Charles Alvin "Charlie" Beckwith was a career United States Army Special Forces officer best remembered for creating Delta Force, the premier counterterrorism and asymmetric warfare unit of the United States Army, based on his experience serving with the British Special Air Service. He served in the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation and the Vietnam War, and attained the rank of colonel before his retirement.
Charles Alvin Beckwith
Charles Beckwith in 1980
The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta, referred to variously as Delta Force, Combat Applications Group (CAG), or within Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), Task Force Green, is a special operations force of the United States Army, under operational control of JSOC. The unit's missions primarily involve counterterrorism, hostage rescue, direct action, and special reconnaissance, often against high-value targets.
Delta Force's founder Charles Beckwith in 1980
Delta Force bodyguards in civilian clothing providing close protection to General Norman Schwarzkopf during the Gulf War, 1991
Example of the "Code of the Special Forces Operator", dated 1959. This example pre-dates Delta.
Delta Force operators, pictured deep behind Iraqi lines during the 1991 Gulf War
