U.S. 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment ("Blackhorse Regiment") is a unit of the United States Army
garrisoned at Fort Irwin, California. Although termed an armored cavalry regiment
, it is currently being re-organized as a multi-component Heavy Brigade Combat Team. The regiment has served in the Philippine-American War
, World War II, the Vietnam War
, Cold War
, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq War). The ACR was serving as the Opposing Force (OPFOR) for the Army, Marine, and National Guard
task forces, and foreign military forces that train at the National Training Center. The OPFOR trained America's armed forces in mechanized desert warfare, and following a Soviet Era style threat until June 2002, when the OPFOR and the 11th ACR changed to portraying a modern urban/ asymmetrical warfare style of combat the soldiers are currently being faced with in operations abroad. From June to December 2003, members of the 11th ACR deployed to Afghanistan, where they helped to develop and train the armor and mechanized infantry battalions of the Afghan National Army. These specialized units would defend the Afghan capital during the country's constitutional convention. In January 2005, the 11th ACR deployed to Iraq. The 11th ACR was not reorganized under the CARS
System, but has been reorganized under the USARS
System.
as the 11th Cavalry Regiment, and was organized on 11 March 1901 at Fort Myer
, Virginia. For an operational history of the regiment, see the separate squadron histories below.
in stages from 16 January to 27 January 1940 and again to Camp Clayton on 15 April to 15 May 1940 for temporary training. They participated in maneuvers at Fort Lewis
in Washington from 4 August to 29 August 1940, and returned to the Presidio of Monterey on 31 August 1940, where they were relieved from assignment to 2nd Cavalry Division, and resumed its status as a separate regiment. They next moved to Camp Seeley in California on 7 November 1941, and again to Live Oaks, California on 24 July 1941; they then returned to Camp Seeley on 17 September 1941, and to Camp Lockett
on 10 December 1941. They were next assigned to the United States Army Armored Force on 12 June 1942, and relocated to Fort Benning
in Georgia
on 10 July 1942, where they prepared to be inactivated and reorganized.
The 11th Cavalry Regiment was inactivated on 15 July 1942 at Fort Benning
, Georgia; personnel and equipment concurrently transferred to the 11th Armored Regiment, with concurrent development of the 11th Cavalry Group, and the 11th Tank Group. The remainder of 11th Cavalry was disbanded on 26 October 1944.
, assigned to the 10th Armored Division
, and organized at Fort Benning on 15 July 1942 from the personnel and equipment of the 11th Cavalry Regiment. The motto on the unit insignia is "Allons", which means "Let's Go" in French.
The regiment moved to Murfreesboro, Tennessee
on 22 June 1943, and then Fort Gordon on 5 September 1943. 11th Armored Regiment was broken up on 20 September 1943, and its elements were distributed as follows:
712th Tank Battalion was inactivated at Camp Kilmer
, New Jersey
on 27 October 1945, and redesignated the 525th Medium Tank Battalion on 1 September 1948. It was activated on 10 September 1948 at Fort Lewis
, Washington.
525th Medium Tank Battalion was redesignated as 95th Tank Battalion on 4 February 1950, assigned to 7th Armored Division
, and activated at Camp Roberts, California
on 24 November 1950, and inactivated there on 15 November 1953.
Reconnaissance Company was reorganized and redesignated as Troop E, 90th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, which maintained a separate history thereafter.
Maintenance and Service Companies were disbanded.
on 13 September 1944, and landed in France on 23 September 1944.
The battalion participated in the Rhineland
, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe
Campaigns, and was located at Schongau, Bavaria
, Germany on 14 August 1945.
The battalion returned to the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation on 13 October 1945, was inactivated at Camp Patrick Henry
, Virginia
on the same day, and was relieved from assignment to the 10th AD.
, California on 5 May 1943. At that time, the 36th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron and 44th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron were attached. The group was then moved to Fort Bragg
on 31 January 1944, and again to Atlantic Beach, Florida
on 15 March 1944 for amphibious training. They then moved to Camp Gordon
on 1 June 1944 and then departed the New York Port of Embarkation
on 29 September 1944, and arrived in England on 10 October 1944, and landed in France on 26 November 1944. They moved to the Netherlands on 8 December 1944, went into the line in Germany on 12 December 1944, and protected the Roer River sector; they recrossed into the Netherlands on 3 February 1945, and re-entered Germany on 27 February 1945 on the left flank of the U.S. 84th Infantry Division. The group then held a defensive line along the Rhine River near Düsseldorf
on 12 March 1945 under the U.S. XIII Corps
, and crossed the Rhine at Wesel
on 1 April 1945, screened XIII Corps' northern flank, and saw action during the Battle of Munster and the seizure of the Ricklingen Bridge over the Leine River. During the campaign in northwestern Europe, Troop B of the 44th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron served as a mechanized escort and security force for the headquarters of General Dwight D. Eisenhower
, supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces. In August 1945, 11th Cavalry Group headquarters was located at Gross Ilsede
, Germany.
HHT, 11th Cavalry Group was converted and reorganized as HHT, 11th Constabulary
Regiment on 1 May 1946. HHT 11th Constabulary Regiment was further reorganized and redesignated at HHC, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment on 30 November 1948.
, Kentucky
on 28 July 1943 as a separate group. It was reorganized and redesignated as HHC, 11th Armored Group on 5 December 1943. During the war, armored groups such as the 11th were used as administrative headquarters for the numerous independent tank battalions fielded in the European Theater of Operations. HHC, 11th Armored Group was converted and redesignated HHT, 1st Constabulary Regiment on 1 May 1946. HHT, 1st Constabulary Regiment was inactivated on 20 September 1947 in Germany.
Placed 17 June 1986 under the United States Army Regimental System
Inactivated 15 October 1993 – 15 March 1994 in Germany
Activated 16 October 1994 (less 3d and 4th Squadrons; the Air Defense Artillery Battery; and the Howitzer Batteries, 1st and 2d Squadrons) at Fort Irwin, California
Home now for the Regiment was Fort Meade, Maryland
where the "Blackhorse" engaged in operational training and support activities like participation in the Presidential Inauguration and support for ROTC summer training.
With the war in Vietnam escalating, the Blackhorse Regiment was alerted for assignment to Southeast Asia on 11 March 1966. The Regiment began specialized training for combat in a counterinsurgency environment. Modifications were made to the organization and equipment (MTOE
) with emphasis on the use of modified M113 armored personnel carrier
s (APCs). Two M-60 machineguns with protective gun shield were mounted at the port and starboard rear of the vehicle, and a combination circular & flat frontal gun shield(s) weres added around the .50 caliber machine gun located at the commander's hatch. This lethal combination produced a deadly M-113 Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle, or, in Vietnam more simply referred to as an ACAV by GI's in country, a name coined by 11th Armored Cavalrymen.
The Regiment's modifications emphasized the use of ACAVs instead of the Patton medium tank and completely replaced the M-114 found in reconnaissance platoons, which may have existed in European and CONUS
areas of operation. The M114 had been deployed to Vietnam in 1962, but withdrawn in 1964 due to its unsatisfactory, and often disastrous performance. Throughout the war, the tank companies, with their M48 Patton
tanks, remained the same in each squadron. In 1968, Colonel
George S. Patton IV (son of WWII General Patton), commander of the 11th ACR in South Vietnam recommended to General Creighton Abrams that one squadron from a division
and the other from theater command be issued the army's new aluminum tanks (Sheridans) for combat testing. General Abrams concurred, and in January 1969, M551 Sheridan
s were issued to the 3rd Squadron 4th Armored Cavalry and the 1st Squadron 11th Armored Cavalry. Due to differences between the organization of Regimental Cavalry Squadrons and Divisional Cavalry Squadrons, in 1st Sqdn 11th ACR, the Sheridans were issued to the ACAV Troops, replacing three M113 ACAVs in each platoon (the squadron's one tank company remained intact); in 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav, the Sheridans replaced M48A3 tanks throughout the squadron.
Although the 3/4 Cavalry met near disaster with their Sheridan's within a month of receiving them (one destroyed by a mine), the 1/11 Cavalry had just the reverse in luck, killing nearly 80 enemy soldiers during an engagement on 23 February 1969. All things considered, the army was satisfied with the Sheridan tank, and by the end of 1970 alone, well over 200 M551s would be in South Vietnam. While nearly all US Armored Cavalry squadrons were equipped with the M551 by 1970, the 11th ACR tank companies, as well as the three US Army armor battalions (1/69th, 2/34th, and 1/77th Armor
) in country, all retained their 90mm gun M48A3 Patton tanks. Only the M48s, as well as the Australian Centurions, and ARVN M41 Walker Bulldog
light tanks could effectively and safely conduct "thunder runs"; the firing of all tank weapons while driving down the highway or road. While ACAVs did not have a cannon, the Sheridan's high recoil from its 152mm main gun negated it from firing excessive broadsides while moving down a road. Thus the most favored tanks for clearing highways with thunder runs on a daily basis, most often fell to the M48s of the 11th ACR and accompanying armor units.
Arrival In Country
The Blackhorse Regiment arrived in Vung Tau
, South Vietnam on 7 September 1966 and was commanded by Col. William W. Cobb. Operation Hickory
(7–15 October 1966) produced the first enemy casualties inflicted by the 3rd Squadron and elements of the 919th Engineer Company in the vicinity of Phu Hoa.
Blackhorse Base Camp
"Atlanta" was the code name for the establishment of Blackhorse Base Camp—the new home of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Vietnam. Blackhorse Base Camp was located approximately 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) south of the village of Xuan Loc on Route 2 and approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) southeast of the village of Long Goia. Saigon is approximately 35 kilometres (21.7 mi) to the west along Rt. 1. The operation began on 20 Oct. and concluded on 3 Nov. 1966.
Stanton's Vietnam Order Of Battle lists the following locations for the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment's Headquarters in Vietnam:
Bien Hoa
Sept. 66 – Nov. 66
Long Binh
Dec. 66 – Feb. 67
Xuan Loc March 67 – Jan. 69
Lai Khe
Feb. 69
Long Giao March 69 – Sept. 69
Bien Hoa Oct. 69 – June 70
Di An
July 70 – March 71
Operation Cedar Falls
From January until 18 May 1967 the Regiment conducted three major search and destroy operations. These operations would later be known as reconnaissance in force (RIF) operations. The first of these operations commence on 8 Jan. 1967 and was known as "Operation Cedar Falls". It continued until 24 Jan. 1967. The 1st and 2nd Squadrons operated in the infamous "Iron Triangle" region near Ben Cat
employing search and destroy tactics, screening and blocking, and security in attacks on successive objectives.
Operation Junction City
Operation Junction City
I and II involved the 1st and 3rd Squadrons. It began on 18 Feb. 1967 and ran through 15 April 1967. This operation took these squadrons to the headquarters of the Central Office South Vietnam (COSVN
) believed to be located in Binh Duong Province
with the objective of destroying this important headquarters. This joint mission conducted with the 1st Australian Task Force
secured lines of communication and fire support bases (FSB). Extensive RIF operations were conducted as well.
Operation Manhattan
Commencing on 23 April 1967 the third operation titled Operation Manhattan was a thrust into the Long Nguyen Secret Zone by the 1st and 2nd Squadrons. This zone was a long suspected regional headquarter of the Viet Cong. 60 tunnel complexes were uncovered. 1884 fortifications were destroyed. 621 tons of rice was evacuated during these operations. The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment was building a solid reputation for carrying out effective reconnaissance in force operations. Operation Manhattan ended on 11 May 1967.
Operation Kittyhawk
Beginning on April 1967 and running through 21 March 1968, the Regiment was tasked to secure and pacify Long Khánh District. This year long mission was called Operation Kittyhawk. It achieved three objectives: Viet Cong (VC) were kept from interfering with travel on the main roads, Vietnamese
were provided medical treatment in civic action program
s like MEDCAP and DENTCAP and finally, RIF operations were employed to keep the VC off balance, making it impossible for them to mount offensive operations.
1967
From the summer of 1967 until the winter the Regiment was led by Col. Roy W. Farley. Operation Emporia I & II was a road clearing operation with limited RIF missions by the 1st and 3rd Squadrons in Long Khánh District. Operation Valdosta I & II was a regimental size operation. Its purpose was to provide security at polling places during elections and to maintain reaction forces to counter VC agitation. So successful was this operation that 84.7 % of eligible voters cast ballots in Long Khánh District in the first general election and 78 % in the second.
Operation Quicksilver
This operation involved the 1st and 2nd Squadrons of the 11th Armored Cavalry. Its purpose was to secure routes that moved logistical personnel of the 101st Airborne Division
between Binh Long
and Tay Ninh Provinces. Cordon, search and RIF missions were also performed.
Operation Fargo
Operation Fargo ran from 21 Dec. 1967 until 21 Jan 1968. This regimental size operation conducted RIFs in Binh Long and Tay Ninh Provinces and opened Route 13 to military traffic for the very first time.
The Tet Offensive
The early part of 1968 was marked by the most ambitious and embolden offensive attack coordinated by the VC and NVA in the history of the war. The Tet Offensive was designed to coincide with the Vietnamese New Year.
Operation Adairsville
This operation began on 31 Jan. 1968. Word was received by the II Field Force HQs to immediately re-deploy to the Long Binh/Bien Hoa area to relieve installations threatened by the Tet Offensive. At 1400 hours (2:00 pm) the 1st Squadron was called to move from their position south of the Michelin Rubber Plantation
to the II Field Force Headquarters. The 2nd Squadron moved from north of the plantation to III Corps POW Compound were enemy soldiers were sure to attempt to liberate the camp. The 3rd Squadron moved from An Loc
to III Corps Army, Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) Headquarters. It took only 14 hours and 80 miles to arrive in position after first being alerted.
Operation Alcorn Cove
The security operation in the Long Binh/Bien Hoa area and the area around Blackhorse Base Camp by the 1st and 2nd Squadrons is continue under Operation Alcorn Cove which began on 22 March 1968. This joint mission with the ARVN 18th Division
and 25th Division
was a twofold operation of security and RIFs. Operation Toan Thang was an extension of "Alcorn Cove". That joint operation involved the 1st
and 25th Infantry Division
s.
"Workhorse" The 3rd Squadron
K Troop was part of the 3rd Squadron and known as "Killing K Troop". 3rd Squadron's nickname was, fittingly, "Workhorse". Shortly after its arrival in Vietnam, the 3rd Squadron engaged the Viet Cong for the first time. 3rd Squadron inflicted such devastating casualties on the enemy that it was awarded a Meritorious Unit Citation
for this period.
The Tet Offensive of 1968 gave the squadron a chance to fight the enemy's troop formations in open combat. In Bien Hoa
the 3rd Squadron drove the enemy forces from the area near III Corps Headquarters. Its action was crucial in smashing the enemy's offensive.
On 20 October 2009 President Barack Obama
presented a Presidential Unit Citation to veterans of Troop A of the regiment for their heroism along the Cambodia
n border on 26 March 1970.
The 11th Cavalry Group Mechanized was redesignated as the 11th Constabulary Regiment on 3 May 1946 in order that the regiment could fulfill its occupational duties, and was restored as the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and inactivated in November 1948. Blackhorse was brought back into active status 1 April 1951 at Camp Carson, Colorado. In 1954, the Regiment transferred to Fort Knox, Kentucky to complete its training in fully armored tactics.
The Blackhorse Regiment rotated to Southern Germany in May 1957, relieving the 6th ACR, and assumed the mission of patrolling the German-Czechoslovak border until its return to the United States in 1964.
The Blackhorse arrived in Vietnam on 7 September 1966. Second Squadron spearheaded Operation Fish Hook into Cambodia on 1 May 1970, surrounding a North Vietnamese logistics center.
In 1972 the 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment, which had the mission of patrolling the East-West German border, was redesignated the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Downs Barracks. During the late 1980s the 11th had the distinction of operating the first Air Assault School in Europe, known as the Blackhorse Air Assault School, based in Fulda
.
The East-West German border fell on 3 October 1990, and the Soviet Union dissolved in December 1991. The Regiment's seventeen-year vigil along the Iron Curtain was over.
The Blackhorse Regiment deployed an aviation task force on 10 April 1991 to Turkey
for Operation Provide Comfort
, an operation to support the Kurdish relief effort. One month later, the three maneuver squadrons (1st, 2d and 3d) along with the regiment's support squadron, deployed to Kuwait for Operation Positive Force, an operation to secure Kuwait so it could rebuild from the war. By October, the Regiment had completed its missions in Turkey and Kuwait and returned to Fulda. As the need for US Forces in Europe decreased, the Blackhorse Regiment was inactivated in a ceremony on 15 March 1994.
highly modified with an M2/M3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle turret to represent the BMP-2
armored personnel carrier, and was recently equipped with the new OSTS-MBT (OPFOR Surrogate Training System-Main Battle Tank) a vehicle similar to the OPFOR Surrogate Vehicle which can simulate a wide spectrum of threat tanks. Using this equipment and configuration, the squadron performs the first of its two primary missions, acting as an non-permissive opposing force (OPFOR) during ten FORSCOM combat training rotations each year. The squadron's second mission is to deploy and fight as a tank battalion for various contingency operations throughout the world. In order to support this mission, the squadron must also maintain, operate and remain proficient on the M1A1 Abrams Tank.
First Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry, "Ironhorse", has a history that spans three-quarters of a century and includes military campaigns in the Philippines, Mexico, Europe, and Vietnam. The regimental motto, "Allons", means "Let's Go", and the 1st Squadron has been on the go since 1901 when it was activated as a horse squadron at Fort Myer, Virginia.
Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Hennisse, the approximately 400 men of the squadron trained nine months before becoming the first squadron to leave for the Regiment's inaugural deployment, to the Philippines.
Arriving in January 1902, Troops A and D patrolled Samar
, where they fought the regiment's first engagement.
In 1905, the regiment relocated to Fort Des Moines, Iowa. In 1906, the 1st Squadron remained in Des Moines while the rest of the regiment deployed to Cuba
as part of President Theodore Roosevelt
's Army of Pacification. In 1909, the 1st Squadron rejoined the rest of the regiment in Fort Oglethorpe
, Georgia.
On 12 March 1916, the men of the regiment received orders to join General John J. Pershing
as part of the Mexican Punitive Expedition to pursue Pancho Villa
. Nine days later, the 1st Squadron led the way, arriving in Mexico on 21 March. Later, the 1st Squadron rode 22 hours straight to the rescue of United States forces besieged in Parral
.
The 11th ACR was not deployed during World War I. During this period, 1st Squadron conducted port operations in Newport News, Virginia
. After the Armistice, the regiment, with its predominantly black horses, was stationed at the Presidio of Monterey, in California. The Army reorganizations for World War II eliminated the horse cavalry in 1940 and 1st Squadron traded in "saddles and hooves" for "tracks and steel". The Regiment was inactivated 15 July 1942. The personnel and equipment of the former 1st and 2nd Squadrons was combined to form the newly designated 11th Tank Battalion, which later fought at the Battle of the Bulge
.
On 1 April 1951, the regiment was reactivated as the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, as part of the build-up for the Korean War
. The regiment served in Fort Carson, Colorado
and Fort Knox
, Kentucky
until deploying to Germany to replace the 6th ACR along the Czechoslovakia
n border.
In July 1964, 1st Squadron, along with the regiment, transferred to Fort Meade, Maryland. In 1966, the regiment deployed to Vietnam. The 1st Squadron's fighting spirit reflected great credit on the Blackhorse Regiment by earning the Valorous Unit Award
s (twice), the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (three times), and the Presidential Unit Citation. It was during the Vietnam War that the 11th ACR was granted authorization to wear its distinctive unit patch.
President Barack Obama
awarded Alpha Troop of the 1st Squadron the Presidential Unit Citation on 20 October 2009, in recognition of a rescue mission 26 March 1970.
In February 1971, 1st Squadron was inactivated, then reactivated in May 1972, at Downs Barracks in Fulda
, Germany.
During the Southwest Asia Campaign, Ironhorse operated Camp Colt, a scout training camp for reservists reporting to active duty. Following Desert Storm, the regiment deployed to Kuwait
in support of Operation Positive Force from June 1991 to September 1991. 1st Squadron, along with the rest of the regiment, was inactivated at Fulda
, Germany in March 1994.
The 1/63rd Armored Regiment, Fort Irwin, California was reflagged 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in October 1994 with the mission of Opposing Forces for the National Training Center and continues to do so today.
On 30 January 2005, 1st Squadron left Fort Irwin for Iraq. After spending about three weeks in Kuwait
, the Squadron moved to Camp Taji
on the outskirts of Baghdad
. The Squadron was assigned the task of patrolling the Adhamiyah
sector of Baghdad, a suburb of Baghdad just north of Sadr City
. The Squadron was also assigned the task of training Iraqi Army
units to ultimately take over control of the sector.
On 21 May 2005, the Squadron left Camp Taji for Camp Liberty
, one of the many camps that encircle Baghdad International Airport
. Their new task was to patrol the Abu Ghraib
sector just west of Baghdad and to provide perimeter security for Abu Ghraib prison
.
While in the Abu Ghraib sector, 1/11 ACR participated in Operation Thunder Cat along with the 256th Infantry Brigade of the Louisiana Army National Guard
. The operation focused on disrupting IED cells in and around the Abu Ghraib
sector, west of Baghdad. During this operation, 1/11 ACR uncovered five separate weapons caches, detained four suspected insurgents and uncovered $2,200 in US Currency.
The Squadron redeployed to Fort Irwin on 22 January 2006 where it resumed its Opposing Forces mission for the National Training Center. During its deployment, the Nevada Army National Guard's 1/221 Cavalry Squadron, the 11ths official roundout unit and current ARS squadron took over the duty of OPFOR.
becoming part of the Blackhorse crest. The Blackhorse Regiment settled in Fort Des Moines
, Iowa
in 1905.
, 16 October 1906, as part of President Theodore Roosevelt
's Army of Pacification. Their mission was to patrol and be a show of force. Eaglehorse joined with the General J. Pershing Pancho Villa Expedition
in a punitive action against Mexico, with orders to pursue Pancho Villa, on 12 March 1916. Major Robert L. Howze, Commander, 2nd Squadron, led the "last mounted charge" on 5 May 1916, placing the Eaglehorse Squadron action as a milestone in military history.
The Blackhorse Regiment patrolled the U.S.-Mexican border from 1919 through 1942. The Regiment received the name "Blackhorse" and a distinctive coat of arms while stationed at the Presidio of Monterey.
, Georgia. The Headquarters and Headquarters Troop was redesignated on 19 April 1943 as the Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 11th Cavalry Group Mechanized. The former squadrons of the 11th Cavalry were sent to fight with the 10th Armored Division and the 90th Infantry Division overseas. The new HHT, 11th Cavalry Group Mechanized drew new squadrons, the 36th and 44th, and also received an Assault Gun Troop (Howitzer Battery).
After guarding the US southeastern coast from March 1944 until 1 June 1944, the Group moved to Camp Gordon, Georgia to begin training for overseas deployment, The regiment arrived in the United Kingdom on 10 October 1944. The Regiment entered France on 23 November 1944. Moving through France and Germany, the Blackhorse was assigned to the Ninth US Army and attached to XIII Corps, whose flank the Blackhorse screened during the Corps' sweep from the Roer to the Rhine.
, Germany, about 40 kilometers north of Fulda. The 3rd Squadron was organized as an armored cavalry squadron like the 1st and 2nd Squadrons. HHT and I, K, and L Troops, Howitzer Battery, as well as M Company were organic to the squadron. Attached was the 58th Engineer Company. In the field, the attached units of the regiment like the 58th Engineer Company usually operated over a wide area, with smaller detachments dedicated to supporting the armored cavalry squadrons of the regiment.
missile-launching AH-1 Cobra
helicopters. 4th Squadron was also capable of troop airlift, medical evacuation, and electronic warfare. The 4th Squadron operated out of Sickels Army Airfield just to the southwest of Downs Barracks, near Fulda. The squadron consisted of HHT, N, O, P, Q, R, and S Troops, plus AVUM Troop. The squadron operated AH-1, UH-1, and OH-58 helicopters. Attached to the 4th Squadron was the 511th Military Intelligence
Company. The 4th Squadron was inactivated at Fulda with the rest of the regiment in 1994.
"Packhorse", was activated in Germany under the command of LTC Ronald Kelly on 17 September 1985 to support the Blackhorse as it patrolled the East-West German border along the Fulda Gap. The squadron's official name at that time was Combat Support Squadron (CSS). The nickname "Packhorse" is derived from the early days of the U.S. Cavalry, when soldiers went on campaigns accompanied by packhorse
s, additional horses and/or mules that carried all their essential supplies. Everything from food to gunpowder to horseshoes were transported in this manner.
Initial organization included five units—Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, Maintenance Troop, Supply and Transportation Troop, Medical Troop, and the attached 54th Chemical Detachment. The squadron also operated the Regimental Material Management Center which had the responsibility for the overall logistics state of the regiment. Elements of the squadron were based at both Fulda and Wildflecken
. The squadron was large for a battalion-sized unit, as the Maintenance Troop alone had some 400 soldiers assigned. The Packhorse provided logistical support during both the frequent regimental maneuvers of the Cold War and at gunnery exercises at Grafenwoehr, where the squadron operated for weeks at a time while the cavalry troops and tank companies rotated through the firing ranges.
Squadron vehicles during the Cold War included 3/4-ton M1009 CUCV's
, 1&1/4-ton M1008 and M1010 pickup trucks that often carried special-purpose shelters mounting communications, medical, or maintenance equipment, HEMTT's
, M88's, tanker trucks
, and trucks carrying chemical decontamination equipment. A pair of M934
5-ton Expansible Vans ("Expando-vans") housed the squadron headquarters in the field. The squadron was also capable of highly specialized functions such as the provision of potable water by filtering fresh water sources through purification units.
On October 3 1990 the Two Germanys Re-Unified. By December 1991 the Soviet Union dissolved. The Squadron's six-year presence as the supporters of the "Eyes and Ears" of the U.S. Army along the Iron Curtain was over. In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, prompting the United States to respond.
On 16 May 1991, the Packhorse received orders to deploy to Kuwait to support the Regiment as it secured the country while it struggled to rebuild after the war. By October, the Regiment had completed its mission and the Packhorse returned to Fulda. As the need for U.S. forces in Europe decreased, the Packhorse was inactivated on 15 February 1994, followed by the Blackhorse on 15 March 1994.
Reactivated on 15 October 1994, the Packhorse once again had postured itself to provide world class logistical support to the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment as it defended the sovereign land of Mother Krasnovia as the U.S. Army's Opposing Forces at the National Training Center.
Since its reactivation the Support Squadron's accomplishments are many. The Support Squadron has been the Forces Command (FORSCOM) winner of the Philip A. Connelly award for garrison food service excellence in FY 1992, 1993 and 1994. The squadron also won this same competition at the Department of the Army (DA) level in FY 1993. The squadron was a major player in the regiment's selection as the only Army unit in the Department of Defense for the Phoenix award for Maintenance Excellence in FY 1995, FY 1999 and FY 2000. Headquarters and Headquarters Troop was the winner of the DA Award for Maintenance Excellence for FY 1995 and FY 1996 in the Intermediate Equipment Density Category, the only unit to do so in the 16-year history of the program.
Maintenance Troop was recognized as the Salute Magazine Unit of the Year for 1995; this competition included units from all branches of the service. The 58th Engineer Company placed 4th in FORSCOM in the DA Award for Maintenance Excellence in the Heavy Equipment Density Category in FY 1995, and were 3rd place winners in FY 1996 and FY 1997. The 511th Military Intelligence Company placed 3rd in FORSCOM in the separate Company category for the Army Supply Excellence Award and was the Starry Award winner for being the best company in the Regiment during 2000.
The Squadron also won the FY 2002 FORSCOM Competition for both the Supply Support Activity (SSA) and Squadron Supply Operations, the SSA also subsequently received Runner-up at DA Level for FY 2002. Currently, the Squadron participated and won the FORSCOM level in the Philip A. Connelly competition for best Field Feeding Crew of FY 2003. Supply/Trans and Maintenance Troops competed and won the Army Award for Maintenance Excellence in FORSCOM for FY 2003; both are currently competing at the DA level. The squadron also placed first in the FORSCOM level of Army Supply Excellence for FY 2004 in Squadron Supply Operations and the SSA; both are also currently competing at the DA level.
Provide personnel, administrative, and logistical support to the Regimental Support Squadron. Provide food service support to all NTC units in both the field and garrison. While providing this support, HHT will protect the force and provide superb quality of life for its troopers and families.
Headquarters Platoon
Headquarters Platoon's mission is to support the troop administration, logistics, and preparation for war. The platoon consists of the troop commander's staff. They are the orderly and training room, communications section, motor pool, NBC room, unit supply, and arms room. The orderly room supports the troop in administration. The training room schedules training and maintains the troop readiness status. The motor pool supports the troop in organizational level maintenance. The NBC room supports the troop in nuclear, biological, and chemical training, and the unit supply supports the troop in organizational supply and arms room.
Also attached to the Headquarters Platoon are the cavalry scouts and mortar platoons. The cavalry scouts use high speed maneuvering and advanced optical equipment to identify targets. The mortar platoon uses the heavy 120 MM mortar system to provide long range indirect fire.
The Field Regimental Dining Facility (FRDF) Platoon supports 10 rotations per year. The mission is to provide Class I in the field for the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Opposing Force (OPFOR) during all force-on-force rotations.
The Fort Irwin 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Mounted Color Guard performs at official ceremonies, unofficial functions and regional community events, is a living and historically accurate depiction of the mounted cavalry soldier and preserves the Regiment's heritage in order to provide a regional representation of the 11th ACR, Fort Irwin, and the United States Army, promote goodwill in community relations, support Army recruiting and community outreach objectives.
Provide class IX support and conduct direct support maintenance for the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment to ensure the Regiment's success on the NTC battlefield. While providing this support, Maintenance Troop will protect the force and provide improved quality of life for its troopers and families.
MT 1st Platoon
Headquarters Platoon consists of the commander's staff, motor pool, shop office, NBC room, orderly room, technical supply and unit supply. This is the largest platoon in the troop. The main mission of this platoon is to keep the troop ready for war at all times.
The shop office is the backbone of direct support maintenance. The shop officer and the repair control sergeant direct all the maintenance support for the regiment. They order repair parts and track the parts from the time it is ordered, to the time the part is received. They also track all maintenance jobs from initial inspection to actual repair to final inspection and pick-up by the customer.
Technical supply work 24 hour days, 7 days a week, providing Class IX repair parts to the OPFOR. They provide serviceable assets which include major assemblies, DLRs (Depot Level Reparables), Repairable Exchange Items and ASL stockage.
The mission of NBC room is to provide nuclear, biological and chemical training to the troop. The training room is in charge of planning and executing training for the entire troop. The orderly room provides administrative support to the whole troop. The supply room provides organizational supply. The motor pool's mission is to provide organizational maintenance for all vehicles and commo equipment for the entire troop.
MT 2nd Platoon
Second Platoon is divided in 2 sections: Automotive, Armament, and Fuel & Electrical, which include 41C, 44B, 44E, 45B, 45E, 45G, 63G, 63H, and 63W MOSs. The mission of the above mentioned personnel is to provide quality direct support in the areas of repair parts (generators, alternators and starters), recovery assistance, welding and machine shop assistance, and automotive repair.
The Automotive section provides direct support maintenance to the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and Allied units in support of the OPFOR's daily mission. This entails repairing and replacing transmissions, steering gears, transfers, fuel injector pumps, differentials, engines, axles and necessary gaskets and seals for various types of wheel vehicles. The above jobs are just a few of the tasks that the automotive section does to ensure that the OPFOR equipment returns to the battlefield as quickly as possible.
The Fuel & Electric section provides support in the areas of repairing and replacing wiring harnesses, generators, alternators, starters, brake shoe linings and the resurfacing of brake drums. In addition the F&E section repairs and replaces fan towers, gear assemblies and shocks for the M551 tank.
The Armament section provides support for the main turret, ballistic computers, laser ranger finders, and other armament controls for the M1A1 Abrams, main battle field tank, as well as the various small arms repair and aiming devices.
MT 3rd Platoon
Third platoon consists of Ground Support Equipment repair, Service and Recovery, and the Communications / Electronics shop, which include 35C, 35E, 35F, 35N, 52C, 52D, 63B and 63J MOSs. This platoon is usually referred to as ‘3rd shift, 3rd shop’, because when mission calls they often work around the clock.
The GSE section is tasked with the mission of repairing engineer equipment. GSE repairs and returns the equipment to the NTC battlefield.
The Communication / Electronics shop works around the clock to repair the regiment's radios. The special electronics devices section of the 3rd platoon tirelessly maintains NVGs for the regiment. They also ensure that all chemical agent monitors and navigational satellite systems are maintained.
The Service and Recovery section has a continuous mission of providing recovery to disabled vehicles for the post. They are trained to inspect a vehicle and if possible fix the vehicle on the spot so that it can continue its mission, but if that is not possible then they are trained to recover the vehicle with any available means. Their job is the most difficult of all. There are no manuals written on how to recover a damaged vehicle, the manuals that exist only talk about the principles of recovery and the capabilities of each recovery vehicle. It is only by experience on the job that the soldier decides on how a vehicle will be recovered.
The section is composed of 44E and 44B MOSs, welders and machinists. They can manufacture a functional part from a piece of metal or they can fabricate anything within the limitation of the equipment they have.
MT 4th Platoon
Maintenance Support Team (MST) Platoon's mission is to provide dedicated direct support maintenance. The MST platoon is made up of 2 different MOSs.
The 63 MOS's, both Hotels and Whiskeys, are the ones that can fix almost every vehicle that the Army has in its inventory, whether wheel or track.
The Supply & Transportation Troop, Regimental Support Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Irwin, California, provides support to the Opposing Force (OPFOR) soldiers of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. While supporting the soldiers of the OPFOR with Class I (food), II (heaters, chemlights), III (fuel), and IV (construction material) as well as all the transportation requirements needed on the NTC battlefield, S&T Troop will also provide a better quality of living for its soldiers and their families. There are four platoons (Headquarters/Supply, Maintenance, Petroleum, and Transportation). The unit is responsible for the direct support of Class I (Ration Break Point), Class III (Bulk and Aviation fuel), Class IV (lumber), Class VII (major items), field services, and direct transportation support with light, medium, and heavy capability assets. Also, it is responsible for maintaining and issuing civilian vehicles in support of the OPFOR to replicate the presence of Civilians on a Battlefield (COBs).
Supply Platoon
S&T's Supply Platoon mission includes the CL I breakdown for each rotation, the issuing of COB-Vs prior to rotations and the issuing of Allied Fleet Vehicle prior to rotation. The Supply Platoon consists of four 6K forklifts, over 50 COB-Vs and over 25 Allied Fleet vehicles. In addition to all this the Supply Platoon is the housing and issuing point for all regimental CL IV.
Transportation Platoon
The S&T Transportation Platoon missions consist of transporting CL I, II, IV, V, and CL IX. In addition to hauling that the Transportation Platoon is often tasked to haul tracked vehicles with their 8 Heavy Equipment Transport Systems. Along with the 8 HET systems the Transportation Platoon has 4 PLS systems, 14 M931 tractors, 5 XM 1098 3000 gallon water tankers and 22 M871 flat bed trailers.
POL Platoon
S&T's POL platoon mission consists of providing CL III (B) support for the Regiment. This includes Forward Area Resupply Point (FARP) and Refuel on the Move (ROM) capabilities in order to support rotational CL III requirements. The platoon consists of 2xM978 HEMTT Fuelers, 8x M969 5K Fuel trucks, 10x M9315 ton bobtail trucks and a 300K FARP System.
Maintenance Platoon
S&T's Maintenance Platoon's mission is to ensure that all of S&T's vehicles are FMC and able to be utilized to execute all missions tasked down to S&T. This means that the Maintenance Platoon must maintain the operational readiness of 8 Heavy Equipment Transport systems (M1070/M1000 HET), 25 5-Ton bobtail trucks (M931s), 22 M871 trailers, 5 XM1098 3000 gal water tankers, 8 M969 5000 gal fuel tankers, 4 Palletized Loading Systems (M1074/1075), 4 6K forklifts, as well as numerous other vehicles in the S&T fleet.
11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
garrisoned at Fort Irwin, California. Although termed an armored cavalry regiment
Armored cavalry regiment
An armored cavalry regiment is a regiment of the United States Army or United States National Guard organized for the specific purposes of reconnaissance, surveillance, and security...
, it is currently being re-organized as a multi-component Heavy Brigade Combat Team. The regiment has served in the Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
, World War II, the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq War). The ACR was serving as the Opposing Force (OPFOR) for the Army, Marine, and National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
task forces, and foreign military forces that train at the National Training Center. The OPFOR trained America's armed forces in mechanized desert warfare, and following a Soviet Era style threat until June 2002, when the OPFOR and the 11th ACR changed to portraying a modern urban/ asymmetrical warfare style of combat the soldiers are currently being faced with in operations abroad. From June to December 2003, members of the 11th ACR deployed to Afghanistan, where they helped to develop and train the armor and mechanized infantry battalions of the Afghan National Army. These specialized units would defend the Afghan capital during the country's constitutional convention. In January 2005, the 11th ACR deployed to Iraq. The 11th ACR was not reorganized under the CARS
U.S. Army Combat Arms Regimental System
The Combat Arms Regimental System , was the method of assigning unit designations to units of the five combat arms of the United States Army from 1957 to 1981. CARS was superseded by the U.S...
System, but has been reorganized under the USARS
U.S. Army Regimental System
The United States Army Regimental System was established in 1981 to replace the Combat Arms Regimental System, to provide each Soldier with continuous identification with a single regiment, and to support that concept with a personnel system that would increase a soldier’s probability of serving...
System.
11th Cavalry Regiment
The regiment was constituted on 2 February 1901 in the Regular ArmyRegular Army
The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
as the 11th Cavalry Regiment, and was organized on 11 March 1901 at Fort Myer
Fort Myer
Fort Myer is a U.S. Army post adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. It is a small post by U.S...
, Virginia. For an operational history of the regiment, see the separate squadron histories below.
World War II
At the start of World War II, the 11th Cavalry was stationed at the Presidio of Monterey in California. They moved to Fort OrdFort Ord
Fort Ord was a U.S. Army post on Monterey Bay in California. It was established in 1917 as a maneuver area and field artillery target range and was closed in September 1994. Fort Ord was one of the most attractive locations of any U.S. Army post, because of its proximity to the beach and California...
in stages from 16 January to 27 January 1940 and again to Camp Clayton on 15 April to 15 May 1940 for temporary training. They participated in maneuvers at Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
in Washington from 4 August to 29 August 1940, and returned to the Presidio of Monterey on 31 August 1940, where they were relieved from assignment to 2nd Cavalry Division, and resumed its status as a separate regiment. They next moved to Camp Seeley in California on 7 November 1941, and again to Live Oaks, California on 24 July 1941; they then returned to Camp Seeley on 17 September 1941, and to Camp Lockett
Camp Lockett
Camp Lockett was a United States Army military base located in Campo, California, east of San Diego, and north of the Mexican border. Camp Lockett has historical connections to the Buffalo Soldiers due to the 10th and 28th Cavalry Regiments having being garrisoned there during World War II. It was...
on 10 December 1941. They were next assigned to the United States Army Armored Force on 12 June 1942, and relocated to Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
on 10 July 1942, where they prepared to be inactivated and reorganized.
The 11th Cavalry Regiment was inactivated on 15 July 1942 at Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
, Georgia; personnel and equipment concurrently transferred to the 11th Armored Regiment, with concurrent development of the 11th Cavalry Group, and the 11th Tank Group. The remainder of 11th Cavalry was disbanded on 26 October 1944.
11th Armored Regiment
11th Armored Regiment was constituted on 11 July 1942 in the national armyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, assigned to the 10th Armored Division
U.S. 10th Armored Division
The 10th Armored Division was an armored division of the United States Army in World War II. During the European Theater of Operations the 10th Armored Division was part of the Twelfth United States Army Group and was originally assigned to General George S. Patton’s Third United States Army...
, and organized at Fort Benning on 15 July 1942 from the personnel and equipment of the 11th Cavalry Regiment. The motto on the unit insignia is "Allons", which means "Let's Go" in French.
The regiment moved to Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
on 22 June 1943, and then Fort Gordon on 5 September 1943. 11th Armored Regiment was broken up on 20 September 1943, and its elements were distributed as follows:
- HHC-11th Armored Regiment, and 1st and 2nd Battalions were reorganized as the 11th Tank Battalion in the 10th AD.
- 3rd Battalion, 11th Armored Regiment was reorganized and redesignated as the 712th Tank Battalion, and relieved from assignment to the 10th AD.
712th Tank Battalion was inactivated at Camp Kilmer
Camp Kilmer
Camp Kilmer, New Jersey is a former United States Army camp that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service Forces Transportation Corps. Troops were quartered at Camp Kilmer in...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
on 27 October 1945, and redesignated the 525th Medium Tank Battalion on 1 September 1948. It was activated on 10 September 1948 at Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, Washington.
525th Medium Tank Battalion was redesignated as 95th Tank Battalion on 4 February 1950, assigned to 7th Armored Division
U.S. 7th Armored Division
The 7th Armored Division was an armored division of the United States Army in World War II.-Activation and organization:...
, and activated at Camp Roberts, California
Camp Roberts, California
Camp Roberts is a California National Guard post in central California, located on both sides of the Salinas River in Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties, now run by the California Army National Guard. It is named after Harold W. Roberts, a World War I Medal of Honor recipient...
on 24 November 1950, and inactivated there on 15 November 1953.
Reconnaissance Company was reorganized and redesignated as Troop E, 90th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, which maintained a separate history thereafter.
Maintenance and Service Companies were disbanded.
11th Tank Battalion
As part of the 10th Armored Division, 11th Tank Battalion shipped out from the New York Port of EmbarkationNew York Port of Embarkation
The New York Port of Embarkation was established in 1917 as the United States entered into World War I. Using seized docking facilities of German passenger and freight steamship lines on the Hudson River, the U.S. Army began moving troops and material to France to fight in the war.Originally under...
on 13 September 1944, and landed in France on 23 September 1944.
The battalion participated in the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe
Central Europe Campaign
After crossing the Rhine the Western Allies fanned out overrunning all of western Germany from the Baltic in the north to Austria in the south before the Germans surrendered on 8 May 1945. This is known as the "Central Europe Campaign" in United States military histories.By the early spring of...
Campaigns, and was located at Schongau, Bavaria
Schongau, Bavaria
Schongau is a small town in Bavaria, near the Alps. It is located along the Lech, between Landsberg am Lech and Füssen. It has about 12,000 inhabitants...
, Germany on 14 August 1945.
The battalion returned to the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation on 13 October 1945, was inactivated at Camp Patrick Henry
Camp Patrick Henry
Camp Patrick Henry is a decommissioned United States Army base which was located in Warwick County, Virginia. After World War II, the site was redeveloped as a commercial airport, and became part of City of Newport News in 1958 when the former City of Warwick and Newport News were politically...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
on the same day, and was relieved from assignment to the 10th AD.
11th Cavalry Group (Mechanized)
HHT, 11th Cavalry Regiment was redesignated on 19 April 1943 as HHT, 11th Cavalry Group, and was activated at Camp AnzaCamp Anza
Camp Anza was a United States Army installation near Riverside, California during World War II. Construction began on July 3, 1942, and was completed on February 15, 1943....
, California on 5 May 1943. At that time, the 36th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron and 44th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron were attached. The group was then moved to Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
on 31 January 1944, and again to Atlantic Beach, Florida
Atlantic Beach, Florida
Atlantic Beach, a city in Duval County, Florida, is the northernmost of the Jacksonville Beaches communities. When the majority of communities in Duval County consolidated with Jacksonville, Florida in 1968, Atlantic Beach, along with Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, and Baldwin, Florida,...
on 15 March 1944 for amphibious training. They then moved to Camp Gordon
Fort Gordon
Fort Gordon, formerly known as Camp Gordon, is a United States Army installation established in 1917. It is the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps and Signal Center and was once the home of "The Provost Marshal General School" . The fort is located in Richmond, Jefferson, McDuffie,...
on 1 June 1944 and then departed the New York Port of Embarkation
New York Port of Embarkation
The New York Port of Embarkation was established in 1917 as the United States entered into World War I. Using seized docking facilities of German passenger and freight steamship lines on the Hudson River, the U.S. Army began moving troops and material to France to fight in the war.Originally under...
on 29 September 1944, and arrived in England on 10 October 1944, and landed in France on 26 November 1944. They moved to the Netherlands on 8 December 1944, went into the line in Germany on 12 December 1944, and protected the Roer River sector; they recrossed into the Netherlands on 3 February 1945, and re-entered Germany on 27 February 1945 on the left flank of the U.S. 84th Infantry Division. The group then held a defensive line along the Rhine River near Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
on 12 March 1945 under the U.S. XIII Corps
U.S. XIII Corps
Activated on 7 December 1942 in Providence, Rhode Island, the XIII Corps fought for 180 days in the European Theater of Operations, fighting from the Netherlands to the Elbe River. It was first activated under the command of then-Major General Emil F. Reinhardt, but would be commanded in combat by...
, and crossed the Rhine at Wesel
Wesel
Wesel is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Wesel district.-Division of the town:Suburbs of Wesel include Lackhausen, Obrighoven, Ginderich, Feldmark,Fusternberg, Büderich, Flüren and Blumenkamp.-History:...
on 1 April 1945, screened XIII Corps' northern flank, and saw action during the Battle of Munster and the seizure of the Ricklingen Bridge over the Leine River. During the campaign in northwestern Europe, Troop B of the 44th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron served as a mechanized escort and security force for the headquarters of General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
, supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces. In August 1945, 11th Cavalry Group headquarters was located at Gross Ilsede
Ilsede
Ilsede is a municipality in the district of Peine, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Fuhse, approx. 7 km south of Peine, and 20 km west of Braunschweig.-External links:...
, Germany.
HHT, 11th Cavalry Group was converted and reorganized as HHT, 11th Constabulary
United States Constabulary
The United States Constabulary was a United States Army military Constabulary force. From 1946 to 1952, in the aftermath of World War II, it acted as an occupation and security force in the U.S...
Regiment on 1 May 1946. HHT 11th Constabulary Regiment was further reorganized and redesignated at HHC, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment on 30 November 1948.
11th Tank Group
HHT, 11th Tank Group was constituted on 19 July 1943 in the National Army. It was activated at Camp CampbellFort Campbell
Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astraddle the Kentucky-Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Clarksville, Tennessee...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
on 28 July 1943 as a separate group. It was reorganized and redesignated as HHC, 11th Armored Group on 5 December 1943. During the war, armored groups such as the 11th were used as administrative headquarters for the numerous independent tank battalions fielded in the European Theater of Operations. HHC, 11th Armored Group was converted and redesignated HHT, 1st Constabulary Regiment on 1 May 1946. HHT, 1st Constabulary Regiment was inactivated on 20 September 1947 in Germany.
11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
Reassembly and organizing of 11th ACR was completed on 30 November 1948 by reconstitution and reorganization of elements of the 11th Cavalry Regiment and HHT, 1st Constabulary Regiment. HHT-1st Constabulary Regiment was converted, redesignated and consolidated into 11th ACR as HHT, 3rd Battalion, 11th ACR on 30 November 1948. 11th Tank Battalion was consolidated into 11th ACR on 8 January 1951. 95th Tank Battalion was consolidated into 3rd Battalion, 11th ACR on 1 October 1958. Air Troop inactivated 20 March 1972 in Vietnam; 2d Squadron inactivated 6 April 1972 in Vietnam; Air Troop and 2d Squadron activated 17 May 1972 in Germany. Around 1984, Air Troop was enlarged and became the 4th Squadron (Thunderhorse), also known as the Combat Aviation Squadron.Placed 17 June 1986 under the United States Army Regimental System
Inactivated 15 October 1993 – 15 March 1994 in Germany
Activated 16 October 1994 (less 3d and 4th Squadrons; the Air Defense Artillery Battery; and the Howitzer Batteries, 1st and 2d Squadrons) at Fort Irwin, California
Vietnam 1966–1972
Fort Meade, Maryland
Fort Meade is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 9,882 at the 2000 census. It is the home to the National Security Agency, which is located on the US Army post Fort George G...
where the "Blackhorse" engaged in operational training and support activities like participation in the Presidential Inauguration and support for ROTC summer training.
With the war in Vietnam escalating, the Blackhorse Regiment was alerted for assignment to Southeast Asia on 11 March 1966. The Regiment began specialized training for combat in a counterinsurgency environment. Modifications were made to the organization and equipment (MTOE
Table of Organization and Equipment
A table of organization and equipment is a document published by the U.S. Department of Defense which prescribes the organization, staffing, and equippage of units. Also used in acronyms as 'T/O' and 'T/E'....
) with emphasis on the use of modified M113 armored personnel carrier
M113 armored personnel carrier
The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that has formed the backbone of the United States Army's mechanized infantry units from the time of its first fielding in Vietnam in April 1962. The M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S...
s (APCs). Two M-60 machineguns with protective gun shield were mounted at the port and starboard rear of the vehicle, and a combination circular & flat frontal gun shield(s) weres added around the .50 caliber machine gun located at the commander's hatch. This lethal combination produced a deadly M-113 Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle, or, in Vietnam more simply referred to as an ACAV by GI's in country, a name coined by 11th Armored Cavalrymen.
The Regiment's modifications emphasized the use of ACAVs instead of the Patton medium tank and completely replaced the M-114 found in reconnaissance platoons, which may have existed in European and CONUS
Conus
Conus is a large genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs, with the common names of cone snails, cone shells or cones. This genus is placed in the subfamily Coninae within the family Conidae. Geologically speaking, the genus is known from the Eocene to the Recent ...
areas of operation. The M114 had been deployed to Vietnam in 1962, but withdrawn in 1964 due to its unsatisfactory, and often disastrous performance. Throughout the war, the tank companies, with their M48 Patton
M48 Patton
The M48 Patton is a medium tank that was designed in the United States. It was the third and final tank to be officially named after General George S. Patton, commander of the U.S. Third Army during World War II and one of the earliest American advocates for the use of tanks in battle It was a...
tanks, remained the same in each squadron. In 1968, Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
George S. Patton IV (son of WWII General Patton), commander of the 11th ACR in South Vietnam recommended to General Creighton Abrams that one squadron from a division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
and the other from theater command be issued the army's new aluminum tanks (Sheridans) for combat testing. General Abrams concurred, and in January 1969, M551 Sheridan
M551 Sheridan
The M551 Sheridan was a light tank developed by the United States and named after Civil War General Philip Sheridan. It was designed to be landed by parachute and to swim across rivers. It was armed with the technically advanced but troublesome M81/M81E1 152mm gun/launcher which fired conventional...
s were issued to the 3rd Squadron 4th Armored Cavalry and the 1st Squadron 11th Armored Cavalry. Due to differences between the organization of Regimental Cavalry Squadrons and Divisional Cavalry Squadrons, in 1st Sqdn 11th ACR, the Sheridans were issued to the ACAV Troops, replacing three M113 ACAVs in each platoon (the squadron's one tank company remained intact); in 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav, the Sheridans replaced M48A3 tanks throughout the squadron.
Although the 3/4 Cavalry met near disaster with their Sheridan's within a month of receiving them (one destroyed by a mine), the 1/11 Cavalry had just the reverse in luck, killing nearly 80 enemy soldiers during an engagement on 23 February 1969. All things considered, the army was satisfied with the Sheridan tank, and by the end of 1970 alone, well over 200 M551s would be in South Vietnam. While nearly all US Armored Cavalry squadrons were equipped with the M551 by 1970, the 11th ACR tank companies, as well as the three US Army armor battalions (1/69th, 2/34th, and 1/77th Armor
77th Armor Regiment (United States)
The 77th Armor is an armored regiment of the United States Army. The 77th Armor Regiment is part of the U.S. Army Regimental System with only a single battalion, the 1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, and is therefore classified as both a single battalion, and the remainder of the Regiment itself...
) in country, all retained their 90mm gun M48A3 Patton tanks. Only the M48s, as well as the Australian Centurions, and ARVN M41 Walker Bulldog
M41 Walker Bulldog
The M41 Walker Bulldog was a U.S. light tank developed to replace the M24 Chaffee. It was named for General Walton Walker who died in a jeep accident in Korea...
light tanks could effectively and safely conduct "thunder runs"; the firing of all tank weapons while driving down the highway or road. While ACAVs did not have a cannon, the Sheridan's high recoil from its 152mm main gun negated it from firing excessive broadsides while moving down a road. Thus the most favored tanks for clearing highways with thunder runs on a daily basis, most often fell to the M48s of the 11th ACR and accompanying armor units.
Arrival In Country
The Blackhorse Regiment arrived in Vung Tau
Vung Tàu
Vũng Tàu is a city in southern Vietnam. Its population in 2005 was 240,000. The city area is including 13 urban wards and one village. It is the capital of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, and is the crude oil extraction center of Vietnam. It is also known as one of the most beautiful cities of tourism...
, South Vietnam on 7 September 1966 and was commanded by Col. William W. Cobb. Operation Hickory
Operation Hickory
Operation Hickory was an operation conducted by the United States Marine Corps in the area around Con Thien, South Vietnam known as Leatherneck Square from May 18, 1967 until May 28, 1967...
(7–15 October 1966) produced the first enemy casualties inflicted by the 3rd Squadron and elements of the 919th Engineer Company in the vicinity of Phu Hoa.
Blackhorse Base Camp
"Atlanta" was the code name for the establishment of Blackhorse Base Camp—the new home of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Vietnam. Blackhorse Base Camp was located approximately 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) south of the village of Xuan Loc on Route 2 and approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) southeast of the village of Long Goia. Saigon is approximately 35 kilometres (21.7 mi) to the west along Rt. 1. The operation began on 20 Oct. and concluded on 3 Nov. 1966.
Stanton's Vietnam Order Of Battle lists the following locations for the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment's Headquarters in Vietnam:
Bien Hoa
Bien Hoa
Biên Hòa is a city in Dong Nai province, Vietnam, about east of Ho Chi Minh City , to which Bien Hoa is linked by Vietnam Highway 1.- Demographics :In 1989 the estimated population was over 300,000. In 2005, the population wss 541,495...
Sept. 66 – Nov. 66
Long Binh
Long Binh
Long Binh is a ward, in District 9 of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.-Long Binh Post:During the Vietnam War, Long Binh Post was located near Bien Hoa, Dong Nai province. Vietnam, 33km from Saigon . The base functioned as a U.S. Army base, logistics center, and major command headquarters for United...
Dec. 66 – Feb. 67
Xuan Loc March 67 – Jan. 69
Lai Khe
Lai Khe
Lai Khê is a small settlement in Vietnam, to the northwest of Ho Chi Minh City and about 20 km north of Thủ Dầu Một. During the Vietnam War it was a garrison town as the 5th Division of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam was based there for most of the 1960s and 1970s.Tucker, pp. 526–533...
Feb. 69
Long Giao March 69 – Sept. 69
Bien Hoa Oct. 69 – June 70
Di An
Di An
Dĩ An, Bình Dương , is a town of Binh Duong Province in the Southeast region of Vietnam. It is about 20 km north of Ho Chi Minh City. It is 1706 km by rail from Hanoi. As of 2003 the towan had a population of 136,530...
July 70 – March 71
Operation Cedar Falls
Operation Cedar Falls
Operation Cedar Falls was a military operation of the Vietnam War conducted primarily by US forces. The aim of this massive search and destroy operation was to eradicate the so-called "Iron Triangle", an area located in close proximity to Saigon which had become a major stronghold of the communist...
From January until 18 May 1967 the Regiment conducted three major search and destroy operations. These operations would later be known as reconnaissance in force (RIF) operations. The first of these operations commence on 8 Jan. 1967 and was known as "Operation Cedar Falls". It continued until 24 Jan. 1967. The 1st and 2nd Squadrons operated in the infamous "Iron Triangle" region near Ben Cat
Ben Cat
Ben Cat , is a district of Binh Duong Province in the Southeast region of Vietnam.As of 2003 the district had a population of 119,138. The district covers an area of 588 km². The district capital lies at My Phuoc.-References:...
employing search and destroy tactics, screening and blocking, and security in attacks on successive objectives.
Operation Junction City
Operation Junction City
Operation Junction City was an 82-day military operation conducted by United States and Republic of Vietnam forces begun on 22 February 1967 during the Vietnam War. It was the largest U.S. airborne operation since Operation Market Garden during World War II, the only major airborne operation of...
Operation Junction City
Operation Junction City
Operation Junction City was an 82-day military operation conducted by United States and Republic of Vietnam forces begun on 22 February 1967 during the Vietnam War. It was the largest U.S. airborne operation since Operation Market Garden during World War II, the only major airborne operation of...
I and II involved the 1st and 3rd Squadrons. It began on 18 Feb. 1967 and ran through 15 April 1967. This operation took these squadrons to the headquarters of the Central Office South Vietnam (COSVN
COSVN
COSVN, pronounced "CŎS-vĭn" and standing for Central Office for South Vietnam , was the American term for People's Army of Vietnam political and military headquarters during the Vietnam War...
) believed to be located in Binh Duong Province
Binh Duong Province
Bình Dương is a province of Vietnam. It is located in the southeastern part of the country, immediately to the north of Ho Chi Minh City. The province was created from Song Be province on January 1, 1997.-Geography:...
with the objective of destroying this important headquarters. This joint mission conducted with the 1st Australian Task Force
1st Australian Task Force
The 1st Australian Task Force commanded the Australian and New Zealand Army units deployed to South Vietnam between 1966 and 1972. 1 ATF was based at Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy Province...
secured lines of communication and fire support bases (FSB). Extensive RIF operations were conducted as well.
Operation Manhattan
Commencing on 23 April 1967 the third operation titled Operation Manhattan was a thrust into the Long Nguyen Secret Zone by the 1st and 2nd Squadrons. This zone was a long suspected regional headquarter of the Viet Cong. 60 tunnel complexes were uncovered. 1884 fortifications were destroyed. 621 tons of rice was evacuated during these operations. The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment was building a solid reputation for carrying out effective reconnaissance in force operations. Operation Manhattan ended on 11 May 1967.
Operation Kittyhawk
Beginning on April 1967 and running through 21 March 1968, the Regiment was tasked to secure and pacify Long Khánh District. This year long mission was called Operation Kittyhawk. It achieved three objectives: Viet Cong (VC) were kept from interfering with travel on the main roads, Vietnamese
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
were provided medical treatment in civic action program
Civic action program
A civic action program also known as civic action project is a type of operation designed to assist an area by using the capabilities and resources of a military force or civilian organization to conduct long-term programs or short-term projects...
s like MEDCAP and DENTCAP and finally, RIF operations were employed to keep the VC off balance, making it impossible for them to mount offensive operations.
1967
From the summer of 1967 until the winter the Regiment was led by Col. Roy W. Farley. Operation Emporia I & II was a road clearing operation with limited RIF missions by the 1st and 3rd Squadrons in Long Khánh District. Operation Valdosta I & II was a regimental size operation. Its purpose was to provide security at polling places during elections and to maintain reaction forces to counter VC agitation. So successful was this operation that 84.7 % of eligible voters cast ballots in Long Khánh District in the first general election and 78 % in the second.
Operation Quicksilver
Operation Quicksilver
Operation Quicksilver may refer to:*Operation Quicksilver , a World War II plan by the Allies that was a sub-plan of Operation Fortitude...
This operation involved the 1st and 2nd Squadrons of the 11th Armored Cavalry. Its purpose was to secure routes that moved logistical personnel of the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
between Binh Long
Binh Long
Bình Long is a town of Binh Phuoc province in the southeastern region of Vietnam. As of 2003 the district had a population of 25,110. The district covers an area of 756 km². The district capital lies at An Loc....
and Tay Ninh Provinces. Cordon, search and RIF missions were also performed.
Operation Fargo
Operation Fargo ran from 21 Dec. 1967 until 21 Jan 1968. This regimental size operation conducted RIFs in Binh Long and Tay Ninh Provinces and opened Route 13 to military traffic for the very first time.
The Tet Offensive
The early part of 1968 was marked by the most ambitious and embolden offensive attack coordinated by the VC and NVA in the history of the war. The Tet Offensive was designed to coincide with the Vietnamese New Year.
Operation Adairsville
This operation began on 31 Jan. 1968. Word was received by the II Field Force HQs to immediately re-deploy to the Long Binh/Bien Hoa area to relieve installations threatened by the Tet Offensive. At 1400 hours (2:00 pm) the 1st Squadron was called to move from their position south of the Michelin Rubber Plantation
Michelin Rubber Plantation
Michelin Rubber Plantation was located near Dầu Tiếng District in Binh Duong Province, 72km northwest of Saigon. The plantation was established by the Michelin company in 1925 and at 12,400 ha it was the largest rubber plantation in Vietnam...
to the II Field Force Headquarters. The 2nd Squadron moved from north of the plantation to III Corps POW Compound were enemy soldiers were sure to attempt to liberate the camp. The 3rd Squadron moved from An Loc
An Loc
An Loc is a small town in Bình Phước Province in southern Vietnam, located approximately 90 km north of Saigon with a population of 15,000...
to III Corps Army, Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) Headquarters. It took only 14 hours and 80 miles to arrive in position after first being alerted.
Operation Alcorn Cove
The security operation in the Long Binh/Bien Hoa area and the area around Blackhorse Base Camp by the 1st and 2nd Squadrons is continue under Operation Alcorn Cove which began on 22 March 1968. This joint mission with the ARVN 18th Division
18th Division (South Vietnam)
The 18th Division was an infantry division in the III Corps of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam . The U.S. Military Assistance Command Vietnam considered the 18th as undisciplined and was well known throughout the ARVN for its "cowboy" reputation...
and 25th Division
25th Division (South Vietnam)
The 25th Division of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam —the army of the nation state of South Vietnam that existed from 1955 to 1975—was part of the III Corps that oversaw the region of the country surrounding the capital, Saigon. It was based at Cu Chi to the west of the city centre....
was a twofold operation of security and RIFs. Operation Toan Thang was an extension of "Alcorn Cove". That joint operation involved the 1st
U.S. 1st Infantry Division
The 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army is the oldest division in the United States Army. It has seen continuous service since its organization in 1917...
and 25th Infantry Division
U.S. 25th Infantry Division
The 25th Infantry Division is a U.S. Army division based in Hawaii. The division, which was activated on 1 October 1941 in Hawaii, conducts military operations in the Asia-Pacific region...
s.
"Workhorse" The 3rd Squadron
K Troop was part of the 3rd Squadron and known as "Killing K Troop". 3rd Squadron's nickname was, fittingly, "Workhorse". Shortly after its arrival in Vietnam, the 3rd Squadron engaged the Viet Cong for the first time. 3rd Squadron inflicted such devastating casualties on the enemy that it was awarded a Meritorious Unit Citation
Meritorious Unit Citation
The Meritorious Unit Citation is a collective group decoration awarded to members of Australian military units. It recognises sustained outstanding service in warlike operations...
for this period.
The Tet Offensive of 1968 gave the squadron a chance to fight the enemy's troop formations in open combat. In Bien Hoa
Bien Hoa
Biên Hòa is a city in Dong Nai province, Vietnam, about east of Ho Chi Minh City , to which Bien Hoa is linked by Vietnam Highway 1.- Demographics :In 1989 the estimated population was over 300,000. In 2005, the population wss 541,495...
the 3rd Squadron drove the enemy forces from the area near III Corps Headquarters. Its action was crucial in smashing the enemy's offensive.
On 20 October 2009 President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
presented a Presidential Unit Citation to veterans of Troop A of the regiment for their heroism along the Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
n border on 26 March 1970.
Guardians of the Fulda Gap
The Blackhorse Regiment rotated to Southern Germany in May 1957, relieving the 6th ACR, and assumed the mission of patrolling the German-Czechoslovak border until its return to the United States in 1964.
The Blackhorse arrived in Vietnam on 7 September 1966. Second Squadron spearheaded Operation Fish Hook into Cambodia on 1 May 1970, surrounding a North Vietnamese logistics center.
In 1972 the 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment, which had the mission of patrolling the East-West German border, was redesignated the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Downs Barracks. During the late 1980s the 11th had the distinction of operating the first Air Assault School in Europe, known as the Blackhorse Air Assault School, based in Fulda
Fulda
Fulda is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district .- Early Middle Ages :...
.
The East-West German border fell on 3 October 1990, and the Soviet Union dissolved in December 1991. The Regiment's seventeen-year vigil along the Iron Curtain was over.
The Blackhorse Regiment deployed an aviation task force on 10 April 1991 to Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
for Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations by the United States and some of its Gulf War allies, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurds fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War and deliver humanitarian aid to them.-Operation...
, an operation to support the Kurdish relief effort. One month later, the three maneuver squadrons (1st, 2d and 3d) along with the regiment's support squadron, deployed to Kuwait for Operation Positive Force, an operation to secure Kuwait so it could rebuild from the war. By October, the Regiment had completed its missions in Turkey and Kuwait and returned to Fulda. As the need for US Forces in Europe decreased, the Blackhorse Regiment was inactivated in a ceremony on 15 March 1994.
Training the Force
Reactivated again on 26 October 1994, the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment now serves as the Army's Opposing Force at the National Training Center. The regiment portrays a determined opposing force that trains US forces in the basic principles of army operations and challenges all the battlefield operating systems. As the 2nd Brigade Tactical Group, the Squadron trains brigade and battalion task forces during ten rotations a year at the National Training Center.1st Squadron
The 1st Squadron is organized as an armor battalion, and comprises one of the two maneuver elements of the 11th ACR. It is organized around a Headquarters and Headquarters Troop (HHT), four companies (A, B, C flagged as Cavalry Troops, D flagged as an armor company) and an air defense battery "I", with a total authorized strength of 587 soldiers. It is equipped with the OPFOR Surrogate Vehicle, an M901 ITVM901 ITV
The M901 ITV is a United States Army armored vehicle designed to carry a dual M220 TOW launcher. It is based on the ubiquitous M113 Armored Personnel Carrier chassis.- Equipment :...
highly modified with an M2/M3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle turret to represent the BMP-2
BMP-2
The BMP-2 is a second-generation, amphibious infantry fighting vehicle introduced in the 1980s in the Soviet Union, following the BMP-1 of the 1960s....
armored personnel carrier, and was recently equipped with the new OSTS-MBT (OPFOR Surrogate Training System-Main Battle Tank) a vehicle similar to the OPFOR Surrogate Vehicle which can simulate a wide spectrum of threat tanks. Using this equipment and configuration, the squadron performs the first of its two primary missions, acting as an non-permissive opposing force (OPFOR) during ten FORSCOM combat training rotations each year. The squadron's second mission is to deploy and fight as a tank battalion for various contingency operations throughout the world. In order to support this mission, the squadron must also maintain, operate and remain proficient on the M1A1 Abrams Tank.
First Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry, "Ironhorse", has a history that spans three-quarters of a century and includes military campaigns in the Philippines, Mexico, Europe, and Vietnam. The regimental motto, "Allons", means "Let's Go", and the 1st Squadron has been on the go since 1901 when it was activated as a horse squadron at Fort Myer, Virginia.
Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Hennisse, the approximately 400 men of the squadron trained nine months before becoming the first squadron to leave for the Regiment's inaugural deployment, to the Philippines.
Arriving in January 1902, Troops A and D patrolled Samar
Samar
Samar, formerly and also known as Western Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catbalogan City and covers the western portion of Samar as well as several islands in the Samar Sea located to the west of the mainland...
, where they fought the regiment's first engagement.
In 1905, the regiment relocated to Fort Des Moines, Iowa. In 1906, the 1st Squadron remained in Des Moines while the rest of the regiment deployed to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
as part of President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
's Army of Pacification. In 1909, the 1st Squadron rejoined the rest of the regiment in Fort Oglethorpe
Fort Oglethorpe
Fort Oglethorpe may refer to:*Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, a town*Fort Oglethorpe , Army base founded in 1904*Fort Oglethorpe , a World War I military facility near the town of Fort Oglethorpe...
, Georgia.
On 12 March 1916, the men of the regiment received orders to join General John J. Pershing
John J. Pershing
John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, GCB , was a general officer in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I...
as part of the Mexican Punitive Expedition to pursue Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa
José Doroteo Arango Arámbula – better known by his pseudonym Francisco Villa or its hypocorism Pancho Villa – was one of the most prominent Mexican Revolutionary generals....
. Nine days later, the 1st Squadron led the way, arriving in Mexico on 21 March. Later, the 1st Squadron rode 22 hours straight to the rescue of United States forces besieged in Parral
Parral, Chihuahua
Hidalgo del Parral, is a city and seat of the municipality of Hidalgo del Parral in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It is located in the southern part of the state, 220 km from the state capital, the city of Chihuahua, Chih....
.
The 11th ACR was not deployed during World War I. During this period, 1st Squadron conducted port operations in Newport News, Virginia
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
. After the Armistice, the regiment, with its predominantly black horses, was stationed at the Presidio of Monterey, in California. The Army reorganizations for World War II eliminated the horse cavalry in 1940 and 1st Squadron traded in "saddles and hooves" for "tracks and steel". The Regiment was inactivated 15 July 1942. The personnel and equipment of the former 1st and 2nd Squadrons was combined to form the newly designated 11th Tank Battalion, which later fought at the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
.
On 1 April 1951, the regiment was reactivated as the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, as part of the build-up for the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. The regiment served in Fort Carson, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and Fort Knox
Fort Knox
Fort Knox is a United States Army post in Kentucky south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. The base covers parts of Bullitt, Hardin, and Meade counties. It currently holds the Army Human Resources Center of Excellence to include the Army Human Resources Command, United States Army Cadet...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
until deploying to Germany to replace the 6th ACR along the Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
n border.
In July 1964, 1st Squadron, along with the regiment, transferred to Fort Meade, Maryland. In 1966, the regiment deployed to Vietnam. The 1st Squadron's fighting spirit reflected great credit on the Blackhorse Regiment by earning the Valorous Unit Award
Valorous Unit Award
The Valorous Unit Award is the second highest unit decoration which may be bestowed upon a U.S. Army unit and is considered the unit equivalent of the Silver Star...
s (twice), the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (three times), and the Presidential Unit Citation. It was during the Vietnam War that the 11th ACR was granted authorization to wear its distinctive unit patch.
President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
awarded Alpha Troop of the 1st Squadron the Presidential Unit Citation on 20 October 2009, in recognition of a rescue mission 26 March 1970.
In February 1971, 1st Squadron was inactivated, then reactivated in May 1972, at Downs Barracks in Fulda
Fulda
Fulda is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district .- Early Middle Ages :...
, Germany.
During the Southwest Asia Campaign, Ironhorse operated Camp Colt, a scout training camp for reservists reporting to active duty. Following Desert Storm, the regiment deployed to Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
in support of Operation Positive Force from June 1991 to September 1991. 1st Squadron, along with the rest of the regiment, was inactivated at Fulda
Fulda
Fulda is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district .- Early Middle Ages :...
, Germany in March 1994.
The 1/63rd Armored Regiment, Fort Irwin, California was reflagged 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in October 1994 with the mission of Opposing Forces for the National Training Center and continues to do so today.
On 30 January 2005, 1st Squadron left Fort Irwin for Iraq. After spending about three weeks in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, the Squadron moved to Camp Taji
Camp Taji
Camp Taji is a military installation, also known as Camp Cooke used by coalition forces near Taji or Al Taji , Iraq. The camp is located in a rural region approximately north of the city of Baghdad in the Baghdad Governorate.-History:...
on the outskirts of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. The Squadron was assigned the task of patrolling the Adhamiyah
Adhamiyah
Al-Adhamiyah , also Azamiya, is a neighborhood and east-central district of the city of Baghdad, Iraq....
sector of Baghdad, a suburb of Baghdad just north of Sadr City
Sadr City
Sadr City is a suburb district of the city of Baghdad, Iraq. It was built in 1959 by Prime Minister Abdul Karim Qassim and later unofficially renamed Sadr City after deceased Shia leader Mohammad Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr....
. The Squadron was also assigned the task of training Iraqi Army
Iraqi Army
The Iraqi Army is the land component of the Iraqi military, active in various forms since being formed by the British during their mandate over the country after World War I....
units to ultimately take over control of the sector.
On 21 May 2005, the Squadron left Camp Taji for Camp Liberty
Camp Liberty
Camp Liberty is a large coalition military installation located northeast of the Baghdad International Airport and is part of the U.S. military's Victory Base Complex . It was formerly known as Camp Victory North and renamed in mid-September 2004, as part of an effort to give U.S...
, one of the many camps that encircle Baghdad International Airport
Baghdad International Airport
Baghdad International Airport, originally Saddam International Airport, , BIAP is Iraq's largest airport, located in a suburb about west of downtown Baghdad in the Baghdad Governorate...
. Their new task was to patrol the Abu Ghraib
Abu Ghraib
The city of Abu Ghraib in the Baghdad Governorate of Iraq is located just west of Baghdad's city center, or northwest of Baghdad International Airport. It has a population of 189,000. The old road to Jordan passes through Abu Ghraib...
sector just west of Baghdad and to provide perimeter security for Abu Ghraib prison
Abu Ghraib prison
The Baghdad Central Prison, formerly known as Abu Ghraib prison is in Abu Ghraib, an Iraqi city 32 km west of Baghdad. It was built by British contractors in the 1950s....
.
While in the Abu Ghraib sector, 1/11 ACR participated in Operation Thunder Cat along with the 256th Infantry Brigade of the Louisiana Army National Guard
Louisiana Army National Guard
The Louisiana Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. In fact, the National Guard is the only United States military force...
. The operation focused on disrupting IED cells in and around the Abu Ghraib
Abu Ghraib
The city of Abu Ghraib in the Baghdad Governorate of Iraq is located just west of Baghdad's city center, or northwest of Baghdad International Airport. It has a population of 189,000. The old road to Jordan passes through Abu Ghraib...
sector, west of Baghdad. During this operation, 1/11 ACR uncovered five separate weapons caches, detained four suspected insurgents and uncovered $2,200 in US Currency.
The Squadron redeployed to Fort Irwin on 22 January 2006 where it resumed its Opposing Forces mission for the National Training Center. During its deployment, the Nevada Army National Guard's 1/221 Cavalry Squadron, the 11ths official roundout unit and current ARS squadron took over the duty of OPFOR.
2nd Squadron
The 2nd Squadron is part of the Army's Opposing Force at the National Training Center, conducting battle operations in accordance with published doctrine and combat instructions. While in its role as the 2nd Brigade Tactical Group, The Eaglehorse Squadron portrays a robust and determined opposing force (OPFOR) that trains US forces in the basic principles of Air-Land battle doctrines and challenges all Battlefield Operating Systems (BOS). The 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment is widely considered to be one of the best trained mechanized forces in the world. Currently, the regiment trains brigade and battalion task forces during ten rotations a year at the National Training Center, Ft. Irwin, California. Additionally between rotation commitments, the Squadron conducts tough, realistic, live-fire based training focused at the platoon and Bradley crew level. The Eaglehorse continues the tradition of Lead, Train, Win while serving as the Army's premier training force, the NTC's Opposing Force."Introduction
The 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment or "Eaglehorse", has a history that spans nearly three quarters of a century. Second Squadron military campaign geographic areas include the Philippines, Mexico, Europe, Vietnam, and support in Southwest Asia.Formation of the Squadron
The 2nd Squadron was activated on 2 February 1901 at Fort Myer, Virginia. 2nd Squadron deployed with the Regiment to the Philippines to suppress insurgent forces during November 1901. This deployment was commemorated by the bolosBolo knife
A bolo is a large cutting tool of Filipino origin similar to the machete, used particularly in the jungles of Indonesia, the Philippines, and in the sugar fields of Cuba...
becoming part of the Blackhorse crest. The Blackhorse Regiment settled in Fort Des Moines
Fort Des Moines Provisional Army Officer Training School
The Fort Des Moines Provisional Army Officer Training School in Des Moines, Iowa was where African Americans were trained to be officers for the U.S. Army during World War I. The grounds of Fort Des Moines were used for U.S. Army training beginning in 1901, and the all-Black 25th Infantry Regiment...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
in 1905.
Early History
The 2nd Squadron deployed to CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, 16 October 1906, as part of President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
's Army of Pacification. Their mission was to patrol and be a show of force. Eaglehorse joined with the General J. Pershing Pancho Villa Expedition
Pancho Villa Expedition
The Pancho Villa Expedition—officially known in the United States as the Mexican Expedition and sometimes colloquially referred to as the Punitive Expedition—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the paramilitary forces of Mexican insurgent Francisco "Pancho" Villa...
in a punitive action against Mexico, with orders to pursue Pancho Villa, on 12 March 1916. Major Robert L. Howze, Commander, 2nd Squadron, led the "last mounted charge" on 5 May 1916, placing the Eaglehorse Squadron action as a milestone in military history.
The Blackhorse Regiment patrolled the U.S.-Mexican border from 1919 through 1942. The Regiment received the name "Blackhorse" and a distinctive coat of arms while stationed at the Presidio of Monterey.
The Squadron Comes of Age
The Regiment inactivated as a "horse regiment" on 15 July 1942 at Fort BenningFort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
, Georgia. The Headquarters and Headquarters Troop was redesignated on 19 April 1943 as the Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 11th Cavalry Group Mechanized. The former squadrons of the 11th Cavalry were sent to fight with the 10th Armored Division and the 90th Infantry Division overseas. The new HHT, 11th Cavalry Group Mechanized drew new squadrons, the 36th and 44th, and also received an Assault Gun Troop (Howitzer Battery).
After guarding the US southeastern coast from March 1944 until 1 June 1944, the Group moved to Camp Gordon, Georgia to begin training for overseas deployment, The regiment arrived in the United Kingdom on 10 October 1944. The Regiment entered France on 23 November 1944. Moving through France and Germany, the Blackhorse was assigned to the Ninth US Army and attached to XIII Corps, whose flank the Blackhorse screened during the Corps' sweep from the Roer to the Rhine.
3rd Squadron
Post-Vietnam, the 3rd Squadron ("Workhorse") was based at McPheeters Barracks in Bad HersfeldBad Hersfeld
The festival and spa town of Bad Hersfeld is the district seat of Hersfeld-Rotenburg district in northeastern Hesse, Germany, roughly 50 km southeast of Kassel....
, Germany, about 40 kilometers north of Fulda. The 3rd Squadron was organized as an armored cavalry squadron like the 1st and 2nd Squadrons. HHT and I, K, and L Troops, Howitzer Battery, as well as M Company were organic to the squadron. Attached was the 58th Engineer Company. In the field, the attached units of the regiment like the 58th Engineer Company usually operated over a wide area, with smaller detachments dedicated to supporting the armored cavalry squadrons of the regiment.
4th Squadron
Formed in 1984 by combining the aviation units of the regiment, the "Thunderhorse" Squadron's peacetime mission was aerial surveillance of the Inter-zonal German border. During wartime, the 4th Squadron's primary mission was antitank warfare, using TOWBGM-71 TOW
The BGM-71 TOW is an anti-tank missile. "BGM" is a weapon classification that stands for "Multiple Environment , Surface-Attack , Missile ". "TOW" is an acronym that stands for "Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire command data link, guided missile"...
missile-launching AH-1 Cobra
AH-1 Cobra
The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a two-bladed, single engine attack helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It shares a common engine, transmission and rotor system with the older UH-1 Iroquois...
helicopters. 4th Squadron was also capable of troop airlift, medical evacuation, and electronic warfare. The 4th Squadron operated out of Sickels Army Airfield just to the southwest of Downs Barracks, near Fulda. The squadron consisted of HHT, N, O, P, Q, R, and S Troops, plus AVUM Troop. The squadron operated AH-1, UH-1, and OH-58 helicopters. Attached to the 4th Squadron was the 511th Military Intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
Company. The 4th Squadron was inactivated at Fulda with the rest of the regiment in 1994.
Support Squadron
Support Squadron, 11th ACR provides combat support / combat service support to the 11th ACR and NTC Opposing Force and conducts deployment, survivability and MOS sustainment training IOT ensure the success of the regiment, OPFOR, and squadron."Packhorse", was activated in Germany under the command of LTC Ronald Kelly on 17 September 1985 to support the Blackhorse as it patrolled the East-West German border along the Fulda Gap. The squadron's official name at that time was Combat Support Squadron (CSS). The nickname "Packhorse" is derived from the early days of the U.S. Cavalry, when soldiers went on campaigns accompanied by packhorse
Packhorse
.A packhorse or pack horse refers generally to an equid such as a horse, mule, donkey or pony used for carrying goods on their backs, usually carried in sidebags or panniers. Typically packhorses are used to cross difficult terrain, where the absence of roads prevents the use of wheeled vehicles. ...
s, additional horses and/or mules that carried all their essential supplies. Everything from food to gunpowder to horseshoes were transported in this manner.
Initial organization included five units—Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, Maintenance Troop, Supply and Transportation Troop, Medical Troop, and the attached 54th Chemical Detachment. The squadron also operated the Regimental Material Management Center which had the responsibility for the overall logistics state of the regiment. Elements of the squadron were based at both Fulda and Wildflecken
Wildflecken
Wildflecken is a municipality in the Bad Kissingen district, at the border of northeastern Bavaria and southern Hesse. In 2005, its population was 3,285; the postal code is 97772. Wildflecken is in the picturesque Rhön hills and nature-park....
. The squadron was large for a battalion-sized unit, as the Maintenance Troop alone had some 400 soldiers assigned. The Packhorse provided logistical support during both the frequent regimental maneuvers of the Cold War and at gunnery exercises at Grafenwoehr, where the squadron operated for weeks at a time while the cavalry troops and tank companies rotated through the firing ranges.
Squadron vehicles during the Cold War included 3/4-ton M1009 CUCV's
Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle
The Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle or CUCV Program was instituted to provide the United States military with a cheaper Light Utility Vehicle to augment the purpose-built, but expensive, Gama Goats and M151 series "Jeeps" approaching the end of their service life. It initially provided Dodge D...
, 1&1/4-ton M1008 and M1010 pickup trucks that often carried special-purpose shelters mounting communications, medical, or maintenance equipment, HEMTT's
Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck
The Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck series is a range of eight-wheel drive diesel-powered off-road capable trucks, used by the US military. Formally described as "Truck, Cargo: 10-Ton, 8x8", it has been nicknamed the "Dragon Wagon". HEMTT trucks first went into service with the U.S...
, M88's, tanker trucks
Tank truck
A tank truck or road tanker is a motor vehicle designed to carry liquefied loads, dry bulk cargo or gases on roads. The largest such vehicles are similar to railroad tank cars which are also designed to carry liquefied loads...
, and trucks carrying chemical decontamination equipment. A pair of M934
M939 Truck
The M939 series 5-ton 6x6 truck is a family of United States military logistical transportation trucks which was designed in the late 1980s and has been in service ever since. About 32,000 M939 series trucks are in service...
5-ton Expansible Vans ("Expando-vans") housed the squadron headquarters in the field. The squadron was also capable of highly specialized functions such as the provision of potable water by filtering fresh water sources through purification units.
On October 3 1990 the Two Germanys Re-Unified. By December 1991 the Soviet Union dissolved. The Squadron's six-year presence as the supporters of the "Eyes and Ears" of the U.S. Army along the Iron Curtain was over. In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, prompting the United States to respond.
On 16 May 1991, the Packhorse received orders to deploy to Kuwait to support the Regiment as it secured the country while it struggled to rebuild after the war. By October, the Regiment had completed its mission and the Packhorse returned to Fulda. As the need for U.S. forces in Europe decreased, the Packhorse was inactivated on 15 February 1994, followed by the Blackhorse on 15 March 1994.
Reactivated on 15 October 1994, the Packhorse once again had postured itself to provide world class logistical support to the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment as it defended the sovereign land of Mother Krasnovia as the U.S. Army's Opposing Forces at the National Training Center.
Since its reactivation the Support Squadron's accomplishments are many. The Support Squadron has been the Forces Command (FORSCOM) winner of the Philip A. Connelly award for garrison food service excellence in FY 1992, 1993 and 1994. The squadron also won this same competition at the Department of the Army (DA) level in FY 1993. The squadron was a major player in the regiment's selection as the only Army unit in the Department of Defense for the Phoenix award for Maintenance Excellence in FY 1995, FY 1999 and FY 2000. Headquarters and Headquarters Troop was the winner of the DA Award for Maintenance Excellence for FY 1995 and FY 1996 in the Intermediate Equipment Density Category, the only unit to do so in the 16-year history of the program.
Maintenance Troop was recognized as the Salute Magazine Unit of the Year for 1995; this competition included units from all branches of the service. The 58th Engineer Company placed 4th in FORSCOM in the DA Award for Maintenance Excellence in the Heavy Equipment Density Category in FY 1995, and were 3rd place winners in FY 1996 and FY 1997. The 511th Military Intelligence Company placed 3rd in FORSCOM in the separate Company category for the Army Supply Excellence Award and was the Starry Award winner for being the best company in the Regiment during 2000.
The Squadron also won the FY 2002 FORSCOM Competition for both the Supply Support Activity (SSA) and Squadron Supply Operations, the SSA also subsequently received Runner-up at DA Level for FY 2002. Currently, the Squadron participated and won the FORSCOM level in the Philip A. Connelly competition for best Field Feeding Crew of FY 2003. Supply/Trans and Maintenance Troops competed and won the Army Award for Maintenance Excellence in FORSCOM for FY 2003; both are currently competing at the DA level. The squadron also placed first in the FORSCOM level of Army Supply Excellence for FY 2004 in Squadron Supply Operations and the SSA; both are also currently competing at the DA level.
Headquarters and Headquarters Troop
MissionProvide personnel, administrative, and logistical support to the Regimental Support Squadron. Provide food service support to all NTC units in both the field and garrison. While providing this support, HHT will protect the force and provide superb quality of life for its troopers and families.
Headquarters Platoon
Headquarters Platoon's mission is to support the troop administration, logistics, and preparation for war. The platoon consists of the troop commander's staff. They are the orderly and training room, communications section, motor pool, NBC room, unit supply, and arms room. The orderly room supports the troop in administration. The training room schedules training and maintains the troop readiness status. The motor pool supports the troop in organizational level maintenance. The NBC room supports the troop in nuclear, biological, and chemical training, and the unit supply supports the troop in organizational supply and arms room.
Also attached to the Headquarters Platoon are the cavalry scouts and mortar platoons. The cavalry scouts use high speed maneuvering and advanced optical equipment to identify targets. The mortar platoon uses the heavy 120 MM mortar system to provide long range indirect fire.
Field regimental dining facility
The Field Regimental Dining Facility (FRDF) Platoon supports 10 rotations per year. The mission is to provide Class I in the field for the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Opposing Force (OPFOR) during all force-on-force rotations.
Horse Detachment
MissionThe Fort Irwin 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Mounted Color Guard performs at official ceremonies, unofficial functions and regional community events, is a living and historically accurate depiction of the mounted cavalry soldier and preserves the Regiment's heritage in order to provide a regional representation of the 11th ACR, Fort Irwin, and the United States Army, promote goodwill in community relations, support Army recruiting and community outreach objectives.
Maintenance Troop
MissionProvide class IX support and conduct direct support maintenance for the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment to ensure the Regiment's success on the NTC battlefield. While providing this support, Maintenance Troop will protect the force and provide improved quality of life for its troopers and families.
MT 1st Platoon
Headquarters Platoon consists of the commander's staff, motor pool, shop office, NBC room, orderly room, technical supply and unit supply. This is the largest platoon in the troop. The main mission of this platoon is to keep the troop ready for war at all times.
The shop office is the backbone of direct support maintenance. The shop officer and the repair control sergeant direct all the maintenance support for the regiment. They order repair parts and track the parts from the time it is ordered, to the time the part is received. They also track all maintenance jobs from initial inspection to actual repair to final inspection and pick-up by the customer.
Technical supply work 24 hour days, 7 days a week, providing Class IX repair parts to the OPFOR. They provide serviceable assets which include major assemblies, DLRs (Depot Level Reparables), Repairable Exchange Items and ASL stockage.
The mission of NBC room is to provide nuclear, biological and chemical training to the troop. The training room is in charge of planning and executing training for the entire troop. The orderly room provides administrative support to the whole troop. The supply room provides organizational supply. The motor pool's mission is to provide organizational maintenance for all vehicles and commo equipment for the entire troop.
MT 2nd Platoon
Second Platoon is divided in 2 sections: Automotive, Armament, and Fuel & Electrical, which include 41C, 44B, 44E, 45B, 45E, 45G, 63G, 63H, and 63W MOSs. The mission of the above mentioned personnel is to provide quality direct support in the areas of repair parts (generators, alternators and starters), recovery assistance, welding and machine shop assistance, and automotive repair.
The Automotive section provides direct support maintenance to the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and Allied units in support of the OPFOR's daily mission. This entails repairing and replacing transmissions, steering gears, transfers, fuel injector pumps, differentials, engines, axles and necessary gaskets and seals for various types of wheel vehicles. The above jobs are just a few of the tasks that the automotive section does to ensure that the OPFOR equipment returns to the battlefield as quickly as possible.
The Fuel & Electric section provides support in the areas of repairing and replacing wiring harnesses, generators, alternators, starters, brake shoe linings and the resurfacing of brake drums. In addition the F&E section repairs and replaces fan towers, gear assemblies and shocks for the M551 tank.
The Armament section provides support for the main turret, ballistic computers, laser ranger finders, and other armament controls for the M1A1 Abrams, main battle field tank, as well as the various small arms repair and aiming devices.
MT 3rd Platoon
Third platoon consists of Ground Support Equipment repair, Service and Recovery, and the Communications / Electronics shop, which include 35C, 35E, 35F, 35N, 52C, 52D, 63B and 63J MOSs. This platoon is usually referred to as ‘3rd shift, 3rd shop’, because when mission calls they often work around the clock.
The GSE section is tasked with the mission of repairing engineer equipment. GSE repairs and returns the equipment to the NTC battlefield.
The Communication / Electronics shop works around the clock to repair the regiment's radios. The special electronics devices section of the 3rd platoon tirelessly maintains NVGs for the regiment. They also ensure that all chemical agent monitors and navigational satellite systems are maintained.
The Service and Recovery section has a continuous mission of providing recovery to disabled vehicles for the post. They are trained to inspect a vehicle and if possible fix the vehicle on the spot so that it can continue its mission, but if that is not possible then they are trained to recover the vehicle with any available means. Their job is the most difficult of all. There are no manuals written on how to recover a damaged vehicle, the manuals that exist only talk about the principles of recovery and the capabilities of each recovery vehicle. It is only by experience on the job that the soldier decides on how a vehicle will be recovered.
The section is composed of 44E and 44B MOSs, welders and machinists. They can manufacture a functional part from a piece of metal or they can fabricate anything within the limitation of the equipment they have.
MT 4th Platoon
Maintenance Support Team (MST) Platoon's mission is to provide dedicated direct support maintenance. The MST platoon is made up of 2 different MOSs.
The 63 MOS's, both Hotels and Whiskeys, are the ones that can fix almost every vehicle that the Army has in its inventory, whether wheel or track.
Supply and Transportation Troop
MissionThe Supply & Transportation Troop, Regimental Support Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Irwin, California, provides support to the Opposing Force (OPFOR) soldiers of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. While supporting the soldiers of the OPFOR with Class I (food), II (heaters, chemlights), III (fuel), and IV (construction material) as well as all the transportation requirements needed on the NTC battlefield, S&T Troop will also provide a better quality of living for its soldiers and their families. There are four platoons (Headquarters/Supply, Maintenance, Petroleum, and Transportation). The unit is responsible for the direct support of Class I (Ration Break Point), Class III (Bulk and Aviation fuel), Class IV (lumber), Class VII (major items), field services, and direct transportation support with light, medium, and heavy capability assets. Also, it is responsible for maintaining and issuing civilian vehicles in support of the OPFOR to replicate the presence of Civilians on a Battlefield (COBs).
Supply Platoon
S&T's Supply Platoon mission includes the CL I breakdown for each rotation, the issuing of COB-Vs prior to rotations and the issuing of Allied Fleet Vehicle prior to rotation. The Supply Platoon consists of four 6K forklifts, over 50 COB-Vs and over 25 Allied Fleet vehicles. In addition to all this the Supply Platoon is the housing and issuing point for all regimental CL IV.
Transportation Platoon
The S&T Transportation Platoon missions consist of transporting CL I, II, IV, V, and CL IX. In addition to hauling that the Transportation Platoon is often tasked to haul tracked vehicles with their 8 Heavy Equipment Transport Systems. Along with the 8 HET systems the Transportation Platoon has 4 PLS systems, 14 M931 tractors, 5 XM 1098 3000 gallon water tankers and 22 M871 flat bed trailers.
POL Platoon
S&T's POL platoon mission consists of providing CL III (B) support for the Regiment. This includes Forward Area Resupply Point (FARP) and Refuel on the Move (ROM) capabilities in order to support rotational CL III requirements. The platoon consists of 2xM978 HEMTT Fuelers, 8x M969 5K Fuel trucks, 10x M9315 ton bobtail trucks and a 300K FARP System.
Maintenance Platoon
S&T's Maintenance Platoon's mission is to ensure that all of S&T's vehicles are FMC and able to be utilized to execute all missions tasked down to S&T. This means that the Maintenance Platoon must maintain the operational readiness of 8 Heavy Equipment Transport systems (M1070/M1000 HET), 25 5-Ton bobtail trucks (M931s), 22 M871 trailers, 5 XM1098 3000 gal water tankers, 8 M969 5000 gal fuel tankers, 4 Palletized Loading Systems (M1074/1075), 4 6K forklifts, as well as numerous other vehicles in the S&T fleet.
Current Order of Battle
11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
- Brigade Special Troops Battalion
- 1st Squadron, 221st Cavalry Regiment (Armored Reconnaissance Squadron) (NV ARNG)
- 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (Combined Arms Squadron)
- 2d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (Combined Arms Squadron)
- 1st Battalion, 144th Field Artillery Regiment (CA ARNG)
- Support Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
Regimental campaign participation credit
- Philippine-American War:
- Samar 1902
- Mexican Expedition:
- Mexico 1916–1917
- World War II:
- Normandy;
- Northern France;
- Rhineland;
- Ardennes-Alsace;
- Central Europe
- Vietnam:
- Counteroffensive, Phase II;
- Counteroffensive, Phase III;
- Tet Counteroffensive;
- Counteroffensive, Phase IV;
- Counteroffensive, Phase V;
- Counteroffensive, Phase VI;
- Tet 69/Counteroffensive;
- Summer-Fall 1969;
- Winter-Spring 1970;
- Sanctuary Counteroffensive;
- Counteroffensive, Phase VII
- Southwest Asia:
- Cease-Fire
- Operation Iraqi Freedom
- Phase III; January 2005 – December 2006
External links
- 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Home Page
- GlobalSecurity.org: 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
- 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Cold War Germany
- 11th Cavalry in Vietnam
- 11th US Cavalry {Commemorative}, A Troop
- K Troop, 3rd. Sqd. 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Vietnam 1966–1972
- Photo gallery of M Troop / Company