Bonjovi

Some of my older followers may remember Brad Halling, whom I have posted about before. However, since this month is the 30th anniversary of the Battle of Mogadishu, it seemed fitting to share his incredible story once again.

Halling enlisted in the US Army in the early 1980s and served with the 4th Infantry Division before attending Special Forces selection in 1982. While serving with the 7th Special Forces Group, Halling deployed to Honduras in 1983 as a military advisor. Halling would serve from 1984-87 with the 10th Special Forces Group, subsequently joining a classified Special Forces team based in Berlin.

In 1990, Halling was selected into the Army Special Mission Unit. His squadron would deploy to Somalia in 1993 as a part of Task Force Ranger. During the Battle of Mogadishu on October 3rd, Halling was severely wounded by a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) when it struck "Super 62," the MH-60 Blackhawk helicopter he was riding onboard. Due to this injury, his left leg had to be amputated above the knee.

However, thanks to his resilience and help from his teammates, Halling was able to return to the Unit, becoming the first above-knee amputee to remain on active duty through full Army retirement. He left the US Army in 2000 and became a certified prosthetist through a graduate program at the University of Connecticut. Following 9/11, Halling returned to Fort Bragg in 2003 as a civilian instructor, where he trained special operations soldiers.

In 2020, Brad and his wife Jess, a retired Army colonel, founded Brad Halling American Whiskey Ko. (BHAWK), which is set to open in Southern Pines, North Carolina, later this year.

Thanks to @bradhalling for these photos! Make sure to check out his page, which includes fascinating journal entries from his time in Somalia.

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