Task Force 20

Task Force 20 is a designation that has been used by at least two United States Department of Defense units.

Contents

United States Navy

Task Force 20 is 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 1980s-era documents, the designator is reserved for the Second Fleet's Battle Force, probably intended primarily at that time to undertake attacks on Soviet Navy bases on the Kola Peninsula in the event of a general war. It is not a standing, permanent force; rather, when necessary, Commander Second Fleet activated the force for specific activities, which may sometimes last for years.

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.[1]

In effect, the tasks of the Second Fleet commander and staff have simply been reassigned to Commander, Task Force 20. 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 (CSFTL, 4 x CSG, ESG-2) and SECOND Fleet’s existing Task Forces and Task Groups.'[2]

Iraq War

The TF 20 title was used for a temporary Special Operations Task Force assigned to Iraq, which was reorganised as Task Force 121.

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.[3]

The force was approximately 1500 soldiers with its own support capabilities.[3]

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.[4]

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.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ U.S. Navy, Task Force 20, accessed October 2011
  2. ^ Commander, Fleet Forces Command blog, 1 May 2011 blog entry, accessed October 2011
  3. ^ a b John Pike (5 August 2003). "Secret task force is spearhead in hunt for Hussein". Globalsecurity.org. http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2003/030805-secret-taskforce01.htm. Retrieved 19 May 2011. 
  4. ^ Ann Scott Tyson (24 July 2003). "Anatomy of the raid on Hussein's sons". Christian Science Monitor. http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0724/p01s01-woiq.html. Retrieved 17 March 2009. 
  5. ^ Vivienne Walt (4 August 2003). "Bitterness Grows in Iraq Over Deaths of Civilians". Common Dreams (Boston Globe)). http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0804-03.htm. Retrieved 17 March 2009.