9th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
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| 9th Cavalry Regiment(Colored) | |
|---|---|
 9th Cavalry Regiment coat of arms |
|
| Active | July 28, 1866 - October 20, 1950 December 1, 1957 - |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | U.S. Army |
| Type | Cavalry |
| Size | Regiment |
| Nickname | Buffalo Soldiers |
| Motto | WE CAN, WE WILL |
| Engagements | Indian Wars *Battle of Beecher Island Spanish American War *Battle of San Juan Hill Punitive Expedition World War II {not as unit} Vietnam Iraq War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Colonel Edward Hatch Adna Chaffee Gen. Phillip Sheridan |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive Unit Insignia |  |
| U.S. Cavalry Regiments | |
|---|---|
| Previous | Next |
| 8th Cavalry Regiment | 10th Cavalry Regiment |
The 9th Cavalry Regiment is a unit of the United States Army, 1st Cavalry Division, which in turn is a component of the Third Corps. The regiment is currently stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Contents |
[edit] Formation
The regiment was constituted 28 July 1866 in the Regular Army as Company F, 9th Cavalry. On 3 August 1866 General Philip Sheridan was ordered to raise one African-American ("coloured") cavalry regiment, to be called the 9th Cavalry Regiment.
The regiment was organized on 21 September 1866 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and was initially commanded by Colonel Edward Hatch. The new recruits were from Louisville, Kentucky. They were veterans of the Civil War. The men enlisted for five years and received $13 per month, plus room, board and clothing. Later they were dubbed "Buffalo Soldiers". The regiment's motto was, and remains, "We Can, We Will".
[edit] Regiment's service
The first task of the regiment was to maintain law and order in Texas. At the Battle of Beecher Island in 1868, the regiment defeated a combined force of Arapaho, Northern Cheyenne, Brulé, and Oglala Sioux Indians.
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. During the Spanish-American War in 1898, the regiment served in the Battle of San Juan Hill alongside Roosevelt's Rough Riders. 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.
[edit] 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 Africa.
[edit] More recent service
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 1971 as Troop F, 9th Cavalry, and assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division, and activated in Vietnam.
Again it was inactivated 26 February 1973 in Vietnam and relieved from assignment to the 1st Cavalry Division.
On 20 April 1999 it was assigned to the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division.
[edit] 21st century
4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery, Bravo Troop 9th Cavalry received its deployment orders in February of 2003. The unit was nicknamed the "Bloody Knife". In April 2003, B Troop 9th Cavalry the Brigade Reconnaissance Troop (BRT)was sent to Iraq. After departing Fort Carson, Colorado, the BRT arrived at Camp Wolfe, Kuwait and then moved to Camp New Jersey in Northern Kuwait. The lead elements of the BRT then crossed the LD into Iraq covering a distance of over 300km. This combat operation was the first operation for the 4th Infantry Division since Vietnam. The Brigade Reconnaissance Troop 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, Bravo Troop 9th Cav. was issued the combat patch for conducting combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment (1-9 Cav), is stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, as an Armored Reconnaissance Squadron (ARS), of the 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. Originally part of the 3rd Brigade 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.[1] 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 [1] For their reputation, the unit was featured as the command of Col. Kilgore in the movie Apocalypse Now.
The 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment (1-9 Cav), began deployment to Iraq in September 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Headquarters company (HHC) and the Charlie company of 1-9 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). The other two infantry companies of 1-9 Cav, Alpha and Bravo companies, were assigned to other task forces in Iraq, notably Task Force All American (TF-AA). [2]
During their 1st 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 their redeployment to Iraq out of Fort Bliss, Texas, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, along with the rest of 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, to work alongside the 25th Infantry Division to comprise Task Force Lightning.
The Second Squadron (2-9 Cav) was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, 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 3/4 Brigade, after handing over the base in ad-Dawr to the Iraqi Army. The Second Squadron was deactivated on October 18, 2007, and re-designated as the 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment (4-10 Cav).
The Fourth Squadron (4-9 Cav) is stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, and is the Armored Reconnaissance Squadron for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, serving in Baghdad, Iraq.
The 6th Squadron is assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, and is stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. Coincidentally, they replaced the 2nd Squadron in Diyala when they deployed in October 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom V.
It was the distinct honor of the 9th Cavalry Regiment (C.co 6/9cav), US Army, to have been represented by a wounded Infantry reconnaissance soldier at the 2008 State of the Union Address delivered by President Bush. [[3]]
[edit] Distinguished Members
The 9th Cavalry Regiment boasts many distinguished members including
General (Retired) Robert M. Shoemaker, Lieutenant General (Retired) Paul Funk, Sergeant Major of the Army (Retired) William Connelly, Dr. Hal Kushner M.D.[4]
[edit] External links
- 9th Memorial Cavalry
- Buffalo Soldiers Ninth & Tenth (Horse) Cavalry Association
- [5] 4th Brigade 1st Cavalry
[edit] References
- ^ Global Security article on 1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry
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