Detachment A

Detachment A also known as 7781 Army Unit, and 39th Special Forces Operational Detachment was a specialised unit within the 10th Special Forces Group founded in 1956 and based in Bad Tölz, West Germany later West Berlin. It consisted of approximately 90 members and operated primarily in Berlin.

History
Detachment A was created in 1956 with the intent to conduct unconventional warfare (sabotage and training of potential anti-Soviet guerrillas) and stay-behind operations against the Soviet Union within Berlin should they have decided to invade while also on a larger scale, supporting the Supreme Allied Commander Europe in buying time for NATO to send more troops into the area. It was originally based in Bad Tölz but was later relocated to West Berlin and placed within the Headquarters (HQ) Company of the 6th Infantry Regiment.

In 1962 the unit was redesignated under the Berlin Brigade.

The unit engaged in various types of training including that of parachuting, scuba diving, escape and evasion, Counterterrorism and other types of specialised espionage and counterintelligence training, training with partner agencies and nations such as the Central Intelligence Agency, the GSG 9, British Special Air Service and SEAL Team 2.

In 1978 as part of a CIA operation, Detachment A was tasked to dig up cache sites for possible stay-behind operations and later also took part in the planning for Operation Eagle Claw, sending men into Iran and scouting key areas with the codename "storm cloud".

Detachment A was deactivated between October and December 1984 with its existence only being declassified in 2014.