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.”
Beckwith got the green light. But building a unit from scratch meant finding men who could think and fight. first delta force members
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. The first Delta operators loaded into C-130s and
Follow for more on military history, leadership, and the untold stories of America’s quiet professionals. Army Colonel Charlie Beckwith returned from a tour
Want to go deeper? Read “Delta Force” by Colonel Charlie Beckwith or “Inside Delta Force” by Eric Haney (one of the original operators).
Delta’s baptism of fire was (April 1980)—the failed attempt to rescue 52 American hostages from Tehran.