The 71st Cavalry was originally constituted on 3 December 1941 in the
Army of the United States
The Army of the United States is one of the four major service components of the United States Army (the others being the Regular Army, the United States Army Reserve and the Army National Guard of the United States), but it has been inactive si ...
as the 701st Tank Destroyer Battalion.
History
The unit was activated on 15 December 1941 at
Fort Knox, Kentucky
Fort Knox is a United States Army installation in Kentucky, south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. It is adjacent to the United States Bullion Depository, which is used to house a large portion of the United States' official gold rese ...
. The unit saw action throughout
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 ...
and earned campaign participation in
Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
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, capital = Algiers
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-
French Morocco
The French protectorate in Morocco (french: Protectorat français au Maroc; ar, الحماية الفرنسية في المغرب), also known as French Morocco, was the period of French colonial rule in Morocco between 1912 to 1956. The prote ...
,
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
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, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
,
Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
-
Foggia
Foggia (, , ; nap, label= Foggiano, Fògge ) is a city and former ''comune'' of Apulia, in Southern Italy, capital of the province of Foggia. In 2013, its population was 153,143. Foggia is the main city of a plain called Tavoliere, also known ...
,
Anzio
Anzio (, also , ) is a town and ''comune'' on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.
Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a Port, fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine I ...
,
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
-
Arno
The Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber.
Source and route
The river originates on Monte Falterona in the Casentino area of the Apennines, and initially takes a s ...
,
North Apennines
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''north'' is ...
, and the
Po Valley
The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain ( it, Pianura Padana , or ''Val Padana'') is a major geographical feature of Northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetic ex ...
.
The 701st was inactivated on 29 October 1945 at
Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
Fort Leonard Wood is a U.S. Army training installation located in the Missouri Ozarks. The main gate is located on the southern boundary of The City of St. Robert. The post was created in December 1940 and named in honor of General Leonard W ...
. The unit was converted and redesignated on 27 August 1947 as the 327th Mechanized Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, and allotted to the
Organized Reserves
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 202 ...
. It was again converted and redesignated on 22 March 1949 as the 327th Heavy Tank Battalion. On 17 November 1950, it was inactivated at
Ottumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,529 at the time of the 2020 U.S. Census. Located in the state's southeastern section, the city is split into northern and southern halves b ...
only to be converted and redesignated on 27 February 1951 as the 701st Armored Infantry Battalion; concurrently, withdrawn from the Organized Reserve Corps, allotted to the Regular Army, and assigned to the
1st Armored Division.
On 7 March 1951, the 701st AIB moved to
Fort Hood, Texas
Fort Hood is a United States Army post located near Killeen, Texas. Named after Confederate General John Bell Hood, it is located halfway between Austin and Waco, about from each, within the U.S. state of Texas. The post is the headquarter ...
for a period of six years until it was inactivated on 15 February 1957 at
Fort Polk, Louisiana
Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, Vernon Parish, Louisiana, about 10 miles (15 km) east of Leesville, Louisiana, Leesville and 30 miles (50 km) north of DeRidder, Louisiana, DeRidder in ...
, and relieved from assignment to the 1st Armored Division. In March 2004, the 71st Cavalry was activated from newly assigned Soldiers as well as existing units from the Division.
11 months after activation, 1-71 CAV deployed in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom IV. The squadron began combat operation throughout
AO Cobra
AO, aO, Ao, or ao may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Adults Only, an entertainment rating
* AO Music (AOmusic), a world-music fusion group consisting of Jay Oliver, Miriam Stockley and others
* Ao: The Last Hunter, a 2010 prehistoric d ...
in Western
Baghdad
Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...
, with a primary mission as the
Military Transition Team
A Military Transition Team or Transition Team, commonly abbreviated as MiTT, in the context of the United States Military, is a 10 – 15 soldier team that trains foreign national and local security forces. The term has been used in the "War on Ter ...
(MiTT), partnered up with 1st Brigade, 6th Division of the Iraqi Army.
In late February and through much of May, the squadron surged in response to an attack on the
Samara Mosque
The Samara Mosque (russian: Самарская соборная мечеть) in Samara is one of the largest mosques in Russia.http://samara.onfoot.ru/sights/cities/42.html It was built in the late 1990s in red brick. The main dome is 13.5 mete ...
. Intense 24-hour patrols throughout AO Cobra saturated the area, showing support for the Iraqi people and the
Iraqi Security Forces
The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) is a term used by the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to describe law enforcement and military forces of the federal government of the Republic of Iraq. During the Iraq War, these entities received trainin ...
. Throughout this time, the squadron’s efforts assisted in easing sectarian tensions during a tenuous time.
By the first of April, the squadron was released from the MiTT mission and tasked with a new AO on the western outskirts of Baghdad.
AO Ghost
AO, aO, Ao, or ao may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Adults Only, an entertainment rating
* AO Music (AOmusic), a world-music fusion group consisting of Jay Oliver, Miriam Stockley and others
* Ao: The Last Hunter, a 2010 prehistoric ...
included the strategic target
Abu Ghraib
Abu Ghraib (; ar, أبو غريب, ''Abū Ghurayb'') is a city in the Baghdad Governorate of Iraq, located just west of Baghdad's city center, or northwest of Baghdad International Airport. It has a population of 189,000 (2003). The old road t ...
compound and 18 kilometers of corps MSR. Throughout this period, the squadron once again was forced into a non-contiguous battlefield with a command and control node at Abu Ghraib. The rural environment of AO Ghost is the antithesis to that of the urban AO Cobra, enlisting the soldiers of 1-71 CAV to adapt over the course of six months to new, wide-open surroundings.
1-71 CAV redeployed with 1BCT,
10th Mountain Division
The 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is a light infantry division in the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. Formerly designated as a mountain warfare unit, the division was the only one of its size in the US military to re ...
in July 2006. The unit recovered and prepared for another tour in Iraq.
1-71 CAV then again deployed in August 2007 - November 2008 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with 1IBCT, during the "Surge" for a 15-month rotation.
In March 2010, 1-71 CAV was again called upon to be deployed to combat, this time the Squadron was sent to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. They were deployed for 13-months and redeployed in April 2011
In 2015, 3-71 and 1-71 combined into one Squadron and were re-flagged as 3-71 CAV for 1st Brigade Combat Team,
10th Mountain Division
The 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is a light infantry division in the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. Formerly designated as a mountain warfare unit, the division was the only one of its size in the US military to re ...
at
Fort Drum, NY.
Distinctive unit insignia
*Description
A Silver color metal and enamel device in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Argent, a bar Sable, overall a lion rampant Azure holding in dexter paw a fleur-de-lis Or. Attached below and to the sides of the shield a Silver scroll inscribed "GALLANTLY FORWARD" in Blue letters.
*Symbolism
The colors blue and white are for Infantry, the previous unit designation. Black and golden orange were the colors used for Tank Destroyer organizations, indicating the unit’s origin. The raging lion symbolizes aggressive and warlike qualities. The fleur-de-lis is gold (for golden orange) to indicate the battle honors were awarded to the organization as a Tank Destroyer unit in World War II.
*Background
The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 701st Armored Infantry Battalion on 28 April 1952. It was redesignated with the description and symbolism updated for the 71st Cavalry Regiment on 10 August 2004.
Coat of arms
* Blazon
** Shield- Argent, a bar Sable, overall a lion rampant Azure holding in dexter paw a fleur-de-lis Or.
** Crest- From a wreath Argent and Sable below an arc of seven mullets Azure an olive tree fructed Proper charged with a pheon Or, in base two cavalry swords points down saltirewise Proper.
**Motto '"Gallantly Forward".
* Symbolism
**Crest- The stars commemorate the seven campaign participation credits the unit earned in World War II. Blue and white underscore Infantry history. The olive tree, native to the Mediterranean Sea region, recalls the area of operation of their World War II service. The cavalry swords recall the unit’s history and symbolize the armored cavalry mission. The spear point (pheon) gives emphasis to military action and going forward in battle.
**Shield- The colors blue and white are for Infantry, the previous unit designation. Black and golden orange were the colors used for Tank Destroyer organizations, indicating the unit’s origin. The raging lion symbolizes aggressive and warlike qualities. The fleur-de-lis is gold (for golden orange) to indicate the battle honors were awarded to the organization as a Tank Destroyer unit in World War II.
*Background- The coat of arms was originally approved for the 701st Armored Infantry Battalion on 28 April 1952. It was redesignated for the 71st Cavalry Regiment and amended to add a crest on 27 August 2004.
See also
*
References
{{Reflist
External links
* https://web.archive.org/web/20110513005759/http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/ar/default.htm
* https://web.archive.org/web/20110513005804/http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/cav/default.htm
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