Norm hooten whiskey

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‘What to remember in a firefight’ according to ‘Hoot’ the legendary Delta Force operator of ‘Black Hawk Down’ fame

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on Aug. 13, 2020.

If there’s one thing to remember in combat it’s this: Whatever you do, don’t panic.

Norm Hooten knows this better than most.

Nearly 27 years ago, Hooten and other Delta Force soldiers, as well as U.S. Army Rangers, and a light infantry battalion, were fighting for survival during the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia. Cut off, outnumbered, and surrounded, the situation might have seemed hopeless for the American troops on the ground.

“It’s never as good as it seems and it’s never as bad as it seems, but keep your head and there’s always a way out,” said Hooten, who was portrayed by actor Eric Bana in Black Hawk Down, Ridley Scott’s 2001 military drama about the battle.

“That’s the most important thing: Keep your head, don’t panic. Never ever panic, it’s the worst thing you can do.”

In the summer of 199

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Norm Hooten: From Somalia to Cigars With A Special Forces Operator & Black Hawk Down Veteran

Photos Courtesy of Norm Hooten and Driveline Studios

Norm Hooten is an unlikely pop culture icon but, thanks to a minor difference in weapons clearing procedures, a snapshot of him has been immortalized in the popular canon. However, like all good one-liners, there’s so much more to not only that story but to Hoot’s story.

While Hollywood is happy to play the highlight reel on repeat, we wanted to give Hoot a chance to tell his story his way — not just about Mogadishu, but about his journey to what would become the forefront of special operations history, and the trajectory beyond that which would put him at the helm of a booming whiskey and cigar business …

RECOIL: Tell us a little bit about where you grew up and what your childhood was like.

Norm Hooten: I grew up in a little ranching and farming community called Brackettville in Texas. I think the population was around 800 when I was there. They may be close to double that now. I think they put in a border pat