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The 2nd Cavalry Regiment (2nd ACR) is a historic military unit within the United States Army. It can trace its lineage back to the early part of the 19th Century.
Early organization
The regiment was originally established by President Andrew Jackson on May 23, 1836, as the Second Regiment of Dragoons of the U.S. Army. Two squadrons were originally raised, one in Florida and one at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, to combat the Seminole Indians. It saw its first combat during the Seminole Wars, then served on the Texas frontier under Col. David Twiggs.
The regiment then fought in the Mexican War and the early frontier Indian Wars. At the onset of the American Civil War in 1861, it was recalled to the East and redesignated as the Second U.S. Cavalry. For much of the war, it was a key part of the "Reserve Brigade" or "Regular Brigade" of the Army of the Potomac and served in numerous campaigns and battles. During the Battle of Gettysburg, the 2nd U.S. Cavalry served under Wesley Merritt and engaged the Confederates south of Gettysburg on the Third Day.
Indian Wars
- "Kidder Massacre" July 2, 1867-see External link below.
- Baker Massacre Jan 23, 1870
Spanish American War, WWI and WWII
The 2nd Cavalry deployed during the War with Spain to Cuba, joining Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders, fighting at El Canay, San Juan Hill, Aquadores, and Santiago. The Regiment remained in Cuba on pacification duty for the next three years. From Cuba, the Regiment deployed to the Philippines, participating in the Cavite Campaign as well as fighting the Moro in 1911 and 1912. During World War I, the Regiment 'saddled up' again, this time under General Pershing in Europe, participating in several battles, including the Aisne-Marne Offensive. Troops B,D,F,and H became the last elements of the Regiment to ever engage the enemy as mounted horse cavalry.
During World War II, the Regiment (this time under the designation of '2nd Cavalry Group, Mechanized') landed in France in July 1944, becoming part of General Patton's Third Army. During this period, the Regiment became known as the 'Ghosts of Patton's Army' due to their ability to conduct reconnaissance, materializing at will behind German lines. The Regiment made the deepest penetration of the war, arriving in Czechoslovakia before finally linking up with Russian forces heading west. Under the leadership of COL Charles H. Reed, the Regiment conducted a raid behind Soviet lines to rescue the famous Lipizzaner Stallions. At the end of the war, the unit was redesignated, yet again, as the 2nd Constabulary Regiment, and eventually the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in 1948.
Cold War and 1990s
During the Cold War the Regiment was responsible for guarding the Iron Curtain, acting as a tripwire for the long expected but never materializing, Russian invasion of Western Europe. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe meant the Regiment had to now redefine it's role. During this process, the Regiment was alerted for deployment to Saudi Arabia in response to the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq. The regiment spearheaded the VII Corps end-run deep into Iraq during the Persian Gulf War. Returning from the Gulf, the Regiment was relocated from Germany to Fort Lewis, Washington. The Regiment's ground squadrons were converted into a light cavalry unit consiting of Humvees mounted with TOW launchers, MK-19 grenade launchers, .50 caliber machine guns and squadron assault weapons (SAW). The 2nd ACR "light" was then sent to Ft Polk, LA in 1992. From here, the Regiment deployed in support of Peace enforcement operation in Haiti during 1995 to 1996. 3rd Squadron "Wolfpack" was the first ground unit to deploy and operated under the 25th Infantry Division in Port au Prince, Haiti. After 6 months in Haiti, 1st Squadron arrived to replace 3rd Squadron.
Bosnia service
In April of 1997 the Regiment received a Warning Order to be prepared to deploy to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Following the first Mission Rehearsal Exercise held at the JRTC in June, the unit moved to Germany to begin integration with the 1st Armored Division. Meanwhile, all its equipment was shipped to the Intermediate Staging Base at Tazar, Hungary.
The Regiment's participation in Operation Joint Guard began when the Second and Third Squadrons moved across the Sava River into Bosnia in August 1997 to augment the First Infantry Division (Forward) in support of Bosnia-Herzegovina's first free municipal elections. The Regiment's air cavalry, the Fourth Squadron and the Regimental Support Squadron also moved into the country. The Regiment's separate companies - the 502nd Military Intelligence Company, 84th Engineer Company, H-159th Aviation Maintenance Company, and the Air Defense Battery - completed the Regimental troop list.
While the ground squadrons were in Bosnia, the Regimental headquarters deployed to Germany to train with the First Armored Division Headquarters in preparation for assuming command in Bosnia. During August and September, the Regiment was spread across five countries on two continents, and was under the direct command and control of three different general officer commands. This period included another first for any army unit during a 12-month period: The Regiment participated in major training exercises at all three of the Army's Combat Training Centers: The National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin, the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk, and the Combined Maneuver Training Center (CMTC) at Hohenfels, Germany. In October the remainder of the Regiment rode into theater, assuming responsibility for the American sector of Multinational Division (North), which stretched from the war-torn bridge at Brcko in the north to the shattered city of Srebrenica in the south.
The first major action of the Regiment in Bosnia was the seizing of Serbian radio-television towers to prevent the broadcast of inflammatory propaganda into the Republic of Srpska. Other significant operations that the Regiment conducted include: the restructuring of the Republic of Srpska Specialist Police; the creation of the first multiethnic police department, in the city of Brcko; security for the announcement of the Brcko Arbitration Decision (an effort to resolve the status of this Serb-dominated city within Bosnia); institution of common license plates and currency in Bosnia, and the opening of the Bosnian rail system. In conducting operations in sector, the Regiment executed an estimated 12,500 patrols and 480 weapon storage site inspections, supervised the removal of over 12,000 mines, and oversaw 350 training exercises for the Former Warring Factions.
The 2nd ACR has the distinction of being the longest continuously serving unit in the United States Army.
The 21st century
After returning from Bosnia, the Regiment relocated once again, this time to Fort Polk, Louisiana where the unit remained until deployed again to the Gulf, this time for Operation Iraqi Freedom, remaining for a total of 14 months. On its return from combat operations, the Regiment found itself heading back to Fort Lewis in Washington. In December, 2004, the Regiment became the Second Cavalry Regiment, and is in the process of becoming the United States Army's newest Stryker Brigade. In 2006 the 2nd Cavalry Regiment was given orders to "saddle up" once again, this time the Regiment returned to Germany, assigned to the U.S. Army Garrison Grafenwöhr.
Motto and patch
- The Regimental Motto: Toujours Pret - Always Ready (in French).
- The fleur-de-lis on the crest commemorates the Regiment's service in France during WWI.
- The Palmetto Leaf symbolizes the campaign against the Seminole Indians.
- The eight-pointed shield represents the original badge of a Dragoon as does the color, orange.
External links
- GlobalSecurity.org: 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment
- "Kidder Massacre" in which 11 soldiers of the 2nd Cavalry and an Indian Guide were killed July 2, 1867 at Beaver Creek, Sherman County Kansas by Cheyenne & Sioux. {for Reference only}.
"U.S. 2nd Cavalry Regiment"