Task Force (United States Navy)
A Task Force (abbreviated TF , commonly known as Taffy ; dt. : Combat Team, Task Force) was during the Second World War, the alliance of maritime units of the US Navy to use the groups to which certain tasks have been allocated. From 1941 to 1945 there were a total of 69 task forces.
The abbreviation for a task force was TF with the number attached, for example TF 38 . Subgroups were designated with TG (Task Group), for example TG 38.2 . Further subdivisions into Task Units (TU) and Task Elements (TE) were possible, for example the abbreviation for a shielding unit of TG 38.2 was TU 38.2.3 .
Task Force 38 and 58 (name changed depending on the subordination under the Third Fleet or Fifth Fleet ) received a special name in the second half of the Pacific War . It formed the main US force against Japan and was known as the Fast Carrier Task Force .
At the beginning of the war, task forces consisted of one or two aircraft carriers and / or battleships accompanied by cruisers and destroyers . Later, when more ships were available, the groups became significantly larger and, towards the end of the war, consisted of up to six aircraft carriers, some lighter aircraft carriers and escort carriers , several battleships, a cruiser division and several destroyer divisions. Then there were the landing units for the island invasions.