According to a recent report from the Army Times, the distinctive patch of the Army’s Special Forces units dates back to 1955, when Capt. John W. Fry of the 77th Special Forces Group submitted a design meant to reflect the new units’ all-domain mission. It included three lightning flashes that represent the elite troops’ ability to “strike rapidly by air, water, or land.”
Today, the U.S. military’s Special Forces are undergoing an evolution that could see it expand beyond those domains, and take on new responsibilities in space and cyber. Currently, however, it is still those three domains that we tend to think of when we think of the American Special Forces.
Early Origins
The concept of elite troops is one that actually dates back to antiquity, and the “Immortals” of the Achaemenid Empire (Persia) could be considered the first truly “cream of the crop” unit. Consisting of purely Persian-born troops that served the King of Kings as both an elite bodyguard and a vanguard in an attack, the unit was made up of 10,000 men — all hand-picked. As troops were killed in battle, they were subsequently replaced — thus the unit was never diminished in size and became known as the Immortals.
Various other units through the classical era were similarly considered “elite,” but the origins of American elite units could be found in a unit that actually fought for Great Britain. More than a decade before the American Revolution, the British military engaged in the “French and Indian Wars,” an extension of Europe’s Seven Years’ War that took place in North America.
One of the provincial forces that were raised to take part was Rogers’ Rangers, which was the latest in a long line of New England ranger companies dating back to the late 17th century. Under the command of Robert Rogers, it was deployed as a light infantry force that was tasked with reconnaissance missions and intelligence gathering.
When the American Revolution broke out in 1775, a number of former Ranger officers defected to join the United States’ Continental Army, while others stayed loyal to the crown. Robert Rogers even offered his services to General George Washington but was turned down — as Washington feared he might be a spy. Instead, Rogers formed the Queen’s Rangers and later the King’s Rangers and the latter unit served under General Benedict Arnold.
Today, the Canadian Army’s Queen’s York Rangers lay claim to being descended from Rogers’ Rangers.
It isn’t just the Canadians that lay such a claim — as the 119th Field Artillery Regiment of the Michigan National Guard can also trace its origins back to the famous unit. More importantly, there are the U.S. Army Rangers.
However, it is also important to remember that the American Revolutionary War “Swamp Fox” Francis Marion — whose exploits served as the basis of the film “The Patriot” — also took part in operations that today would certainly fall under the purview of an elite unit.
WWII Special Forces — Origins of the Airborne and Rangers
During Second World War, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was created as an intelligence agency and served as a precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). However, the war also saw the creation of the first airborne division in the history of the U.S. Army — as the 82nd Infantry Division was redesignated the 82nd Airborne Division. It was selected due to the fact that it was not a Regular Army or a National Guard unit — yet had still seen service in the First World War.
The 101st Division was also selected to serve as an Airborne unit, and both played a crucial role in the D-Day invasion in June 1944, and later that year took part in the ill-fated Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands. Today, these remain two of the U.S. Army’s elite airborne units.
The other unit that was newly created during the Second World War was the U.S. Army Rangers, which were set up along the lines of the British Commandos. Though it had no direct connection to Rogers Rangers, the unit was meant to take on the traditions of Ranger companies dating back to the American Revolution.
It is just one of several notable elite units of the U.S. military.
U.S. Rangers Lead the Way
U.S. Army Rangers include those who have graduated from the U.S. Army Ranger School, even if they never served in a “Ranger” unit. In fact, the vast majority of Ranger school graduates will never actually serve in such a unit, but still are considered “Ranger qualified.”
Today, the 75th Ranger Regiment is described as the Army’s lethal, agile and flexible force, capable of conducting many complex joint special operations missions. It is the Army’s “premier direct-action raid force,” and its capabilities include conducting airborne and air assault operations, seizing key terrain such as airfields, destroying strategic facilities, and capturing or killing enemies of the nation. Rangers are capable of conducting squad through regimental-size operations and are resourced to maintain exceptional proficiency, experience, and readiness.
Green Berets — To Free the Oppressed
The United States Army Special Forces, more commonly known as the “Green Berets” due to their distinctive headgear, are military legends.
A number of World War II units laid the framework for Special Forces, including the Alamo Scouts, Philippine Guerrillas, 1st Special Service Force, and the Operational Group’s Jedburgh Teams within the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). The Special Forces officially came into existence in June 1952 — originally consisting of the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne). The Special Forces saw extensive combat in the Vietnam War, and the unit has participated in just about every conflict that America has been involved in.
Teams are trained to operate in any environment, from city fighting to jungle warfare to desert scouting. While they can fight as traditional units, Green Berets also take on terrorists and insurgent forces via guerilla war-style missions conducted around the globe.
10th Mountain Division – Climb to Glory
The concept of Alpine units originated in Europe prior to the First World War and included the Italian Alpini, Austro-Hungarian Kaiserjäger, German Alpenkorps, and French Chasseurs Alpins. These were light infantry units that were specially trained to fight in mountain terrain. During the Second World War, the U.S. Army created its own unit, the 10th Light Division (Alpine). Designated as a mountain warfare unit, soldiers were trained to fight on skis, climb mountains and thrive in cold weather.
The unit was redesignated 10th Infantry Division after World War II and deactivated in 1958. When it was reactivated in 1985, it was designated the 10th Mountain Division, and while training still consists of mountain warfare, the unit has seen 20 deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan. Perhaps more importantly for those who like to hit the winter slopes, ex-soldiers from the unit started at least 62 ski areas in the United States including those at Vail, Sugarbush, and Aspen — while 10th Light Division veterans started ski schools and even ski magazines!
Delta Force – Without Equal
For many, “Delta Force” is a campy Chuck Norris film. Yet, it is actually a unit that consists of some of the most badass Americans ever to serve. It was created in 1977 after a number of high-profile terrorist incidents in Europe, as the U.S. government saw a need for a full-time counter-terrorism unit.
It is officially the “1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1SFOD-D),” and it has been a fixture of American special operations in the Middle East. The unit is both secretive and well-known — the latter thanks to movies and video games. It was created by Charles Beckwith, a Green Beret officer who had served with the British Special Air Service (SAS) in the Malaysian War in the 1960s.
It didn’t exactly have a stellar beginning, however, and its first mission — to rescue the 53 American diplomats and civilians held in the U.S. embassy in Iran — ended in disaster. However, it was overhauled and has since taken part in an unknown number of classified missions with numerous successful results. The films, even “Black Hawk Down,” don’t do it justice.
U.S. Navy SEALs Never Quit
It was members of the U.S. Navy SEALs who killed Osama Bin Laden. That has made this unit legendary, but it actually was formed back in 1962 as a nimble, elite maritime military force suited for all aspects of unconventional warfare. Members train to conduct insertions and extractions by sea, air, or land to accomplish covert and special warfare missions; as well as capturing high-value enemy personnel and terrorists around the world.
The SEALs also conduct operations to collect information and intelligence through reconnaissance missions and regularly carry out small-unit, direct-action missions against military targets. The unit is even trained to blow stuff up!
And while it may be a U.S. Navy unit, the SEALs train to take part in small-unit special operations missions in maritime, jungle, urban, arctic, mountainous, and desert environments. Perhaps in the future, they’ll even be the hard chargers in outer space as well.
Marine Raiders — Always Faithful, Always Forward
Though the United States Marine Corps is already considered one of the most elite fighting forces in the world today, it has units that have an even higher standard. This includes the Marine Raider Regiment (MRR), which is named in honor of its WWII predecessor and is the principal combat component of the Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC).
Among the more recent elite units to be created, since 2006 its mission has been to recruit, train, sustain, and deploy scalable, expeditionary forces worldwide to accomplish special operations missions assigned by U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Marine Raiders are trained to engage a wide range of adversaries in austere conditions and can execute complex, distributed operations in a variety of uncertain environments.
During Operation Inherent Resolve, Marine Raiders participated in the campaign to liberate Mosul in Iraq from ISIS forces. In addition, since the formation of MARSOC, the Raiders have conducted 300 operational deployments across 13 countries. Marine Raiders have been awarded more than 300 valor awards, including a master sergeant who was awarded the Silver Star for his actions in a firefight during a raid on a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan in 2019.
Air Force Special Forces Tactics Team — First There
The Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), headquartered at Hurlburt Field, Florida, is the special operations component of the United States Air Force. Its units include Air Force Special Tactics Team, which utilizes airpower to solve ground problems anytime, anywhere. Though it operates independently, it also can be embedded with joint SOF partners including the Army Rangers, Navy SEALs, and Marine Raiders.
Special Tactics Squadrons are organized, trained, and equipped specifically for various special operations missions facilitating air operations on the battlefield. These Airmen and Airwomen are trained to conduct combat search and rescue missions, perform battlefield surgery, collect intelligence, and notably call in close air support or airstrikes against enemy combatants. Often partnered with other the aforementioned other U.S. special operations forces overseas, since Sept. 11, 2001, Air Force Special Tactics has been involved in almost every major combat operation and have also taken part in global humanitarian aid missions such as the Thai Cave Rescue of 2018.
Coast Guard — America’s Oldest Maritime Defenders
Two of the lesser-known U.S. military elite units are actually within the Department of Homeland Security rather than the Department of Defense. This is the United States Coast Guard’s Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT) and National Strike Force Atlantic Strike Team (NSFAST), which are each first responders to maritime terrorist situations.
The NSFAST provides highly trained, experienced personnel and equipment to minimize the adverse impact from oil discharges, hazardous materials releases, and weapons of mass destruction incidents; while the MSRT is a ready assault force whose members are trained in maritime security, law enforcement boarding procedures, force protection, and environmental hazards response within a tactical law enforcement operation.
