Aidid's men threaten the column.
The command still does not allow the use of heavy artillery.
The answer, however, comes from heaven: two Cobra helicopters of the quota US fly over pasta. On the radio you can hear "Five minutes killing zone".
Five minutes and everything within range of the cobras is a target to be shot down.
The Italians, some truly convinced that they would never get out of that situation, look up and notice the Cobras hovering (stationing) in front of the pasta factory.
A few minutes then fire at will. The old pasta factory is hit by missiles and 20mm bullets. It's time to leave pasta.
A column is formed, heading south, old port, through the imperial way, where the battle is still raging. The armoured vehicles overrun it, while Captain Riccò, together with Sergeant Major Bozzini, have to fight yet another battle within a battle before arriving at the old port with the badly tanned Fiat AR76. The whole story about the incredible 2 July 1993 of Captain Paolo Riccò and his devils in the book at this link.
They are about 13.00 and the Italians leave the area and the checkpoints pasta e iron. Keeping them in that condition would mean a pitched battle with the Somalis. The toll is tragic, with three Italians killed and twenty-three wounded.
But Aidid cannot sing victory. It paid dearly for the UNOSOM troops, with 187 killed and more than 400 wounded in the clash, proving that the action of the Italian military, although severely limited, was effective.
From 2 July onwards, nothing will be the same in Mogadishu.
Copyright photo: book 'The Flight of the Ibis
