Operation United Shield

Official Logo for Operation United Shield

Operation United Shield was the name given to a multinational military operation that was conducted from 9 January 1995 to 3 March 1995. The purpose of Operation United Shield was the safe evacuation of all United Nations peacekeeping troops from Somalia. The Combined Task Force (CTF) comprised U.S., Italian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, French, British, and Malaysian forces.

Timeline of United Nations involvement in Somalia

• 23 January 1992: United Nations Security Council Resolution 733 imposed an arms embargo on Somalia
• 17 March 1992: United Nations Security Council Resolution 746 creates United Nations Operation in Somalia I (UNOSOM I), a force composed of 50 military observers, 3,500 security personnel, up to 719 logistic support personnel, and approximately 200 international civilian staff. The mission of UNOSOM I was:
  • 1. to monitor the cease-fire in Mogadishu and help to restore order in Somalia after the dissolution of its central government
  • 2. to provide security for United Nations personnel, equipment and supplies at the seaports and airports in Mogadishu
  • 3. to escort deliveries of humanitarian supplies from there to distribution centers in and around Mogadishu
• 24 April 1992: United Nations Security Council Resolution 751
• 27 July 1992: United Nations Security Council Resolution 767
• 28 August 1992: United Nations Security Council Resolution 775 expands the mandate and strength of UNOSOM I, tasking it with the protection of humanitarian aid convoys and distribution centers throughout Somalia. UNOSOM troop strength was increased to 4,219 troops and 50 military observers. The additional security personnel began to arrive in Mogadishu on 14 September 1992.
• 3 December 1992: United Nations Security Council Resolution 794 approved a greatly expanded coalition of United Nations peacekeepers to be led by the United States. The reorganized force would be called Unified Task Force (UNITAF).
• 4 December 1992: U.S. President George H. W. Bush announces the commencement of Operation Restore Hope, under which the United States would assume command of all U.N. forces in order to carry out the mandate of Resolution 794.
• 9 December 1992: UNITAF forces begin to arrive in Somalia on 9 December 1992 to carry out the mandate of United Nations Security Council Resolution 794. UNITAF was tasked with ensuring the safe distribution of humanitarian aid throughout Somalia (primarily in the south) to alleviate famine conditions.
• 26 March 1993: United Nations Security Council Resolution 814 establishes United Nations Operation in Somalia II (UNOSOM II)
• 4 May 1993: UNITAF is dissolved, and UNOSOM II assumes responsibility for all U.N. operations in Somalia.
• 5 June 1993: UNOSOM II peacekeepers fired into a mob of stone-throwing women and children who acted as a human shield to conceal one or more Somali snipers. 24 UNOSOM II troops (all of whom were Pakistanis) and about 20 Somali civilians were killed in the exchange.
• 6 June 1993: United Nations Security Council Resolution 837
• August 1994: the UN requested that the US lead a coalition to aid in the final withdrawal of UNOSOM II forces from Somalia.
• December 1994: POTUS agreed to the UN request, and directed CINC CENTCOM (General Binford Peay of the United States Army) to execute Operation United Shield.
• 9 January to 3 March 1995: Operation United Shield

Background and leadership of Operation United Shield

The political situation in Somalia deteriorated throughout 1993 and 1994, until it was determined that UN peacekeeping forces were in unacceptable jeopardy. On 10 January 1995 the Pentagon announced that 4,000 US CENTCOM personnel (including 2,600 U.S. Marines) would be deployed to Somalia for Operation United Shield to assist in the final withdrawal of United Nations peacekeeping troops from Somalia. At that time, the peacekeeping force remaining in Somalia consisted of a total of approximately 2,500 troops from Pakistan and Bangladesh. The decision came in response to a request from the U.N. for American protection of its peacekeeping forces serving in the war-torn African nation. The United Nations Security Council established 31 March 1995 as the deadline for the departure of all its forces participating in U.N. operations in Somalia.

LtGen Anthony Zinni (Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force) was given command of the operation, which was to ensure the safe execution of an amphibious withdrawal. General Zinni, who served as Director for Operations for UNITAF during Operation Restore Hope in 1992-1993, knew most of the top Somali leaders at the time of Operation United Shield.

The commanders utilized a 4,000 man air-ground task force to cover the withdrawal and prevent further casualties, while a seaborne coalition of American, Italian, Pakistani, French, British, and Malaysian naval vessels waited just off the coast of Mogadishu to accept the withdrawing forces.

Execution of Operation United Shield

• 7 January 1995: LtGen Anthony Zinni (Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force) assembled a Combined Task Force consisting of air, ground, naval, psychological, and special operations forces. Coalition forces from Italy, France, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh joined the CTF, under LtGen Zinni's command.

• 17 January 1995: CTF headquarters flew to Singapore and embarked aboard USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3).

• 7 February 1995: USS Belleau Wood and its accompanying ships arrived on station at Mogadishu.

• 27–28 February 1995: Just before midnight, Mogadishu time, an amphibious landing began. During this operation, which lasted a little over four hours, the U.S. put a mechanized force consisting of about 1,800 US Marines and 350 Italian Marines, along with 150 pieces of military equipment ashore. These men and machines (including LCUs LAVs, AAVs, and LCACs) were employed to rapidly secure Mogadishu International Airport and New Port (the seaport facility). The entire amphibious landing was complete by 0430 on the morning of 28 February.

• 28 February 1995: The UNOSOM II command was relieved, and the CTF began withdrawing the UNOSOM II forces.

• 3 March 1995: 73 hours after the beginning of the amphibious landing, 2,422 United Nations troops, approximately 3,800 CTF troops and over a hundred combat vehicles had been withdrawn without any loss of life among any of the coalition forces.

• 6 March 1995: the CTF redeployed to their respective home stations.

• 17 March 1995: the CTF was disestablished.

Factors critical to the success of Operation United Shield

By the time the Landing Force went ashore, the UNOSOM forces had consolidated and withdrawn to New Port and Mogadishu International Airport.

The most critical stage of Operation United Shield began when the ground combat element (GCE) of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) conducted an amphibious landing on "green beach," near Mogadishu International Airport. The infantry element, Kilo Company of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, (31st MEUSOC) and Battalion Landing Team 3/1, conducted their initial landing in the early morning hours of March 1, 1995, and within hours the bulk of the infantry battalion had passed through the United Nation’s perimeter and secured the New Port shipping facility and an area known as "No Man's Land", between the New Port and the UN-occupied Mogadishu International Airport, north of green beach.

Naval Ships Involved in the Combined Task Force

American

• USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3), an amphibious assault ship that served as the Command Platform
• USS Essex (LHD-2), an amphibious assault ship
• USS Ogden (LPD-5), an amphibious transport dock ship
• USS Fort Fisher ((LSD-40)|), a dock landing ship
• USS Lake Erie (CG-70), a guided-missile cruiser
• USS Kiska (AE-35), a replenishment ship (USNS Kiska (T-AE-35) as of Aug. 1996)

Italian

• Garibaldi (551), an Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft Carrier (CVS–ASW)
• Stromboli (A 5327), a replenishment ship

Pakistan

PNS SHAMSHER Frigate (Captain Noman Bashir, Commanding Officer) PNS NASR Replenishment Ship (Captain A Z Safvi, Commanding Officer)