Randy Shughart | |
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Shughart, during his tenure as a Sergeant First Class.
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Birth name | Randall David Shughart |
Nickname(s) | "Randy" |
Born |
Lincoln, Nebraska |
August 13, 1958
Died | October 3, 1993 Mogadishu, Somalia |
(aged 35)
Place of burial | Westminster Cemetery Carlisle, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/branch | United States Army |
Years of service | 1976–1993 |
Rank | Sergeant First Class |
Unit | 1st SFOD-Delta |
Battles/wars |
Operation Just Cause Battle of Mogadishu † |
Awards |
Medal of Honor (posthumous) Purple Heart |
Randall David "Randy" Shughart (August 13, 1958 – October 3, 1993) was a United States Army soldier of the elite special operations unit, 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1SFOD-D), also known as "Delta Force". Shughart was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Battle of Mogadishu on October 1993.
Shughart was born on August 13, 1958, in Lincoln, Nebraska, into a U.S. Air Force family. After his father, Herbert Shughart, left the Air Force, the Shugharts moved to Newville, Pennsylvania, to live and work on a dairy farm.
Shughart joined the Army while attending Big Spring High School in Newville, entering upon graduation in 1976. After completing basic training, he successfully completed AIT (advanced individual training), Airborne School, and in 1978 was assigned to the 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, at Fort Lewis, Washington. Several months later he completed a pre-ranger course (currently known as SURT, Small Unit Ranger Tactics), was granted a slot to attend Ranger School, graduated, and earned the Ranger Tab. Shughart left active duty and went into the Army Reserve in June 1980. In December 1983, Shughart returned to active duty and the following year attended Special Forces training. Shughart was assigned to "Delta Force" and was transferred to Fort Bragg, North Carolina in June 1986. As a Delta Force operator, he advanced to Assistant Team Sergeant.
Shughart was deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia, in 1993 as part of Task Force Ranger. On October 3, 1993, during Operation Gothic Serpent, an assault mission to apprehend advisers to Mohamed Farrah Aidid, the Black Hawk helicopter with the call sign Super Six-One was shot down in the city. A Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) team came to secure it. Then, a second Black Hawk helicopter, call sign Super Six-Four, was shot down.