Dominick Pilla
Sgt. Dominick Michael Pilla (March 31, 1972 – October 3, 1993) from Vineland, New Jersey, was a U.S. Army Ranger who served in Mogadishu, Somalia. He was one of the 18 American soldiers killed during the The Battle of Mogadishu on October 3–4, 1993, killed by a gunshot to the head by a Somali militiaman on the right window of a hum vie in Sergeant Jeff Struecker's convoy. Pilla was the first soldier to be killed in the battle. He was the second of three children, born to Benjamin and Diane Pilla. He was portrayed by Danny Hoch In Ridley Scott's film, Black Hawk Down.
There was a man, a Somali with an AK-47. He was within eight feet of our vehicle he pointed at Paulsen's back, he was going to shoot Paulsen. Dominick Pilla saw the man aim the weapon at Paulsen, that guy saw Dominick Pilla with his machine gun pointed at him. They looked at each other eye to eye, and then they both fired their weapons. Then both people dropped dead. Pilla was shot in the head falling over on the specialist's lap.
-Jeff Struecker