The 320th Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry unit of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

during the

interwar period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days), the end of the World War I, First World War to the beginning of the World War II, Second World War. The in ...

. The unit was activated as a Wisconsin and Illinois

Organized Reserve The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces. Since July 2020 ...

unit during the interwar period. It was converted into a tank destroyer battalion after the United States entered

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

History

The regiment was constituted on 15 October 1921 in the Organized Reserves, part of the 65th Cavalry Division's 160th Cavalry Brigade in the

Sixth Corps Area Sixth Corps Area was a Corps area, effectively a military district, of the United States Army from 1921 to the 1940s. The headquarters was established at Sheridan Reserve Center, Fort Sheridan, Illinois, in August 1920, from portions of the former C ...

. It was initiated (activated) on 21 September 1922 with headquarters and 1st Squadron at

Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee is ...

and 2nd Squadron at

Rock Island, Illinois Rock Island is a city in and the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The original Rock Island, from which the city name is derived, is now called Rock Island Arsenal, Arsenal Island. The popul ...

. In July 1929, the regiment was reorganized to add a 3rd Squadron at Milwaukee. The regiment usually held its inactive training period meetings at the 105th Cavalry Regiment Armory in Milwaukee. The 320th conducted regular equestrian training on the horses of the 105th Cavalry. It conducted summer training at Fort Sheridan with the 14th Cavalry and some years at Fort Des Moines. Its designated mobilization training station was Camp Grant. After the United States entered

, the regiment was converted into the 71st Tank Destroyer Battalion on 30 January 1942. The battalion was disbanded on 11 November 1944. An unrelated 320th Armored Cavalry Regiment briefly existed in Ohio postwar as a reserve unit.

Commanders

The 320th was commanded by the following officers: * Lieutenant Colonel August M. Krech (21 September 1922 – 11 March 1924) * Colonel Robert W. Lea (11 March 1924 – 2 June 1926) * Colonel Arthur C. Earnshaw (2 June 1926–October 1931) * Colonel August M. Krech (October 1931–1 February 1941)

Heraldry

The regimental coat of arms was approved on 13 March 1925 and its distinctive unit insignia was approved on 14 March 1925. Both were rescinded on 2 March 1959. The distinctive unit insignia consisted of a 1 1/8 inch (2.86 cm) silver colored metal and enamel device with a shield divided in half by a gold line between blue and white with a gauntlet in the center. The regimental motto, "Semper Paratus" (Always Ready), was attached to the insignia on a scroll. The gauntlet symbolized the regiment's willingness to fight to defend the United States, as well as its honor and record. The gold line symbolized the Wisconsin–Illinois border, blue was the field of the Wisconsin flag, and white was the field of the Illinois flag. The coat of arms was of a similar design except that it omitted the motto and included the Organized Reserve

Minuteman Minutemen were members of the organized New England colonial militia companies trained in weaponry, tactics, and military strategies during the American Revolutionary War. They were known for being ready at a minute's notice, hence the name. Mi ...

crest above the shield.

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * {{Cite book, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wI8xAQAAIAAJ&q=%22307th+cavalry%22, title=Cavalry regiments of the US Army, last=Sawicki, first=James A., publisher=Wyvern Publications, year=1985, isbn=9780960240463, location=Dumfries, Virginia Cavalry regiments of the United States Army Military units and formations established in 1922 Military units and formations disestablished in 1942 Military units and formations in Wisconsin Military units and formations in Illinois