list of delta force operators killed

Working under JSOC, Delta Force was attached to Task Force Sword, a secretive unit that was assigned to take down high level al-Qaeda and Taliban targets. In June 2006, General Downing briefed the U.S. House of Representatives that 70 percent of Delta Forces operators come from the Army Special Operations community. This block starts out with candidates learning how to shoot at stationary targets without aiming. The Delta team withdrew from the house and a JDAM was dropped on the house. A platoon of M2A3 Bradley IFVs subsequently "pummeled" the house with gunfire, and Delta Force units then assaulted the building, killing several terrorists inside, and helping to bring the operation to a successful conclusion. His group also posted witness accounts of the raid on Facebook soon after it took place. As they began engaging the ground force, another AH-6M immediately attacked the technicals; however, 20 insurgents in nearby houses fired small arms and RPGs at the Little Bird so the AH-6 was forced to begin suppressing them. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ , Know a SEAL from a Night Stalker: a breakdown of US Special Operations units, PO Box 1077 MURFREESBORO, Tennessee 37133 United States, P.O. The informant and his two sons left the building as previously agreed. He prepared to throw a fragmentation grenade into it, in case it led to an insurgent tunnel system. Moscow Should Prepare For Probable US Nuclear Aggression: Reports Russian Military Journal, Destroying American Monster Abrams: Pro-Russian Group Release A How-To Video, Dr. Mary E. Walker: The First AND Only Female Medal Of Honor Recipient, Bakhmut on the Brink of Falling to Russian Troops, Decorated Navy SEAL Died in HALO Training Accident, Adam Brown: A SEALs Life of Courage and Redemption, Complete List: Ticonderoga-class Missile Cruisers To Retire By 2027, Nuclear Close Calls That Nearly Caused World War III, Russian Sausage Millionaire and Putin Critic Falls to His Death in India, Deadly Russian Rifle Brigade Wiped Out During War in Ukraine. From Fort Frederick, the garrison easily commanded the slopes and floor of the ravine below with small arms and machine gun fire. . He was geolocated using SIGINT (Signals Intelligence), as well as HUMINT (Human Intelligence) via assets from another JSOC Task Force conducting nearby low-visibility operations, while also utilizing the intelligence from covert assets inside local militias allied to ISIS. The rifle comes in four different barrel length sizes 10.4, 14.5, 16.5, and 20. However, Hussein suddenly appeared, upon which the Delta operator struck him with the stock of his M4 Carbine and disarmed him of a Glock 18C. In the end, 19 American soldiers were killed, including six Delta Force operators, and 73 were wounded. Forces in Iraq capture ISIS chemical weapons expert", "In Raid to Save Foley and Other Hostages, U.S. Found None", "U.S. staged secret operation into Syria to rescue Americans", "Department of Defense Press Briefing by Secretary Hagel and General De", "Defense Officials: Delta Force Engaged in Hand-to-Hand Combat During Syrian Raid", "Abu Sayyaf, key ISIS figure in Syria, killed in raid", "U.S. Identifies American Killed in Iraq Raid as Master Sgt. Army) "Delta Force," officially known as 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D), is one of the U.S. special missions units primarily focused on the . These missions were known by the acronym CII (Counter Iranian Influence). [20], In February 2002, Delta force carried out missions in the Shahikot Valley in preparation for Operation Anaconda. During this phase, candidates learn how to pick an array of locks found on safes, cars, and buildings. The mission was called Operation Eagle Claw. [52], In April 2006, in raids conducted by B squadron SAS and B squadron Delta Force on Al-Qaeda in Iraq targets in areas dubbed "Baghdad Belts, intelligence was gathered that led to coalition forces carrying out Operation Larchwood 4, the operation which led to the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. There is no pathway to go from civilian to Delta Force operator. [69], Delta Force operators have been taking part in Operation Inherent Resolve, part of the U.S.-led Military intervention against ISIL, they have carried out operations to target, capture or kill top ISIS operatives in Iraq, reportedly beginning in late February 2016, after several weeks of covert preparation such as setting up safe houses, establishing informant networks and coordinating operations with Iraqi and Peshmerga units. Nimitz aircraft carrier staged nearby in the Indian Ocean. In order to apply for Delta selection, an individual, at a minimum, must enter the Army, have the rank of E-4 through E-8 or O-3 through O-4, and be 21 years old. [41], During the Second Battle of Fallujah, Delta Force operators and Green Berets from the 5th Special Forces Group were deployed in small teams (most consisting of just three or four operators) embedded with Marine and Army infantry units. The Pentagon and top Army brass tasked Beckwith to head the unit. Total kills: 26, Delta Force 3: The Killing Game - 8 After seizing the dam, they and the Rangers held the dam for five days against Iraqi counterattacks. Richmond Hill forms one side of a steep valley. After shooting the terrorist and someone who was with him, the Delta operators grabbed the bodies and brought them back to their base. However, Capt. They participated in both battles in Fallujah and Ramadi. After the questioning, the Delta commander informs the candidate if he has been chosen to attend Deltas Operator Training Course (OTC). [31][32], On July 22, 2003, a former Ba'athist regime member used an informant to pass intelligence onto the 101st Airborne Division that Uday and Qusay Hussein, along with Qusays' son and a bodyguard, were hiding in the informant's home in Mosul. Two of them, Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon, were killed while securing a Black Hawk crash site. [25], Delta Force fulfilled several important roles in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Praesidus brings homage to the military watch tradition. Candidates then transition into close quarters engagement, learning the fundamentals of room clearing. homeless in dominican republic / metric flange dimensions / metric flange dimensions This list of Delta Force members includes both current and former notable members of the United States Army's 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, a tier one special mission unit and part of Joint Special Operations Command. Delta Force operators also killed the alleged mastermind of the Karbala provincial headquarters in a raid in Sadr City when the target attempted to grab one of the operators' HK416. [67], On the weekend of June 1415, 2014, Ahmed Abu Khattala was captured by Delta Force, accompanied by FBI HRT agents, when they tricked their way into the compound that Khattala was in and subdued him. The Delta Force 3: The Killing Game - 1 [26] On April 1, C squadron, Delta Force and 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment conducted a successful night-time ground assault in their Pinzgauers and GMVs against the Haditha Dam complex. As the entire rescue force was leaving Desert One, one of the helicopters crashed into a U.S. Air Force special operations C-130 and in the ensuing explosion and panic the helicopters were abandoned en masse leaving unauthorized mission plans which fell into Iranian hands, ruining any chance of a possible second covert rescue attempt following a brief regrouping period. This is an incomplete list of operations conducted by Delta Force. Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military, and more than 75 State Department-approved countries around the world. ", "U.S. Identifies American Killed in Iraq Raid as Master Sgt. The first block is Marksmanship. In 1993, Delta operators were present at the infamous Battle of Mogadishu, better known as Black Hawk Down, which was a part of Operation Gothic Serpent. After fierce fighting, the rescue team including the two Delta operators assisted in evacuating the surviving diplomatic staff to the main Embassy in Tripoli. In at least one instance, a helicopter pilot turned back without orders and refused to fly into the assault. Four MH-60K Blackhawks carried the assault elements while 2 MH-60K Blackhawks served as spare and "PC Bird". *Lighting a path to truth* Former Navy JAG Worldwide U.S. Military Defense. Here, students learn the same techniques used by the U.S. State Departments Diplomatic Security Service and the United States Secret Service. Once they perfect this skill, the targets increase in range and begin to dynamically move. The former Air Force intelligence officer, who worked almost daily on missions from 2016 to 2018, said he notified the main Air Force operations center in the region about civilian casualties . In the summer of 1993, a contingent of U.S. Army Rangers and Delta Force soldiers were dispatched to Mogadishu as part of a task force to capture or kill Mohamed Farrah Aidid, a Somali. [37] In April 2004, Delta was running about ten operations a month, 4 months later it had increased to 18. Total kills: 1, A complete bodycount over the Delta Force and the terrorists kills. In 1999, writer Mark Bowden published the book Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War, which chronicles the events that surrounded 3 October 1993 Battle of Mogadishu. At the time of the attack, small teams from CIA SAD and JSOC were both conducting operations in Libya most probably advance work on the later 'snatch' missions conducted by Delta Force. In order to try and catch a track from the SSE of other "dry holes" that may not have yielded much, the primary focus, had to take a back seat, gratefully, to the very least, more than a hundred ISIS fighters, as well as IRGC-influenced proxies in various ACMs (Anti-Coalition Militias) were taken off the battlefield permanently. Two Delta troops were wounded. As a result, Delta Master Sergeants Michael L. McNulty and Robert M. Horrigan were killed. James Foley would later be executed on video and the operation revealed by the Pentagon. [79] SGM Thomas Payne, then a SFC was awarded the Medal of Honor by Donald Trump on September 11, 2020, for his actions that day. In January 1997, a small Delta advance team and six members of the British SAS were sent to Lima, Peru, immediately following the takeover of the Japanese ambassador's residence. Alongside Naval Special Warfare Development Group, as SEAL Team 6 is now known, Delta Force specializes in hostage-rescue and counterterrorism, in addition to several other mission sets, such. All things Delta Force are shrouded in secrecy, including the training pipeline. [78] Four Iraqi units were wounded. Initially, Beckwiths request for an SAS style unit was denied. 2023 The SOFREP Media Group. Do Delta Force operators have a license to kill? This operation was aimed at taking down local militant networks, especially those associated with Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). Some 30 Taliban fighters were killed in the firefight, there were no US servicemen killed but 12 Delta operators were wounded. The decision was taken to soften up the target with heavy weapons before another entry. The Delta operators were there to instruct the Marines on the use of the new antistructural version of the M136 weapon when they were attacked by a large number of insurgents who arrived in the vicinity. A joint predawn raid conducted on October 22, 2015 by a team of Kurdish Counter-terrorism Unit peshmerga forces and U.S. special operations forces on an ISIL run prison near Hawija in Iraq's Kirkuk Governorate freed approximately 70 hostages, including more than 20 members of the Iraqi security forces. Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael Durant, one of the Black Hawk pilots, was captured.. Delta Force was inspired by and is similarly structured to the Britishs elite SAS unit. By 2009, the casualty rate for the Delta command was 20 percent and 50 percent of the operators that went to Iraq received a Purple Heart. Lavigne locked Leshikar out of the house, but his young daughter unlocked the door for him. Delta Force. Delta Force was involved in operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan since 2001,[15] following the September 11 attacks. [33], On October 31, 2003, Delta Force assisted A Squadron, SAS, in Operation Abalone: US intelligence had traced a Sudanese jihadist who was believed to be facilitating the arrival of Islamist terrorists into Iraq to four compounds/dwellings on the outskirts of Ramadi. In cooperation with regular and other special operations units, the aim was to take down AQI leadership. A group of Delta operators provided night-vision and vehicle-mounted weapon support if needed. The rescue force was to be inserted by air force special operations C-130s at night to a remote location in the desert outside Tehran called Desert One, and meet with a group of marine RH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters, flown in from the U.S.S. Master sergeant Don Hollenbaugh and Sergeant major Larry Boivin positioned themselves on the rooftop of a three-story building with a pair of Marines and held back the attacks until a grenade landed on the roof, seriously wounding the two Marines and Boivin, who already had fragmentation wounds. Their mission was limited to training and assisting the Search Bloc, but the aggressive operators found ways to be included on their trainees' missions. Khattala was flown to a US Navy warship and eventually into FBI custody. The HK 416 is a popular weapon among JSOC operators and is often carried by members of the Naval Special Warfares Development Group. [13] Randy Shughart (1958-1993 ): Medal of Honor recipient. With Israel in the fight, the delicate Arab coalition opposing Hussein could have been unraveled. When Darkness came, the Delta Force raiders extracted from the area. 0 All Delta Force operators survived. Recently, Delta Force, just like so many other special operations units, has shifted to the 9mm Glock 19. The gunsmiths at Delta went to work to upgrade and modify the 1911, to fit the operational needs of the Delta Force community. Ultimately, Hussein was not in the convoy, but several of his cousins were. Another group of assaulters fast-roped from an MH-6 Little Bird onto the roof of the building to examine the possibility of entering the building through the roof, but this was not possible. [61] By 2009, more than 50% of Delta Force operators had been awarded Purple Hearts. In total, 13 were killed in action including Sayyaf. Smoke rise from the site of an illegal refinery explosion In Emuoha council area of the southern Rivers, Nigeria, Friday, March 3, 2023. The insurgents were large in number and fought with sophistication and intensity. So, yes, technically the two coalition commandos were killed by "friendly. Two Delta operators were wounded (one seriously), and the squadron requested an urgent aero medical evacuation and immediate close-air support as a company of truck-borne Iraqi reinforcements arrived to bolster the fedayeen assault. They are often tasked with carrying out high-risk operations that are often classified and directed from the highest levels of the U.S. government. In May 2005, Delta Force operators deployed into Task Force Blue's zone in the Euphrates valley and soon became engaged in a series of close-range battles with Sunni militants. This resulted in an ongoing battle for the next 18 hours and led to the deaths of five Delta operators: MSG Timothy Lynn Martin, SFC Earl Robert Fillmore, Jr., SSG Daniel Darrell Busch, SFC Randy Shughart, and MSG Gary I. Gordon (a sixth operator, SFC Matthew Loren Rierson, was killed by mortar fire some days later), six Rangers, five army aviation crew, and two 10th Mountain Division soldiers. [36], In late March 2004, a Delta Force ground assault force was ambushed as it infiltrated from a target site in Fallujah, with the operators having to use their Pandur armored vehicles for cover against the heavy fire. This mission focused on eliminating the network from top to bottom, with particular emphasis on targeting the "middlemen" throughout Iraq. In January of 2016, Delta operators participated in Operation Black Swan, where after a firefight in Los Michos, Sinaloa, Mexico, they captured El Chapo Guzman, the Sinaloa Cartel leader. Despite the ferocity of the battle, the operators reached their targets and captured 4 insurgents and gave medical treatment for 3 injured women; during a lull in the fighting, a CASEVAC helicopter was brought in to remove the locals but it came under fire, causing the Americans to call in airstrikes on several targets around the landing zone. In 1978, Mountel pulled from a group of volunteers and put them through a six-month course involving land navigation and rucking with heavy loads in tough, mountainous environments. List of operations conducted by Delta Force, Beginning of operations against the Taliban, Giving medical aid to wounded Green Berets, Beginning of Delta Force operations in Iraq, Engagement with Iraqi forces including Fedayeen, Set up of a Joint Operations Center in Balad Air Base, The capture of an ISIS chemical weapons expert, Delta Force and Peshmerga joint raid in freeing prisoners. Door gunners from the helicopters that had inserted the operators engaged the insurgents whilst AH-6 Little Birds made strafing runs against the insurgents. Total kills: 8, Delta Force 3: The Killing Game - 13 The biggest change made was to implement a short-stroke gas piston system which is utilized on other HK weapons systems. The candidates are confronted with many questions, and each response is broken down and analyzed. After securing the first of their target buildings, the SAS assault stalled when assaulting their final target building and took casualties. They were both posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Furthermore, based on contract obligations and approvals, special operations members in other branches can submit a package to go through Delta selection. "Relentless Strike: The Secret History of Joint Special Operations Command" by Sean Naylor chapter 17. Kicking off the war in Afghanistan, Delta operators were some of the first boots on the ground. Home / Uncategorized / list of delta force operators killed. Delta Force operators also train to become highly skilled demolition and breaching experts. The Jordanian assistance in the intervention has been crucial, as likely their GID is the best in the entire region. JSOC is known for some of its high-profile operations, such as the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. For their courage and bravery, one of the Delta operators, Master sergeant David R. Halbruner, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, while the other, Marine Gunnery Sergeant Tate Jolly who had passed Delta selection and thus transferred to Delta, was awarded the Navy Cross. Several platoons from the 101st Airborne Division set up an outer cordon around the target house, a Delta assault team prepared to breach and clear the building from the entrance, while a Delta interpreter called upon the occupants to surrender. Total kills: 10. They were immediately engaged by insurgents that were heavily armed with DShK HMGs and RPGs, during that night's fighting, approximately 30 insurgents were killed, as the sun rose, dozens of remaining insurgents who had been hiding in bunkers and caves became visible, an armed UAV, AH-6s and DAPs flew in close air support, as did ground attack aircraft. [13] They also provide security for American diplomats and the Olympic team USA while traveling in other countries or participating in the Olympic Games, which still continues to this day. On March 2, the AFOs fought all day with the conventional troops of Task Force Rakkasan and the Green Berets of Task Force Hammer, calling in continuous airstrikes on al-Qaeda positions. They execute these simulations in buildings, aircraft, and other locations. [84][85][86] After Baghdadi detonated his vest, 2 Delta operators and 1 military working dog (Conan) were injured in the blast but sustained no life threatening injuries. However, Master sergeant George Fernandez died. [22], Following the drawdown of troops from Iraq and the surge of troops to Afghanistan in 2008 and 2009, Delta Force returned to conducting operations in Afghanistan, apparently the country was divided with DEVGRU having responsibility for operations in the north and east of Afghanistan, whilst Delta had the south and west of the country. Peter Schoomaker: Retired General. All he needs is a cashmere scarf draped around his neck to be the envy of anyone in Williamsburg. On March 21, 2018, Leshikar and Lavigne got into an altercation. Killed in action, on 3 October 1993, during the Battle of Mogadishu. Later, in 2008, they participated in the Abu Kamal raid. The assaulters discovered a trap door to a basement cell where Roy Hallums, an American contractor and another hostage were being held, rescuing them. [7], Operation for the capture/killing of drug lord Pablo Escobar. Delta Force has participated in almost every major and minor conflict since it was created . Beckwith told the Army he would need two years to prepare and establish a fully functional and formidable unit. Sniper fire led to RPG fire as the insurgents probed the American positions, PKM fire joined the RPGs and the assaults on the two buildings began from an estimated 300 insurgents. [citation needed], On 29 July 1984, after Venezuelan Aeropostal Flight 252 departed from Caracas in Venezuela, it was hijacked by two men and forced to land on the island of Curaao which is part of the Netherlands Antilles. [54] Operation Larchwood 4 was part of an intense series of operations in the Triangle of Death, most of which were carried out by Delta Force and other US forces. The DAPs stayed on station and continued to engage the Iraqis, destroying a truck carrying a mortar and several infantry squads, whilst Delta snipers killed Iraqi infantryman firing on the DAPs. The sixth and final block is a Culmination Exercise. They were immediately released (5 of them were wounded and were treated by Delta's medic before repatriation). As the candidates progress, multiple hostiles and hostages are added into the mix. Delta specializes in Counter-terrorism, Direct Action, Hostage Rescue, and Reconnaissance. Two MH-60K Blackhawks carrying a para-jumper medical team and two MH-60L DAPs of the 160th SOAR responded and engaged the Iraqis, which allowed the Delta operators to move their casualties to an emergency helicopter landing zone, after which they were medevaced to H-1, escorted by a pair of A-10As. As the candidates progress through selection, the weight of the rucks increase, while the timeline to complete the land navigation courses decreases. There are six training blocks within the course. [citation needed] Delta was tasked with hunting for SCUD missiles alongside the British Special Air Service and other coalition special forces. Another portion of Delta operators worked as special reconnaissance teams. [66] The operation was conducted by Delta with the assistance of FBI agents, operators from the CIA's Special Activities Division, and possibly Intelligence Support Activity SIGINT teams[citation needed]. All Rights Reserved. Operation Acid Gambit was an operation tasked to Delta to rescue and recover Kurt Muse held captive in Carcel Modelo, a prison in Panama City. -Available everywhere you listen to podcasts-or click here http://bit.ly/MilitaryMatters_PodcastThe recent deaths of Army Delta Force member William J. Lavig. Across and above the valley, on a higher peak, is another old fort, Fort Frederick, which housed a Grenadian garrison. Beckwith outlined why the U.S. needed a dedicated Direct Action assault unit, something that the Special Forces group did not explicitly specialize in at the time. Their goal was to design and produce an elite and reliable assault rifle. [56] In November 2006, an AH-6M Little Bird was brought down by an RPG striking its tail rotor whilst escorting a 20-man Delta assault helicopter force in 2 MH-6s and 2 MH-60Ls on their way to a time-sensitive daylight raid to target a foreign fighter facilitator, and both crewmen were injured. It was into this valley and under the guns of the Grenadian garrison that the six Blackhawk helicopters of Delta Force, B Squadron flew at 6:30 that morning. Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection - 14 The operation was ultimately aborted in the aftermath of the Los Angeles Times story that revealed the IranContra affair. During the early years of the hunt for Bin Laden, Delta operators saw action in Afghanistan at one point coming to the rescue of Afghan President Hamid Karzai after he was nearly killed by an errant laser-guided bomb, NI reported. This Delta operator is the total hipster package: black tank top, mustache, and black beret. Had the SCUDs been launched, Saddam Hussein's last-gasp attempt at luring Israel into the conflict might have been successful. The Delta Force - 11 Total kills: 11 4. [48] Delta Force squadrons' tours of duty in Iraq lasted 90 days. [29], On June 16, 2003, operators from G Squadron, SAS and B squadron, Delta Force, captured Lieutenant-General Abid Hamid Mahmud al-Tikriti, who had been Saddam Hussein's personal secretary and had been ranked the fourth-most-important high value target (HVT) in Tikrit. As one F-16C flew in to destroy the last technical, it came in too low and crashed, killing the pilot. Box 378 Red Hook, New York 12571 United States, Combat Support Squadron (EOD, Medical, Intelligence, and others). Delta made huge sacrifices in Iraq. Delta operators breached and entered, upon which they were immediately engaged by a fusillade of small arms fire, which wounded one Delta operator. [38], During the First Battle of Fallujah, Delta Force operators were embedded singly or in pairs within Marine platoons to provide communications, assault, and sniping expertise. On June 17, Delta Force operators, with support of US Marine battalions, stormed a house in Al-Qaim, near where Langmack was killed. In the planning phase of the operation, the commander of Delta Force, LTC Pete Blaber, ruled out any helicopter infiltration of AFOs into the area so as not to alert the terrorists in the valley. In the course of the mission, 3 other helicopters were forced to land due to damage from ground fire. The Delta Force - 43 The time limit to complete this walk is kept secret. [10] Two Delta operators, Master Sergeant Gary Gordon and Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart, were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for the actions they took and the sacrifice they made to help protect the life of Durant and the crew of Super Six Four (callsign of one of the crashed Black Hawks). [62], Special operations carried out in North Africa are under the codename Operation Juniper Shield. [citation needed]. In this portion of training, candidates learn how to conduct espionage and collect intelligence. One of the tests involves an 18-mile, all-night land navigation course, accompanied by a 40 pound ruck. Upon arrival, efforts were made for Baghdadi to surrender, with those efforts unsuccessful U.S. forces responded by blowing a large hole into the side of the compound. These teams followed the earlier model established during the First Battle of Fallujah, providing advanced communications, sniping and assault experience, as well as mentoring the soldiers and Marines fighting house to house through the city. Due to the mounting number of killed and wounded in the squadron (Delta squadrons only number around 30 to 40 operators), General Stanley McChrystal asked the then-Director Special Forces for assistance. These D-Boys are ready to crash a terrorist party and then attend a swanky art gallery fundraiser afterward without missing a beat. Hiding in plain sight, the Delta operators drove through the Mosul traffic with their target in view. [77] One U.S. Delta Force soldier, MSG Joshua Wheeler, was fatally wounded the first American combat death since the start of the US-led intervention against ISIL. The player assumes the role of a Delta Force operator who takes part in military operations in various theatres. Joint Special Operations Command would rotate Delta and DEVGRU detachments in Colombia throughout the hunt. Commanding officer of Task Force Ranger during the Battle of Mogadishu. [64][65], On 5 October 2013, Abu Anas al-Liby was arrested in Tripoli, Libya. A pair of A-10As arrived and dropped 500lb airburst bombs within 20m of Delta positions and killed a large number of Iraqi infantry who had been gathering in a wadi. In the Iran Hostage Crisis, 53 Americans were captured and held in the embassy in Tehran. [59], In October 2008, Delta Force operators took part in the Abu Kamal raid. During the hostage training exercises, fellow students roleplay as the hostages. [83] The raid was launched based on a CIA Special Activities Center intelligence collection and close target reconnaissance effort that located the leader of ISIS. The final test of selection, also known as The Long Walk, involves a 40 mile march with a 45 pound ruck. Delta Force was fully stood up in the fall of 1979, just in time for the Iran Hostage Crisis. Years ago, Delta operators were issued the same standard pistol that all other members in the Army were given. AFO had been raised to support TF Sword and was tasked with intelligence preparation of the battlefield, working closely with the CIA and reported directly to TF Sword. Charlie Beckwith, Deltas father, was a Special Forces officer and Vietnam War veteran. The refueled helicopters and the rescue force (composed of Delta and Rangers) would then fly to a hidden staging location outside Tehran and hide until the next evening. Delta Force and HK worked together to develop the rifle. Total casualties amounted to 2 killed and 5 wounded Americans whilst more than 25 terrorists were killed and 4 captured. As they withdrew from the house, the occupants threw grenades from the second floor on the assaulters, and several Delta operators were lightly wounded by the grenade fragments; the stairs had also been blocked to impede any rapid assault.