Four commanders in eight months. After the An Lao Valley disaster, Delta had to be rebuilt from the ground up.
The unit cycled through leadership rapidly as the Army worked to stabilize the detachment, replace lost personnel, and develop new operational procedures that would prevent another catastrophe. CPT Baker held the unit together as acting commander in the immediate aftermath. MAJ Keefe and then LTC Warren provided longer-term stability during the critical reconstitution period.
This era saw fundamental changes in how Delta operated. Insertion and extraction procedures were overhauled. Coordination with aviation assets was formalized. The recon teams were reorganized. And in a move that would prove transformative, the 281st Assault Helicopter Company "Intruders" was placed in direct support of Project Delta, giving the unit dedicated aviation assets for the first time. Alert crews slept on the ships, ready to pull a team out at a moment's notice.
By the end of this period, Delta was a fundamentally different organization than the one that had walked into the An Lao Valley. The question was whether the new procedures would hold up when tested.
The specific operations during this period are documented in the B-52 AARs at NARA but limited public source data is available. The focus was on rebuilding the unit's capability while continuing to conduct reconnaissance operations at a reduced tempo.
The 281st AHC came online in direct support during this period, fundamentally changing Delta's aviation capability. LTC Warren provided the longest period of stable leadership during the rebuilding, holding command from April through September 1966. Under his watch, the operational procedures that would define Delta for the rest of the war were developed and tested.
| Name | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| SFC Russell P. Bott | December 2, 1966 | Savannakhet Province, Laos. MIA. Panel 13E, Line 3. |
| MSG Irby Dyer III | December 2, 1966 | Savannakhet Province, Laos. KIA/BNR. Panel 13E. |
| SFC Willie E. Stark | December 2, 1966 | Savannakhet Province, Laos. MIA. Panel 13E. |
B-52 Personnel Database, compiled by Sherman (specialforcesbooks.com/B52.htm).
281st AHC I Corps Operations History, compiled by Bob Mitchell for the VHPA from official B-52 and 281st After Action Reports.
Jim Morris, "Project Delta" series, Special Forces Chapter 78 Sentinel.
VVMF Wall of Faces (vvmf.org).
USASOC, "USASOC honors clandestine SF unit from Vietnam War," army.mil, Oct 28, 2008.
Complete B-52 After Action Reports are declassified and held at NARA College Park, MD (Record Group 472).