The 150th Cavalry Regiment ("The Second West Virginia"
[) is a regiment of the ]West Virginia Army National Guard
The West Virginia National Guard is a part of the West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety. It comprises the West Virginia Army National Guard and the West Virginia Air National Guard. Unlike some states, West Virginia does ...
, with troops
A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Troop Ro ...
in multiple locations throughout West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
and one troop (part of the North Carolina Army National Guard
The North Carolina Army National Guard is North Carolina's principal military force. The force is equipped by the federal government and jointly maintained subject to the call of either. The professional head of the North Carolina Army National G ...
) in Sanford, North Carolina. It was originally formed as Greenbrier County
Greenbrier County () is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 32,977. Its county seat is Lewisburg. The county was formed in 1778 from Botetourt and Montgomery counties in Virginia.
History
P ...
militia, fighting for Virginia in the American Revolutionary War. During the American Civil War, companies of the regiment loyal to the recognized Union state government in Wheeling were later combined to form the Union Army's 5th and 9th West Virginia Infantry regiments, aiding in the defeat of Confederate troops in West Virginia, Ohio and Virginia.
Headquartered in Bluefield, West Virginia, the 150th Cavalry is the sole armored and cavalry unit of the West Virginia National Guard. The 150th is part of the 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team
The 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team (30th ABCT or "Old Hickory") is a modular heavy brigade of the United States Army National Guard. 30th ABCT relieved 3rd ABCT/4ID in Kuwait, 1 November 2019. They returned to the U.S. in September 2020 and were ...
, which is in turn part of the 29th Infantry Division; both formations include Army National Guard forces from multiple states.
In addition to its past American Revolutionary War and American Civil War service, the 150th Cavalry has also deployed in support of World War I, the Border War with Mexico, World War II, Operation Spartan Shield, the Iraq War and the intervention in Syria.[MetroNews Staff (August 15, 2019) National Guard unit set for deployment]
/ref>
History
American Revolutionary War
The lineage of the 150th Cavalry Regiment dates back to 1 March 1778, with the formation of the Militia of Greenbrier County
Greenbrier County () is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 32,977. Its county seat is Lewisburg. The county was formed in 1778 from Botetourt and Montgomery counties in Virginia.
History
P ...
. On 22 December 1792, the Militia of Greenbrier County was reorganized as volunteer companies of the 13th Brigade, Virginia Militia. During the War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
, five companies from the 13th Brigade were combined with seven companies from what is now northern West Virginia to form the 2nd Regiment, Virginia Volunteer Militia.
American Civil War
During the American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, units with Union sympathies were combined to form the 5th and 9th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment {{Infobox military unit
, unit_name= 9th West Virginia Infantry Regiment
, image=Flag of West Virginia.svg
, image_size = 100
, caption=Flag of West Virginia
, dates= November 28, 1861, to November 9, 1864
, country= United States
, allegiance= Un ...
. After becoming a separate state in 1863, West Virginia reorganized its militia, including the 5th and 9th Regiments, which were consolidated and reorganized on 9 November 1864, as the 1st West Virginia Veteran Infantry Regiment, part of the 2nd Division, West Virginia Militia. The regiment was mustered out on 21 July 1865 after the end of the war.
World War I
On 7 June 1889, the 1st West Virginia Veteran Infantry Regiment was reorganized as the 2nd Regiment, West Virginia National Guard. After being mustered into service for eight months along the Mexican border in 1916, it was briefly mustered out of service for less than a month only to be mustered back into Federal service on 10 April 1917. After being federalized it was redesignated as the 150th Infantry Regiment and assigned to the 38th Division on 19 September 1917. The regiment would remain assigned to the 38th Division until the beginning of World War II.
World War II
On 1 March 1942, the regiment was relieved from its assignment the 38th and transferred to the Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone ( es, Zona del Canal de Panamá), also simply known as the Canal Zone, was an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the Isthmus of Panama, that existed from 1903 to 1979. It was located within the terr ...
where it served through the rest of the war. Postwar, it was inactivated at Fort Clayton
Fort Clayton was a United States Army base in the former Panama Canal Zone, later part of the Republic of Panama.
Base
Fort Clayton was located northwest of Balboa, Panama, with the Panama Canal located nearby. It closed in 1999 pursuant ...
on 1 February 1946.
Cold War
After the war, the regiment went through a period of slow but drastic change. On 1 July 1955, the regiment was reorganized from an Infantry table of organization and equipment
A table of organization and equipment (TOE or TO&E) is the specified organization, staffing, and equipment of Military unit, units. Also used in acronyms as 'T/O' and 'T/E'. It also provides information on the mission and capabilities of a unit as ...
unit to an Armored Cavalry TO&E unit and redesignated as the 150th Armored Cavalry Regiment. On 1 March 1968, 2nd Squadron was relieved from the regiment and broken up to form other units within the West Virginia National Guard. Meanwhile, two months later, 3rd Squadron was redesignated as 3rd Squadron, 107th Armored Cavalry. 1st Squadron continued on as the only squadron remaining in the regiment until 1 September 1993, when the regiment was reorganized and redesignated as the 150th Armor Regiment, consisting of the 1st Battalion, and assigned to the 28th Infantry Division.
In 1993, D Troop, 1-150th Cavalry finished phasing out the last of its M48A5 Patton tanks, replacing them with the M1A1 Abrams.
Iraq War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
When the 30th Enhanced Heavy Separate Brigade began mobilization to partake in Operation Iraqi Freedom
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
in 2004, 1st Battalion, 150th Armor was chosen to reinforce the brigade. The battalion served with the brigade for approximately one year in Iraq and redeployed with the brigade back to the United States. Upon returning to the United States in 2005, 1st Battalion 150th Armor was redesignated as the 150th Cavalry, consisting of the 1st Squadron, reorganized as a Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition squadron, and reassigned to the 30th Brigade as that brigade's RSTA squadron under the new Heavy Brigade Unit of Action TO&E.
Spartan Shield and
Inherent Resolve
Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) is the U.S. military's operational name for the International military intervention against IS, including both a campaign in Iraq and a campaign in Syria, with a closely-related campaign in Libya. Throu ...
"The Second West Virginia" deployed again in support of the War on Terror in 2019, for Operations Spartan Shield and Inherent Resolve. In 2019, B Troop of 1/150th Cav. Deployed to ATG, Syria in support of Special Forces groups. A Troop of 1/150th Cav. Deployed to northern Syria in support of Local forces. C Troop of 1/150th Cav. Deployed to tower 22 in Jordan in support of local forces and to support B Troop in Syria. D Troop of 1/150th Cav also mobilized to support 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team operations under Spartan Shield in 2019.
Lineage
* Constituted 1 March 1778 as the Militia of Greenbrier County, Virginia
* Assigned 22 December 1792 to the 13th Brigade, Virginia Militia
* Re-designated 1812 as the 2nd Regiment, Virginia Volunteer Militia
* Activated October 18, 1861 as the 5th West Virginia Infantry Regiment
* Activated November 28, 1861 as the 9th West Virginia Infantry Regiment {{Infobox military unit
, unit_name= 9th West Virginia Infantry Regiment
, image=Flag of West Virginia.svg
, image_size = 100
, caption=Flag of West Virginia
, dates= November 28, 1861, to November 9, 1864
, country= United States
, allegiance= Un ...
* Re-designated 9 November 1864 as the 1st West Virginia Veteran Infantry Regiment by merging the 5th and 9th West Virginia.
* Inactivated 21 July 1865
* Re-designated 7 June 1889, 2nd Regiment, West Virginia National Guard
* Re-designated 10 April 1917 as the 150th Infantry Regiment
* Assigned 19 September 1917 to the 38th Infantry Division
* Relieved 1 March 1942 from assignment to 38th Infantry Division
* Inactivated 1 February 1946 at Fort Clayton
Fort Clayton was a United States Army base in the former Panama Canal Zone, later part of the Republic of Panama.
Base
Fort Clayton was located northwest of Balboa, Panama, with the Panama Canal located nearby. It closed in 1999 pursuant ...
, Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone ( es, Zona del Canal de Panamá), also simply known as the Canal Zone, was an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the Isthmus of Panama, that existed from 1903 to 1979. It was located within the terr ...
.
* Re-designated 1 July 1955 as the 150th Armored Cavalry Regiment.
* 2nd Squadron, 150th Armored Cavalry disbanded 1 March 1968. Constituent units reassigned elsewhere in the West Virginia Army National Guard.
* 3rd Squadron, 150th Armored Cavalry re-designated as 3rd Squadron, 107th Armored Cavalry.
* Re-designated 1 September 1993 as the 150th Armor Regiment. Assigned to the 28th Infantry Division.
* Assigned 2004 to the 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team
The 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team (30th ABCT or "Old Hickory") is a modular heavy brigade of the United States Army National Guard. 30th ABCT relieved 3rd ABCT/4ID in Kuwait, 1 November 2019. They returned to the U.S. in September 2020 and were ...
, 29th Infantry Division.
* Re-designated 2005 as the 150th Cavalry Regiment.
Current organization
Today, 1st Squadron, 150th Cavalry Regiment is the only active squadron in the regiment.[ A, B, and C Troop each field the ]Bradley Fighting Vehicle
The Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) is a tracked armoured fighting vehicle platform of the United States developed by FMC Corporation and manufactured by BAE Systems Land & Armaments, formerly United Defense. It is named after U.S. General Omar Br ...
, while D Troop provides heavy armor assets with the M1 Abrams
The M1 Abrams is a third-generation American main battle tank designed by Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems) and named for General Creighton Abrams. Conceived for modern armored ground warfare and now one of the heaviest ta ...
tank. The 150th also uses wheeled vehicles like the Humvee
The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV; colloquial: Humvee) is a family of light, four-wheel drive, military trucks and utility vehicles produced by AM General. It has largely supplanted the roles previously performed by the ori ...
across the regiment.
*Headquarters 1-150th Cavalry: Bluefield, West Virginia
Bluefield is a city in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 9,658 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Bluefield WV- VA micropolitan area, which had a population of 106,363 in 2020.
Geography
Bluefie ...
*A Troop: Holden & Salem, West Virginia
*B Troop: Eleanor, West Virginia
Eleanor is a town in Putnam County, West Virginia, United States, along the Kanawha River. Its population was 1,548 at the 2020 census. The town, named for Eleanor Roosevelt, was established as a New Deal project in the 1930s like other Franklin ...
*C Troop: Glen Jean, West Virginia
Glen Jean is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fayette County, West Virginia, Fayette County, West Virginia, United States, near Oak Hill, West Virginia, Oak Hill. As of the United States Census, 2010, 2010 census, its population is 210.
The area ...
*D Troop: Sanford, North Carolina
Sanford is a city in Lee County, North Carolina, Lee County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 30,261 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Lee County.
History
Sanford was named for C.O. Sanford, a railroad civil engineer i ...
Additionally, one support company is attached to the "Second West Virginia:"
*D Company, 230th Brigade Support Battalion
The 230th Brigade Support Battalion is a support unit of the 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team, North Carolina Army National Guard. Battalion headquarters is at Goldsboro, North Carolina. The 230th BSB currently has companies in the following locat ...
: Glen Jean, West Virginia
Glen Jean is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fayette County, West Virginia, Fayette County, West Virginia, United States, near Oak Hill, West Virginia, Oak Hill. As of the United States Census, 2010, 2010 census, its population is 210.
The area ...
Distinctive unit insignia
* Description
A Gold color metal and enamel device in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Azure, a powder horn Argent, mouth to dexter, ferruled Or, stringed of the second; in chief five mullets of the third voided. Attached below the shield a bipartite scroll inscribed "WE CAN TAKE IT" in Blue.
* Symbolism
The shield is blue, representative of the original organization. The powder horn is adapted from the State coat of arms. The five mullets symbolize the wars in which the original regiment participated.
* Background
The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 150th Infantry Regiment on 28 May 1934. It was redesignated for the 150th Armored Cavalry Regiment on 21 September 1955. The insignia was redesignated for the 150th Armor Regiment with the description and symbolism revised effective 1 September 1993.
Coat of arms
Blazon
* Shield
Azure, a powder horn Argent, mouth to dexter, ferruled Or, stringed of the second; in chief five mullets of the third voided.
* Crest
That for the regiments and separate battalions of the West Virginia Army National Guard: On a wreath of the colors, Argent and Azure, a slip of mountain rhododendron in full bloom and leaved Proper. Motto WE CAN TAKE IT.
* Symbolism
* Shield
The shield is blue, representative of the original organization. The powder horn is adapted from the State coat of arms. The five mullets symbolize the wars in which the original regiment participated.
* Crest
The crest is that of the West Virginia Army National Guard.
* Background
The coat of arms was originally approved for the 150th Infantry Regiment on 28 May 1934. It was redesignated for the 150th Armored Cavalry Regiment on 21 September 1955. The insignia was redesignated for the 150th Armor Regiment with the symbolism revised effective 1 September 1993.
See also
*
In popular culture
* The 2020 military fiction novel, Assault by Fire, by H. Ripley Rawlings, prominently features the 150th of the West Virginia National Guard holding back a Russian attack on the U.S.
References
Bibliography
*{{Cite book, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SeqLBwskpZIC, title=Armor-Cavalry Regiments: Army National Guard Lineage, last=Pope, first=Jeffrey Lynn, last2=Kondratiuk, first2=Leonid E., publisher=National Guard Bureau Historical Services Division, year=1995, isbn=9780788182068, location=Washington, DC.
*The West Virginia Army National Guard Websit
Cavalry regiments of the United States Army National Guard
Military units and formations in West Virginia
West Virginia Army National Guard
Military units and formations established in 1778