Michael Durant
|
|
Michael 'Mike' J. Durant is the American pilot that was held prisoner after a raid in Mogadishu, Somalia on October 3, 1993. Durant is a native of Berlin, New Hampshire and served on the United States Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Night Stalkers) as a Chief Warrant Officer 3.
Michael_durant_Nov_2002.jpg
Biography
Durant was the pilot of Super Six Four, the second UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to crash on the October 3, 1993 Battle of Mogadishu. The helicopter was attacked by a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) and although the aircraft remained stable, a few minutes later it began to malfunction, which led to its crash about a mile southwest of the raid's target.
He was badly injured, but survived the crash. Shortly after the crash, two US soldiers arrived and fought off the advancing Somalis, but they eventually were shot and killed. The Somalis captured Durant and held him for several weeks. He was eventually released.
He retired from the military. He now offers seminars to military personnel about helicopter maneuvering and Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) operations.
Durant also offers talks about the account of the raid and the experiences he had as in captivity. He personally offered an extensive chat to actor Ron Eldard, who interpreted Durant in the movie Black Hawk Down — which chronicles the events of the raid.
In 2003, Durant published a book titled In The Company of Heroes in which he chronicles his military career and his captivity.
Mike Durant is also often confused with the bass player from Green Day Mike Dirnt.
Durant was a member of the Bush-Cheney '04 Veterans Team.
Works
- Durant, Michael & Hartov, Steven. In The Company of Heroes. ISBN 0399150609. Putnam Pub Group. May 8, 2003.