5th Cavalry Regiment

5th Cavalry Regiment
5th Cavalry Regiment coat of arms
Active	28 May 1855-
Country	United States of America
Branch	Regular Army
Type	Cavalry
Nickname(s)	Black Knights
Motto(s)	Loyalty Courage
Colors	Yellow
Engagements	Indian Wars American Civil War Philippine Insurrection Mexican Expedition World War I World War II Korean War Vietnam War War in Southwest Asia Operation Iraqi Freedom
Commanders
Notable commanders	Albert Sidney Johnston Robert E. Lee Wesley Merritt Gordon B. Rogers Edgar J. Treacy Eric Shinseki
Insignia
Distinctive Unit Insignia

Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment on patrol near Ur, Iraq. (2009)

The 5th Cavalry Regiment ("Black Knights") is a historical unit of the United States Army that began its service in the decade prior to the American Civil War and continues in modified organizational format in the U.S. Army.

Nineteenth century

The regiment's history began in 1855, organizing on 28 May 1855 as the 2nd United States Cavalry Regiment at Louisville, Kentucky. A few months later, on 27 September 1855, under the command of Col. Albert Sidney Johnston, the regiment marched west to Texas to fight in its first Indian Campaign. Later on, Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee succeeded Colonel Johnston as the commander. The regiment fought in a total of thirteen Indian Campaigns, symbolized by the arrow head shaped regimental crest.

Other officers of the regiment who became prominent in the American Civil War besides Johnson and Lee were Majors William J. Hardee and George H. Thomas; Captains Earl Van Dorn, George Stoneman, and Edmund Kirby Smith; and Lieutenants John Bell Hood and Fitzhugh Lee.

Early in 1861, the regiment went to Carlisle Barracks, where the officers and men loyal to the South left the regiment to serve in the Confederacy. Lieutenant Colonel Lee was replaced by Lt. Col. George Henry Thomas. In the summer of 1861, the regiment was re-designated as the 5th United States Cavalry; the numerical designation it holds to this day. During the Civil War, the troopers of the 5th Cavalry made a gallant charge at Gaines' Mill on 27 June 1862, saving the Union artillery from annihilation. This battle is commemorated on the regimental crest by the Cross moline, in the yellow field on the lower half of the crest.

5th Regiment United States Cavalry insignia

During the Plains Indian Wars, the 5th Cavalry played an active role in pursuing Sioux and Cheyenne warbands that refused to return to their reservations. On 8 July 1869 at the Republican River in Kansas, Cpl John Kyle made a valiant stand against attacking Indians resulted in him receiving the Medal of Honor. Under the leadership of Col. Wesley Merritt, a distinguished Civil War officer, the 5th was instrumental in defeating the Indians at the Battle of Slim Buttes. It was the first significant victory for the army following the Battle of Little Bighorn.

At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, the 5th Cavalry was ordered to Tampa, Florida, and then embarked for Cuba. The regiment's service in this war and later for the Puerto Rican Expedition is symbolized by the white Maltese cross in the black chief of the upper half of the regimental coat of arms.

Twentieth century

The 5th Cavalry returned to the United States in 1900. The regiment served in the Philippine Islands from 1901 to 1903 and in Hawaii from 1909 to 1913. In March 1916, the regiment deployed to Columbus, New Mexico, to participate in the Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa's forces, entering Mexico on 30 March 1916, and returning to the U.S. in February 1917. In October 1917, the regiment moved to Fort Bliss, Texas. They patrolled the Mexican border throughout World War I, where they frequently engaged Mexican revolutionaries, raiders, and smugglers. On 18 December 1922, the 5th Cavalry Regiment became part of the 1st Cavalry Division and has served with this division ever since.

Having exchanged horses for vehicles in 1943, the men of the 5th Cavalry Regiment spent World War II in the jungles of the South Pacific. After the war, the regiment was garrisoned in Japan. In July 1950, the regiment was sent to South Korea to serve with other United Nations forces. After one and a half years of combat, the regiment returned to Japan in 1951, but not before 3 members of the regiment had earned the nation's highest award, the Medal of Honor* (Lloyd L. Burke (28 October 1951), Samuel S. Coursen (12 December 1950), and Robert M. McGovern (30 January 1951)). Lt. Colonel Edgar J. Treacy (USMA 1935) a World War II Veteran and commander of the 3rd Battalion/5th Cavalry was part of a Task Force of Infantry and tanks to rescue the 23rd Infantry Regiment (United States) at Chipyong-ni in February 1951; although the effort was successful -with heavy casualties-ironically Treacy became a POW and died 31 May 1951. His ABMC memorial record lists his rank as Colonel and awards as Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Legion of Merit with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

The regiment was reorganized in August 1963 as the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 5th Cavalry Regiment and later as the 3rd Squadron, 5th Armored Cavalry. The units arrived at Fort Benning in 1965, and then proceeded to the Republic of Vietnam as air and armored cavalry. In Vietnam the 2/5th Cavalry participated in twelve campaigns. In May 1971, the units moved to Fort Hood, where they were reorganized as mechanized infantry.

On 12 August 1990, both the 1st and 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, were alerted for duty in Southwest Asia. They deployed with the 1st Cavalry Division to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Shield / Operation Desert Storm. They were followed by 3rd and 5th Battalions, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade (Ready First), 3rd Armored Division (Spearhead) Ayers Kaserne (The Rock), Kirchgoens, West Germany (redesignated from 2/36 INF and 3/36 INF) on 1 January 1991 to June 1991.

The 3rd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Brigade (Ready First), 1st Armored Division was deployed to Bosnia Herzegovina in December 1995. The Battalion operated out of Camp McGovern near Brcko, BiH. Attached to the battalion was Special Operation Detachment Gypsy. Gypsy Team was the Civil Military Operations (CMO) direct support team in Brcko. The team deployed in January 1996 and left the theatre in July 1996.

In 1992, Delta Co. 2/5th was deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for guard duty on Haitian Immigrants camps setup on the Naval Base.

The battalion was deployed in Bosnia and Herzegovina in September 1998.

Twenty-first century

The 1st battalion was deployed again to the Middle East, this time to Kuwait leaving in December 2000, and returning in April 2001.

The "Black Knights" returned to Southwest Asia in March 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II. Task Force 1-5 (TF 1-5) was assigned to the Kadamyia District of western Baghdad. In August 2004 the 1st battalion was shifted from stability operations in Kadamiya to go and fight the Madi Army in Al Najaf. After completing the mission in Al Najaf, TF 1-5 returned to Baghdad to resume operations in the Kadamyia District. In November 2004 the 1st battalion was again ordered to assist in the retaking of Al Fallujah. Once the city was under coalition control TF 1-5 moved to North Babil to support the election prosess in Iraq. From October 2006 to January 2008, TF 1-5 was deployed to the Mansour Districk of western baghdad. The majority of the deployment the battalion was attached the Dagger Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division. Task Force 1-5 fought in Al Amiriya bringing that section of the city under control with the help of one of the first Sons of Iraq movements. In January 2008, TF 1-5 redeployed back to Fort Hood, Texas. In January 2009, TF 1-5 again deployed to Iraq. This time the battalion operated in Al Adamyiah. After the SOFA went into effect the battalion moved north to Camp Taji and took over areas north of the camp. In 2004 Task Force LANCER 2-5 Cav was assigned responsibility for Sadr City, in the north-eastern portion of Baghdad. The battalion conducted over 80 days of sustained combat during the initial months of the deployment. After another 30 days of combat, the task force focused on rebuilding the infrastructure and training Iraqi security forces. These efforts contributed to the success of Iraq's first free elections in January 2005.

The 5th Cavalry Regiment today comprises two battalions, both part of the 1st Cavalry Division. The 1st Battalion is assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, while the 2nd Battalion is assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team. Both units are combined-arms units with two M1 Abrams tank companies, two M2 Bradley mechanized infantry companies and an engineer company.

The United States Army has since reactivated another component of the 5th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, in the form of Delta Troop, 5th Cavalry Regiment; as the Brigade Reconnaissance Troop for the 170th Infantry Brigade, in Baumholder, Germany. Also Echo Troop, 4th Cavalry Regiment, has been reflagged to Echo Troop, 5th Cavalry Regiment, of the 172nd Infantry Brigade in Grafenwoehr, Germany.

Current status

• 1st Battalion is a Combined Arms Battalion of the 2nd AAB, 1st Cavalry Division stationed at Fort Hood, Texas.
• 2nd Battalion is a Combined Arms Battalion of the 1st BCT, 1st Cavalry Division stationed at Fort Hood, Texas.
• Troop D is the Brigade Reconnaissance Troop of the 170th Infantry Brigade in Baumholder, Germany.
• Troop E is the Brigade Reconnaissance Troop of the 172nd Infantry Brigade in Grafenwöhr, Germany.

External links

• 5th US Cavalry Regiment Association
• 1-5th Cav Official site
• 2-5th Cav Official site