Task Force 20
Task Force 20 is a designation that has been used by two United States Department of Defense units.
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Task Force 20 was one of the task force designators assigned to the United States Fleet Forces Command in the Atlantic, and was previously one of the task force designators assigned to the United States Second Fleet. According to Norman Polmar, writing in Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, the designator was reserved for the Second Fleet's Battle Force, and the commander of that force was to be Commander, Second Fleet.[1] This was the documented case from 1978–87, and from probably much earlier. The task force was probably intended primarily at that time to undertake attacks on Soviet Navy bases on the Kola Peninsula in the event of a general war.
From November 21–27, 1946, USS Missouri (BB-63) was en route to Davis Strait as part of Task Group 20.2, which also included the cruiser Little Rock and destroyer USS Fechteler.[2] Between November 27 and December 4, she participated in cold weather exercises in Davis Strait, between Greenland and East Baffin Island, as part of Task Group 20.2. An incident during that cruise involving the USS Little Rock. She was off the port side firing 5" star shells for illumination, to spot icebergs, when there was a miss fire. According to standard procedure the gunner began to point the barrel toward the water to wait out a hangfire. However, the round cooked off half way down. The round hit the Missouri on the Signal Bridge killing Coxswain Robert Fountain and starting a fire involving an acetylene tank which was lashed to the railing. One or two officers cabins were destroyed as well. Missouri did not get back to Norfolk until December 13, 1946. Commander Carrier Group Six served as CTG 20.2 for a Mediterranean deployment aboard USS America (CV-66) in April 1984.[3]
In late October 1983, USS Independence (CV-62)'s battle group (Carrier Group Four), assigned to the Second Fleet, became the core of Task Group 20.5, the carrier task group that would support the Invasion of Grenada. On 25 October 1983, aircraft from Independence's embarked air wing flew missions supporting the invasion.
The post of Commander, Task Force 20, which was an additional post for the fleet's commander during the fleet's existence, has been maintained as a three-star vice admiral's position who also concurrently serves as the deputy commander of Fleet & Joint Operations, the deputy commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command and the director of Combined Joint Operations From The Sea, Centre of Excellence.[4] Task Force 20 was commanded by Vice Admiral David H. Buss) from 30 September 2011 until its disestablishment on 24 August 2012.
In effect, the tasks of the Second Fleet commander and staff were reassigned to Commander, Task Force 20 until Fleet Forces Command was reorganized on 14 September 2012. The Commander, Fleet Forces Command said on his blog that 'It was for these reasons that I approved the establishment of two DCOM billets, the 3-Star DCOM for Fleet and Joint Operations (DCOM-FJO) and the 2-Star DCOM for Fleet Management/Chief of Staff (DCOM-FM/COS). These two individuals will report directly to me for their respective portfolios. Recognizing the significant increase in direct report subordinate commands, I will also dual-hat the DCOM-FJO as Commander, Task Force 20 (CTF 20), with delegated command responsibilities for SECOND Fleet's subordinate commands (Commander Strike Force Training Atlantic (CSFTL), 4 x CSG, ESG-2) and Second Fleet’s existing Task Forces and Task Groups.'[5]
Task Force 20 was disestablished effective 1 October 2012, and its functions transferred to Task Force 80.[6]
Iraq War [edit]
The Task Force 20 title was also used for a temporary Special Operations Task Force assigned to Iraq, which was reorganised as Task Force 121.[citation needed] This task force was composed of United States Army Special Forces, Delta Force operators, commandos from the US Navy's DEVGRU and elements of SEAL Team 3, and Army Rangers from the 75th Ranger Regiment.[7] The force was approximately 1500 soldiers with its own support capabilities.[7]
Special Operations Task Force 20's primary goal was to capture or kill "High-value targets" (HVTs), such as Iraqi Mujahideen leaders and former Ba'ath party regime members and leaders. Task Force 20 operators were directly involved in the 4 hour firefight between 101st Airborne soldiers and Saddam Hussein's sons, Uday and Qusay Hussein. The two sons were killed in the shootout. The apprehending of the most wanted man in Iraq, Saddam Hussein, in Operation Red Dawn directly involved Task Force 121 operators and members of the Army 1st Armored Division, 4th Brigade, 1/1 Cavalry Regiment (Hurricane Troop) and 4th Infantry Division.[8]
Task Force 20 was also involved in what the US military calls a tragic accident on 27 July 2003. At least three Iraqis were killed in western Baghdad's Mansour district, when US soldiers from Task Force 20 opened fire on cars that overshot a military cordon. The drivers apparently had missed the cordon when they turned into the area from an unblocked side street.[9]
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ Polmar, Ships and Aircraft, Fourteenth Edition, 1987, ISBN 0-7021-649X, 18.
- ^ USS Missouri Association
- ^ http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/n/lha-4/1981.pdf
- ^ U.S. Navy, Task Force 20, accessed October 2011
- ^ Commander, Fleet Forces Command blog, 1 May 2011 blog entry, accessed October 2011
- ^ "USFF Commanders Guidance Brief to Senior Staff 17 Sep_FINAL". Scribd.com. September 17, 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-15. "Slides 21, 45, 46"
- ^ a b John Pike (5 August 2003). "Secret task force is spearhead in hunt for Hussein". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
- ^ Ann Scott Tyson (24 July 2003). "Anatomy of the raid on Hussein's sons". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 17 March 2009.
- ^ Vivienne Walt (4 August 2003). "Bitterness Grows in Iraq Over Deaths of Civilians". Common Dreams (Boston Globe)). Retrieved 17 March 2009.
