Black Hawk Down

Eversmann:
Nobody asks to be a hero, it just sometimes turns out that way.

Specialist Mike Kurth:
Don't do it lady!

"Hoot":
When I get home people 'll ask me, "Hey Hoot, why do ya do it man? Why? Just some war junkie?" Ya know what I'll say? I won't say a goddamn word. Why? They won't understand. They won't understand why we do it. They won't understand that it's about the men next to you, and that's it. That's all it is.

Struecker:
No one gets left behind, you know that.

Abdullah 'Firimbi' Hassan:
That's right! You Americans don't smoke anymore. You live long, dull and uninteresting lives.

"Hoot":
Y'know what I think? Don't really matter what I think. Once that first bullet goes past your head, politics and all that sh*t just goes right out the window.

Struecker:
It's what you do right now that makes a difference.

Smith:
I'm sorry.

Eversmann:
For what? You saved Twombly, you did it prefect.

Smith:
You okay Twombs?

Twombly:
Yeah, I'm okay, Jamie.

Eversmann:
See, you did what you were trained to do. You should be proud of that, be proud of that.

Smith:
Ev?

Eversmann:
Yeah.

Smith:
Do me a favor, okay? Tell my parents that I fought well today. And tell them that I... that I fought hard.

Eversmann:
You're gonna tell them yourself okay, Jamie?

Smith:
Are... are the humvees here?

Eversmann:
They're coming, Jamie. They're coming. You just gotta hold on for a little longer. Can you do that?

Smith:
I can, I can. It's nothing. It's nothing.

Durant:
Where's the rescue squad?

Shughart:
We're it.

Eversmann:
Remember, we're Rangers not some sorry-ass JROTC. We're Elite. Let's act like it out there. Hoo-ah?

Sanderson:
Are you alright?

Grimes:
Yeah, I can hear bells ringin'!

Grimes:
Oh, yeah, RIGHT!

General Garrison:
If we don't hold down this city we are gonna have 100 caskets to fill by morning.

Atto:
You shouldn't have come here. This is a civil war. This is our war, not yours.

General Garrison:
300,000 dead and counting. That's not a war Mr. Atto. That's genocide.

Grimes:
Why aren't you shooting?

Waddell:
We're not being shot at yet!

Grimes:
How can you tell?

Waddell:
A hiss means it's close. If you hear a pop, then

Waddell:
- now they're shooting at us!

Eversmann:
Look, these people, they have no jobs, no food, no education, no future. I just figure that we have two things we can do. Help, or we can sit back and watch a country destroy itself on CNN.

"Hoot":
Sergeant, you got your men this far. You did it right today. Now you gotta start thinking about getting them out of here.

General Garrison:
We just lost the initiative.

McKnight:
You, get up there and drive!

Othic:
But I'm shot Colonel!

McKnight:
Everybody's shot! We need the prisoners, let's go!

Todd Blackburn:
Well, I'm here to kick some ass.

Grimes:
I made *coffee* during Desert Storm.

Garrison:
Good luck boys. Be careful. Remember nobody gets left behind.

Grimes:
What's wrong?

Eversmann:
Nothing. It's just that he's never done that before.

Eversmann:
You okay?

Todd Blackburn:
Excited. In a good way. I've been training my whole life for this.

Eversmann:
You ever shot at anybody before?

Todd Blackburn:
No Sergeant.

Eversmann:
Me neither.

Durant:
Super Six One, go to UHF secure. I've got some bad news.

Cliff Wolcott:
Limo is a word, Durant. I don't want to hear about it.

Durant:
It is not a word. It's not in the dictionary.

Cliff Wolcott:
Limo is a word in common usage. That is the key phrase in scrabble, my friend.

Durant:
No! If it's not in the dictionary, it doesn't count.

Cliff Wolcott:
It doesn't have to be in the dictionary!

Durant:
It does have to be in the dictionary! Listen, when we get back to base, it's coming off the board.

Cliff Wolcott:
You touch my limo and I'll spank you, Night Stalker. You hear me?

Durant:
Yeah. Promises.

Dominick Pilla:
Colonel! Colonel! They're shooting at us!

McKnight:
Well shoot back!

Durant:
My government will never negotiate for me.

Abdullah 'Firimbi' Hassan:
Then perhaps you and I can negotiate, huh? Soldier to Soldier.

Durant:
I am not in charge

Abdullah 'Firimbi' Hassan:
Course not, you have the power to kill, but not negotiate. In Somalia, Killing is Negotiation.

Abdullah 'Firimbi' Hassan:
Do you think if you get General Aidid, we will simply put down our weapons and adopt American democracy? That the killing will stop? We know this. Without victory, there will be no peace. There will always be killing, see? This is how things are in our world.

"Hoot":
See you're thinking. Don't. Cuz' Sergeant, you can't control who gets hit or who doesn't or who falls out of a chopper or why. It ain't up to you. It's just war.

Dominick Pilla:
You say this is your safety? Well, this is my boot, soldier, and it will fit up your ass with the proper amount of force!

"Hoot":
Nice man, real smooth.

Gordon:
Single shot to the engine block.

Todd Blackburn:
Hey, there's a line.

"Hoot":
I know.

Todd Blackburn:
And this ain't the end of it.

"Hoot":
I know.

Steele:
Sergeant, what's the meaning of this?

"Hoot":
Just a little aerial target practice, sir. Didn't want to leave 'em behind.

Steele:
I'm talking about your weapon, soldier. Now Delta or no-Delta, that's still a hot weapon. Your safety should be on at all times.

"Hoot":
This is my safety, sir.

Sanderson:
Let it alone, sir. He hasn't eaten in a few days.

"Hoot":
Who's hungry?

Grimes:
Listen, kid, you look like you're 12.

Sanderson:
So where did they find you?

Grimes:
Behind a desk.

Grimes:
No really.

Eversmann:
You know, it's kind of funny. Beautiful beach, beautiful sun. Could almost be a nice place to visit.

"Hoot":
Almost.

Garrison:
You know, the last one of these guys shot himself in the head playing Russian-Roulette in a bar.

Matthews:
He now says that the house is a couple of blocks to his left, but he's scared if he gets any closer he'll be shot.

Garrison:
I'll f***ing shoot him myself a couple of blocks down!

McKnight:
Ok, we're going to have to turn 'em around and go back the way we came.

Maddox:
WHAT?

Eversmann:
What the f***, Smith?

Smith:
Well?

Eversmann:
"Well" what?

Smith:
We going out?

Eversmann:
Why should I tell you?

Smith:
Because I'm me!

Lorenzo Ruiz:
Don't go back out there without me. I can still do my job.

Steele:
Quick word, Specialist.

Dominick Pilla:
Sir.

Steele:
Tell me, Pilla. You understand why we have a chain of command, don't you?

Dominick Pilla:
Roger that, sir.

Steele:
'cause if I ever see you undermining it again, You'll be cleaning latrines with your tongue until you can't taste the difference between sh*t and French fries. Are we clear?

Dominick Pilla:
Hoo-ah, sir.

Grimes:
Fuuuuck this!

Maddox:
Sir, they're going to get us f***ing killed out there!

McKnight:
Just get it over with!

Dan Busch:
Looks good.

Tim "Griz" Martin:
It's improving.

Dan Busch:
But if I may make a suggestion... more of an observation.

Tim "Griz" Martin:
Go ahead.

Dan Busch:
It's a children's book. They aren't supposed to scare the living sh*t out of the children.

Eversmann:
You brought your gun?

Todd Blackburn:
Yessir! Want me to shoot? I'm rested.

Eversmann:
When'd you get in?

Todd Blackburn:
Just now, sir.

Garrison:
Is he sure this time?

Harell:
He sounds scared shitless.

Garrison:
Good. That's always a good sign.

Matthews:
What's the matter Danny? Something you don't like?

McKnight:
No Specter gunships, daylight instead of night... late afternoon when they're all f***ed up on Khat, only part of the city Aidid can mount a serious counter-attack on short notice...

McKnight:
What's not to like?

Harell:
Life's imperfect!

McKnight:
Yeah, for you two, circling above it at 500 feet it's imperfect. Down in the street, it's unforgiving.

Grimes:
These things are f***in' bullet magnets!

Atto:
I'm going to be late.

Nelson:
The Humvees ain't coming back for us, dude.

Michael Durant:
I'm not a ranger, I'm a pilot.

Grimes:
It's all in the grind Sizemore. Can't be too fine, can't be too coarse. This, my friend, is a science. I mean your looking at the guy who believed the commercials. You know, about 'be all you can be'.

Grimes:
Why are they burning tires?

Eversmann:
Signals to the militia, that we're coming.

Yousuf Dahir Mo'alim:
This food is the property of Mohammad Farid Aidid, go back to your homes!

McKnight:
What happened to him?

McKnight:
How'd he do that?

Abdullah 'Firimbi' Hassan:
Mohammad Farid Aidid... claims this prisoner... alive!

RQF out of the air space

Hoot:
Kilo 6-4, this is Kilo 1-1. Request permission to move to crash site number two on foot. Over.

Unidentified voice:
Green light, Kilo 1-1. Green light.

Hoot:
Stop the vehicle. Let me out.

Are you goin back out there.

It’s monday. Start of a whole new week

Osman Ali Atto:
I see not catching Aidid is becoming routine.

General William Garrison:
We're not leaving Somalia until we find him. And we will find him.

Atto:
(scoffing) You've been here, what, six weeks. Six weeks, you tried to catch the General. You put up reward posters. $25,000. What's this, gunfight at K.O. Corral?

Garrison:
It's O.K. Corral

Atto:
Don't make the mistake of thinking because I grew up without running water I am simple, General. I do know something about history. See all this? It's simply shaping tomorrow. A tomorrow without a lot of Arkansas white-boys' ideas in it.

Garrison:
Well, I wouldn't know about that. I'm from Texas.

Atto:
Mr. Garrison, I think you should not have come here. This is civil war. This is our war, not yours.

Garrison:
Three hundred thousand dead and counting. That's not a war, Mr. Atto. That's genocide.

[Troops are having an impromptu barbecue with a wild boar killed by Hoot.]

Captain Steele:
Sergeant, what's going on here?

Hoot:
Oh, just some aerial target practice, sir. Didn't want to leave it behind.

Steele:
I'm talking about your weapon. [points to Hoot's slung M4] Delta or no Delta, that's a hot weapon. You know better than that. Your safety should be on at all times on base.

Hoot:
[holding up his index finger] Well, this is my safety, sir. [bends finger and walks away]

Sanderson:
Let it go, sir. The guy hasn't eaten in a couple of days.

Steele:
You Delta boys are a bunch of undisciplined cowboys. Let me tell you something, Sergeant. We get on the five-yard line, you're going to need my Rangers. So you all better learn to be team players. We're done here.

Sanderson:
[stares at him] Enjoy your meal, Captain. [walks away]

[The Rangers make last-minute preparations for the mission; Grimes is filling a canteen.]

Nelson:
You're not gonna need that, dude. We're not out there long enough. [Grimes sets aside the canteen and starts to pack his NOD night vision goggles.]

Twombly:
You're not gonna need that, either. Might as well take dope and beer instead.

Grimes:
What?

Twombly:
Ammo, dude. Take ammo.

Nelson:
The Humvees ain't coming back, dude.

Twombly:
What? Were we supposed to go to them?

Nelson:
I thought they were supposed to come to us.

Twombly:
I think we're supposed to go to them.

Nelson:
Sh*t.

Twombly:
Okay, let's go to the crash site.

Nelson:
Okay. Just don't fire that thing so close to my head. I can barely hear as it is.

Twombly:
[sees a group of Somali militiamen closing in on them.] Sh*t! Get down! [fires a long burst inches above Nelson's head.]

Nelson:
What did I just tell you? I swear to God if you do that again - [Twombly fires on another group of armed Somalis] AAAAHHH!

Twombly:
You okay? Nelson, you all right?

Nelson:
WHAT?

[Goffena is over the second crash site; ground support keeps getting delayed.]

CWO Goffena:
There's a large crowd advancing six, seven blocks from the crash. Shughart and Gordon again request permission to secure until convoy arrives. Over.

Col. Harrell:
General, the crowd's in the hundreds now. From where they are they can see things clearer than any of us. They know what they're asking.

Gen. Garrison:
Let me talk to them. This is Garrison. I want to make sure y'all know what you're asking for, so say it out loud and clear.

MSG. Gary Gordon:
We're asking to go in and set up a perimeter until ground support arrives.

Garrison:
And you realize I cannot tell you when that will be? It could take quite a while.

SFC. Randy Shughart:
Roger that.

Garrison:
You still want to go in there?

Gordon:
Yes, sir.

Garrison:
Colonel Harrell, it's your call.

Harrell:
Roger that. Goffena, put them in.

SFC. Shughart:
[on radio] C-2, we're at the Six-Four crash site. Securing a perimeter. [to Durant] You all right?

CWO Durant:
Yeah, I'm good.

Shughart:
[handing him a weapon] You're locked and loaded. Any Skinnies come around these corners, you watch our backs. [He turns and starts outside]

Durant:
Hey - where's the rescue squad?

Shughart:
We're it. [exits]

[CWO Durant has been taken prisoner.]

Somali Militiaman:
You are the Ranger who kills my people?

CWO Durant:
I'm not a Ranger. I'm a pilot. [Durant declines a cigarette]

Militiaman:
That's right. None of you Americans smoke anymore. You live long, dull, uninteresting lives.

Durant:
What do you want with me?

Militiaman:
You have taken hostages. We... have you.

Durant:
My government will never negotiate for me.

Militiaman:
Then perhaps you and I can negotiate, huh? Soldier to soldier.

Durant:
I'm not in charge.

Militiaman:
Course not. You have the power to kill, but not negotiate. In Somalia, killing is negotiation. Do you really think if you get General Aidid, we will simply put down our weapons and adopt American democracy? That the killing will stop? We know this: without victory, there can be no peace. There will always be killing, you see? This is how things are, in our world.

[Hoot removes magazine from the dead Cpl. Smith's rifle.]

Sgt. Eversmann:
What are you doing?

Hoot:
We need the ammo. You did all you could here.

Eversmann:
They should've sent a medevac.

Hoot:
Well, right now we'd be out there defending another crashed chopper, and more men would get torn up.

Eversmann:
Maybe.

Hoot:
See, you're thinking. Don't. Because, Sergeant, you can't control who gets hit or who doesn't. Who falls out of a chopper, or why. It ain't up to you. It's just war.

Eversmann:
Yeah, well, Smith's still dead. If Blackburn hadn't fallen, none of this would've happened.

Hoot:
Would have, could have, should have - it don't matter. You'll have plenty of time to think about that later. Believe me.

[Sgt. Eversmann finds Hoot gearing up for a mission.]

Eversmann:
[in disbelief] You're going back in?

Hoot:
There are still men out there.