Black Hawk Down Major Jeff Struecker | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 120
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- čas přidán 2. 06. 2024
- In 1993, U.S. Special Operations Forces were sent to Somalia to capture war criminal Mohamed Farrah Aidid - a mission made famous by the movie "Black Hawk Down". For many, the movie's a glimpse into what really happened - but for Jeff Struecker, it's merely a shadow of a memory he's been remembering for 29 years. Because Jeff Struecker was there during the Battle of Mogadishu, and he remembers everything. Frankly, between serving 23 years in the military, raising five kids, earning a PhD, authoring six books, hosting a podcast, and leading the fine members of his congregation every single Sunday morning, it's still difficult to forget. That's why he's sitting down with Mike to tell his side of the story - the real story - and get to the bottom of how it all happened.
Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
2:10 - Best thing about being a pastor
3:55 - Favorite childhood memory
4:50 - Last book
7:50 - First three hours of the day
8:40 - Distance running and mountain biking
10:10 - Raising awareness on veterans suicide
13:25 - Growing Up Divorced
26:00 - Training to become an Army Ranger
28:00 - Panama invasion
35:30 - Carnage in the Gulf War
39:30 - One of the worst things he saw in Desert Storm
41:30 - Leading up to Somalia
45:00 - First days in Somalia
50:30 - Being a combat leader in this type of environment
55:30 - Black Hawk Down
58:10 - Reviewing the Film
1:01:00 - Timeline of the 18-hour firefight
1:05:30 - Most intense firefight of his life
1:06:30 - Black Hawks shot down
1:09:00 - UN Armor arrives
1:10:30 - Funny moments during the fight
1:13:00 - Sun comes up
1:16:30 - Zombie tactics
1:20:00 - What the movie got wrong
1:25:30 - Number of dead
1:28:00 - After the fight
1:30:00 - Combat stops in Somalia
1:32:00 - Stick with the fight until you win
1:33:00 - After Somalia
1:36:30 - Silver Star
1:39:00 - Joining the ministry
1:40:00 - Becoming an Army Chaplain
1:41:30 - Theology school
1:44:00 - History of Christianity
1:50:30 - Violence among denominations
1:57:00 - What is it like to be a chaplain in combat?
1:59:00 - Firefights as a chaplain
2:02:00 - Fears of starting a holy war
2:04:00 - Casualty Notification
2:06:40 - Perspectives on everyday problems
2:08:00 - Other veterans that are chaplains
2:10:00 - Requirements to be a chaplain
2:13:00 - Confidentiality as a chaplain
2:14:30 - Why does God let bad things happen?
2:16:00 - Families taking out their pain
2:17:30 - Poor leadership
2:20:30 - Wrapping up
Support Jeff Struecker:
Website: www.jeffstrucker.com
Podcast - Unbeatable with Jeff Struecker: open.spotify.com/show/0Kh6usO...
CZcams: / jeffstruecker
Facebook: pastorjeffstruecker
Instagram: jeffstruecker
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I was homeless for about a year and half during High school, I could hear guys crying at night about being home sick and or hating the Army in Reception , I remember being able to eat at least 3 times a day and roof over my head and how awesome it was not having to worry about where my next meal was coming from
Hope your doing well now.
@@Johnson11c I'm doing pretty well for myself now
@@lw3894 eu não sei ler americanos mas não tive problemas em rebentar o significado
I hope your doing well now Trent. Thank you for your service
God bless 🙌 🙏 ❤️
When I was in boot camp at Fort Benning in 2004, I was given a small pamphlet written by Jeff Struecker about his experience during Somalia and Black Hawk Down. I remember reading it over and over.
Did you ever go the RUth Ann's on Veterans Pkwy?
This is one of the most genuine, solid men I've ever listened to.
My boss from my old job, Randy Thompson, was part of this operation. He’s the most down to earth army ranger I have ever met. Y’all are the real hero’s 🫡
On a side note....Mr Gen 5 LMFAO😂😂😂 what a clown. Who is Big 762😅😅😅😅 is that you as well? Good Lord you're a clown bro
I was a young LCpl in 1993 during Somalia Operation Restore Hope. And then it became Continue Hope... Ive read and watched several stories, books, podcasts, etc.. I have NEVER heard a better explanation of what and why we were there, how it turned into what it did, and how it all turned out....
Not only did my parents stay together (55 years now) but we lived in the same house from the day I came home from the hospital until the day I left for BCT in 2000 to serve my country. To top that off, I now own that same house, raising my kids here serving this same community as a firefighter. Crazy..
That's awesome and amazing. God bless you and your family.
@@wizzardofpaws2420 Thanks :)
lucky
Roots. And I would suspect a deep respect for the place you live and community you serve.
God bless America
Wow it took about 30 seconds of listening to this guy to realize he’s a solid fella. What a nice guy.
I love you having men of faith on the podcast Mike! Great interview!
Agreed, god bless
Amen. God Bless us All.
Amen
I agree! Definitely wish more men would speak out about their faith. It’s getting harder and harder to find true believers in this world.
@@messybunsguns1776 I'm not a Christian under any definition. That being said, I do deeply appreciate this man and men like him having conversations about life. He's not trying to convince people to convert. He is living his beliefs, and the world around him is a better place for it.
From my personal observations and understanding, true believers are hard to find because they are not broadcasting their beliefs to the world, calling for attention. They simply live them, and you know them not because they make a point of saying it. You know them because it comes out in context, either relevant to their beliefs, or where they were / what they were doing with their personal time.
These are the people of faith I truly appreciate and respect.
Around the 50 minute mark he gets really heavy. I had to rewind it and listen to it a few times. The picture he paints and the image that comes to mind, gave me goosebumps. It's crazy to live that experience and have those memories.
Had to stop and watch Blackhawk Down in the middle of listening to this, just to get a fresh picture of what he was about to talk about. Strikes me as a battle of a kind that few people have ever been in in the last 120 yrs or so. It certainly spawned some changes in the US military. It is a story that needs to be told and learned from, along with countless others. Thanks for telling it.
Absolutely love this podcast. This show and Shawn Ryan's show are the best.
These are 2 true hero's and patriot! So glad God blesses us with such amazing men!
I went through basic training in August of 2001,a co. 3/47,ssg Todd Blackburn was a drill Sargent in b co.,I got to the 82nd airborne division and captain Jeff struecker was one of our chaplains, I got to hear him speak at jrtc ,ft.polk LA.,a number of the senior nco's and officers served in the 10th mountain during the battle of Mogadishu.
lol what i jus said he was my chaplin at 504 back in 02
God Bless The Mike Drop podcast 🇺🇲🇺🇸🇺🇲
I hope you know Mr. Mike, God loves you more than you could ever know. I pray for you, and your family, that your podcast may be lifted up heights you didn't expect. Not that a tier 1 top shelf Navy Seal would ever need it, but I think I speak for the majority ( us common folk, the real American civilians), that we got your back. I just wanted to let you know whether I'm working, landscaping, or just going from point a to point b, I respect and appreciate hearing from all you warriors. The sense of humor is also top tier.
God Bless
Damn! Not a religious guy myself but much respect to the chaplain. Really enjoyed his time on here Mike. Thank you
I think he was the most articulate person to come on your show. One of my favorite episodes
One of few people It would be an absolute honor and privilege to meet....no not you Mike...oh ok...you too. Thanks for your service guys and your continued service to help our heroes in need(2 and 4 legs)
Great guest! Thank you, Mike!
I can’t believe I missed this interview. Out of all the amazing hero’s you give us the chance to briefly hear their story this is by far the greatest of all. It renews my faith to hear this story. Wow. Thank you both for this.
This is Amazing. Really really incredible. Maybe one of the best of all the top podcasters. This is awesome. Brother Struecker was my pastor's teacher when he was in seminary. He speaks of the things he was taught by this man with glowing reverence. I am personally thankful for Brother Struecker's life, and service. He has had major major impact on me and Others around me in ways we may not know until we meet again. Thank you Brother Struecker.
Holy shit this is going to be a great video
Mike, Thank you very much for letting Jeff share so much of his faith story. Great interview.
A true hero, and the type of man who is the backbone of our military.
when he explains why he doesn't fritter over this or that denomination, that they are all really just sects he impressed me deeply.
He’s a child killer
Dude, I’ve told you before, their are podcasts that are back ground, but only several that make you stop and listen, this is one of them. Masterful interview. Great guest. Thanks
Always.. always great guest and content Mike!!!!! Love your show brother. I hope you and your family had a great Thanksgiving!!
Mike, best podcast so far for me!! Thanks so much for Major Struecker being on your show!!
This was totally awesome! I'm truly speechless.. This was indeed one of the best interviews that I've ever seen on your channel!
This is one of the best podcast episodes I have ever listened to fantastic guest and Mike did an awesome job with the interview
Some of the most powerful content I've ever seen... Great Job just letting this guy go! When a person is this good at communicating you just listen....
That man is a true warrior, I can feel his love for the military and the passion he put in
This was one of the greatest guest you’ve had and the fact that you spent so much time on his life as a chaplain and his journey after his service was a awesome.
I have the utmost respect for major Struecker. The praise he gave to everyone else around him doing their jobs, and hearing him speak gave me goosebumps.
Bravo Zulu! One of my navy rescue swimmer squadron mates; Howie Wasdin, went into the teams and was there.
Such a powerful testimony to his faith. I see so many come out of service and they are jaded and find it difficult to understand how a loving God let’s so much evil prevail. That he was able to see and live through so much and still keep his faith is a testament that you just don’t see anymore.
Struecker served with my buddy. Heard great things about him, his career, and the type of leader he is. 👊🏼
The best interview ever! It. was so much more than an "interview". What great human and I could have listened to him all day. Thank you Mike for your time to put these out and for your dedication of service and patriotism to our country.. So appreciated.
Another high quality pod Mike. This was absolutely beautiful, so thank you!
Really solid show! Mike does a stellar job of extracting information from his guests.
Mike , another great interview . I remember going to watch Black Hawk Down in the theater and now listening Jeff recount this... really is amazing ! Fascinating to listen to a guy that was a warrior....and then a preacher .
Both of you are great men.thank you for your service and the love y'all have for our country
History in pure spoken form. Indescribable the importance of this episode of Mike Drop. Thank you.
Every time I hear one of these stories, I find myself quiet, appreciative and humbled. I am from a military family. All generations have represented our country as far back as the Revolution. I've heard all the stories, and I've watched the impacts that the more recent conflicts have on people I love. There's always one consistent thing: They are humble. They don't brag. They just tell you that they did the best they could and they would do it again. When I hear these particular types of guys talk, it's on a different level. Mr. Struecker kept saying how "all the other guys" deserved the credit. He was there too. He went through it just the same. But he never asks for credit. Professional warriors are a different breed. I wish we never, ever needed them. But I am sure glad we have guys like this on our side.
Good guest, mike....thank God you dona variety of guests. I've seen this 100 xs on all platforms,.but I like you're involvement, and the itinerary you have. Good stuff, my man. One of your best
Without doubt, one of your best interviews 👍🏻👊🏻🇺🇸
Thanks Jeff for sharing your amazing story. This episode was fascinating, educational, inspiring and makes me want to do more to help people. All the best for your fund raising ride in South Africa. I will be following. Mint podcast Mike as usual. My favourite weekly listen. Now to go watch Black Hawk Down. it’s been a while since I’ve seen it!
Outstanding interview, both of you are inspirational and the quality of the questions and delivery are directly responsible for the quality of the episode. Thank you both.
Thank you for what you and your guest do for our country.
I’m sharing this with a young man coming home on Christmas leave next week. He is a chaplains assistant and I am sure he will enjoy this as much as I did. Thanks
Mike - ONE of your all time best sessions/guests. My hats off to you both. EXTREMELY well done...
What an amazing dude. One of my all time favorite episodes. Well done as always mike.
I got to PT with Jeff when we were at RTB in '06-07. Dude is a beast and a great guy.
Thank you Mike. Great guest and interview. Best yet brother! Keep them coming.
Great show!!! Jeff good luck with the African bike race, it was a pleasure to hear your story! Thank you for your service and everything you do!
Mike Drop podcast always delivers. Best show in the internet
I was an Air Force Combat Loadmaster and SOLL II Operator, on C17's.
I had five years between Afghanistan and Iraq (2001-2006), ten years in total. I was blown up in Iraq, broke my back, and was medically retired. (100%T&P).
I am [now] a non-denominational Pastor at a cowboy church, where i was born and raised, in Texas (I grew up ranching).
This was one of your best if not THEE best interviews. For some reason I've never seen Black Hawk Down and I think it's bcuz I needed to see this first. Jeff, you did an outstanding job explaining and answering a lot of tough topics and I've no doubt God is saying well done good and faithful son. 5 stars!
This flew by! He is a great orator!
Great episode Mike with an epic guest. Jeff is a bad ass. Would love to know a pastor like him who keeps it real and has seen things that the vast majority will never see. He is a humble dude and he commands my respect.
Amazing interview. I always loved the black hawk down story and have so much respect for those involved. It was great to hear it from the source.
Thank you for your service.
This is definitely in my top 5 episodes, interesting and informative as could be 👍👍
What a great interview/show.
Powerful testimony! Keep up the great work Mike🙏
Great guest . He can really speak and convey a message really well . He is very articulate.
It’s cool seeing soft spoken characters that “be like” 3rd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment
What an episode. SUBSCRIBED! Can’t wait to watch more. What a wonderful guest. I watched the video well into the night.
The Mike Drop Podcast is one of the best Podcast on the interwebs
Phenomenal interview. The chat covered so much but was always enthralling. Mike, your range of questions was spot-on, which kept the interview focussed and interesting. Great job. Thanks to both of you.
Great interview. Thanks. We are proud of you.
My mom went to high-school with Mike Durant up in Berlin New Hampshire. She was folding laundry when she heard he was captured. I was about 6 years old. She eventually bought me his book (In the company of heroes). I've always been a military history buff.
It's crazy how intense these endurance events have become . Ultra marathons and such. The human fitness level for these people is off the scale
Fantastic interview, an incredible and harrowing story.. thank you so much for your service guys 🙏🏻
Thanks for having this dude !!! Such powerful content
Another awesome podcast Mike. Thank you and the Major. Keep'em coming buddy.
Ohhh man this is going to be a good one! Hell yeah
Mike, top 3 so far. Awesome episode. Thanks again.
kickass show Mike.This guy is an awesome human..Thanks Jeff.
I know nothing about the military. I’m kinda a hippy/tree hugger and don’t watch/listen to things like this, but my favorite movie is black hawk down. I was rewatching it last night and then this popped up on my feed and this was an amazing interview to listen too. Very informative and great conversation. I learned a lot and have watched a few more videos as well. Thank you for your service and great job on your channel.
Mike, thanks for this interview. Jeff....deep felt
Dayuum good interview!!! Thank you both
Great questions Mike. He became the best definition of a "man".
Mike, another great podcast/interview. Really appreciate you keeping it down to earth and finding the best of the best to talk to. Good stuff man
My Uncle was a well-connected Texas Attorney and served as one of the first OSS Officers throughout WW2. He never spoke about his activities, but never missed any annual OSS/CIA reunions. He took all of his stories with him about 25 years ago. RIP.
Absolutely awesome episode. Much respect to both of you.
Really enjoyed this one. The combat narration was great, but I really enjoyed listening to his transition to the chaplain. Haven't seen that in a podcast before. Thanks, guys.
Been following your podcast since day #1 got to say this had to be top 5, keep them coming
Amazing story from an amazing perspective
I really enjoyed this podcast. This is one of the best ones for me 💪
Solid interview. Very well done! Thank you.
This is my favorite interview of all of yours. I was in Mogadishu earlier than Blackhawk down, so that may make me biased. In any case, he was a great interview.
You bring out a very good point about unsung heroes. You have a very individual perspective and are a great story teller. I am sure many of us vividly remember the battle. Perhaps you might write a book detailing some of these acts of heroism.
Mike, thanks for your great service and for this program. Jeff's story is inspiring and unique. I need to look up his charity brother. Keep up the good work.
Rich
This was an awesome podcast!! They all are but this one was just intense! Being able to hear the story from one of the guys on the ground was eye opening! Thank u all for ur service!! 🙏🏽💞
What an awesome interview!
50:12 Well said Mike. Thank you both for this interview.
Impressive gentleman. Thoroughly enjoyed this interview.
I'm coming back to finish this podcast in the morning, been driving all.. day ..today
Pro Deo et Patria! Take the high ground sir!!
20 fucking minutes in, i would've loved to be his chap assistant. Great way to navigate that sir!
I hate when Mike drops these on Sunday night football but tonight I skipped the football
There’s been many notable Mike Drop guests. This one though was the best yet.
Always very interesting to listen to This podcast. I like it a lot. Greetz from Europe.