Inside Delta Force
Now the inspiration for the CBS Television drama, "The Unit."Delta Force. They are the U.S. Army's most elite top-secret strike force. They dominate the modern battlefield, but you won't hear about their heroics on CNN. No headlines can reveal their top-secret missions, and no book has ever taken readers inside--until now. Here, a founding member of Delta Force takes us behind the veil of secrecy and into the action-to reveal the never-before-told story of 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-D (Delta Force).Inside Delta ForeceThe Story of America's Elite Counterterrorist UnitHe is a master of espionage, trained to take on hijackers, terrorists, hostage takers, and enemy armies. He can deploy by parachute or arrive by commercial aircraft. Survive alone in hostile cities. Speak foreign languages fluently. Strike at enemy targets with stunning swiftness and extraordinary teamwork. He is the ultimate modern warrior: the Delta Force Operator.In this dramatic behind-the-scenes chronicle, Eric Haney, one of the founding members of Delta Force, takes us inside this legendary counterterrorist unit. Here, for the first time, are details of the grueling selection process--designed to break the strongest of men--that singles out the best of the best: the Delta Force Operator.With heart-stopping immediacy, Haney tells what it's really like to enter a hostage-held airplane.
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What Hacker News says
- Whilst Marcinko is no doubt a legend, reading Rogue Warrior should be mitigated by following it up by Gormly's "Combat Swimmer". Gormly inherited the unit after Marcinko had some issues with his chain of command (whether justified or not, is up to you to decide - we all know Marcinkos) and has his own (or the Navy's?) opinions about the man. Like Kurosawa (Rashomon), it is often better to know more than one point of view...
A more balanced account of what it is like to run these kind of units can be found in Beckwith's own "Delta Force" (also consider "The Mission, The Men and Me" by Blaber and "Inside Delta Force" by Haney).
The ultimate such unit may have been the Rhodesian Selous Scouts, and whilst Pamwe Chete is out of most people's price range, there are numerous excellent books on the subject. Whether or not you agree with Rhodesian politics, the tiny unit who pulled off Operation Eland and allegedly caused the majority of enemy casualties in the Rhodesian Bush Wars is worth reading about.
In the same spirit as Rogue Warrior, check out "The Phantom Major" which chronicles Sir David Stirling's efforts to create what became the SAS. "Mad Mike" Calvert's various books pick up where Stirling allegedly left (some, such as Stiff in "See you in November", claim that Watchman International amongst others was a front for the MI6's black ops, so Stirling never really "retired") and also has some nice stuff about Orde Wingate, another interesting leader (both in results, and as a person) who unfortunately did not survive Burma.
On a separate note, in "19 with a bullet", Korff claims that the South African 1 Recce's selection procedure was 8 weeks of walking through the bush with no food except a weekly tin of beans and two slices of toast to share between two, and no weapons or kit. The unit generally sounded very interesting and I'd be grateful if anybody knows of any good books or writings, I personally have not found much.
- Intresting timing, I finished re-reading Haney's "Inside Delta Force" last night. Definitely pick it up (after reading Beckwith's "Delta Force").
"Rogue Warrior" (and "Red Cell", presented as fiction but if you read enough on the subject, you can realize that it's most definitely "based on true events") by Marcinko and "Combat Swimmer" by Gormly are an interesting pair, considering that Gormly replaced Marcinko after much drama.
Sadly, the "Rogue Warrior" fiction series quickly devolved into "big-dick drinkin' swearin'" pulp trash. He's changed coauthors 2-3 times now.
- Not exactly opening the door, but the 2002 book “Inside Delta Force” by Eric L. Haney spends some time describing the problems of entering a room. Not joking.
