Inside Delta Force [Library Binding]

Eric Haney; (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 10, 2006

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 Forece
The Story of America's Elite Counterterrorist Unit

He 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. And from his days in Beirut, Haney tells an unforgettable tale of bodyguards and bombs, of a day-to-day life of madness and beauty, and of how he and a teammate are called on to kill two gunmen targeting U.S. Marines at the Beirut airport. As part of the team sent to rescue American hostages in Tehran, Haney offers a first-person description of that failed mission that is a chilling, compelling account of a bold maneuver undone by chance—and a few fatal mistakes.

From fighting guerrilla warfare in Honduras to rescuing missionaries in Sudan and leading the way onto the island of Grenada, Eric Haney captures the daring and discipline that distinguish the men of Delta Force. Inside Delta Force brings honor to these singular men while it puts us in the middle of action that is sudden, frightening, and nonstop around the world.


From the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up–An adaptation of the authors adult book with the same title (Dell, 2002). The first part of the book gives an overview of Haneys military career and his association with the force and describes the red tape and planning that was required of those who wished to create a new, secret military unit that officially did not exist. It also includes a description of the physical challenges required of those who were chosen to participate in what was a preliminary round of qualification tests. Those who were successful in all the tests were then eligible to participate in the actual selection process. The second half of the text shows the sometimes brutal challenges the successful candidates were required to complete and details some of the actual training sessions. The narration concludes with the unit being sent on a dry run scenario in order to practice newly acquired skills. Black-and-white photos and documents are included in a centerfold. The reading level is not extremely high, but the subject is more likely to be of interest to older readers. This is an excellent choice for students with military interests.–Eldon Younce, Harper Elementary School, KS
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 7-10. "Have a good 'un" is the mantra of Delta Force soldiers whether they are jumping from planes, heading out on 40-mile hikes, performing sniper practice, or trying to outmaneuver the FBI with $1,000 and a three-hour head start. In this adaptation of an adult book, Retired^B Command Sergeant Major Haney relates a riveting story of the 1977 founding of the ultrasecret^B counterterrorist unit of the U.S. Army known as Delta Force. His account of the grueling selection and training that winnowed down a starting group of 163 exceptional soldiers to a select group of 12 includes fascinating descriptions of successes and failures but only hints at some of the missions the group later accomplishes. Haney assures readers that none of the information included violates OPSEC (Operational Security), but that won't dim the attraction of the espionage details. Footnotes explain technical and military terms, and Haney has left out much of the rough language, which makes this accessible to a wide audience. Although the adult version has more detail (and is also more graphic), this reworking stands up quite well on its own. Better stock up on copies; you won't want to ration this one. Cindy Dobrez
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Library Binding: 256 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (January 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385902735
• ISBN-13: 978-0385902731
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,368,820 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eric Haney, upon graduating from High School in 1970, embarked upon an all expenses paid, twenty-year world tour, sponsored by the United States Army. During that period of time he served in the Infantry, the Rangers, and was one of the original operational members of Delta Force. He retired from active duty in 1990 with the rank of Command Sergeant Major.

Post-military, Eric plied his trade as an international security operative in various areas of the world, with special expertise in the Middle East and Latin America.

In the year 2000 Eric's life took a much different tack when he moved into the world of literature and entertainment. His best selling book, INSIDE DELTA FORCE, published around the world, in fourteen languages, became the basis of the hit CBS television series, THE UNIT, of which Eric was writer and executive producer.

In addition to INSIDE DELTA FORCE, Eric is author of the military/political science book, BEYOND SHOCK AND AWE.
His soon to be released novel, NO MAN'S LAND, which will hit the bookshelves in February, chronicles the adventures of knight errant and international man of action, Georgia native, Kennesaw Tanner.
Today, Haney lives in Georgia and works where he pleases.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Wait a minute, August 28, 2006

By 

K. Jones (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Inside Delta Force (Hardcover)

Be advised that this is a shortened version for "Young Readers" and not the original book written by Eric Haney. This version starts and ends with the Selection process and leaves out the balance of the various training and operations (about 2/3)ontained in the original book. It is a good read for what it is but the full version is much better. The product description does not make clear that this is a different version. This "Young Readers" version in hardback ran 246pp.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent intro to anti-terrorist unit, June 28, 2006

By 

Walter L. Luffman (Savannah, TN) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Inside Delta Force (Hardcover)

This book is labeled as being suitable for younger (teenage?) readers, and it is; but it's also suitable for adults, as this 56-year-old military veteran can attest. Sergeant Major Haney was recruited for Delta as an Army staff sergeant, stayed with it until retiring at the highest enlisted rank, and knows much more than he tells in this book -- but what he does tell about the group's selection and training procedures is enough to give the reader a fairly good idea of just what Delta is capable of doing. Delta Force prefers to live in the shadows; this little glimpse, while both entertaining and informative, barely scratches the surface, but that's enough to show the sort of exceptional human beings who do nearly superhuman things for the cause of freedom. BTW, the CBS-TV series "The Unit" claims to be based on this book, and SGM Haney is listed as a technical advisor to the show. I highly recommend both the show and the book.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Tale By A Great American, October 6, 2006

By 

J. P. Gregory (Georgia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Inside Delta Force (Hardcover)

Eric Haney I'm sure is proud of his excellent service to his country, but he also has a right to be proud of a spellbinding journal of the formation of the bravest unit this world has ever known. Suffering from political whims, Delta Force has risen above their greatest critics, the United States government, to become an extremely effective and powerful fighting unit. Haney's description of it's formation and his participation is nothing short of breathtaking. Written like a first person journal, it meets all the requirements of a fine read. I thank God for men like Haney who are willing to do the dirty work and rise above the politicians and their indecision. Thanks, Eric for your service and thanks CBS for bringing the unit's remarkable exploits to television.