Delta Force: A Memoir by the Founder of the U.S. Military's Most Secretive Special-Operations Unit

Very good and very well done. We need to back all military and the brave men and women who keep us safe. Job well done.

One of the most interesting stories I've ever read. Not only is it interesting from the perspective of learning how Delta Force came into being, but the breadth and depth of the way the operators are trained and the meticulous planning that goes into a mission was a real eye-opener. I started out with a huge amount of respect for Special Forces already, and this book increased that respect to awe, and even more appreciation for and gratitude to them. What was just as interesting and terribly disturbing was the shortsightedness and turf-protecting response from the military brass that Col. Beckwith had to struggle against for years. He's not shy about naming names either, which I give him a lot of credit for. It's frightening to think that our armed forces are being run by such short-sighted, petty, and "what's in it for me, to hell what's best for the troops or the country" high-level military brass. Great book, great read, and Colonel Beckwith is a true hero. Thank you, Sir.

This is an interesting book, but in many ways it's not exactly what you might expect it to be. What it is a great history of the origins of "Delta Force" in Vietnam and the creation of this group in the 1970s and 80s by Col. Beckwith. The book itself is quite interesting and filled with political intrigue and military action. However, half way through it becomes a book on project management as the author deals with the problems of developing the army's elite anti-terrorist unit. It is interesting to note that Beckwith writes about getting his men training. But doesn't get very specific with the skills he required. I think this was an intentional as at the time the book was published there was little information available about this unit. More current information can be found in Eric Haney's book Inside Delta Force: The Story of America's Elite Counter terrorist Unit and The Mission, The Men and Me: Lessons from a former Detla Force Commander by Pete Blaber. It is also interesting to note that while he does give a complete description of what he saw on the failed Iran Hostage Mission that this portion of the book is very small in comparison to the rest of the book. If you are interested in first person accounts of the hostage situation, I would recommend reading 444 Days by Lt. Col. Scott, and Guests of the Ayatollah by Mark Bowdin (not first person). What I enjoyed about this book is it is well written, shows the author has a sense of humor, and most of the entire trip down Memory Lane. I remember these times. They had a big impact on who I am and what I've done in life. This book is a time capsule.

Colonel Charlie Beckwith was the founding commander of Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, also known as Delta Force. Beckwith gives his unique first person perspective on the challenges he found in setting up a quick reaction counterterrorism unit that many other countries already had (and demonstrated in real world activities). Beckwith detailed his experience, from working with the British Special Air Service, to combat with the Special Forces in Vietnam, to establish a unit in the 1970s. He doesn't leave out any of the warts, especially of people who got in his way. The story is fascinating mostly for its demonstration of the large institutional roadblocks thrown in the way of those leading new initiatives. In this case it was "Big Army" vs. COL Beckwith. Though he had key champions in high places, Beckwith still ran up against established units who thought his effort would be redundant. He ran into people who disliked him personally and therefore oppose him. In the end the requirement for a counterterrorism force became obvious, especially with the way other countries demonstrated their effectiveness, and how no other unit in the US military had been identified to fill the role. Beckwith ends the story with his telling of Operation EAGLE CLAW, the attempted rescue of American hostages in Tehran in 1980. As is well known the operation ended in failure and the hostages weren't released for nearly another year. Beckwith chalks the failure up to too many hands being involved in the operation, and the surprise sandstorm. Though Beckwith ends his story rather abruptly with a short chapter of the continued need for Delta Force, and many of the details were (and are) likely still classified, the first person account is still worth the read. And even though Beckwith often appears bitter, the personal details about how the sausage is made is fascinating.

Strictly average. Not much of a personal angle. The colonel has just been pretty exhausting.

La Delta Force (de son vrai nom 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta ou 1st SFOD-D) est une des principales unités américaines dédiées aux missions spéciales ou secrètes. C'est la principale unité anti-terroriste de l'armée américaine. Elle assure en fait une grande variété de missions, y compris parmi les plus clandestines. Ce livre raconte la naissance de cette unité spéciale, de la plume même de son fondateur, Charles Beckwith, qui finira sa carrière dans l'armée américaine avec le grade de colonel. Beckwith a d'abord servi dans l'infanterie, avant d'intégrer les troupes aéroportées américaines puis les forces spéciales. Il est conseiller militaire au Sud-Viêtnam dès 1960. Beckwith participe également à un programme d'échange avec le 22 SAS Regiment britannique, dont il prendra le meilleur pour créer la Delta Force. Il participe d'ailleurs avec les SAS à la campagne anti-insurrectionnelle contre les communistes en Malaisie, pendant laquelle il contracte une leptospirose, qui lui est presque fatale. Beckwith rentre ensuite aux Etats-Unis et écrit de nombreux rapports pour promouvoir la création d'une unité sur le modèle des SAS au sein de l'armée américaine, sans succès. Devenu officier opérations du 7th Special Forces Group, il révolutionnaire l'entraînement de l'unité en mettant l'accent sur la formation conventionnelle du Béret Vert et non sur la guerre non-conventionnelle et la formation d'unités militaires au sein de pays amis, comme c'était le cas jusque là. Au Viêtnam, Beckwith commande le groupe des Special Forces baptisé Projet-DELTA, destiné à opérer des reconnaissances en profondeur dans le territoire vietcong, des opérations d'assassinat ou de sabotage, de collecte de renseignements, etc. A nouveau blessé, il prend ensuite part aux Etats-Unis à l'entraînement de l'US Army Ranger School, le transformant à partir de son expérience au Viêtnam. Après l'offensive du Têt, en 1968, Beckwith prend la tête d'un bataillon de la 101st Airborne Division qu'il mène dans de nombreuses opérations de combat. A son retour aux Etats-Unis, il prend la tête d'un programme d'entraînement à Fort Bragg, en Caroline du Nord. Beckwith, cependant, n'a toujours pas été entendu par l'armée américaine dans son souhait de création d'une unité d'élite destinée à opérer sur les coups durs de manière très autonome. Il va falloir la nouvelle menace posée par le terrorisme international, dans les années 70, pour que ses arguments soient pris en compte. La Delta Force est créée en novembre 1977 avec une vocation anti-terroriste, d'opérations spéciales et de reconnaissance spécialisée. Sa première mission se termine malheureusement sur un échec tragique : Eagle Claw, l'opération commandée par le président Carter pour libérer les otages américains en Iran le 24 avril 1980, s'achève avant même d'avoir commencée en raison de pertes liées à des accidents d'appareils de transport dans l'opération. C'est après cette débâcle dans le désert iranien que fut formé le 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, destiné à transporter la Delta Force et les autres unités spéciales américaines. Le Joint Special Operations Command, un organisme de coordination et de planification des opérations spéciales, fut aussi créé sur recommandation de Beckwith au moment des investigations du Sénat pour expliquer l'échec de l'opération Eagle Claw. Voici un témoignage de première main sur la Delta Force qui se lit comme un roman, étant donné que le colonel Beckwith cherche à vanter les mérites de son unité. La partie consacrée à l'échec de l'opération Eagle Claw est pourtant très intéressante. L'épilogue revient sur les missions et les composantes actuelles de l'unité (en 2000). Une source primaire à compléter par des travaux plus secondaires.

As a past SFO and veteran, I started reading this book and just couldn't put it down. The experiences, hardships, mind games, tactical and political mapping, resonated heavily with what I experienced in 1986 (during my service). Although from a different country, different military (Special Forces also), the challenges and situations were eerily similar. I was pleasantly surprised to see a fellow operator, officer, going through the "same" hurdles, pain and growth that we went through. Highly relatable, I would recommend this to anyone who is/has been in the military or is in a working environment where planning, and management is involved. The hardest part of coming out of the military is the civilian mindset. A massive challenge to integrate back into a world that generally has no direction, even though everyone talks about it. A really good read, well priced and definitely a gem in my library of assorted books. As an MD I have used what I learned in the military to enhance my multiple Medical Practices and the relationship built through competency and professionalism with all of my staff. Anyone running a business, or managing people will relate to the contents of this book and learn something about the specialised units in the military and the fundamentals that make them successful at carrying out their missions.

Über die Anfänge, die komplizierte Planung und den Aufbau eine Spezialeinheit, welche Weltruhm erlangen sollte. Sehr fesselnd geschrieben, mit einer Menge interessanter Details.

This is superbly detailed, very honest, and ground-level up account of how COL Beckwith's original exposure to the British SAS brought about a revelation of understanding & belief in the US Army. The military and personal politics of the development of Delta are expressed and exposed, as is the very certain decision snd commitment to the Delta project. All that aside, this book is enthralling. And for COL Beckwith, the SAS motto remains held up highest: Who dares, wins