Task Force 88 (United States Navy) facts for kids

Task Force 88 (TF88) was a special group of ships and planes from the Royal Navy (British Navy) and the United States Navy (U.S. Navy). It was led by Rear Admiral Thomas Hope Troubridge. This force helped with Operation Dragoon, which was when the Allies invaded southern France during World War II. TF88 started in August 1944. It finished its work there on August 29, 1944, when the ships moved to the Aegean Sea.

What was Task Force 88?

Task Force 88 was a "task force," which means a group of ships and aircraft working together for a specific mission. It was made up of both British and American ships. These ships were stationed off the coast of Provence, a region in southern France.

What did Task Force 88 do?

The main jobs of Task Force 88 were:

• To get air superiority over the landing beaches. This means making sure Allied planes controlled the sky, so enemy planes couldn't attack the soldiers on the ground.
• To give air support to the soldiers fighting on land. This involved attacking enemy positions and stopping their movements.
• To destroy important military buildings and equipment.
• To help the navy ships aim their big guns. Planes would spot where enemy artillery was and tell the ships where to shoot.

The name TF 88 was later used for a different operation called Operation Argus. This was a series of nuclear tests done by the U.S. Navy in the late 1950s.

Ships and Planes of Task Force 88

Task Force 88 had two main groups: Task Group 88.1 and Task Group 88.2. They also had a special observation squadron called VOC-01. This squadron used 12 Grumman F6F Hellcat night fighter planes. These planes flew from Corsica, an island nearby.

The main ships in Task Force 88 were escort carriers. These are smaller aircraft carriers that protect other ships and support ground troops. They carried different types of planes, like the Grumman F4F Wildcat, Grumman F6F Hellcat, and Supermarine Seafire.

Here's a look at some of the ships and squadrons in each group: