9781422277133

A former football star, Charles Beck- with started out in the Green Berets before forming Delta Force.

A New Force An American army colonel, Charles Beckwith, suggested forming small groups of highly trained soldiers into direct-action units that could mobilize quickly. They would be trained with special skills needed to take on mis- sions that were particularly risky. At first, Beckwith’s recommendations went nowhere. Officials at the Pentagon, where military decisions were made, weren’t interested in the idea. But as terrorist attacks increased across the globe, Pentagon officials started to appreciate Beckwith’s idea. In 1977, Beckwith formed the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–DELTA. The new force was designed specifically as a counterterrorism unit. It would specialize in reconnaissance missions and hostage rescue. Beckwith spent the next two years getting his force up and running.

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