Editing Task Force 20 (section)

==United States Navy==
Task Force 20 was a task force for the now-deactivated [[United States Second Fleet]], as well as a now-inactive task force for the [[United States Fleet Forces Command]].  In its Second Fleet role, TF-20 served as that fleet's Battle Force.  In its subsequent role in the Fleet Forces Command, TF-20 served in a training role for U.S. naval units preparing to deploy to the [[United States Sixth Fleet]] in the East Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, as well as the [[United States Fifth Fleet]] in the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf.

Task Force 20 was 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 Norman Polmar, writing in ''Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet,'' the designator was reserved for the Second Fleet's Battle Force, and the commander of that force was to be Commander, Second Fleet.<ref>Polmar, Ships and Aircraft of the US Fleet, Fourteenth Edition, 1987, {{ISBN|978-0-87021-649-7}}, 18.</ref> This was the documented case from 1978 to 1987, and from probably much earlier. The task force was probably intended primarily at that time to undertake attacks on [[Soviet Navy]] bases on the [[Kola Peninsula]] in the event of a general war.

From 21 to 27 November 1946, {{USS|Missouri|BB-63|6}} was en route to Davis Strait as part of Task Group 20.2, which also included the cruiser ''Little Rock'' and destroyer [[USS Fechteler (DD-870)|USS ''Fechteler'']].<ref>USS Missouri Association</ref> Between 27 November and 4 December, she participated in cold-weather exercises in Davis Strait, between Greenland and East Baffin Island, as part of Task Group 20.2. An incident during that cruise involving the {{USS|Little Rock|CL-92|6}}. She was off the port side firing 5-inch star shells for illumination, to spot icebergs, when there was a misfire. According to standard procedure the gunner began to point the barrel toward the water to wait out a hangfire. However, the round cooked off halfway down. The round hit the ''Missouri'' on the signal bridge, killing Coxswain Robert Fountain and starting a fire involving an acetylene tank which was lashed to the railing. One or two officers' cabins were destroyed as well. ''Missouri'' did not get back to Norfolk until 13 December 1946. Commander [[Carrier Group 6]] served as CTG 20.2 for a Mediterranean deployment aboard {{USS|America|CV-66}} in April 1984.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/n/lha-4/1981.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=6 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130601231521/http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/n/lha-4/1981.pdf |archive-date=1 June 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In late October 1983, {{USS|Independence|CV-62|6}}'s battle group ([[Carrier Group Four]]), assigned to the Second Fleet, became the core of Task Group 20.5, the carrier task group that would support the [[Invasion of Grenada]]. On 25 October 1983, aircraft from Independence's embarked air wing flew missions supporting the invasion.

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 (United States)|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.<ref>U.S. Navy, [http://www.public.navy.mil/usff/Pages/ctf20.aspx Task Force 20] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111128060322/http://www.public.navy.mil/usff/Pages/ctf20.aspx |date=28 November 2011 }}, accessed October 2011</ref> Task Force 20 was commanded by Vice Admiral [[David Buss (United States Navy)|David H. Buss)]] from 30 September 2011 until its disestablishment on 24 August 2012.

In effect, the tasks of the Second Fleet commander and staff were reassigned to Commander, Task Force 20 until Fleet Forces Command was reorganized on 14 September 2012.  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 ([[Commander Strike Force Training Atlantic]] (CSFTL), [[Carrier strike group|4 x CSG]], ESG-2) and Second Fleet’s existing Task Forces and Task Groups."<ref>Commander, Fleet Forces Command blog, [http://usfleetforces.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html 1 May 2011 blog entry], accessed October 2011</ref>

Task Force 20 was disestablished effective 1 October 2012, and its functions transferred to [[Task Force 80]].<ref>{{cite web | title= USFF Commanders Guidance Brief to Senior Staff 17 Sep_FINAL | url= https://www.scribd.com/doc/108522114/USFF-Commanders-Guidance-Brief-to-Senior-Staff-17-Sep-FINAL | publisher= Scribd.com | date= 17 September 2012 | accessdate=2012-04-15|quote=Slides 21, 45, 46}}</ref>