The 30-year anniversary of the Battle of Mogadishu, also known as Operation Gothic Serpent, is approaching.

The battle was made into a book and movie commonly know as Black Hawk Down, and the soldiers will be gathering in Knoxville for the first time since that battle.

During the Battle of Mogadishu, soldiers had to run what is now famously known as the Mogadishu Mile where they had to run through the streets of Somalia being shot at the entire time until they made it to a safe spot one mile away.

Jason Moore, a Retired Army Ranger, says this is a very important event. Moore says they want to take this reunion as a jumping off point and and turn it into a charity that’s going to help Task Force Ranger and all the guys that are here and their kids and grandkids now that we’re getting older, we’re starting to think about a legacy and people not remembering what we’ve done.

During the reunion weekend, community members will have a chance to honor those soldiers by running a Mogadishu Mile through the streets of Knoxville on October 7th.