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73rd Cavalry Regiment (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 73rd Cavalry Regiment is a Cavalry Regiment
in the U.S. Army first formed in 1941.
Formerly organized as the 73rd Armor Regiment, the 3rd Battalion had provided M551 Sheridan
tanks to support the 82nd Airborne Division until after Operation Desert Storm.
Activated 1 june 1941 at Fort Lewis
Washington
Activated 1 August 1948 at Fort Benning
Georga.
Assigned 10 November 1951 to the 7th Infantry Division (United States)
Reorganized and redesignated 2 October 1962 as the 73rd Armor a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System.
of the 82nd Airborne Division stationed in Fort Bragg, North Carolina
A Gold color metal and enamel device 1 1/8 inches (2.86 cm) in height overall, consisting of a shield blazoned: Per fess Azure and Gules, on a fess Or a hand in armor grasping a bolt of lightning, both Vert. Attached below and to the sides of the shield a Gold scroll inscribed “HONOR, FIDELITY, COURAGE” in Red.
The shield is divided red and blue per fess, with a fess of gold thereon, which are the three colors of the shoulder sleeve insignia of the armored tank forces. The lightning bolt is symbolical of the striking power of the organization.
The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 756th Tank Battalion, Light on 15 May 1942. It was redesignated for the 756th Tank Battalion on 22 November 1943. The insignia was redesignated for the 73d Tank Battalion on 12 October 1953. It was redesignated for the 73d Armor on 19 March 1963. It was redesignated effective 25 February 2004, for the 73d Cavalry Regiment.
Per fess Azure and Gules, on a fess Or a hand in armor grasping a bolt of lightning, both Vert.
On a wreath of the colors Or and Azure, issuing from a flame of six tongues, three to dexter and three to sinister, charged with an arrowhead Argent within a crescent Vert, the head of a mace formed by a Korean Taeguk.
Motto HONOR, FIEDLITY, COURAGE.
The shield is divided red and blue per fess, with a fess of gold thereon, which are the three colors of the shoulder sleeve insignia of the armored tank forces. The lightning bolt is symbolical of the striking power of the organization.
The six tongues of the flames represent the unit’s six decorations. The crescent and arrowhead symbolize the Algeria-French Morocco and southern France assaults, World War II, and the colors red and green are used to represent the French Croix de Guerre awarded for the Italian campaigns. The mace in the arms of Colmar suggested the mace head to refer to that campaign. The Taeguk represents the Korean War and the three Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations from that nation. The mace also alludes to the striking power of armor.
The coat of arms was originally approved for the 756th Tank Battalion, Light on 15 May 1942. It was redesignated for the 756th Tank Battalion on 22 November 1943. The insignia was redesignated for the 73d Tank Battalion on 23 October 1953. It was redesignated for the 73d Armor on 19 March 1963. It was amended to add the crest on 15 December 1965. It was redesignated effective 25 February 2004, for the 73d Cavalry Regiment.
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
in the U.S. Army first formed in 1941.
History
The 4 squadrons of the 73rd Cavalry Regiment ("Airborne Thunder") provide reconnaissance, surveillance, & target acquisition (RSTA) to the Brigade Combat Teams of the 82nd Airborne Division. 3rd Squadron is assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Squadron is assigned to 2nd Brigade, 5th Squadron is assigned to 3rd Brigade, and 4th Squadron is assigned to 4th Brigade. There is currently no 2nd Squadron, nor is there a regimental command.Formerly organized as the 73rd Armor Regiment, the 3rd Battalion had provided M551 Sheridan
M551 Sheridan
The M551 Sheridan was a light tank developed by the United States and named after Civil War General Philip Sheridan. It was designed to be landed by parachute and to swim across rivers. It was armed with the technically advanced but troublesome M81/M81E1 152mm gun/launcher which fired conventional...
tanks to support the 82nd Airborne Division until after Operation Desert Storm.
- See also the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
Lineage
Constituted 13 January 1941 in the regular army as the 76th Tank Battalion- Redesignated 8 May 1941 as the 756 Tank Battalion
Activated 1 june 1941 at Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
Washington
- Inactivated 8 February 1946 at Camp KilmerCamp KilmerCamp Kilmer, New Jersey is a former United States Army camp that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service Forces Transportation Corps. Troops were quartered at Camp Kilmer in...
New Jersey
Activated 1 August 1948 at Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
Georga.
- Reorganized and redesignated 15 January 1948 as the 756th Heavy Tank Battalion, and assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division (United States)
- Reorganized and redesignated 14 July 1950 as the 73rd Tank Battalion, and relieved from assignment to the 3rd Infantry Division
Assigned 10 November 1951 to the 7th Infantry Division (United States)
- Inactivated 1 July 1957 in Korea and relieved from assignment to the 7th Infantry Division.
Reorganized and redesignated 2 October 1962 as the 73rd Armor a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System.
- withdrawn 16 January 1988 from the Combat Arms Regimental System, and Reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System, with headquarters at Fort Bragg North Carolina.
Current status
The four currently active squadrons are all subordinated to the four Brigade Combat TeamsBrigade 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...
of the 82nd Airborne Division stationed in Fort Bragg, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
- 1st Squadron is the Cavalry Squadron of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team
- 3rd Squadron is the Cavalry Squadron of the 1st Brigade Combat Team
- 4th Squadron is the Cavalry Squadron of the 4th Brigade Combat Team
- 5th Squadron is the Cavalry Squadron of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team
Distinctive Unit Insignia
- Description
A Gold color metal and enamel device 1 1/8 inches (2.86 cm) in height overall, consisting of a shield blazoned: Per fess Azure and Gules, on a fess Or a hand in armor grasping a bolt of lightning, both Vert. Attached below and to the sides of the shield a Gold scroll inscribed “HONOR, FIDELITY, COURAGE” in Red.
- Symbolism
The shield is divided red and blue per fess, with a fess of gold thereon, which are the three colors of the shoulder sleeve insignia of the armored tank forces. The lightning bolt is symbolical of the striking power of the organization.
- Background
The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 756th Tank Battalion, Light on 15 May 1942. It was redesignated for the 756th Tank Battalion on 22 November 1943. The insignia was redesignated for the 73d Tank Battalion on 12 October 1953. It was redesignated for the 73d Armor on 19 March 1963. It was redesignated effective 25 February 2004, for the 73d Cavalry Regiment.
Blazon
- Shield
Per fess Azure and Gules, on a fess Or a hand in armor grasping a bolt of lightning, both Vert.
- Crest
On a wreath of the colors Or and Azure, issuing from a flame of six tongues, three to dexter and three to sinister, charged with an arrowhead Argent within a crescent Vert, the head of a mace formed by a Korean Taeguk.
Motto HONOR, FIEDLITY, COURAGE.
-
- Symbolism
- Shield
The shield is divided red and blue per fess, with a fess of gold thereon, which are the three colors of the shoulder sleeve insignia of the armored tank forces. The lightning bolt is symbolical of the striking power of the organization.
- Crest
The six tongues of the flames represent the unit’s six decorations. The crescent and arrowhead symbolize the Algeria-French Morocco and southern France assaults, World War II, and the colors red and green are used to represent the French Croix de Guerre awarded for the Italian campaigns. The mace in the arms of Colmar suggested the mace head to refer to that campaign. The Taeguk represents the Korean War and the three Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations from that nation. The mace also alludes to the striking power of armor.
- Background
The coat of arms was originally approved for the 756th Tank Battalion, Light on 15 May 1942. It was redesignated for the 756th Tank Battalion on 22 November 1943. The insignia was redesignated for the 73d Tank Battalion on 23 October 1953. It was redesignated for the 73d Armor on 19 March 1963. It was amended to add the crest on 15 December 1965. It was redesignated effective 25 February 2004, for the 73d Cavalry Regiment.
See also
- United States Army branch insigniaUnited States Army branch insigniaBranch insignia of the United States Army refers to military emblems that may be worn on the uniform of the United States Army to denote membership in a particular area of expertise and series of functional areas...
- Coats of arms of U.S. Armor and Cavalry RegimentsCoats of arms of U.S. Armor and Cavalry RegimentsThis page has been split as follows:* Coats of arms of U.S. Armor Regiments* Coats of arms of U.S. Cavalry Regiments-See also:* commons:Field Army insignia of the United States Army* Corps insignia of the United States Army...
- Field Artillery Branch (United States)
External links
- http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/ar/default.htm
- http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/cav/default.htm
- Beret Flash of 1st Squadron/73rd Cavalry Regiment