Summary
- Pilot Mike Durant was captured and held hostage for 11 days by Somali troops during the Black Hawk Down incident.
- The Black Hawk Down movie accurately depicts Durant's capture and the events leading up to it, including the death of his friend and fellow pilot Wolcott.
- Despite his injuries and being told he would never fly again, Durant continued his career as a pilot, retired with over 3,700 flight hours, and went on to have a successful post-military life as an author, CEO, and politician.
Mike Durant is a real-life military pilot and a key figure in the movie Black Hawk Down. Ridley Scott's 2002 war movie tells the harrowing story of the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, which was a two-day fight between American forces and the Somali National Alliance (SNA). The initial purpose behind the mission was to apprehend the top lieutenant of SNA leader, Mohammed Farah Aidid. However, the simple mission turned into a disaster when two American Black Hawk helicopters were shot down by SNA forces, leading to a desperate rescue mission for the crew and stranded soldiers. Mike Durant was the pilot of one of those helicopters and was taken hostage after the crash.
In the Oscar-winning movie, Ron Eldard played the role of Durant alongside Black Hawk Down's cast of young stars and talented newcomers, which included Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Nikolaj Coster Waldau, and Tom Hardy. Black Hawk Down focuses almost entirely on the battle, and while it shows the moment Michael Durant was captured by SNA forces, it doesn't give many details about his captivity, his eventual release, or his life afterward.
Black Hawk Down is available to stream on Paramount+.
Pilot Mike Durant Was Freed After 11 Days During The Black Hawk Down Incident
The Movie Portrays Michael Durant's Ordeal Fairly Accurately
Black Hawk Down depicts the events that led to Mike Durant's capture with historical accuracy. The first Black Hawk helicopter that was shot down during the mission was piloted by Cliff "Elvis" Wolcott. Played by Jeremy Piven in the movie, Wolcott is depicted as being friends with Durant with the two arguing over their helicopter radio about the rules of Scrabble. Sadly, Wolcott was killed in the crash, a moment that turned the operation into a rescue mission as forces went in to save the survivors.
As the fighting continues, the movie then depicts the moment Durant's Black Hawk was hit. While Michael Durant initially felt the helicopter was undamaged, it soon failed, causing it to crash. Also accurate within 1993's Black Hawk Down, Delta snipers Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart volunteered to enter the hostile area to check for survivors. Unable to move Durant due to his injuries, the three men held off SNA forces until Gordon and Shugart were killed and Durant was captured.
Michael Durant was held prisoner by the Somalian troops for 11 days. He was forced to participate in an interrogation video after being shot in the arm by one of the Somalian militants. The video was subsequently released, making international headlines. He was eventually freed and rescued by the International Red Cross, who took him to Germany to begin his long road to recovery. Durant had broken his back and leg so badly during the Black Hawk crash that doctors told him he would never be able to fly again.
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Everything Mike Durant Accomplished After Retiring From The Army
Michael Durant's Career Didn't End After The Events Of Black Hawk Down
Michael Durant was determined to prove that he was still his formidable self after the crash seen in Black Hawk Down. He was given a rod inside his leg after being rescued, which he had taken out in 1995 in order to run the Marine Corps Marathon that year. He defied doctors' expectations and continued to be a pilot in the United States military until 2001 when he retired with more than 3,700 flight hours.
The real Michael Durant that the Black Hawk Down character is based on is a highly decorated war hero and veteran. He has earned prestigious honors, such as the Prisoner of War Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Distinguished Service Medal, which highlights exceptional performance in duty and service.
Currently 62 years old, Durant retired from the military and moved to Alabama where he gave lectures on military helicopter piloting. He also counseled actor Ron Eldard to prepare for the role in Black Hawk Down. Durant later went on to write two books, In the Company of Heroes and The Night Stalkers, the latter co-written with Steven Hartov. He also became the CEO of an engineering company before deciding to begin his political career in Alabama. Durant ran in the Alabama Senate election in 2022. He and his wife Lisa, also an army aviator, have six children and continue to live in Alabama.
Black Hawk Down
- Release Date
- January 18, 2002
- Director
- Ridley Scott
- Cast
- Jason Isaacs , Eric Bana , Josh Hartnett , Ewan McGregor , Tom Sizemore , Tom Hardy , Hugh Dancy , Orlando Bloom
- Runtime
- 144 minutes
- Writers
- Ken Nolan
-
Black Hawk Down
- Summary:
- 160 elite U.S. soldiers drop into Somalia to capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord and find themselves in a desperate battle with a large force of heavily-armed Somalis.
- Release Date:
- 2002-01-18
- Assistant Director :
- Terry Needham
- Budget:
- $92 million
- Cast:
- Jason Isaacs, Eric Bana, Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore, Tom Hardy, Hugh Dancy, Orlando Bloom
- Cinematographer:
- Slawomir Idziak
- Director:
- Ridley Scott
- Distributor :
- Columbia Pictures
- Genres:
- War, Drama, History
- Website:
- https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/blackhawkdown
- Producer:
- Ridley Scott, Jerry Bruckheimer
- Production Company:
- Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Revolution Studios, Scott Free Productions
- Rating:
- R
- Runtime:
- 144 minutes
- Sfx Supervisor:
- Tim Burke, Neil Corbould
- Writers:
- Ken Nolan
- Main Genre:
- Drama
