Origins

Delta Force: A History

Origins

Delta Force, officially known as the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D), is a tier-one special missions unit within the US Armed Forces. It was formed in 1977 by its first commander, Colonel Charles Beckwith. Delta Force is relatively young compared to other branches of the US military.

Mission

Delta Force's primary mission is counterterrorism operations. However, it is also tasked with other special missions, such as hostage rescue, direct action raids, and reconnaissance.

Early Operations

Delta Force was fully operational in the fall of 1979. Its first major operation was the Iranian hostage crisis. However, the mission was a failure and resulted in the deaths of eight American servicemen.