Richard J . Meadows Major Richard J . Meadows ( June 16 , 1931 – July 29 , 1995 ) was a U . S . Army Special Forces officer who saw combat in U . S . wars from Korea to the Iran Hostage Rescue mission in 1980 . He was a pivotal player in the creation of the modern U . S . Army Special Forces . Meadows enlisted in the Army at age 15 . He first saw combat in Korea and was , by age 20 , the youngest Master Sergeant in the Army at that time . In 1953 , he entered the U . S . Army Special Forces and remained active in them or the Rangers until his retirement in 1977 . His participation in the Iran Hostage Rescue mission came after his official retirement . In 1960 , Meadows was one of the first U . S . Army officers to participate in an exchange program with the British Special Air Service special forces unit . Meadows completed SAS training , was an acting troop leader for 12 months , and participated in a field combat operation with his unit . It is widely believed that Meadows ' SAS experience helped form the basis for future US Army special forces selection , training , and organizational structures . While assigned to the 8th Special Forces Group in Panama , MSgt . Meadows volunteered for a tour in Vietnam . At the end of his first tour , serving in the Military Assistance Command , Vietnam - Studies and Observations Group , Meadows received a direct commission as a captain on April 14 , 1967 . On Nov 21 , 1970 Capt . Meadows was the team leader for the initial assault team in the Son Tay prison camp raid ( see Operation Ivory Coast ) . This 14 - man team ( plus pilots ) , code - named " Blueboy " , intentionally crash - landed an HH - 3 helicopter right in the middle of the prison camp to achieve maximum surprise . One team member was injured in the landing ( broken ankle ) . The remaining team members executed their mission without further casualties . However , much to Meadows ' disappointment , the enemy had moved all its captives weeks earlier . In the mid - 1970s , Meadows was a key figure in the founding of the US Delta Force special operations and hostage rescue force . Major Meadows retired in 1977 . In 1980 , Major Meadows returned to service as a special consultant and performed a covert reconnaissance of the U . S . Embassy in Tehran prior to and during Operation Eagle Claw , better known as the Iran Hostage Rescue mission . That mission ended in a major accident at a ground refueling point in the Iran desert , and was aborted . Documents found at the crash site compromised both the mission and Meadows ' cover in Iran . Under cover as a foreign businessman , Meadows escaped Iran aboard a commercial flight . In 1995 , Meadows was diagnosed with and subsequently died of leukemia . It is contended by many in the Special Forces community that , had the contents of Meadows ' military record been disclosed , he would have been awarded the Medal of Honor . However , the majority of Meadows ' covert roles in Vietnam working with the CIA ' s Special Activities Division , remain undisclosed . Military awards . His military awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross , two Silver Star s , Bronze Star with Valor Device , Air Medal , Legion of Merit , Meritorious Service Medal , Joint Service Commendation Medal , three Army Commendation Medals , Combat Infantryman Badge , Master Parachutist badge , Glider Badge , Ranger Tab , Scuba Badge , and numerous foreign awards . Just before his death , in July , 1995 , Meadows was told he was to be presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Clinton . In fiction . Tom Clancy ' s Novel " Without Remorse " features a prison camp raid that is heavily based on the Son Tay raid and main character John Clark ' s career as an intelligence officer is also very similar to that of Major Meadows ' career .