Task Force 11

Task Force (TF) 11 was a United States Navy task force in World War II.

TF 11 was originally formed around "Lexington" (CV-2), then "Saratoga" (CV-3) until she was disabled by a Japanese torpedo in January 1942, then "Lexington" again for the Battle of the Coral Sea, then "Saratoga" after her repairs were completed.

TF 11, as part of TF 61 along with TF 16, was involved in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons in late August 1942, but "Saratoga" was again crippled by a submarine, and the task force shrank to just the carrier and some destroyers.

In September 1943, TF 11 was reorganized around light carriers "Princeton" (CVL-23) and "Belleau Wood" (CVL-24) under Rear Admiral Willis Augustus Lee, and supported landings on Baker Island and Howland Island.

In early 1944, its task groups TG 11.1 and 11.2, now consisting of escort aircraft carriers, supported operations in the Marshall Islands.

Task Force (TF) 11 was also the name of a joint Navy SEAL DEVGRU-US Army Delta Force team which has been operating under the US Joint Special Operations Command in Afghanistan searching for senior Taliban and Al-Qaeda leaders. The same units have formed a Task Force searching for high value targets in Iraq, which at various times has had designations including TF 145 and TF 626.

References

*See also Task Force 145, Task Force 6-26, and Task Force 121
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/dod/jsoc.htm Joint Special Operations Command at Globalsecurity.org]