The armed forces of the United States comprise one of the most formidable military powers in the modern world. Of course there are the Marines and the Navy Seals, but, like a number of countries, the US also has need for military units that can conduct more clandestine operations, away from the full-scale engagements expected of regular troops. For this, one unit in particular has become shrouded in myth and legend: Delta Force. Created to battle an ever-increasing terrorist threat, Delta Force is a highly secretive elite squad that operates in the shadows and has been involved in some of the US’s most daring missions…
Origins of Delta Force
Delta Force, officially known as 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta, came into being in 1977 at the behest of Colonel Charles ‘Charlie’ Alvin Beckwith, who proposed the creation of an elite counter-terrorism unit. Beckwith had worked with the British SAS in Vietnam and proposed a similar strike force for use within the US military. Project Delta, a counterintelligence unit commanded by Beckwith in South Vietnam, proved to be something of a precursor to Delta Force and was highly successful. During the 1970s the US had become the target of an increasing number of terrorist attacks.
Between 1970 and 2013 there were more than 2,600 terrorist acts in the USA, with more than half of
