Delta Force Creator Dies

By Debbie Gregory.

Lt. General (Ret) Samuel Wilson, who was known as “General Sam” and helped created Delta Force died on June 10th at the age of 93.

Wilson had a distinguished military and intelligence career.   He served as the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.  Wilson was also known for coining the phase “counter-insurgency.”

Wilson joined the Army in 1940 at the age of 16.  He taught guerrilla and counter-guerrilla tactics at Fort Benning.  By the time he was 19, he was a first Lieutenant and was the chief reconnaissance officer for a unit known as “Merrill’s Marauders.”  This unit operated behind enemy lines in Burma during World War II.

Wilson was assigned to the Office of Strategic Services, the forerunner of the CIA, in Southwest Asia after the war.  He also worked in West Berlin as a CIA officer and in Russia as a defense attaché at the U.S. Embassy.

Wilson retired from the Army in 1977.  He became a political science professor at Hampden Sydney College, and served as president of the college from 1992 to 2000.  Wilson also continued to consult with officials in Washington D.C.

Hampton-Sydney College was an all-male college. It remained male and decided not to allow women even during difficult times of slow enrollment under Wilson’s tenure.  Even today, Hampden-Sydney College is one of our country’s few remaining all-male colleges.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.