Short answers, pulled from the story.
Colonel Benjamin Church led the first organized Ranger force in American history in 1676. Church learned frontier skills from friendly Native Americans and taught his men to strike quickly and vanish. This unit became the spiritual ancestor to modern special operations.
The first Commando raid took place on the 23rd of June 1940. Lieutenant Colonel Dudley Clarke proposed the raid to General Sir John Dill to approve Winston Churchill's call for specially trained troops. More than 2,000 men volunteered to join the British Commandos within months.
Lieutenant David Stirling formed the Special Air Service in July 1941. The unit initially consisted of five officers and 60 other ranks before growing into a formidable force in the Western Desert. The SAS became the first modern special forces unit and its tactics remain in use today.
The United States and Canada formed the 1st Special Service Force, known as the Devil's Brigade. This sabotage ski brigade operated in Norway, the Aleutian Islands, Italy, and Southern France. The Office of Strategic Services served as another key player in the development of special forces.
The Norwegian Special Operation Forces established an all-female unit named Jegertroppen in 2014. This development occurred as gender restrictions were removed in parts of the world. Women began applying for special forces units selections during this period.