Charles Alvin Beckwith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nickname(s) | "Chargin' Charlie" |
| Born | 22 January 1929 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | 13 June 1994 (aged 65) Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1952–1981 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Commands | Delta Force 2nd Battalion, 327th Airborne Infantry Regiment Special Forces Detachment B-52 (Project DELTA) |
| Battles / wars | Korean War Laotian Civil War Malayan Emergency Vietnam War (WIA) Operation Eagle Claw |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit (3) Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star Medal (4) Purple Heart |
| Other work | Security consultant |
Charles Alvin "Charlie" Beckwith (22 January 1929 – 13 June 1994) was a career United States Army Special Forces officer best remembered for creating Delta Force, the premier counterterrorism and asymmetric warfare unit of the United States Army, based on his experience serving with the British Special Air Service. He served in the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation and the Vietnam War, and attained the rank of colonel before his retirement.