Reference To Khat Brought Back Memories

Dear Editor,

Interesting how a word will bring back memories, some good and some bad. I had not heard of Khat since 1993. Khat was the drug of choice of Mohammed Farrah Aidid’s fighters in Mogadishu, Somalia when my unit (160th SOAR) and our sister units lost several brave men during the Battle of Mogadishu (Blackhawk Down) trying to capture Aidid.

I have an annual calendar notice set at 4 p.m. on 3 October and stop every year to say a prayer for the families of my friends and brothers in arms that gave their lives that day and night. I’ll never forget the events of that night.

The Somali fighters carried small bundles of Khat twigs and leaves in their pockets and constantly chewed much like some of our ancestors that chewed snuff sticks when they dipped snuff.

Tommy Dorris
Hartselle, AL
WVHS Class of 1970
NSDQ