U.S. 9th Cavalry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 9th Cavalry Regiment includes several active duty cavalry
Troops and Squadrons of the United States Army
with a rich and diverse history of service and sacrifice, specifically against insurgencies.
Presently, it's role is to contribute reconnassaince assets to the combat brigade level and locate, engage and destroy the enemies of the United States.
Philip H. Sheridan, commanding the Military Division of the Gulf, was "authorized to raise, among others, one regiment of colored (African-American) cavalry to be designated the 9th Regiment of U. S. Cavalry".
The regiment was organized on 21 September 1866 in New Orleans, Louisiana
, and mustered between September 1866 and March 31, 1867. Its first commanding officer was Colonel
Edward Hatch
. The men enlisted for five years and received $13 per month, plus room, board and clothing. Later they were dubbed "Buffalo Soldier
s". The regiment's motto was, and remains, "We Can, We Will".
The mustering, organized by Maj. Francis Moore, 65th U. S. Colored Infantry, formed the nucleus of the enlisted strength, and was obtained from New Orleans and its vicinity. In the autumn of 1866 recruiting was also established in Kentucky
, and all the men of the 9th were obtained from that state and Louisiana. The horses were obtained at St. Louis, Missouri
. About the middle of September all recruits were assembled in New Orleans, where empty cotton presses were used as barracks. An epidemic of cholera
caused the camp to be moved to Carrollton
, a suburb of New Orleans. By the end of March 1867, the 9th Cavalry was at nearly full strength with a total of 885 enlisted men, or an average of over 70 to a troop, and was ordered to San Antonio, Texas
, where it arrived early in April for three months of training. However, Troops L and M went directly to their duty station at Brownsville, Texas
.
In July 1867 the 9th Cavalry was ordered into western and southwestern Texas
, to maintain law and order between the Rio Grande and Concho River
s from Fort Clark
to El Paso
. Regimental Headquarters and Troops A, B, E and K, under Col. Hatch, were stationed at Fort Stockton; Troops C, D, F, G, H and I, under Lt. Col. Wesley Merritt
were at Fort Davis
. Troops L and M under 1st Lt. Hamilton had previously been sent to Brownsville. The 9th remained in Texas for eight years, nearly all of it in the field.
The regiment went to New Mexico Military District, which covered parts of New Mexico, Colorado and Texas, and participated in the Apache Wars
from 1875 to 1881. That service included the Battle of Tularosa
with Chiricahua
Apache
warriors led by Victorio
in May 1880.
The 9th Cavalry was transferred to Fort Riley
, Kansas
, in 1881.
Under General John J. Pershing
, the regiment fought in the Punitive Expedition
against Pancho Villa
in Mexico
in 1916.
The regiment spent World War I
in the Philippines
. On 1 March 1933 the 9th Cavalry was assigned to the 3d Cavalry Division.
Detachment of Cavalry was changed to a "colored" unit. This had been a long time coming. It had been proposed in 1897 at the "Cavalry and Light Artillery School" at Fort Riley, Kansas that West Point Cadets learn their riding skills from the black non-commissioned officers who were considered the best. The one hundred man detachment from the 9th Cavalry served to teach future officers at West Point riding instruction, mounted drill and cavalry tactics until 1947.
.
Its mission was one of an aerial reconnaissance unit which would use helicopters and ground reconnaissance elements to locate the enemy and then would deploy its infantry assets to engage and destroy the enemy. During the Vietnam war, the 1st of the 9th Cavalry became one of the finest units of the war earning 3 Presidential Unit citations and 5 Valorous Unit Citations. 1/9 Cav fought in some of the most savage battles of the war, and was responsible for approximately 50% of the enemy casualties of the entire 1st Cavalry division; earning the ominous nickname of "Headhunters" through their combat proficiency.
The regiment was disbanded 20 October 1950 but was reconstituted 1 December 1957 in the Regular Army as Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 6th Reconnaissance Squadron, 9th Cavalry.
It was redesignated 30 June 1965 as Troop F, 9th Cavalry, and assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division, and activated in Vietnam
. The 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry was the air cavalry reconnaissance squadron of the 1st Cavalry Division throughout the division's service in Vietnam. Eventually the 1/9th, the Air Cavalry Squadron, included A Troop (Apache Troop,) B Troop, C Troop (Cavaliers,) D Troop (ground recon) E Troop (Lobos,) and F Troop (Peacemakers.)
It was again inactivated on 26 February 1973 in Vietnam and relieved from assignment to the 1st Cavalry Division.
On 1 February 1974, Troop C, 9th Cavalry was activated as an armored cavalry troop assigned to the US Army Reserve
, assigned to the 157th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized)
. Initially activated in Bristol, PA
, on 31 January 1966, it was later moved to Wilkes-Barre, PA
. The troop continued to serve with the 157th Infantry Brigade (Mech) until deactivation on 20 August 1995.
Following is a brief rendition of significant events during this time period.
1993:
1994:
1995:
1996:
, as an armored reconnaissance squadron of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. Originally part of the 3rd BCT at Fort Hood, the "1st of the 9th" moved to Fort Bliss to fill the RSTA (Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition) needs of the newly-created 4th BCT
in October 2005. The unit is nicknamed the "Headhunters"; it was estimated to have been responsible for 50% of the enemy kills of the entire 1st Cavalry Division during the Vietnam War. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/1-9cav.htm The unit was featured as the command of LTC Kilgore in the movie Apocalypse Now
.
The 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment (1-9th Cav), began deployment to Iraq in September 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Headquarters & Headquarters Troop (HHT) and the Troop C, 1-9th Cav were assigned a National Guard infantry unit, a combat engineer unit, a support unit and a civil support unit to comprise Task Force 1-9 (TF1-9). Companies A and B, 1-9th Cav, were assigned to other task forces in Iraq, notably Task Force All American (TF-AA).
During their first deployment, 124 Purple Heart
medals were awarded to Task Force 1-9 soldiers, who operated in one of the most dangerous sections of the Iraqi capital, including Sadr City
. In October 2006, the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, began its redeployment to Iraq from Fort Bliss
, Texas, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, along with the rest of 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, to work alongside the 25th Infantry Division to comprise Task Force Lightning.
In March 2008, the 8th Squadron, 10th Cavalry of the 4th Infantry Division was reflagged as the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, part of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. In June 2008, 1-9th Cav deployed to OIF 08-10 to CSC SCANIA and assumed responsibilities for MSR TAMPA and the cities of Hamza, Qasim, Hashimiyah, Ash Shumali and other smaller towns from 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. In August 2008, 1-9th Cav was given orders to build a Forward Operating Base (FOB) along the Iranian Border in order to interdict lethal accelerants from being smuggled. The base is known as FOB Hunter and is in the Maysan province which resides in the marsh lands of Iraq.
and was the armored reconnaissance squadron for 3d Brigade, 4th Infantry Division
. The Squadron, nicknamed "Hunters," deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom IV, serving in two provinces: first in Salah ad-Din near ad-Dawr
, as an attachment to the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division
, and then in Diyala with the rest of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, after handing over the base in ad-Dawr to the Iraqi Army
. The 2nd Squadron was inactivated on October 18, 2007, and reflagged as the 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment (4-10th Cav).
and is the armored reconnaissance squadron for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, serving in Diyala Governate, Iraq. It was built from Troop D, 2nd Brigade's Recon Troop during OIF II.
. 6th squadron was built from Troop F, 3rd Brigade's Recon Troop for OIF II. The unit is nicknamed the "Saber Squadron." Coincidentally, the unit replaced the 2nd Squadron in Diyala when it deployed in October 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08, from which the last of the unit's soldiers returned on 18 December 2007. The squadron is currently preparing for its third deployment to Iraq as of 17 December 2010.
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
Troops and Squadrons of the United States Army
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...
with a rich and diverse history of service and sacrifice, specifically against insurgencies.
Presently, it's role is to contribute reconnassaince assets to the combat brigade level and locate, engage and destroy the enemies of the United States.
Formation
The regiment was constituted 28 July 1866 in the Regular Army as Company F, 9th Cavalry. On 3 August 1866, Major GeneralMajor General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Philip H. Sheridan, commanding the Military Division of the Gulf, was "authorized to raise, among others, one regiment of colored (African-American) cavalry to be designated the 9th Regiment of U. S. Cavalry".
The regiment was organized on 21 September 1866 in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, and mustered between September 1866 and March 31, 1867. Its first commanding officer was 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...
Edward Hatch
Edward Hatch
Edward Hatch was a career American soldier who served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
. The men enlisted for five years and received $13 per month, plus room, board and clothing. Later they were dubbed "Buffalo Soldier
Buffalo Soldier
Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas....
s". The regiment's motto was, and remains, "We Can, We Will".
The mustering, organized by Maj. Francis Moore, 65th U. S. Colored Infantry, formed the nucleus of the enlisted strength, and was obtained from New Orleans and its vicinity. In the autumn of 1866 recruiting was also established in 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...
, and all the men of the 9th were obtained from that state and Louisiana. The horses were obtained at St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. About the middle of September all recruits were assembled in New Orleans, where empty cotton presses were used as barracks. An epidemic of cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
caused the camp to be moved to Carrollton
Carrollton, Louisiana
Carrollton is a neighborhood of uptown New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, which includes the Carrollton Historic District. It is the part of Uptown New Orleans farthest up river from the French Quarter...
, a suburb of New Orleans. By the end of March 1867, the 9th Cavalry was at nearly full strength with a total of 885 enlisted men, or an average of over 70 to a troop, and was ordered to San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, where it arrived early in April for three months of training. However, Troops L and M went directly to their duty station at Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
.
Indian wars
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, to maintain law and order between the Rio Grande and Concho River
Concho River
The Concho River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas. It has three primary feeds: the North, Middle, and South Concho rivers. The North Concho River is the longest fork, starting in Howard County and traveling southeast for until merging with the South and Middle forks near Goodfellow Air...
s from Fort Clark
Fort Clark, Texas
Fort Clark was a frontier fort that later became the headquarters for the 2nd Cavalry Division.-Founding:The land that became Fort Clark was owned by Samuel A. Maverick at the time its potential for military development was recognized by William H.C. Whiting and William F. Smith in 1849...
to El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. Regimental Headquarters and Troops A, B, E and K, under Col. Hatch, were stationed at Fort Stockton; Troops C, D, F, G, H and I, under Lt. Col. Wesley Merritt
Wesley Merritt
Wesley Merritt was a general in the United States Army during the American Civil War and the Spanish-American War. He is noted for distinguished service in the cavalry.-Early life:...
were at Fort Davis
Fort Davis, Texas
Fort Davis is a census-designated place in Jeff Davis County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,050 at the 2000 census and 1,041 according to a 2007 estimate. It is the county seat of Jeff Davis County...
. Troops L and M under 1st Lt. Hamilton had previously been sent to Brownsville. The 9th remained in Texas for eight years, nearly all of it in the field.
The regiment went to New Mexico Military District, which covered parts of New Mexico, Colorado and Texas, and participated in the Apache Wars
Apache Wars
The Apache Wars were a series of armed conflicts between the United States and Apaches fought in the Southwest from 1849 to 1886, though other minor hostilities continued until as late as 1924. The Confederate Army participated in the wars during the early 1860s, for instance in Texas, before being...
from 1875 to 1881. That service included the Battle of Tularosa
Battle of Tularosa
The Battle of Fort Tularosa occurred in May 1880 near the present-day town of Aragon in Catron County, New Mexico. In an ongoing campaign to keep from being forced to live on reservations, Chiricahua Apache warriors led by Victorio attacked Fort Tularosa north of San Francisco Plaza...
with Chiricahua
Chiricahua
Chiricahua are a group of Apache Native Americans who live in the Southwest United States. At the time of European encounter, they were living in 15 million acres of territory in southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona in the United States, and in northern Sonora and Chihuahua in Mexico...
Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
warriors led by Victorio
Victorio
Victorio was a warrior and chief of the Chihenne band of the Chiricahua Apaches in what is now the American states of New Mexico, Arizona, Texas and the Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua....
in May 1880.
The 9th Cavalry was transferred to Fort Riley
Fort Riley
Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in Northeast Kansas, on the Kansas River, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 100,656 acres in Geary and Riley counties and includes two census-designated places: Fort Riley North and Fort...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, in 1881.
Spanish-American War and later
In 1899 and again in 1904 the 9th cavalry patrolled Yosemite National Park joining other cavalry and infantry as the first "Rangers" of the park system.Under 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...
, the regiment fought in the Punitive 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...
against 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....
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in 1916.
The regiment spent World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. On 1 March 1933 the 9th Cavalry was assigned to the 3d Cavalry Division.
West Point
On March 23, 1907, the United States Military AcademyUnited States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
Detachment of Cavalry was changed to a "colored" unit. This had been a long time coming. It had been proposed in 1897 at the "Cavalry and Light Artillery School" at Fort Riley, Kansas that West Point Cadets learn their riding skills from the black non-commissioned officers who were considered the best. The one hundred man detachment from the 9th Cavalry served to teach future officers at West Point riding instruction, mounted drill and cavalry tactics until 1947.
Second World War
The 9th Cavalry was relieved 10 October 1940 from its assignment to the 3d Cavalry Division and transferred to the 2nd Cavalry Division for deployment in the Second World War. However, the regiment did not serve in that war as a unit. It was transferred to the Mediterranean to supply soldiers for other units. It was therefore inactivated 7 March 1944 in North AfricaNorth Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
.
Vietnam War
The 9th Cavalry regiment next saw service as an experimental air cavalry unit during the Vietnam War composed of aero-weapons (Reds), aero-scout (Whites), and aero-rifle (Blues).Its mission was one of an aerial reconnaissance unit which would use helicopters and ground reconnaissance elements to locate the enemy and then would deploy its infantry assets to engage and destroy the enemy. During the Vietnam war, the 1st of the 9th Cavalry became one of the finest units of the war earning 3 Presidential Unit citations and 5 Valorous Unit Citations. 1/9 Cav fought in some of the most savage battles of the war, and was responsible for approximately 50% of the enemy casualties of the entire 1st Cavalry division; earning the ominous nickname of "Headhunters" through their combat proficiency.
The regiment was disbanded 20 October 1950 but was reconstituted 1 December 1957 in the Regular Army as Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 6th Reconnaissance Squadron, 9th Cavalry.
It was redesignated 30 June 1965 as Troop F, 9th Cavalry, and assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division, and activated in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. The 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry was the air cavalry reconnaissance squadron of the 1st Cavalry Division throughout the division's service in Vietnam. Eventually the 1/9th, the Air Cavalry Squadron, included A Troop (Apache Troop,) B Troop, C Troop (Cavaliers,) D Troop (ground recon) E Troop (Lobos,) and F Troop (Peacemakers.)
It was again inactivated on 26 February 1973 in Vietnam and relieved from assignment to the 1st Cavalry Division.
On 1 February 1974, Troop C, 9th Cavalry was activated as an armored cavalry troop assigned to the US Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
, assigned to the 157th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized)
157th Infantry Brigade (United States)
The 157th Infantry Brigade is an active/reserve component unit based at Camp Atterbury, Indinia. The unit is responsible for training selected United States Army Reserve and National Guard units. The unit was activated using the assets of the 5th Brigade, 87th Division...
. Initially activated in Bristol, PA
Bristol, Pennsylvania
Bristol is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Philadelphia opposite Burlington, N.J. on the Delaware River. Bristol was first incorporated in 1720. Although its charter was revised in 1905, the original charter remains in effect, making Bristol one of the older boroughs in...
, on 31 January 1966, it was later moved to Wilkes-Barre, PA
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
. The troop continued to serve with the 157th Infantry Brigade (Mech) until deactivation on 20 August 1995.
Operation Just Cause; Panama
The 2d Squadron, 9th Cavalry, assigned to the 7th Infantry (Light), deployed to Panama in order to conduct operations during OPERATION JUST CAUSE and the humanitarian and nation building mission OPERATION PROMOTE LIBERTY. The Air Troops were the first to deploy with their AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters and their OH-59 aerial scout helicopters. Troop A, 2-9th Cavalry soon followed and conducted route clearance, zone reconnaissance, and provided support to U.S. Army units in the interior.Desert Peacekeepers and Beyond
The 1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry was reconstituted as infantry in 1992 and assigned to the 3d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. It was highly trained and well respected for its combat abilities as 3/41 Infantry of the Tiger Brigade in Desert Storm. The unit was deployed several times in the decade to thwart aggressive and hostile maneuvers by the Iraqi Army and participated in Operation Intrinsic Action. 1/9 cav was designated as the Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) unit of the 1st Cavalry Division.Following is a brief rendition of significant events during this time period.
1993:
- Three soldiers killed on Lone Star North Range.
- NTC deployment.
- Intrinsic Action I deployment to S.W. Asia.
1994:
- Claymore mine accident severely injured a 1st Lieutenant from Company A.
- Cambrian Patrol (Special Operations competitive patrol in England) set range live fire record (Company E).
- Two soldiers from Company E killed.
1995:
- Two soldiers from HHC killed.
- Soldier injured by grenade blast at tire house.
1996:
- Intrinsic Action II deployment to SW Asia.
21st century
Today, the squadrons of the 9th Cavalry Regiment provide RSTA (Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition) capabilities forward of enemy lines and supply sniper teams for use in the area of combat operations. These recon units provide valuable real-time intelligence about the enemy while allowing the flexibility of direct engagement and subsequent destruction of enemy personnel and equipment.Troop B, 9th Cavalry (pre-transformation, not 1/9 during OIF I)
Troop B ("Bloody Knife")/9th Cavalry, 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, was deployed from Fort Carson, CO, to Iraq in April 2003. After arriving at Camp Wolfe, Kuwait the unit moved to Camp New Jersey in Northern Kuwait. The lead elements of the Brigade Reconnaissance Troop (BRT) then crossed into Iraq, covering a distance of over 300 kilometers. This combat operation was the first for the 4th Infantry Division since Vietnam. The BRT has operated in more Iraqi cities than any other unit in the 4th Infantry Division including: Samarra East Airfield, Samarra, Ad Dawr, Tikrit East, Tuz Khurmat, Jalula, MEK, Daquq, Kirkuk, Taza Khormatu, Al Huwayjah, Ad Duluyah, At Tarmyia, Ad Dujayl, and Balad South. On 23 October 2003, the soldiers of Troop B/9th Cavalry were issued their combat patches (e.g., the authorization to wear the division patch on the right shoulder) for conducting combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Troop consisted of 2 platoons of scouts and 1 platoon of COLT (Combat Observation Lasing Teams). The unit deployed under the command of CPT William Sachse and redeployed under the command of CPT Clinton Fuller. The Bloody Knife Troop became the quick reaction force for one of the largest logistics bases in Iraq while still conducting operations where ever the Brigade needed them. The unit had several Platoon Leaders rotate in and out but maintained its Platoon Sergeants from start to finish during OIF 1. 1st Platoon - SFC Olvera, 2nd Platoon - SFC Baird, and 3rd Platoon - SSG Collins. The Bloody Knife Troop was one of the last Recon Troops to fall directly under a Brigade Headquarters.1st Squadron / 9th Cavalry
The 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment (1-9th Cav), is stationed at Fort Hood, TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, as an armored reconnaissance squadron of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. Originally part of the 3rd BCT at Fort Hood, the "1st of the 9th" moved to Fort Bliss to fill the RSTA (Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition) needs of the newly-created 4th BCT
Brigade combat team
The brigade combat team is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the US Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its attached support and fire units. A brigade combat team is generally commanded by a colonel , but in rare instances it is commanded by...
in October 2005. The unit is nicknamed the "Headhunters"; it was estimated to have been responsible for 50% of the enemy kills of the entire 1st Cavalry Division during the Vietnam War. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/1-9cav.htm The unit was featured as the command of LTC Kilgore in the movie Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Now is a 1979 American war film set during the Vietnam War, produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The central character is US Army special operations officer Captain Benjamin L. Willard , of MACV-SOG, an assassin sent to kill the renegade and presumed insane Special Forces...
.
The 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment (1-9th Cav), began deployment to Iraq in September 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Headquarters & Headquarters Troop (HHT) and the Troop C, 1-9th Cav were assigned a National Guard infantry unit, a combat engineer unit, a support unit and a civil support unit to comprise Task Force 1-9 (TF1-9). Companies A and B, 1-9th Cav, were assigned to other task forces in Iraq, notably Task Force All American (TF-AA).
During their first deployment, 124 Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
medals were awarded to Task Force 1-9 soldiers, who operated in one of the most dangerous sections of the Iraqi capital, including 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....
. In October 2006, the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, began its redeployment to Iraq from Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
, Texas, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, along with the rest of 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, to work alongside the 25th Infantry Division to comprise Task Force Lightning.
In March 2008, the 8th Squadron, 10th Cavalry of the 4th Infantry Division was reflagged as the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, part of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. In June 2008, 1-9th Cav deployed to OIF 08-10 to CSC SCANIA and assumed responsibilities for MSR TAMPA and the cities of Hamza, Qasim, Hashimiyah, Ash Shumali and other smaller towns from 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. In August 2008, 1-9th Cav was given orders to build a Forward Operating Base (FOB) along the Iranian Border in order to interdict lethal accelerants from being smuggled. The base is known as FOB Hunter and is in the Maysan province which resides in the marsh lands of Iraq.
2nd Squadron / 9th Cavalry
The 2nd Squadron, 9th Cavalry was created by expanding Troop B after their OIF I deployment. It was stationed at Fort Carson, ColoradoFort Carson, Colorado
Fort Carson is a United States Army installation located near Colorado Springs, primarily in El Paso County, Colorado. It is north of Pueblo, Colorado in Pueblo County. The 137,000 acre installation extends south into Pueblo and Fremont counties...
and was the armored reconnaissance squadron for 3d Brigade, 4th Infantry Division
U.S. 4th Infantry Division
The 4th Infantry Division is a modular division of the United States Army based at Fort Carson, Colorado, with four brigade combat teams. It is a very technically advanced combat division in the U.S. Army....
. The Squadron, nicknamed "Hunters," deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom IV, serving in two provinces: first in Salah ad-Din near ad-Dawr
Ad-Dawr
Ad-Dawr, is a small agricultural town near the Iraqi town of Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's birthplace....
, as an attachment to the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division
187th Infantry Regiment
The 187th Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army.The regimental motto is the Latin "Ne Desit Virtus" . The nickname "The Rakkasans" is derived from the Japanese word for parachute. The name was given to the 187th during its tour in occupied Japan...
, and then in Diyala with the rest of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, after handing over the base in ad-Dawr to the 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....
. The 2nd Squadron was inactivated on October 18, 2007, and reflagged as the 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment (4-10th Cav).
4th Squadron / 9th Cavalry
The 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry, "Darkhorse" is stationed at Fort Hood, TexasFort Hood, Texas
Fort Hood is a United States military post located outside of Killeen, Texas. The post is named after Confederate General John Bell Hood. It islocated halfway between Austin and Waco, about from each, within the U.S. state of Texas....
and is the armored reconnaissance squadron for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, serving in Diyala Governate, Iraq. It was built from Troop D, 2nd Brigade's Recon Troop during OIF II.
5th Squadron / 9th Cavalry
The 5th Squadron, 9th Cavalry, was reconstituted at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, with headquarters at Wheeler Army Airfield. Its motto is "We can, we will." The unit is continuing a time-honored tradition of the Buffalo Soldiers.6th Squadron / 9th Cavalry
The 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry, is assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, and is stationed at Fort Hood, TexasFort Hood, Texas
Fort Hood is a United States military post located outside of Killeen, Texas. The post is named after Confederate General John Bell Hood. It islocated halfway between Austin and Waco, about from each, within the U.S. state of Texas....
. 6th squadron was built from Troop F, 3rd Brigade's Recon Troop for OIF II. The unit is nicknamed the "Saber Squadron." Coincidentally, the unit replaced the 2nd Squadron in Diyala when it deployed in October 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08, from which the last of the unit's soldiers returned on 18 December 2007. The squadron is currently preparing for its third deployment to Iraq as of 17 December 2010.
Current status
- 1st Squadron is the Armored Reconnaissance Squadron of the 4th Brigade4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division (United States)The 4th Brigade Combat Team is a combined arms Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division. Its major equipment includes M1A2SEP Tanks, M2A2 & M3A2 ODS Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, M109A6 Paladin Howitzers, and M1151 Up-armored Humvees.-Units:*2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment*1st Squadron, 9th...
, 1st Cavalry Division stationed at Fort BlissFort BlissFort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. - 4th Squadron is the Armored Reconnaissance Squadron of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division stationed at Fort Hood, Texas.
- 6th Squadron is the Armored Reconnaissance Squadron of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division stationed at Fort Hood, Texas.
Notable members
The 9th Cavalry Regiment boasts many notable members including:- John H. AlexanderJohn Hanks AlexanderJohn Hanks Alexander was the first African American officer in the United States armed forces to hold a regular command position and the second African American graduate of the United States Military Academy.-Early life:...
, second African American graduate of West Point (commissioned in 1887). - Charles Young, third African American graduate of West Point (commissioned in 1889).
- General (Retired) Robert M. ShoemakerRobert M. ShoemakerRobert Morin Shoemaker is a U.S. Army general, and former commander of the United States Army Forces Command .-Biography:...
- Lieutenant General (Retired) Paul Funk, Sergeant Major of the Army (Retired) William Connelly
- Dr. Hal Kushner M.D.
- Lt. Col. John B. Stockton
- Colonel Thomas Macdonald
- Robert Temple EmmetRobert Temple EmmetRobert Temple Emmet was a United States Army Colonel who was a recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions while surrounded by a much larger force. An 1877 graduate of West Point, he served in numerous campaigns on the Western Frontier.-Education and army career:Emmet was born in New York City to...
- Colonel of the regiment and Medal of Honor recipient. - CPT Jon E. SwansonJon E. SwansonJon Edward Swanson was a United States Army helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. He directed the destruction of five enemy bunkers and two anti-aircraft positions before being shot down in Cambodia. His actions were recognized over thirty years later, when his family received the Medal of...
- The only OH-6A pilot recipient of the Medal of Honor.
External links
- 1876 9th US cavalry at Fort Union New Mexico
- The Ninth Regiment of Cavalry, History of 9th US Cavalry 1861-1895
- 9th Cavalry, The Story of America's Black Patriots, US Army
- 9th Memorial Cavalry
- Buffalo Soldiers Ninth & Tenth (Horse) Cavalry Association
- https://www.bliss.army.mil/LocalUnitLinks/4-1Cav/index.htm 4th Brigade 1st Cavalry
- 1-9th Official Website
- 4-9th Official Website
- 6-9th Official Website
- ENGAGEMENTS by the BUFFALO SOLDIERS AND SEMINOLE-NEGRO INDIAN SCOUTS