Secret U.S. Task Force 145 Secretly Changes Its Name, Again
EmailThe super-secret U.S. Task Force 145 had already changed its number call sign before its highly publicized killing of Abu Musab al Zarqawi in Iraq last week. Officials say the new task force number will not be made public. U.S. military officials in Baghdad tell ABC News that the elite task force dislikes publicity and wants to keep even its task force number secret. Task Force 145 had already changed its name twice previously, dropping TF 121 and TF 626 as the numbers became more widely known. The group is made up of elite U.S. military forces, including personnel from the U.S. Navy Seal Team 6, Delta Force and Army Rangers. Members of the British Special Air Service (SAS) are also part of the group. According to ABC News’ Luis Martinez at the Pentagon, the group’s first name was Task Force 20, assigned to hunt high value targets in Iraq shortly after the war. They successfully tracked and killed Saddam Hussein’s two sons, Uday and Qusay. They were then merged with the unit looking for Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, becoming known first as Task Force 5, then Task Force 180. The players are the same, but the numbers continually change: Task Force 20
Task Force 5
Task Force 180
Task Force 121
Task Force 626
Task Force 145
Task Force ???
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
Wht knd of crzy stuff is this you keep pub the secret call signs. Your crzy news people are putting people at risk. Shame on you…. Quit being so obtrusive. Just tell me what I NEED to Know not the secret names of the force.
Posted by: Kat | June 12, 2006, 11:47 am 11:47 am
…and this is a very GOOD thing! Publicity is not the friend of any secret task force, is it?
Posted by: dawn | June 12, 2006, 11:51 am 11:51 am
In case you have not figure it out, radio call signs are changed frequently to hinder the enemy from gleaning intelligence data from intercepted radio transmissions. So, how many lives are you jeapordizing by publishing this data? How many American Sons and Daughters are you placing in harm’s way by your thoughtless publication? This is not news!
God bless our troops!
Posted by: tmblweed | June 12, 2006, 12:27 pm 12:27 pm
al Qaeda doesn’t need to know operational details of the units arrayed against it. Please don’t publish information such as this. There is nothing gained by the public in knowing the current unit designator, we already know the unit exists. That should be sufficient. Is ABC now the official intelligence service for al Qaeda?
Posted by: crosspatch | June 12, 2006, 12:27 pm 12:27 pm
Who cares what they call themselves. If we all find out they changed their name to Task Force 1,485,963, it will not matter. I doubt they walk around with a sign saying Task Force “Whatever” or used “Task Force 145″ as a “call sign” for operational communications. It’s analogous to a unit or team designation.
Posted by: George | June 12, 2006, 12:27 pm 12:27 pm
you must stop publishing operational security info.
Posted by: Jay | June 12, 2006, 12:34 pm 12:34 pm
Why bother digging for secret call signs? Why not just put a target sign on their backs for the enemy to find? what are you stupid? How would you feel if that was your son or husband over there. Let them do their jobs so they can come home safely to their wives and children. Stop digging for unneccesary information!!
Posted by: Nicole | June 12, 2006, 12:36 pm 12:36 pm
This is not news worthy in the least. It was a waste of my time to even read it. Who cares about the NUMBER or if it changed? If I worked at the Pentagon, I’d find out what knucklehead leaked this dumb information and send them to a weather station in the Artic Circle. It detracts from ABC News and Brian Ross that they would even give this non-story any space on the web.
Posted by: saf | June 12, 2006, 12:37 pm 12:37 pm
Getting readers to post comments regarding a bad ABC practice is like the casino letting one gambler pay another…This type of blog makes us think ABC is listening, and if you follow the content direction day-by-day, you’ll see that they are not.
Posted by: Rory | June 12, 2006, 12:38 pm 12:38 pm
You guys need to get this to
Al-jezerra right away!!! You wouldn’t want to help US forces keep any info SECRET which could save our guys lives.
Posted by: Kathy Heitmeier | June 12, 2006, 12:41 pm 12:41 pm
Good Lord…what naivety. It’s called PR…i don’t think abcnews had to dumpster dive too far to get his info.
hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.
Posted by: lusurfer | June 12, 2006, 12:42 pm 12:42 pm
this is exactly why my fellow Marine friends have a hard time trying to keep stuff secret, when our own American news teams put it out for everyone to know…how dumb can u be
Posted by: Roberto Garcia | June 12, 2006, 12:59 pm 12:59 pm
If this news were meant to be secret, it wouldn’t be here. There’s little or no value in those numbers. It’s war trivia … treat it as such.
Posted by: Adarsh | June 12, 2006, 1:04 pm 1:04 pm
ABC clearly is encroaching on the Republican core when it reveals news that most of mankind considers old or irrelevant but that a few adolescents perceive as injurious to the national interest.
What will they think if Ross and his snoops disclose later today that Bush is at Camp David?
Posted by: The Umbrella of Cherbourg | June 12, 2006, 1:06 pm 1:06 pm
That’s the one thing I’ve never been able to understand about the news organizations in this country…why do you keep putting sensitive information out there to the public? The media is partly to blame for our misses…especially in regards to Osama…you keep reporting where the troops are every step of the way…how could that possibly help us!! I always trusted ABC News, as it’s the news I grew up watching…shame on you!!
Posted by: Matt | June 12, 2006, 1:08 pm 1:08 pm
Why not publish the names of the soldiers while you are at it. How would you like your info placed out there. For God’s sake we are trying to seek and destroy the terrorist, and you are not helping (MEDIA)!!!
Posted by: AguyIn-CT | June 12, 2006, 1:19 pm 1:19 pm
ABC you must stop and think if the news you give is worth lives of are men and woman that are fighting for ours and those overseas freedom. We all now there is a war going on, and that many lives are being taken, but lets not help the emeny take any more. What your news should be about is how much money the Vice President, and President is makeing off this. Look into it, that is a good story. One has oil the others has construction.
Posted by: christopher | June 12, 2006, 1:22 pm 1:22 pm
You and CBS wonder how Fox came about. Why do I continue to look at your dribble? Forget it. A skunk can’t change its stripes.
Inquiring minds? want to know.
Posted by: Frank | June 12, 2006, 1:24 pm 1:24 pm
This story is a little dull to receive featured space. As for the folks concerned this call-sign info jeapordizes American troops in some way… If this had reported their new call-sign, that might be important. Knowing this call-sign is not being used is not that big of a deal. Also, it’s good that the press publishes some things along these lines. A leak that receives publicity is addressed. A leak that only the enemy knows about or that we pretend is “contained” is the leak that costs lives.
Posted by: Trystann | June 12, 2006, 1:27 pm 1:27 pm
i agree with all of the above comments! goes to show how far down americans have gone in morality & ethics and selfishness to only care about having publicity thru a stupid headline!
Posted by: magali | June 12, 2006, 1:38 pm 1:38 pm
You really are foolish and placing U.S. and allied troops at risks in the details you publish. Are you that naive, or do you willing place your jobs and careers over the lives and safety of U.S. troops? Have you ever heard of KEEPING YOUR BIG MOUTHS SHUT? But on the other hand, if it is PsyOps and keeps the enemy looking over their shoulder day and night with NO sleep, keep up the fine work! Let them experience what “vulnerable” means.
Posted by: Rick | June 12, 2006, 1:49 pm 1:49 pm
When Brian Ross and the rest of the newspeople cannot find a story that will surprise, shock or otherwise satisfy some prurient interest, they lay awake nights trying to find ways to reveal security issues to our enemies. Keep up the good work!
Posted by: Hugh McKell | June 12, 2006, 1:52 pm 1:52 pm
Okay, you can stop the publicity of the SpecOps task force for your ratings! Their job is not meant for publicity which you guys totally glamorize, so let them do their job because it’s serious. Gosh, unbelievable!!
Posted by: Capitalist | June 12, 2006, 1:54 pm 1:54 pm
Could ABC News please publish Brian Ross’ home phone number and personal e-mail address? If not, why not?
Posted by: Bill | June 12, 2006, 2:02 pm 2:02 pm
What the HELL is wrong with you media people?!?
You would risk the lives of your OWN MOTHERS for the slimmest of headlines!
I can’t believe how careless you media people are about crucial intelligence secrets!!!
SHAME ON YOU!!!
Posted by: Emma Morrow | June 12, 2006, 2:03 pm 2:03 pm
That’s the one thing I’ve never been able to understand about the news organizations in this country…why do you keep putting sensitive information out there to the public? The media is partly to blame for our misses…especially in regards to Osama…you keep reporting where the troops are every step of the way…how could that possibly help us!! I always trusted ABC News, as it’s the news I grew up watching…shame on you!!
Posted by: Matt Teeters | June 12, 2006, 2:04 pm 2:04 pm
Why does ABC or any media have to report this sort of stuff to the general public? Are you trying to help get people killed? Are you trying to undermind the nature of the work they are doing? Who’s side are you guys on anyway? Not the USA’s that’s for sure. Just because you know something doesn’t mean you should share it.
Posted by: Therese Santos | June 12, 2006, 2:04 pm 2:04 pm
I am not reading anymore from your site. You have no reguards for our troops, so I have to say good bye.
Posted by: Mark | June 12, 2006, 2:13 pm 2:13 pm
HEY ABC, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING OUR WARRIOR MEN AND WOMEN IN HARMS WAY. YOU ARE SO CONSUMED WITH PUBLISHING “SO-CALLED” QUALITY INFORMATION, THAT YOU FORFEIT THE LIVES OF THOSE PROTECTING YOUR STUPIDS LIVES. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!! DO YOU SEE ANY BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS YET. WELL AFTER YOU SCRAPE OFF ALL THE CRAP, YOU SHOULD FIND PLENTY.
Posted by: DEBBIE | June 12, 2006, 2:13 pm 2:13 pm
Sometimes I wonder, you wants the US soldiers back home because of their security in Irag, afagastan. Then you find the same people playing against the same soldiers to favour their enemies. Are the Americans real or contraversal?
Posted by: Martin | June 12, 2006, 2:19 pm 2:19 pm
Thanks for the info.
Posted by: Been Laden | June 12, 2006, 2:20 pm 2:20 pm
The task for number was reveiled in the video and audio released by the PENTAGON about the killing of Zarquawi. ABC Listens to it asks what the numbers 145 mean, and are told its the call sign of the elite group who performed the operation and that the call sign had already been changed.
No troops are endangered this is not classified information. All the commentors say it is need to go back to watching Fox News…
Posted by: J Stiles | June 12, 2006, 2:20 pm 2:20 pm
This is the first time that I’ve read anything from this site. ABC, you are idiots and VERY unpatriotic! Your reporting is just as bad now as it was during the last presidential election coverage. BIASED!!! As far as the comments that people have written here, they just emphasize the fact how proud our country truly is as a whole.
Posted by: andy | June 12, 2006, 2:33 pm 2:33 pm
We’re talking about the elite CT units here, nobody is going to know anything about them that isn’t supposed to be know. The call sign info came from the military higher ups I’m sure (for PR no doubt), the unit members probably wouldn’t even tell you they were military!
Exactly how is knowing a call sign going to help the enemy evade these guys? You think these guys are using open comms and declaring their presence? There’s nobody better at CT than Six (DEVGRUP), DELTA and the SAS. This story isn’t jeopardizing anybody.
Posted by: taskerfive | June 12, 2006, 3:30 pm 3:30 pm
How do you sleep at night? Have you ever considered the number of lives lost that you are personally responsible for? I expect al-qaeda considers the American press one of its most valuable allies
Posted by: david | June 12, 2006, 4:38 pm 4:38 pm
We are at WAR. STOP helping the ENEMY. Do they tell us what their call signs are? Of course not.
Posted by: jim | June 12, 2006, 5:57 pm 5:57 pm
Hey Guys, If you guys had been around during WWII we would all most likely be speaking a different language than English! Remember “Loose Lips Sink Ships”.
Posted by: John Kelley | June 12, 2006, 6:54 pm 6:54 pm
Everyone is freaking out that ABC published something that would hurt the US troops in Task Force 145, yet I see no “secret” information in this article of any kind. They simply named unit numbers that are no longer in any use of any kind – the new name for the Task Force was not given, and there was no information pertaining to any sort of current mission for the task force listed in this article. Infact, all it said was what sort of troops made up the task force, and if anything, that would simply make the enemy give pause before deciding to tangle with them. I see no cause for freaking out over this article as you all are. What I see is simple public knowledge.
Get over it.
Posted by: Scott | June 12, 2006, 11:21 pm 11:21 pm
As someone who has covered 5 wars for
various news organizations I can understand
many of the readers concern for Operational
Security, what I cannot understand is the leveling of insults toward ABC, when far more extensive information on Task Force 145 was published by the Army Times’s in
an story by Sean D. Naylor. June 8, 2006.
The fact that they would change their unit sign is a given. Think about what you really know about the Iraq War, most of it isn’t coming from government souces now is it?
The American media, while far from perfect
serves it’s purpose of getting information
to you and me so that we can make informed
decisions about our foreign policy, and
what the men and women of Task Force
145 are fighting and dying for.
Posted by: Charlie | June 13, 2006, 3:54 am 3:54 am
“I see no secret information…”
You are correct that there is little actual content, in and of itself secret, released in this article but it remains a fact that all communication can leak and that anyone with access to such leaked information now knows that they should not be looking for references to Task force 145 but something new. It’s one of many ‘shrouds’ around special operations which would have been better left in place. Nothing has been gained by releasing this information but something small may have been lost and in war that can amount to a great deal.
PS. Y’ know, it’s a bit much to have this “…also part of the group..” addendum, when at the very least a quarter of these forces are British, Canadian and Australian and that Task Force Maroon’s paratroopers aren’t even mentioned.
Posted by: steve | June 13, 2006, 4:22 am 4:22 am
Stop over-reacting. This is obviously not confidential info. Look at the original source:
“U.S. military officials in Baghdad tell ABC News that the elite task force dislikes publicity and wants to keep even its task force number secret.”
It would only be a mistake for them to publish the new Task Force number.
Oh wait, maybe you guys are under the impression that the new number is Task Force ???
Posted by: wick | June 13, 2006, 12:12 pm 12:12 pm
If ABCNews actually believes that this is newsworthy, it is time to shut your doors. I am tired of hearing about Britney Spears’ love life, and Tom Cruises couch jumping, and you media people reporting where our troops can be found. Freedom of the press does not include endangering lives and placing targets on the backs of the people who are protecting us. Do you really think them keeping their call signs a secret is a BAD idea? Seriously? You people (media) act like this country isn’t anything important and you should be able to report anything because the people want to know. Why don’t you start asking the public what we want to hear about, because I promise that Britney, Tom and the whole lot of them won’t be what we want to know, neither will be any of the call signs for the troops that you so eagerly expose. Stop killing our soldiers!
Posted by: Sabrina | June 13, 2006, 1:42 pm 1:42 pm
I cant not believe you people insist on printing and publishing information such as this. If the United States military wanted this information out I am sure they would put it out there on a pamphlet. You media people are some of the stupidest people I have ever seen in my life. Why don’t you stick to finding about Brad and Angelina baby pictures and stay out of the way of the military.
Posted by: John McCraw | June 13, 2006, 2:52 pm 2:52 pm
You, ABC News, have rendered your media operation totally irrelevant when it comes to responsible news unless you deem any Hollywood celebrity event as newsworthy…excuse me…celebrity happenings is NOT NEWSWORTHY. ABC should change its mission to ‘Entertainment News’. It is obvious that ABC wants the US and coalition forces to fail. Any successes there are NEVER broadcast in a favorable light. Our military men and women believe in the cause of freedom they are fighting for and that is good enough for me to support them!!!
Posted by: Pam | June 13, 2006, 3:35 pm 3:35 pm
Let’s start calling it “the Task Force previously known as 145″
Posted by: willy | June 14, 2006, 3:32 am 3:32 am
All You guys up there, who ignored the sense of the free speech, the free press, and finally freedom itself, all You guys should really think about, why the germans don´t wanna got to war, why we once did go to war and what was told to us why we had to go to war.
Brian, at least You got some friends over HERE..
Thanks from Berlin, You know where that is..
Posted by: Daniel Neun | June 14, 2006, 2:12 pm 2:12 pm
The drive media has not even a basic working knowledge on how the regular US forces work, much less the special forces. I would say 90% of what they report on special operation is not base on facts. Its a waste of time reading their news from Iraq or Afghanistan, they think reporting on a conflict makes them a
expert. Listen to the question the freaks ask at the next briefing, it is like watching saturday night live. I would like to how reporters at abc have served in the military.
Posted by: john whitaker | June 14, 2006, 10:37 pm 10:37 pm
How is thins information even sensitive? It doesn’t matter what their “Task Force #” is. I guess the Feepers are out in full force here. I will admit, the whole story is pointless.
Posted by: Reality | June 15, 2006, 3:04 pm 3:04 pm
Why don’t you quit putting American lives in peril and have some patriotism. This crap doesn’t need to be published
Posted by: Andrew | July 4, 2006, 12:23 pm 12:23 pm