Task Force 496

Task Force 496 was an independent operational unit of the Solarian League Navy's Battle Fleet.

History

Around 1921 PD, Task Force 496, then commanded by Fleet Admiral Sandra Crandall, was unusually moved to the McIntosh System outside the "Old League", due to fleet training codenamed Exercise Winter Forage. The last previous event where Battle Fleet deployed anything larger than a squadron outside the Old League occured in 1831 PD.

A subsequent relocation to the Madras Sector was connected with the New Tuscany Incident and the rising tension between the League and the Star Empire of Manticore. After hearing of the destruction of Admiral Josef Byng's flagship, SLNS Jean Bart, in the Second Battle of New Tuscany, Admiral Crandall without her superiors authorization ordered her task force to the Spindle System, the capital of the Talbott Quadrant. (SI2)

When the TF 496 arrived in the Spindle System in February 1922 PD, Fleet Admiral Crandall demanded the surrender of Vice Admiral Gold Peak and all others involved in the New Tuscany Incident. Imperial Governor Medusa declined, so Crandall ordered her ships to attack the Manticoran fleet in the orbit of Flax.

Twenty three ships of wall, including Crandall's flagship, SLNS Joseph Buckley, were destroyed or pounded into wrecks in the Battle of Spindle. The surviving Solarian vessels struck their wedges. Due to Admiral Crandall's death Admiral Keeley O'Cleary formally surrendered.

The more than 400,000 surviving crewmembers of TF 496 were taken to Flax as prisoners, and Vice Admiral Gold Peak decided to treat them technically as the prisoners of war. Admiral Keeley O'Cleary was relieved to personally report to her superiors. (HH12)

Organization

Strength

• 71 superdreadnoughts - 9 battle squadrons
  • 64 Scientist-class units
  • 7 Vega-class units
• 16 battlecruisers
• 12 heavy cruisers
• 23 light cruisers
• 18 destroyers

Supported by 3 repair ships, 24 store ships and 2 ammunition ships.

Order of battle

See: Battle of Spindle#Order of battle

Personnel

Chain of command

Fleet Admiral Sandra Crandall – Commanding Officer

The next in command squadron commanders, according to their seniority were:

1. Admiral Dunichi Lazlo – Battle Squadron 196, CO (†)
2. Admiral Keeley O'Cleary – acting CO, Battle Squadron 326, CO
3. Admiral Griseldis Degauchy (†)
4. Admiral Margaux Bordelon - senior officer of the surrendered personnel

Staffs

Fleet Admiral Crandall's

• Vice Admiral Pépé Bautista – Chief of Staff
• Vice Admiral Ou-yang Zhing-wei – Operations Officer
• Captain Darryl Chatfield – Communications Officer
• Captain Berend Haarhuis – Astrogation Officer
• Commander Hago Shavarshyan – attached Frontier Fleet intelligence officer

Captain Jacomina van Heutz – CO, SLNS Joseph Buckley, flag captain

Admiral O'Cleary's

• Vice Admiral Hansen Chamberlain – Chief of Staff
• Rear Admiral Tang Dzung-ming – Operations Officer
• Rear Admiral Lavinia Fairfax – Intelligence Officer
• Captain Kalidasa Omprakash – Communications Officer
• Lieutenant Valencia Pabst - flag lieutenant

Captain Anthony Lister – CO, SLNS Anton von Leeuwenhoek, flag captain