Delta Force (40 page)

Phone Numbers

Fort Bragg PAO 910–396–5600

Fort Bragg Special Forces PAO 910–432–7585/8650

DOD PAO 703–697–5131

Army PAO 703–697–7589

SOCCOM PAO 813–828–4600

Web Sites

www.specialoperations.com

www.rand.org

E-mail

[email protected]
.

The pagination of this electronic edition does not match the edition from which it was created. To locate a specific passage, please use the search feature of your e-book reader.

Members of the military are indexed with the highest ranks associated with their names in this book, but specific grades within ranks are not indicated.

See also
Glossary of Special Military Terms and Acronyms
.

Achille Lauro
, 335, 338

AC-130 (gunship) in Eagle Claw plan, 282

Al [pseud.]

Iranian agent with Delta Force, 266, 289

Allen, Sergeant [pseud.], 233, 314

described, 165

Altman, Major [pseud.], 193, 194

Atlanta Olympics, 332

Baker, Maj. A. J. “Bo,” 71, 74, 87

Bakke, Richard

killed at Desert One, 315

Barbed Wire Bob.
See
Kingston, Gen. Robert

Barrow, Gen. Robert H., 1

Barsanti, Gen. Olinto

call sign Bold Eagle, 97

Battle of Algiers, 24

Beckwith, Col. Charlie A.

aborts rescue mission, 309–10, 323

briefs JCS on rescue mission tactics, 1–2

briefs President Carter on rescue mission, 5–9

call sign Eagle, 306

on CINCPAC staff, 97–98

college degree earned while in Army, 99

at Command and General Staff College, 54

commandant Special Forces School, 101

commands Three Troop, A Squadron, 22 SAS, 13

Delta Force commander, 5, 181

DELTA Project commander, 57–90

dengue fever in Laos, 36

describes Eagle Claw to General Jones, 280–84

at Desert One, 297–310

in 82nd Airborne Division, 19

helicopter pilots, opinion of, 61–62, 75, 80, 248–50, 262, 302, 320–21

helicopters, opinion of, 240–41, 253, 306, 315

with JCRC (1973–74), 99

joins Special Forces (1958), 19

in Laos (1960), 12, 56

leadership philosophy, 82–83, 231, 301, 321

leptospirosis in Malaya, 35–37

on lessons of Iran mission, 328–30

letter to General Meyer on Delta Force start-up problems, 146–47

in Malaya with SAS, 26–37

nicknamed “Blisters” in SAS, 17

nightmares, 327–28

operations officer, B Company, 7th Special Forces Group, 46, 49

operations officer, 7th Special Forces Group, 46, 49

opinion of President Carter, 10, 209

partiality to roses, 126–27

in Plei Me battle, 67–77

press conference on Iran mission, 320–22

promoted to colonel, 100

promoted to lieutenant colonel, 95

promoted to major, 51

as a Ranger training director (1966–67), 91–95

recommends permanent joint military counterterrorist task force, 326, 328–31

role in Eagle Claw, 281

with SAS, 11–40, 340–41, 347

SAS-type unit fact paper/proposal, 44, 47–48, 55, 102, 104–107, 347

2nd “No Slack” Battalion (327th Airborne Infantry) 101st Airborne Division commander, 96–97

selection and training philosophy, 52, 59–60, 92–93

Senate Armed Services Committee testimony, 325–26

SOTFE command offered, 201

to USAJFKCENMA (1974), 100

UW planning experience, 98

in Vietnam (1st tour, 1965–66), 56–90

in Vietnam (2nd tour, 1968), 96–97

wounded in Operation Masher, 87

Beckwith, Katherine, 11, 13, 14, 40–41, 55, 56, 90, 95, 101, 115, 212, 251, 286, 287, 326, 328, 331

Bender, Doc

Delta Force psychologist, 249

Bennett, Col. John, 66–68, 69

Bérets Rouges.
See
BPC

Big Bear.
See
Thompson, Maj. Charlie

Big Ed, Camp Smokey commander, 221

Black Book

of Delta Force's skills/standards, 198–99, 201

Black Gloves.
See
Mountel, Col. Bob

“Blue Light,” 146–47, 149, 153, 180

organized, 134

problems of, 140–41

Blumfield, Col. “Whitey,” 140

Bob [code name], 263, 265–66

CIA agent in Teheran, 248

described, 245

Bold Eagle.
See
Barsanti, Gen. Olinto

Boris [pseud.], 187, 234

described, 168

BPC (Bataillon de Parachutistes de Choc;
also
Bérets Rouges)

exercise with SAS in Corsica, 24–25

Bramlett, Capt. Dave, 93, 94

Brown, Harold, 4, 318, 323

before Beckwith's press conference, 320

Brzezinski, Zbigniew, 4, 5, 209, 316, 317, 323

Buckshot, Major [pseud.], 3, 107, 114, 131, 190, 208, 209, 210, 211, 229, 318

A Squadron commander, 171

described, 107, 120, 235–37

at Desert One, 301, 302, 308, 309

and Iran infiltration mission, 264

and “Robert Redford Paper,” 143

runs Delta Force selection process, 191

Bulldog.
See
McKean, Col. Bill

Bullwhip Six.
See
Stockton, Col. John

Butterfield, Captain, 291

Camm, Col. Frank, 105, 108

Camp Smokey

Delta Force secure training site, 194, 211, 212

Carter, President Jimmy, 3, 285–86

briefed on Eagle Claw, 4–10

decision to order rescue mission, 9–10

inquiries about American counterterrorist capability after Mogadishu, 128

visits Delta Force after Iran mission, 316–17

Center, The.
See
USAJFKCENMA

Chapman, Capt. George (SAS), 52–53

Chong, Sgt. Willie, 174–75

Christian, Col. Bill, 98

Christopher, Warren, 4, 7–8

CIA, 222

agent in Teheran, 245

Civil liberties, 345–47

Clark, Col. Harlow, 78

Claytor, W. Graham, Jr., 4, 8

Cohen, William S., 346

Collins, Col. “Rip,” 96

C-141 StarLifter

in Eagle Claw plan, 283

Counterterrorism.
See
Delta Force, as counterterrorist force; GSG-9; SAS

Country, Sergeant [pseud.], 234, 235

described, 120

Coyote, Major [pseud.], 191, 193, 195, 196

Delta Force Red Element commander, 252

Daily, Jim, 93

Davidson, Sgt. “Darky” (SAS), 31

Defeat into Victory
(Slim) inspires Beckwith, 38

Delta Force (1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta:
also
SFOD-D), 109

activated, 129–30

Black Book of skills/standards, 198–99, 201

Blue Element's mission, 252, 253, 281, 282, 283, 293

clothes worn on mission, 294

communications, 338–39, 340, 341–43

as counterterrorist force, 112–13, 130–31, 188, 190, 198, 202–206, 222, 332, 334–36, 337

described, 332–33

as Desert One, 297–310

1st evaluation exercise, 172–79

on flight to Desert One, 295–97

funding, 124

future of, 333–34, 339–40, 342–45, 347–48

headquarters (the Stockade), 125–27, 159

hostage rescue simulation, 193–96

intelligence, 336, 337–38, 342–43

intelligence for Iran rescue mission, 213–14, 217–18, 219–20, 222, 225–26, 227–30, 244–48, 263–64, 265–66, 269, 292–93

leaves for Iran, 287–88

marksmanship, 159–60, 174, 187–88, 196

at Masirah, 293–94

mission of, 334–36

operations 334–39

OPSEC, 211, 227, 256

personnel assessment/selection, 132–40, 142–45, 156–57, 338–39

planning, 335–36, 338, 343–45

planning for Iran rescue mission, 221, 226, 229–30, 238–45, 248, 251–52, 258–59, 274–77, 280–84, 293, 329

Red Element's mission, 252, 253, 282–83, 293

rehearses Iran rescue mission, 269, 273

2nd evaluation exercise, 201–206

secrecy of, 333–34

special skills of operators, 112, 114, 136–38, 158–59, 161, 163, 168, 191, 233–34, 334

TO&E, 114, 120, 121, 122

training for Iran rescue mission, 224, 230, 232–34, 253–54, 262, 269–73, 292

training of operators, 158–62, 187, 188–91, 199–200, 334–35

transportation, 336–37

weapons/equipment, 123, 160–61, 187–88, 189–90, 191, 222–24, 232–33, 234, 271, 288, 297, 298, 308–309, 337, 341

weapons faced by, in Iran, 225, 269, 275–77

White Element's mission, 252, 253, 282–83

DELTA Project, Detachment

B-52;
also
Project DELTA, 57–86, 89–90

DePuy, Gen. William, 115–17

described, 81–82

on SAS-type unit, 103–107, 108–109

TRADOC commander, 100

Desert One (Iran refueling site for rescue mission), 2, 5, 258, 336

casualties at, 312

crash of helicopter into EC-130, 308

Iranian bus detained, 297

Iranian tanker truck destroyed, 298

landing lights implanted by STOL, 273–74

pinpointed by planners, 263, 280

Desert Shield/Desert Storm, 339

DeSoto, Sgt. Bill, 70, 71, 74

Devens, Col. John, 108

Dien Bien Phu, 24

Dougherty, Sergeant, 58

Dozier, Gen. James, 334

Eagle Claw (code name of mission to free hostages in Iran), 280

command and control, 285–86

contingency planning, 283–84, 297–98

mission personnel enumerated, 288–89

plan described to President Carter, 4–9

problem of imperiling hostages, 7

EC-130 (tanker)

in Eagle Claw plan, 280

Edwards, Col. I. A. “Boppy,” 91

helps devise SAS-Green Beret exchange program, 11

Edwards, Maj. John (SAS), 21

Emergency, The (in Malaya), 13, 27, 28

Esquire.
See
Meadows, Dick

Evans-Smith, Col. William, 44, 51, 52, 53

described, 47

FAA (Federal Aviation Agency)

helps Delta Force, 161

Faith, Gen. Jack, 171

Fast
or
Fast Eddie.
See
Westfall, Sgt. Edward

FBI Hostage Rescue Team (HRT), 335

Fitch, Maj. Logan, 165, 191, 206

Delta Force Blue Element commander, 252

Flash-bang, 127–28

Foreign Ministry assault team, 281, 283, 288

Foreman, Sgt. Forrest, 166, 282

FORSCOM, 109–11

briefing on “taking over” Delta Force, 183–85

Franklin, Sergeant “No Lips,” 177, 212–13

Gast, Gen. Phillip, 9, 227, 255

described, 254

at Masirah, 294

GIGN (Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale), 190

Gillman, Chuck [pseud.]

helps solve helicopter refueling problem, 261–62

Gregory, Colonel, 81–82

GSG-9 (Grenzschutzgruppe 9), 143, 149, 339

West German counterterrorist unit in Mogadishu rescue, 127, 128

Gwynn, Keith, 211

Haldane, Gen. Robert, 110–11, 184–85

Hammer.
See
Vaught, Gen. James

Hayward, “Doc,” 96

Hayward, Adm. Thomas, 1

Healey, Gen. Mike, 100, 101

Heiden, Gen. Charles K.

aids Delta Force, 132–33

Helicopter pilots

Beckwith's opinion of, 61–62, 75, 80, 248–50, 262, 302, 320–21

Helicopters, 336–37

See also
RH-53D Sea Stallion

Beckwith's opinion of, 240–41, 253, 306, 315

Hemphill, Col. John A., 78, 79

Hennessey, Gen. Jack,

RECOM commander, 130–31

Henry, Col. Tom, 102, 105, 106

Herman the German.
See
Altman, Major [pseud.]

HK21 (light machine gun), 6, 223, 234, 270

Holden, Sergeant [pseud.]

shoots prowler, 287

“House of Horrors”

Delta Force shooting house, 159–61

Hurst, Maj. Curt, 120, 131

Iranian generals with Delta Force, 287–88, 300

Iranian militants

weapons of, 225

IRG (Iranian Revolutionary Guards).
See
Pasdaran

Ishimoto, Capt. Wade “Ish,” 212, 213

described, 165–68

at Desert One, 298

intelligence work for Iran rescue mission, 219, 227, 228, 230

Jacks, Sergeant [pseud.], 177

Jacobs, Irwin, 56–57

JCS (Joint Chiefs of Staff)

control of Delta Force during Iran crisis, 214

historical sketch of, 107

JFK Center.
See
USAJFKCENMA

Johnson, Maj. Harry, 228

Johnson, Maj. Johnny, 44

Johnson, President Lyndon, 74

Joint Chiefs of Staff.
See
JCS

Joint operations, 339–42

Jones, General David (CJCS), 1, 3, 4, 5, 10, 217, 319

briefed on Eagle Claw, 280–84

visits Stockade, 277–79

Jordan, Hamilton, 4, 5, 8

JTF (Joint Task Force, to free hostages in Iran), 216

lack weather information for Iran, 259

staff testifies before Senate Armed Services Committee, 325

Kaplan, Gen. Phillip, 110

Kelty, Col. Mert, 41–42

Kendrick, Col. R. C. “Butch,” 100

advises Beckwith, 183

described, 98

Khoi, Lt., 61–62, 75

Killeen, Col. Ron, 218

Kilpatrick, Trooper (SAS), 30

Kingston, Gen. Robert, 100, 101, 103, 115

described, 99, 110–11

JCRC commander, 99

meets Beckwith, 11

nicknamed Barbed Wire Bob and War Lord, 99

USAJFKCENMA commander, 101

Kinnard, Gen. Harry, 80

Kitty Hawk
(CV 63)

RH-53Ds aboard, 242–43

Knowles, Gen. Richard

call sign Longstreet, 78–79

Kong, Captain (ARVN), 65

Kroesen, Gen. Frederick J. “Fritz”

FORSCOM commander, 109–10

supports Delta Force concept, 113

Kyle, Col. James, 232

described, 226