Death Squadron/Legends

Death Squadron was a special unit of the Imperial Starfleet with several TIE and stormtrooper detachments. This joint force was under the personal command of Darth Vader.

Composition
The squadron’s major starships included the Imperial-class Star Destroyers Accuser, Adjudicator, Avenger, Conquest, Corrupter, Devastator, Stalker, Thunderflare, Tyrant and Vengeance, as well as Vader's flagship, the Star Dreadnought Executor. TIE units included the 181st Imperial Fighter Group. Ground units included Blizzard Force.

While labeled as a squadron, Death Squadron was more likely a modified system force. It is likely that Vader chose to supplement the squadron with more Star Destroyers and larger ships to increase firepower, while reducing the number of support starships to increase flexibility and deployment speed. There were at least twenty starship commanders in Death Squadron, each bearing the rank of Captain, although no information is available on what starships they may have commanded beyond the known Star Destroyers.

History
Darth Vader formed Death Squadron after the Imperial defeat at the Battle of Yavin. For three years, Death Squadron hunted the Rebel Alliance from system to system under the command of Admiral Kendal Ozzel, mercilessly crushing any Rebel forces it encountered. Eventually, a probe droid launched by Stalker succeeded in locating the Rebel Alliance base of operations on the ice world of Hoth.

After participating in the space and ground battles at Hoth, Death Squadron pursued the Millennium Falcon, although it was lost in the Hoth asteroid belt.

One year later, Death Squadron, under the command of Admiral Firmus Piett, served as the core of the Imperial fleet at the Battle of Endor. During the battle, Devastator and Executor were destroyed, and a number of ships were captured. With the death of the Emperor and Darth Vader, the unit was disbanded.

Known Officers of Death Squadron

 * Admiral Amise Griff, former Executor commander
 * Admiral Kendal Ozzel, former Executor commander
 * Admiral Firmus Piett, Executor commander
 * Admiral Garreth Holtz, Corrupter commander
 * Captain Lorth Needa, Avenger commander
 * Captain Lennox, Tyrant commander
 * Captain Akal Zed, Stalker commander
 * Lieutenant Venka
 * Lieutenant Cabbel

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
 * Shadows of the Empire
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi