Joint Special Operations Command Task Force in the Iraq War
The Joint Special Operations Command Task Force in the Iraq War was a joint U.S. and British special operations temporary grouping assembled from different units. It has been described as a "hunter-killer team" with its core made up of the United States Army's 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta and the 75th Ranger Regiment, as well as the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group and members of the United States Air Force's 24th Special Tactics Squadron, all under Joint Special Operations Command and elements from the United Kingdom Special Forces, including the Special Air Service, Special Boat Service, Special Reconnaissance Regiment, 18 Signal Regiment, and the Special Forces Support Group. The task force was reported to be responsible for the cross border raid into Syria from Iraq in October 2008 that resulted in eight deaths including Abu Ghadiya, along with several US operations in the Horn of Africa targeting al-Qaeda.
Successive Task Force designations
Since the invasion of Iraq, the unit went through a number of changes of designation. Task Force 20 was amalgamated with Task Force 5 in Afghanistan in July 2003, and became Task Force 21. It was then redesignated Task Force 121, and later as Task Force 6–26, Task Force 145, and Task Force 88. Neville notes that he omitted the "current" designation of the unit. However, he did say that it was also known obliquely as Other Coalition Forces – Iraq, "a wry reference to the CIA unit of the moniker OGA". By the time General Stanley McChrystal took command, the force was known as Task Force 714.Post-invasion organization
- Task Force 77 – LSA Anaconda, Balad
- * TF Black/Knight – Elements, UK's SAS, SBS, SRR, 18 SR and the SFSG until 2006 – Based in headquarters known as MSS Fernandez a.k.a. 'the Station', in Baghdad
- * TF North/Red rotating battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment and a small element of Delta Force operators – Tikrit
- * TF West/Blue rotating squadron, DEVGRU, supported by units from the 75th Rangers – Al Asad Airbase
- * TF Center/Green rotating squadron, Delta Force, supported by an element of the 75th Rangers – LSA Anaconda and MSS Fernandez
- * TF Orange – detachments of various intelligence agencies including the U.S. Intelligence Support Activity
Organization as of October 2006
The headquarters element, which included the majority of the task force's many aviation and intelligence assets, was based at Balad Air Base between Samarra and Baghdad; the four elements that it controlled, each commanded by a lieutenant colonel or equivalent, were spread across the country.
Task Force Center is said to be co-located with TF 145's headquarters element at Balad, but it could also be based at Camp Liberty, since it is responsible for the Baghdad region. TF Center is based around a direct-action squadron; the three Delta Force squadrons and SEAL Team Six appeared to rotate through this position. It is also supported by a rotating company-sized element of the 75th Ranger Regiment and elements of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.
Task Force West is structured similarly to TF Center in that it has a company-sized force protection element from the 75th Rangers and is based around a battalion-sized direct action unit that could have been at any given time a Delta Force squadron or SEAL Team Six. It seems that these units rotated every three to four months. It is likely that TF West is based either at Camp Asad or Camp Taqaddum.
Task Force North is organized differently: it is based around a full battalion of the 75th Rangers, with a company-sized element from Delta Force acting in support. TF North was based at FOB Marez in Mosul.
History as Task Force 20
Invasion of Iraq
In preparation for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Task Force 20 was formed based on Task Force 11/Sword during the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and were assigned to western Iraq, the Task Force was led by Major General Dell L. Dailey. TF 20 was composed of mainly Special forces units from JSOC: B squadron, Delta Force and all three battalions of the 75th Ranger Regiment; a battalion strength element of the 82nd Airborne Division, serving as a Quick reaction force and reinforcements; and a M142 HIMARS. Later in the invasion M1A1 Abrams tanks from C Company, 2nd Battalion 70th Armor were attached to TF 20.TF 20 was based at Ar'Ar Air Base in Saudi Arabia. The commander of the Delta Force squadron Lieutenant Colonel Pete Blaber wanted to deploy his operators out into western Iraq and conduct strikes against enemy concentrations, tying up enemy forces that could otherwise be sent to reinforce against the Army and Marine advance from the south, such operation would also effectively deceive the Iraqis as to the true intentions of the coalition forces and precisely where the main effort would be concentrated. However, Daily wanted the Delta squadron to stay at Ar'Ar Air Base and only launch against suspected Weapon of mass destruction sites and/or High-value targets. The disagreement was decided by General Tommy Franks who went with Blaber's plan. TF 20 was tasked with seizing airfields deep in Iraq and capturing HVTs along with providing long-range Special Reconnaissance. One of its primary pre-invasion targets was the planned seizure of Saddam International Airport in Baghdad, two full-scale rehearsals were carried out but the operation was never carried out and the airport was eventually captured by conventional units.
In the evening of 19 March 2003, Task Force 20, led by B squadron, Delta Force, was the first US SOF unit to enter western Iraq as part of the initial infiltration before the main invasion. They later assisted coalition SOF in the capture H-3 Air Base, Rangers were later flown in to garrison the base; unofficially, Task Force 20 had been in Iraq, along with British SOF Task Force 7 and 14, and the Australian SOF Task Force 64. Delta Force then proceeded to the Haditha Dam complex; it also conducted numerous deception operations to confuse the Iraqis as to the disposition of Coalition forces in the west.
On 24 March 2003, Delta Force recce operators drove through Iraqi lines around the Haditha Dam, marking targets for Coalition airstrikes, the subsequent bombings resulted in the destruction of a large number of Iraqi armoured vehicles and antiaircraft systems. Also that day, 3rd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment conducted a combat drop onto H-1 Air Base, securing the site as a staging area for operations in western Iraq. Delta's reconnaissance of the dam indicated that a much larger force was needed to capture it, so C squadron Delta squadron was dispatched from Fort Bragg, with a further Ranger battalion, along with M1A1 Abrams tanks from C Company, 2nd Battalion 70th Armor. C-17s flew the company from Tallil to H-1 Air Base and then to MSS Grizzly—a desert strip established by Delta Force which was located between Haditha and Tikrit; C Squadron, Delta Force was flown directly to MSS Grizzly.
On 26 March 2003, the DEVGRU component in TF 20 supported by B company 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment conducted the raid Objective Beaver—a suspected chemical and biological weapons site at the al Qadisiyah reservoir, north of Haditha, they engaged numerous gunmen but there was no chemical or biological weapons at the site.
On 1 April 2003, DEVGRU along with Para Rescue Jumpers and Combat Controllers from the 24th Special Tactics Squadron and Rangers from 1st and 2nd Battalions, 75th Ranger Regiment and other forces took part in the rescue of PFC Jessica Lynch. Also that day C Squadron, Delta Force and 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment captured the Haditha Dam and held it for a further 5 days.
Delta units headed north from Haditha to conduct ambushes along the highway above Tikrit, tying up Iraqi forces in the region and attempting to capture fleeing high-value targets trying to escape to Syria. Team Tank reportedly convinced Iraqi senior officers that the coalition main effort might be coming from the west. On 2 April 2003, they were engaged by half a dozen armed technicals from the same anti-special forces Fedayeen that had previously fought Task Force 7. Two Delta operators were wounded and the squadron requested aero medical evacuation and close-air support as a company of truck-borne Iraqi reinforcements arrived to bolster the Fedayeen assault. Two MH-60K Blackhawks carrying a para jumper medical team and two MH-60L Black Hawk Direct Action Penetrator attack helicopters of the 160 SOAR responded and engaged the Iraqis, which allowed the Delta operators to move their casualties to an emergency HLZ, after which they were medevaced to H-1 Air Base, escorted by a pair of A-10As. However, Master sergeant George Fernandez died of his wounds. The DAPs stayed on station and continued to engage the Iraqis, destroying a truck carrying a mortar and several infantry squads, whilst Delta snipers killed Iraqi infantryman firing on the DAPs. A pair of A-10As arrived and dropped 500 lb airburst bombs within 20m of Delta positions and killed a large number of Iraqi infantry who had been gathering in a wadi. The DAPs spotted several Iraqi units and engaged them until they were dangerously low on fuel.
On 9 April 2003, the combined team seized an airfield near Tikrit during a night attack, one tank drove into a 40 ft deep hole and flipped, injuring one of the crew and disabling the tank, which was later destroyed by another tank to deny it to the enemy. By mid-April, Delta had advanced into Baghdad and 'Team Tank' returned to its parent unit.
Throughout April, TF 20 continued to raid suspected WMD sites, sometimes only hours ahead of the official Army WMD Sensitive Site Exploitation team. As major combat operations were winding down TF 20 transitioned to hunting HVT former Ba'athists. On 19 April 2003, the TF captured HVT Mohammed Abbas, the leader of the PLF terrorist group. On 25 April, captured the Iraqi deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz. TF 20 also recovered a Mil Mi-17 "Hip" helicopter for later use in covert operations.