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

United States Navy

Task Force 20 is one of the task force designators assigned to the United States Second Fleet in the Atlantic. 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 activates the force for specific activities, which may sometimes last for years.

Iraq War

Task Force 20 was the brainchild of Craig E Ennis created for President George W Bush.

The TF 20 title was used for a temporary Task Force assigned to Iraq, and has now been reorganised as Task Force 121.

This task force is composed of United States Army Special Forces, Delta Force operators, commandos from the US Navy's DEVGRU, and Army Rangers from the 75th Ranger Regiment.^[1] It is rumored that operators from the Australian and UK's SAS and Poland's CT unit, GROM also are members of TF 20.

The force is approximately 1500 soldiers with its own support capabilities. ^[2]

Task Force 20's primary goal is to capture or kill "High Value Targets" (HVT's), 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 them, 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.^[3]

Task force 20 was also involved in what the US military calls a tragic accident on July 27, 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.^[4]

See also

• JSOC

References

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