In 1977, U.S. Army Colonel Charlie Beckwith returned from a tour in Britain, where he’d served with the SAS. He was convinced: America needed a dedicated, full-time counterterrorism unit capable of hostage rescue and high-risk missions. The existing Special Forces (Green Berets) were trained for unconventional warfare, not precision hostage rescue.
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The answer wasn’t volunteers off a form. It was a painstaking, man-by-man selection. In 1977, U
The first Delta operators loaded into C-130s and RH-53D helicopters, flew into the Iranian desert, and watched their mission unravel due to sandstorms, mechanical failures, and a catastrophic collision on the ground at “Desert One.” The existing Special Forces (Green Berets) were trained
Want to go deeper? Read “Delta Force” by Colonel Charlie Beckwith or “Inside Delta Force” by Eric Haney (one of the original operators).
When most people think of Delta Force, they imagine night-vision goggles, blacked-out helicopters, and lightning raids. But before the Tier 1 mystique, there was a simple, urgent question: Who would be brave enough—and skilled enough—to be the very first?
The first Delta Force members proved a timeless truth:
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