Delta Force Commander: There’s Still Hope for America

Gen. Jerry Boykin Tells Sportsman’s Banquet Don’t Give Up on USA

By Woody Jenkins, Editor

CENTRAL — Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin, former commander of Delta Force, told more than 500 men gathered at the Greenwell Springs Baptist Church Sportsman’s Banquet Saturday not to give up on America.

“Do not give up on America!” he said.  “Don’t give up on your family.  Don’t give up on your neighborhood.  Pray that God will restore America.  As long as you can pray, God can move.”

“I love this country,” he said.  “Don’t give up on her!”

The grizzled combat veteran of some of America’s most important battles, began his talk by making the veterans present stand and repeat their Oath of Allegiance.

They said, “I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic… So help me God.”  When they finished, Boykin said, “There was no expiration date on that oath, and you are still bound by it!”

Delta Force is one of the nation’s most elite and most secretive combat units, and Boykin was one of its first members, beginning in 1978.  Over the next 15 years, he served in some of the toughest combat situations — the 1980 mission to free American hostages in Iran, the 1983 liberation of Grenada, the 1989 liberation of Panama, and the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, the mission to capture terrorist leader Mohamed Farrah Aidid in Somalia.  The movie Black Hawk Down documented that battle.

Regarding the possibility of Iran’s getting nuclear weapons and the likelihood of an Israeli strike to knock them out, Gen. Boykin said he believes Iran already has a nuclear weapon. “They’ve been working on it for 25 years,” he said.  “It’s incredible to me that they would not already have one.”

If Israel strikes Iran, he said the results would be devastating for Israel.  “There would be a reign of terror against Israel.  They have 200,000 missiles supplied by the Iranians in South Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.”

Boykin said the Gulf states hate Iran.  “If the Israelis attack Iran, the Gulf states would privately be giving high fives, while publicly condemning it.”

“Let’s pray that Iran will disassemble its nuclear program, so that none of this will occur,” he said.

Boykin told the group, “It’s great to be with men!”

“The church has been asleep,” he said, “because the men have been asleep.  Today what we need is warriors.  Not brigands or thugs but warriors who go into battle every day.  To do this, you must have the heart of a warrior.”

In 1978, Boykin said he got a call asking him if he would be willing to be part of an elite group. He was given two days to think about it.  He called his mother to ask her about it. “She was an old time praying woman, and she began to pray,” he said.

Boykin went through 30 days of hell in the initial training period.  On the final day, he marched 40 miles through the snow in 11 hours.  The 30-day ordeal had started with 109 men.  It ended with 18.  He finished first.

Nevertheless, Boykin said he didn’t know if he would be chosen for the unit.  He found out later his commander didn’t like Christians, because of the Christians he’d been exposed to.

Boykin asked his mother about whether he would be selected.  She told him, “Satan is gathering his forces.”

But Boykin went to the old church where he had been raised and prayed.  “God said to me, ‘Yes, but I am gathering mine!’”

He was chosen for Delta Force.

“For two years, I received nothing but contempt from my commanding officer,” he said.

Then in 1980, as he stood in the Egyptian desert, ready to fly with his men into Iran, his commander, Charles Beckwith, came up and said, “Jerry, would you get these men together and lead them in prayer before you go?”

“I read from Isaiah.  It said, ‘Send me!’  I began to pray, knowing that there would be 100 of us in an Iranian city of 5 million.  I ended the prayer by saying, ‘God bless America!’ and we began to load onto the aircraft.”

“We landed 100 miles from Teheran.  As a helicopter was lifting off, it crashed onto a C-130.  45 of my men were trapped inside the wreckage in a ball of fire.  I prayed to the Lord, ‘Don’t let them die!’  But seconds passed, and I knew they were dead men.  Then suddenly they were jumping out of the flames.  All 45 men came out and were saved.  It was like Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego!  God had his hand on us.  Every man who prayed with us came back alive.  God loves warriors!”

“In 1983, President Reagan said go to Grenada and take it away from the Cubans and Communists.  The Soviets were building an airfield.  The Communists had imprisoned the elected government and were holding 1,000 American medical students hostage.”

“My sergeant who had been with us in Iran said, ‘We’re not launching until you pray!’  Soon we were in the Black Hawk, and it was nearing the beautiful island.  People were waving at us from the jungles, welcoming us.  Then the bullets came pouring into the helicopter.  A 50-caliber bullet hit my chest and armpit.  The helicopter was hit 54 times but we were still flying.  We returned to the carrier.  I was flown to Ft. Bragg and went into surgery.  The doctors told me I’d never use that arm again.  I said, ‘Do your best.  My God will heal me!’”

“The Bible said, ‘It rains on the just and the unjust.’  I told God, ‘I led that prayer, and if you don’t heal me, it’s not going to look good!’”

Boykin was healed and has full use of his arm today.

“In 1989, President Bush said go to Panama to take out that Satan-worshiper named Noreiga.  As the Black Hawk was over Panama, the tracers were coming in.  The first helicopter rescued Curt Muse, the radio broadcaster who had been imprisoned for criticizing Noreiga.  Our helicopter went down, but everyone survived.  Noreiga was captured, and Panama was liberated.”

In 1993, President Clinton told Delta Force to go to Somalia and capture the terrorist Mohamed Farrah Aidid.

“When I got off the helicopter in Somalia, I felt the presence of great evil.  In that situation, your spirit is restless.  God is telling you that something is evil.”

“I prayed again and asked for our safety.  I asked God to bless America.  We carried out six operations, and our men were unscathed.  Then on Oct. 3, it was a beautiful Sunday morning, my mom’s birthday.  I got the word that the clans’ militia were having a big meeting.  Mohamed Farrad Aidid would be there, and it was our chance to get him.”

“But they were waiting for us.  Delta Force was involved in the biggest fight since Vietnam.  It was 99 of us against tens of thousands of Somalian militias.  We fought them for 18 hours.  Fifteen of our men were killed.  Some came back in a 15-ton truck, the wounded piled on top of the dead because there was no other way out.  I opened the back of the truck and blood poured out like water.”

“I asked God, ‘Where were You?’  I watched the video as the Somalians dragged the bodies of five of our men through the streets of Mogadishu.  That night I was alone with God, and I was angry with God.  I said, ‘God, where were You?’  Then the answer came, ‘There is no God!’”

“I remembered that Peter had denied God three times after watching him perform miracles for three years.  When I said in my heart, ‘There is no God’ I heard, ‘If there is no God, then there is no hope for the world!’  I melted.  I said, ‘God, I’m so sorry!’”

“There is no bigger reprobate than me, but I am forgiven.  I read Proverbs 3:5, ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and trust not in your own understanding.’”

“The next day, we had a memorial service.  A little later that day, the mortars started coming in.  As we were talking, a mortar landed right in the middle of us.  My sergeant was killed.  All of us were down — many were wounded, some very seriously.  I called for the doctor, but he was down on the ground in a pool of blood next to me.”

***

“When I was back home in North Carolina, I walked with a cane.  I prayed, ‘God, I don’t know if those 15 men we lost were right with you.’  He told me, ‘By the obedience of one, many are saved.’   God told me, ‘I revealed myself to those men before they died.’”

“Jesus hung on the cross next to two criminals.  They were men without redeeming characteristics.  But one of the men said, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!’ and Jesus said, ‘Before this day, you will be with me in Paradise.’”

***

“Back in the clinic in Somalia, the doctor was on the cot next to me.  I was holding his hand and praying.  Suddenly, he zeroed out.  No vital signs.  The nurse said he’s gone.  I said God don’t let him go.  They tried to pull us apart but I wouldn’t let go.  He’s not gone, I said.  Let go, she said, but I wouldn’t let go.  I hollered, Father, don’t let him go!  They started pushing on his legs, pushing blood from his legs to his heart.   Then suddenly, beep, beep, beep.  He was back!”

“I saw a man who the medical professionals said was dead come back!”

“Do not give up on America!  Don’t give up on your family.  Don’t give up on your neighborhood.  Pray that God will restore America.  As long as you can pray, God can move.”

“I love this country,” he said.  “Don’t give up on her!”

By Woody Jenkins, Editor, Central City News

Editor’s Note: For more on Gen. Boykin, read his book, Never Surrender, A Soldier’s Journey to the Crossroads of Faith and Freedom by Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin.