"Look, we have stirred up a hornet's nest here. We're fighting the entire city. I want every vehicle possible that's got four wheels and armor. Get it — get everything."
General William Garrison
Sam Shepard · 12 quotes
Sergeant Matt Eversmann
Josh Hartnett · 11 quotes
Captain Mike Steele
Jason Isaacs · 10 quotes
Lieutenant Colonel Danny McKnight
Tom Sizemore · 10 quotes
Grimes
Ewan McGregor · 7 quotes
Harrell
Željko Ivanek · 5 quotes
Nelson
Ewen Bremner · 5 quotes
Sanderson
William Fichtner · 4 quotes
Durant
Ron Eldard · 3 quotes
Matthews
Glenn Morshower · 3 quotes
Most scenes together: Nelson & Twombly (4), General William Garrison & Harrell (3), Sergeant Matt Eversmann & Hoot (2)
Black Hawk Down quotes
Page 3 of 5"Just watch your corner and get all your men back here alive."
"It'd probably help to wash the blood out of the humvees."
"Ground personnel will have to mark target positions with infrared strobes. Get Little Birds on strafing runs and keep 'em going all night long. If we don't hold back this city... we're gonna have a hundred caskets to fill by morning."
"Look, you guys, I know it's my first time as chalk leader, but, uh, this isn't our first time out together. This is serious. We're Rangers, not some sorry-ass JROTC. We're elite. Let's act like it out there."
"Good luck, boys! Be careful. No one gets left behind."
CWO Goffena (Goffena is still over the second crash; ground support keeps getting delayed.)
There's a large crowd advancing six, seven blocks from the crash. Shughart and Gordon again request permission to secure until convoy arrives. Over.
General, the crowd's in the hundreds now. From where they are they can see things clearer than any of us. They know what they're asking.
Gen. Garrison
Let me talk to them. this is Garrison. I want to make sure y'all know what you're asking for, so say it out loud and clear.
MSG. Gordon We're asking to go in and set up a perimeter until ground support arrives.
And you realize I cannot tell you when that will be? It could take quite a while.
SFC. Shughart Roger that.
You still want to go in there?
Gordon Yes, sir.
Colonel Harrell, it's your call.
Roger that. Goffena, put them in.
(Sgt. Ruiz was badly wounded during the move toward the crash site.)
Sergeant? Sergeant Ruiz, how you doing?
Sgt. Ruiz Our guys aren't gonna come get us. They're not gonna come for us!
I need you to suck it up, Sergeant. I need you to focus for me. All right? Can you do that? (Ruiz nods) Now, can you hold your weapon?
Ruiz Yes, sir.
Anybody comes through that door, you give 'em two in the chest and one in the head. You understand?
Ruiz I'm still in the fight, sir. Still in the fight.
Somali Militiaman
(CWO Durant has been taken prisoner.)
You are the Ranger who kills my people?
I'm not a Ranger. I'm a pilot.
Militiaman
You have taken hostages. We... have you.
My government will never negotiate for me.
Militiaman
Then perhaps you and I can negotiate, huh? Soldier to soldier.
I'm not in charge.
Militiaman
Course not. You have the power to kill, but not negotiate. In Somalia, killing is negotiation. Do you really think if you get General Aidid, we will simply put down our weapons and adopt American democracy? That the killing will stop? We know this: without victory, there can be no peace. There will always be killing, you see? This is how things are, in our world.
"Home in an hour, okay? Now, there will be some shooting. Bakara Market is the wild west. But be careful what you shoot at, because people do live there."
"Hey - who's hungry?"
Tech. Sgt. Wilkinson (SAR medic)
" After I'm done with this I'll whip you boys up some margaritas. The usual, blended, no salt."
It's all in the grind, Sergeant. Can't be too fine, can't be too coarse.
Grimesy, you are squared away.
Sit down. I want to take a look at that foot.
Aw, no, it's not a problem.
Come on, come on. (Grimes sits and removes his boot; Sanderson applies a bandage) Where the hell did they find you?
Behind a desk. (Sanderson laughs) No, really! What, you think I'm kidding?
"We are combat-ineffective, you understand me? We got too damn many wounded to move!"
"Sergeant, you can't control who gets hit or who doesn't. Who falls out of a chopper, or why. It ain't up to you. It's just war."