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Black Hawk Down soldier dies at 52

CSM Robert Gallagher, a veteran of the "Black Hawk Down" battle of Mogadishu and Operation Iraqi Freedom I, died this month at his home in Georgia.

By Gabrielle Levy
Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Gallagher (Ret.) took part in the battle of Mogadishu in 1993 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. He died Oct. 13, 2014, at his home in Georgia. (Facebook)
Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Gallagher (Ret.) took part in the battle of Mogadishu in 1993 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. He died Oct. 13, 2014, at his home in Georgia. (Facebook)

FT. BENNING, Ga., Oct. 24 (UPI) -- A decorated soldier who took part in the battle of Mogadishu depicted in Black Hawk Down died earlier this month at the age of 52.

Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Gallagher, who served three decades in the military and later dedicated himself to working with wounded warriors, died at his home on Oct. 13 from a heart condition.

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The Third Infantry Division, under which Gallagher served as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom I, announced his passing in a Facebook post.

Gallagher was awarded with the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars (one with a Combat "V" Device) and numerous other honors, including two Purple Hearts. During the invasion of 2003 Baghdad during OIF I, Gallagher was injured, but continued to battle as a fellow soldier rendered first aid.

He was also shot in the arm during the battle in Mogadishu, Somalia, according to one of Mark Bowden's pieces in the Philadelphia Inquirer that became the basis of Bowden's book, Black Hawk Down.

"The best day and the worst day of my life was when I served in Mogadishu, Somalia, on October 3, 1993, as a part of Task Force Ranger," Gallagher said in a 2010 interview.

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"It was the worst day, because we lost 18 Soldiers and 84 others, including myself, were wounded. It was the best day of my life because it showed the incredible performance of our warriors in long-protracted battle under extraordinary circumstances in an urban environment. Throughout it all, the warriors that fought that day performed in a manner that was consistent with the values of our nation, and I was very proud of that."

Gallagher was born in Bayonne, N.J., in 1962 and joined the Army in 1981, retiring in 2013.

A memorial service is scheduled at 2 p.m. on Oct. 31 at the main chapel in Ft. Benning, Ga., and will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

He is survived by his wife, Denene, and sons Patrick and Sean Gallagher.

CSM Gallagher continuing to lead as CPT Hornbuckle rendered aid to his leg during the initial OIF I invasion. Facebook/Daniel Steele

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