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On this day in 1993, US Army Rangers and Delta operators engaged in the Battle of Mogadishu, better known toe the public as Blackhawk Down.  18 Americans would lose their lives in a fierce battle against huge numbers of armed enemies.

And seven years ago, 53 American soldiers emplaced in the incredibly vulnerable Combat Outpost (COP) Keating would defend against an attack by as many as 400 enemy fighters holding the high ground surrounding them. Eight American Cavalrymen would perish at the hands of the enemy.

In the grand scheme of things, these were both rather small unit actions. Indeed, neither fight actually met the doctrinal definition of a battle.

But both reveal much about the spirit of the American soldier.  Both fights, actions that in World War II wouldn’t have even merited a mention in the newspapers, yielded multiple awards of the Medal of Honor.

At Mogadishu, MSG Gary Gordon and SFC Randy Shugart died protecting CW3 Michael Durant. Both Gordon and Shugart would be posthumous recipients of the Medal of Honor.

At COP Keating, SSG Clinton Romesha and SSG Ty Carter would both be awarded the Medal of Honor for their efforts to save their fellow soldiers.