The 4th Cavalry Regiment is a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

, whose lineage is traced back to the mid-19th century. It was one of the most effective units of the Army against American Indians on the

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

frontier A frontier is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary. Australia The term "frontier" was frequently used in colonial Australia in the meaning of country that borders the unknown or uncivilised, th ...

. Today, the regiment exists as separate squadrons within the U.S. Army. Presently, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry and 5th Squadron, 4th Cavalry are parts of the 1st Infantry Division's 1st Brigade and 2nd Brigade combat teams, respectively. 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry's official nickname is "Quarterhorse", which alludes to its "1/4 Cav" designation.The 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry, official nicknamed "Raiders," serves as part of the 25th Infantry Division. The 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry officially was stood up in September 2009 at

Fort Riley Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Ge ...

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

as part of 1st Infantry Division. It was inactivated in October 2015. The 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry served as part of the recently inactivated 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, at

Fort Knox Fort Knox is a United States Army installation in Kentucky, south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Elizabethtown. It is adjacent to the United States Bullion Depository (also known as Fort Knox), which is used to house a larg ...

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

Origin and early service

In 1855, the United States Congress recognized the need for mounted regiments in the U.S. Army in addition to the

First First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...

and Second Regiments of Dragoons and the

Regiment of Mounted Riflemen The 3rd Cavalry Regiment, formerly 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment ("Brave Rifles") is a regiment of the United States Army currently stationed at Fort Cavazos, Texas. The regiment has a history in the United States Army that dates back to 19 ...

. The 1st Cavalry Regiment—later re-designated as the 4th Cavalry Regiment—was organized under the act of 3 March 1855. On 26 March 1855, the regiment was organized at

Jefferson Barracks The Jefferson Barracks Military Post is located on the Mississippi River at Lemay, Missouri, south of St. Louis. It was an important and active U.S. Army installation from 1826 through 1946. It is the oldest operating U.S. military installatio ...

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

. The regiment's first commander was

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Edwin V. Sumner, who served from 3 March 1855 to 16 March 1861. In August 1855, the regiment was transferred to

Fort Leavenworth, Kansas Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...

. Colonel Sumner had two missions. The first was to keep the peace between the

pro-slavery Proslavery is support for slavery. It is sometimes found in the thought of ancient philosophers, religious texts, and in American and British writings especially before the American Civil War but also later through the 20th century. Arguments in ...

and free state factions in Kansas; the second was to protect settlers from attacks by

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. The Cheyenne comprise two Native American tribes, the Só'taeo'o or Só'taétaneo'o (more commonly spelled as Suhtai or Sutaio) and the (also spelled Tsitsistas, The term for th ...

warriors. The 1st Cavalry Regiment:Chalfant, William Y., ''Cheyenne and Horse Soldiers:The 1857 Expedition and the Battle of Solomon's Fork'' by William Y. Chalfant. Copyright @1989 by the University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. along with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment was authorized in 1855 and formed at

, MO. All field grade officers (majors or above) and one half of the company grade officers (captains and lieutenants) were to come from existing army units. The other half of the company grade officers and most of the enlisted men came from civilian life. Each company sent out one lieutenant and one sergeant to city after city to recruit men to fill the ranks. Posters, displayed in each city promised good clothing, rations and medical attention. The pay rate was $12.00 a month for privates, $14.00 for corporals, $17.00 for Duty Sergeants, and $22.00 for First Sergeants. The regiment had four field-grade officers, one full colonel in command, one lieutenant colonel as second in command and two majors. Each of the ten companies had a captain, one first lieutenant, one second lieutenant, four sergeants, four corporals and eighty-four privates. Also attached to each company was a one farrier and blacksmith and two buglers. Each company had horses of a distinctive color. This served two purposes. In addition to the dramatic effect on parade, the distinctive color made it easy for members of the regiment to locate their company in the heat of battle. The assigned colors were in the following order: Company A had sorrels, Company B, grays; Company C, sorrels; Company D, bays; Company E, roans; Company F, sorrels; Company G, blacks; Company H, bays; Company I, sorrels; and Company, K, bays. The buglers had white horses. The officers each had two horses. They could select the color of their choice. Officers were required to provide their uniforms, equipment and horses. The following were the initial officers of the First Cavalry. Many rose to high rank during the Civil War. ''Colonel:''

Edwin Vose Sumner Edwin Vose Sumner (January 30, 1797March 21, 1863) was a career United States Army Commissioned officer, officer who became a Union Army General officer, general and the oldest field commander of any Army Corps on either side during the American ...

''Lt. Colonel:'' Joseph Eggleston Johnson ''Majors:''

William Hemsley Emory William Hemsley Emory (September 7, 1811 – December 1, 1887) was a prominent American surveyor and civil engineer of the 19th century. As an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers he specialized in mapping the United States b ...

;

John Sedgwick John Sedgwick (September 13, 1813 – May 9, 1864) was an American military officer who served as a Union Army general during the American Civil War. He was wounded three times at the Battle of Antietam while leading his division in an unsucces ...

''Captains:''

Delos Bennett Sackett Delos Bennett Sackett (April 14, 1822 – March 8, 1885) was a career officer in the United States Army, and served in the American Civil War as a colonel in the Union Army. Later he became the Inspector General of the U.S. Army. Early life a ...

; Thomas John Wood;

George Brinton McClellan George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826 – October 29, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 24th governor of New Jersey and as Commanding General of the United States Army from November 1861 to March 186 ...

; Samuel Davis Stugis; William D. DeSaussure; William Stephen Walker; George Thomas Anderson; Robert Selden Garnett ''First Lieutenants:'' William Nelson Rector Beall; George Hume Steuart; James McQueen MCintosh; Robert Ransom Jr.;

Eugene Asa Carr Eugene Asa Niel Carr (March 20, 1830 – December 2, 1910) was a soldier in the United States Army and a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Pea Ridge. E ...

;

Alfred Iverson Jr. Alfred Iverson Jr. (February 14, 1829 – March 31, 1911) was a lawyer, an officer in the Mexican–American War, a U.S. Army cavalry officer, and a Confederate general in the American Civil War. He served in the 1862–63 campaigns of the Army of ...

;

Frank Wheaton Frank Wheaton (May 8, 1833 – June 18, 1903) was a career military officer in the United States Army during the American Civil War and Indian Wars. He also was military commander over south Texas during the Garza Revolution. Early life and c ...

''Second Lieutenants:'' David Sloane Stanley;

James Ewell Brown Stuart James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart (February 6, 1833May 12, 1864) was a Confederate cavalry general during the American Civil War. He was known to his friends as "Jeb,” from the initials of his given names. Stuart was a cavalry commander known fo ...

; Elmer Ignatius Otis; James B. McIntyre; Eugene W. Crittenden; Albert V. Colburn, Francis Laurens Vinton;

George Dashiell Bayard George Dashiell Bayard (December 18, 1835 – December 14, 1862) was a career soldier in the United States Army and a general in the Union Army in the American Civil War. He was wounded in the Battle of Fredericksburg and died the next day. Earl ...

; Lunsford Lindsay Lomax; Joseph H. Taylor The new recruits after a physical exam, were trained in horsemanship and as cavalrymen at

Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...

and

. In the fall of 1855 the regiment was ordered to participate in an expedition against the

Sioux The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin ( ; Dakota/ Lakota: ) are groups of Native American tribes and First Nations people from the Great Plains of North America. The Sioux have two major linguistic divisions: the Dakota and Lakota peoples (translati ...

. As it turned out, the regiment were not directly involved in the major engagement with the Sioux. In 1856 the regiment was engaged in maintaining the peace in the Kansas Territory between the

group who fought to make the territory a slave state, and the free-state faction, who bitterly opposed them. This conflict had given rise to the term "

Bleeding Kansas Bleeding Kansas, Bloody Kansas, or the Border War, was a series of violent civil confrontations in Kansas Territory, and to a lesser extent in western Missouri, between 1854 and 1859. It emerged from a political and ideological debate over the ...

". During the summer of 1856,

war parties attacked four wagon trains, killing twelve people and kidnapping two. The commander of the

Department of the West The Department of the West, later known as the Western Department, was a major command ( Department) of the United States Army during the 19th century. It oversaw the military affairs in the country west of the Mississippi River to the borders of ...

recommended that the Cheyenne be punished for their attacks on emigrant trains. He recommended that any action be put off until spring of 1857.

Campaign against the Cheyenne of 1857

In May 1857 preparation began for the expedition with the organizing of the 1st Cavalry under Colonel

. Sumner divided the regiment into two columns in order to circle the Cheyenne hunting grounds in central Kansas Territory. One column, under Major John Sedgwick, departed on 18 May with four companies, five Delaware scouts and forty wagons, heading west along the

Arkansas River The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in Colorado, specifically ...

past

Bent's Fort Bent's Old Fort is a fort located in Otero County in southeastern Colorado, United States. A company owned by Charles Bent and William Bent and Ceran St. Vrain built the fort in 1833 to trade with Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho Plains Indians ...

north up to the South Fork of the

Platte River The Platte River () is a major American river, in the state of Nebraska. It is about long; measured to its farthest source via its tributary, the North Platte River, it flows for over . The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, w ...

. There they were to meet Sumner's column, which had left

on 20 May, with four cavalry companies, 300 cattle and 51 wagons. Sumner's column went north and then west up to Fort Kearny, where three companies of the 6th Infantry Regiment and two companies of the 2nd Dragoons, five Pawnee scouts and ten more wagons were added. After considerable difficulty in crossing the South Platte River, Sumner's column and Sedgwick's columns met at the South Platte as planned on 4 July. The whole regiment then traveled east through central Kansas to their rendezvous with the Cheyenne on the Solomon river. The map in the inset shows the routes taken by both columns.''Wild West Magazine'', Feb, 2002 Meanwhile, the Cheyenne, about three hundred strong, were midway between the two columns, probably around the

Republican River The Republican River is a river in the central Great Plains of North America, rising in the High Plains of eastern Colorado and flowing east U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map acce ...

, where they had spent the previous winter. The Cheyenne consisted of both Northern Cheyenne and Southern Cheyenne. They knew the U.S. Cavalry were searching for them, so they remained banded together longer than they normally did. On 29 July 1857, the Regiment caught up with the Cheyenne on the bank of the Solomon River. As the two groups paused within about a mile of each other, the cavalry commander, Col. E.V. Sumner, gave the command "Gallop march." Both groups approached each other at full speed. Col. Sumner then commanded "Sling carbines! Draw Sabers! Charge." It was the first time sabres had been used in the West. The astonished Indians, whose medicine, administered by holy men before the battle, protected them from carbines but not from sabers, became terrified when they saw the sabers. They pivoted and ran as fast as their horses would carry them away from the troopers. The chase lasted for about seven miles before the Indians, having faster horses, pulled ahead too far for the cavalry to follow. During the brief fighting that took place during the chase, two troopers were killed and nine, including Lieutenant J.E.B. Stuart (the future Confederates' most famous cavalry general during the Civil War), were wounded. An estimated nine Indians were killed on the field and an unknown number were wounded. The cavalry wounded and a detachment of infantry were left behind in a makeshift fort while the rest of the 1st Cavalry followed the Indians as best they could. This engagement was the climax of The Cheyenne Expedition, which began two and a half months earlier at

Ft. Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., and the oldest perma ...

, Kansas. After the battle the regiment left the wounded, including J.E.B. Stuart and one company of infantry, and followed the trail of the Cheyenne south towards the Arkansas river. They found and destroyed a large abandoned village that had recently been occupied but were not able to catch the rapidly dispersing Indians. The regiment received orders to split up and send four companies under Major Sedgewick to join Col.

Albert Sidney Johnston General officer, General Albert Sidney Johnston (February 2, 1803 – April 6, 1862) was an American military officer who served as a general officer in three different armies: the Texian Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States ...

at Fort Kearney to become part of the Utah Expedition, while the other two companies were to proceed to Fort Leavenworth under Col. Sumner. However, before reaching Fort Kearney Major Sedgewick received further orders to return to Fort Leavenworth to rejoin the rest of the regiment. The regiment was Col.

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a general officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War, who was appointed the General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate ...

's last command in the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

before the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, the 1st Cavalry Regiment was dissolved and reorganized. Many of its commissioned officers rose to prominence during the war, including Lee as well as

George B. McClellan George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826 – October 29, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 24th governor of New Jersey and as Commanding General of the United States Army from November 1861 to March 186 ...

and J.E.B. Stuart.

Civil War

As early as 1854, the

War Department War Department may refer to: * War Department (United Kingdom) * United States Department of War The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet ...

had been wanting to redesignate all mounted regiments as cavalry and to renumber them in order of seniority. As the 1st Cavalry Regiment was the fourth oldest mounted regiment in terms of active service, it was redesignated as the 4th United States Cavalry Regiment on 3 August 1861. Most of the regiment was assigned to the Western Theater and fought against Confederates in

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

, Missouri,

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...

, and the

Indian Territory Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United States, ...

. In 1861–62, two companies served with distinction in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

in the

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the primary field army of the Union army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the Battle of ...

before being reunited with the rest of the regiment in Tennessee. Those companies fought in the major battles of

First Bull Run The First Battle of Bull Run, called the Battle of First Manassas
. by

Peninsula Campaign The Peninsula campaign (also known as the Peninsular campaign) of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March to July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The oper ...

, Fredericksburg and

Antietam The Battle of Antietam ( ), also called the Battle of Sharpsburg, particularly in the Southern United States, took place during the American Civil War on September 17, 1862, between Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virgin ...

. The bulk of the regiment fought gallantly and continuously in the western theater from Shiloh to Macon, participating in the fights at Chickamauga,

Stones River The Stones River (properly spelled Stone's River) is a major stream of the eastern portion of Tennessee's Nashville Basin region and a tributary of the Cumberland River. It is named after explorer and longhunter Uriah Stone, who navigated the r ...

, and

Battle of Nashville The Battle of Nashville was a two-day battle in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign that represented the end of large-scale fighting west of the coastal states in the American Civil War. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15–16, 18 ...

Civil War service

With so many regiments being sent east for the war effort, the 1st U.S. Cavalry was initially kept on the frontier until

militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

-type units were raised to protect against Indian raids. On 22 June 1861, former 1st Cavalry officer George McClellan, now a major general, requested Company A and Company E to serve as his personal escort. These two companies saw action in the Bull Run, Peninsula, Antietam and Fredericksburg campaigns, not rejoining the regiment until 1864. The rest of the 1st Cavalry was committed to action in Mississippi and Missouri. Since 1854 it had been advocated to redesignate all mounted regiments as cavalry and to renumber them in order of seniority. This was done on 3 August 1861. As the 1st Cavalry was the fourth oldest mounted regiment, it was redesignated as the 4th Cavalry Regiment. During the early years of the Civil War, Union commanders scattered their cavalry regiments, conducting company, squadron (two company) and

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into several Company (military unit), companies, each typically commanded by a Major (rank), ...

(four company) operations. The 4th Cavalry was no exception, with its companies scattered from the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

to the Atlantic Coast carrying out the traditional cavalry missions of reconnaissance, screening and raiding. In the first phases of the war in the West, companies of 4th Cavalry saw action in various Missouri, Mississippi and Kentucky campaigns, as well as the seizure of Forts Henry and Donelson and the Battle of Shiloh. On 31 December 1862, a two-company squadron of the 4th Cavalry attacked and routed a Confederate cavalry

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...

near

Murfreesboro, Tennessee Murfreesboro is a city in Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Its population was 165,430 according to the 2023 census estimate, up from 108,755 residents certified in 2010 United States census, 2010. Murfreesboro i ...

. In 1863–64, companies of the 4th saw further action in Tennessee, Georgia and Mississippi. On 30 June 1863, another squadron charged a six-gun

battery Battery or batterie most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source * Battery indicator, a device whic ...

of Confederate

artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...

near

Shelbyville, Tennessee Shelbyville is a city in and the county seat, seat of government of Bedford County, Tennessee. The town was laid out in 1810 and incorporated in 1819. Shelbyville had a population of 20,335 at the 2010 census. The town is a hub of the Tennessee Wa ...

, capturing the entire battery and three hundred prisoners. By the spring of 1864, the success of the large Confederate cavalry corps of J.E.B. Stuart had convinced the Union leadership to form their own Cavalry Corps in the East under General

Philip Sheridan Philip Henry Sheridan (March 6, 1831 – August 5, 1888) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with General-i ...

. The 4th Cavalry was ordered to reunite as a regiment and, on 14 December 1864, it joined in the attack on

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

, as part of the Western Cavalry Corps commanded by General

James Wilson James Wilson may refer to: Politicians and government officials Canada * James Wilson (Upper Canada politician) (1770–1847), English-born farmer and political figure in Upper Canada * James Crocket Wilson (1841–1899), Canadian MP from Queb ...

. In the hard-fought battle, the 4th help turn the Confederate flank, sending them in retreat. As the Confederate forces attempted a delaying action at West Harpeth, Tennessee, an element of the 4th Cavalry led by Lt. Joseph Hedges charged and captured a Confederate artillery battery. For his bravery, Hedges received the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

, the first one to be bestowed on a member of the 4th Cavalry. In March 1865, General Wilson was ordered to take his cavalry on a drive through

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

to capture the Confederate supply depot at Selma. Wilson had devoted considerable effort in preparing his cavalry for the mission, and it was a superbly trained and disciplined force that left Tennessee, led by the 4th Cavalry. As the column moved south into Alabama, it encountered Confederate cavalry leader

Nathan Bedford Forrest Nathan Bedford Forrest (July 13, 1821October 29, 1877) was an List of slave traders of the United States, American slave trader, active in the lower Mississippi River valley, who served as a General officers in the Confederate States Army, Con ...

. With superior numbers and firepower, Wilson's force defeated the Confederates, allowing the Union troopers to arrive in Selma the next day. On 2 April 1865, the attack on Selma commenced, led by the 4th Cavalry in a mounted charge. A railroad cut and fence line soon halted the mounted attack. Dismounting, the regiment pressed the attack and stormed the town. Selma's rich store of

munitions Ammunition, also known as ammo, is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. The term includes both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines), and the component parts of ...

and supplies were destroyed, along with the foundries and arsenals. Wilson next turned east to link up with General Sherman. His force took

Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama. Named for Continental Army major general Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River on the Gulf Coastal Plain. The population was 2 ...

, and

Columbus, Georgia Columbus is a consolidated city-county located on the west-central border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. Columbus lies on the Chattahoochee River directly across from Phenix City, Alabama. It is the county seat of Muscogee ...

, before arriving in

Macon, Georgia Macon ( ), officially Macon–Bibb County, is a consolidated city-county in Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. Situated near the Atlantic Seaboard fall line, fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is southeast of Atlanta and near the ...

, where word came of the surrender of Lee's and Johnston's armies. The regiment remained in Macon as occupation troops. After participating in the Battle of Columbus—the last battle of the war—the regiment assisted in capturing fugitive Confederate President

Jefferson Davis Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the only President of the Confederate States of America, president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the Unite ...

Indian Wars

In August 1865, the 4th Cavalry was sent to Texas. At various times during the next thirteen years, units from its twelve companies occupied military posts between the

Rio Grande The Rio Grande ( or ) in the United States or the Río Bravo (del Norte) in Mexico (), also known as Tó Ba'áadi in Navajo language, Navajo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the Southwestern United States a ...

and Jacksboro, and between

San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...

and

San Angelo San Angelo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Tom Green County, Texas, United States. Its location is in the Concho Valley, a region of West Texas between the Permian Basin (North America), Permian Basin to the northwest, Chihuahuan Desert ...

. . Before 1871, the operations of the regiment were limited to guarding the mail and settlements against Indians and to desultory attempts to overtake bands of Indian raiders. The regiment's commander during this period, Col. Lawrence Pike Graham, never had to lead a major campaign, and none of the regiment's fourteen skirmishes with Indians was of major significance. However, in December 1870,

Ranald S. Mackenzie was assigned command of the 4th Cavalry, with orders to put a stop to

Comanche The Comanche (), or Nʉmʉnʉʉ (, 'the people'), are a Tribe (Native American), Native American tribe from the Great Plains, Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the List of federally recognized tri ...

and

Kiowa Kiowa ( ) or Cáuigú () people are a Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribe and an Indigenous people of the Great Plains of the United States. They migrated southward from western Montana into the Rocky Mountains in Colora ...

raids along the Texas frontier. On 25 February 1871, Mackenzie took command of the 4th Cavalry at

Fort Concho Fort Concho is a former United States Army installation and National Historic Landmark District located in San Angelo, Texas. It was established in November 1867 at the confluence of the North and South Concho Rivers, on the routes of the Butte ...

. A month later, he moved the headquarters of the regiment to Fort Richardson, near Jacksboro; some companies of the 4th remained at

Fort Griffin Fort Griffin, now a Texas state historic site as Fort Griffin State Historic Site, was a US Cavalry fort established 31 July 1867 by four companies of the Sixth Cavalry, U.S. ArmyCarter, R.G., ''On the Border with Mackenzie'', 1935, Washingto ...

and

. In May, while

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

William T. Sherman William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It is ...

, then the commanding general of the army, was at Fort Richardson, the

s brutally mutilated some teamsters from a

wagon train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western television series that aired for eight seasons, first on the NBC television network (1957–1962) and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of the ...

on nearby Salt Creek Prairie (see

Warren Wagon Train Raid The Warren Wagon Train raid, also known as the Salt Creek massacre, occurred on May 18, 1871. Henry Warren was contracted to haul supplies to forts in the west of Texas, including Fort Richardson, Fort Griffin, and Fort Concho. Traveling down t ...

). A few days later at

Fort Sill Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (137 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost . The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark a ...

, Sherman had three leaders of the raid,

Satanta (White Bear) Satanta (IPA: eˈtʰæntə (Set'tainte ( éʔ.tˀã́j.dè or ''White Bear'') ( – October 11, 1878) was a Kiowa war chief. He was a member of the Kiowa tribe, born around 1815, during the height of the power of the Plains Tribes, probably ...

, Satank (Sitting Bear), and Addo-etta (Big Tree), arrested and had

Mackenzie Mackenzie, Mckenzie, MacKenzie, or McKenzie may refer to: People * Mackenzie (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Mackenzie (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) * Clan Mackenzie, a Sc ...

return them to Jacksboro to stand trial for murder. On the way, an enlisted trooper killed Satank when he tried to escape; White Bear and Big Tree were later sentenced to life imprisonment. In August 1871, Mackenzie led an expedition into Indian Territory against the Comanches and Kiowas who had left the agency, but he was later ordered to return to Texas. He then led eight companies of the 4th Cavalry and two companies of the 11th U.S Infantry, about 600 men, in search of Quahadi Comanches, who had refused to go onto the reservation and were plundering the Texas frontier. On 10 October, he skirmished with a group of them in

Blanco Canyon Blanco Canyon is a canyon located in the U.S. state of Texas. Eroded by the White River (Texas), White River into the Caprock Escarpment on the east side of the Llano Estacado, the canyon runs for in a southeasterly direction, gradually widening ...

, near the site of present Crosbyton, but the entire band escaped across the plains. The following summer, Mackenzie, with six companies of the 4th Cavalry, renewed his search for the Quahadis. After establishing his supply camp on the Freshwater Fork of the

Brazos River The Brazos River ( , ), called the ''Río de los Brazos de Dios'' (translated as "The River of the Arms of God") by early Spanish explorers, is the 14th-longest river in the United States at from its headwater source at the head of Blackwater ...

(now the White River) southeast of present Crosbyton, Mackenzie with five companies of cavalry followed a cattle trail across the unexplored High Plains into the

New Mexico Territory The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912. It was created from the U.S. provisional government of New Mexico, as a result of '' Nuevo México'' becomi ...

and returned by another well-watered

Comanchero The Comancheros were a group of 18th- and 19th-century Merchant, traders based in northern and central New Mexico. They made their living by trading with the nomadic Great Plains Native Americans in the United States, Indian tribes in northeaste ...

road from

Fort Bascom Fort Bascom, established in 1863 in New Mexico Territory, is located on the Canadian River in Quay County, New Mexico, slightly west of the Texas border, 10 miles north of Tucumcari, New Mexico. The fort was named in honor of Captain George ...

, near the site of present

Tucumcari, New Mexico Tucumcari (; ) is a city in and the county seat of Quay County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 5,278 at the 2020 census. Tucumcari was founded in 1901, two years before Quay County was established. History In 1901, the Chicag ...

, to the site of present Canyon. At the head of 222 cavalrymen on 29 September, he surprised and destroyed Chief Mow-way's village of Quahadi and

Kotsoteka The Comanche (), or Nʉmʉnʉʉ (, 'the people'), are a Native American tribe from the Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the federally recognized Comanche Nation, headquartered in Lawton, Oklahoma ...

Comanches on the North Fork of the Red River about six miles (10 km) east of the site of present-day

Lefors, Texas Lefors ( ) is a town in Gray County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Pampa, Texas micropolitan statistical area. Its population was 420 at the 2020 census. History The area around modern Lefors was near the heart of Comancheria and a co ...

. An estimated 52 Indians were killed and 124 captured, with a loss of 3 cavalrymen killed and 3 wounded. For almost a year, both the Kiowas and Comanches remained at peace. In March 1873, Mackenzie and five companies (A, B, C, E, and K) of the 4th Cavalry were transferred to Fort Clark with orders to put an end to the Mexican-based

Kickapoo The Kickapoo people (; Kickapoo: Kiikaapoa or Kiikaapoi; ) are an Algonquian-speaking Native American tribe and Indigenous people in Mexico, originating in the region south of the Great Lakes. There are three federally recognized Kickapoo trib ...

and

Apache The Apache ( ) are several Southern Athabaskan language-speaking peoples of the Southwestern United States, Southwest, the Southern Plains and Northern Mexico. They are linguistically related to the Navajo. They migrated from the Athabascan ho ...

depredations in Texas, which had cost an alleged $48 million (~$ in ). On 18 May 1873, Mackenzie, with five companies of the 4th Cavalry, crossed the Rio Grande into Mexico; they then surprised and burned three villages of the raiders near Remolino,

Coahuila Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Coahuila de Zaragoza, is one of the 31 states of Mexico. The largest city and State Capital is the city of Saltillo; the second largest is Torreón and the thi ...

; the cavalrymen killed nineteen Indians and captured forty-one, with a loss of one trooper killed and two wounded. The soldiers recrossed the Rio Grande into Texas at daybreak the next morning, with some of the men having ridden an estimated in 49 hours. The raid and an effective system of border patrols brought temporary peace to the area. The John Wayne movie ''

'' (part of John Ford's Cavalry Trilogy) is loosely based on this incident.

Red River War

When the Southern Plains Indians opened the

Red River War The Red River War was a military campaign launched by the United States Army in 1874 to displace the Comanche, Kiowa, Southern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes from the Southern Plains The Great Plains is a broad expanse of flatland in Nort ...

in June 1874, the

Grant administration Ulysses S. Grant's tenure as the 18th president of the United States began on March 4, 1869, and ended on March 4, 1877. Grant, a Republican Party (US), Republican, took office after winning the 1868 United States presidential election, 1868 e ...

discarded its

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally, others referred to them as Quakers ...

peace policy and authorized the military to take control of the reservations and subdue all hostile Indians. General Philip H. Sheridan, commander of the Division of the Missouri, ordered five military expeditions to converge on their hideouts along the upper Red River country. In the ensuing campaign, the 4th Cavalry was the most successful. On 26–27 September, it staved off a Comanche attack at the head of Tule Canyon, and, on the morning of 28 September, descended by a narrow trail to the bottom of Palo Duro Canyon. There it completely destroyed five Comanche, Kiowa, and Cheyenne villages, including large quantities of provisions, and captured 1,424 horses and mules, of which 1,048 were slaughtered at the head of Tule Canyon. Afterward, Mackenzie, with detachments of the regiment, made two other expeditions onto the High Plains. On 3 November, near the site of Tahoka, in their last fight with the Comanches, the cavalrymen killed two and captured nineteen Indians. In the spring of 1875, Mackenzie and elements of the 4th Cavalry from various posts in Texas were sent to Fort Sill to take control of the Southern Plains Indians. Meanwhile, the Indians in

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

had renewed their marauding in Texas. In 1878 General Sherman, at the insistence of the Texans, transferred Mackenzie and six companies of the 4th Cavalry to Fort Clark. This time Mackenzie led a larger and more extensive expedition into Mexico, restored a system of patrols, and reestablished peace in the devastated region of South Texas. Outside Texas, Mackenzie and the 4th Cavalry administered and controlled the Kiowa-Comanche and the Cheyenne-Arapaho reservations for several years, and, after the defeat of

George Armstrong Custer George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Custer graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point ...

's command at the

Battle of Little Bighorn The Battle of the Little Bighorn, known to the Lakota and other Plains Indians as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, and commonly referred to as Custer's Last Stand, was an armed engagement between combined forces of the Lakota Sioux, Northern C ...

in June 1876, forced

Crazy Horse Crazy Horse ( , ; – September 5, 1877) was a Lakota people, Lakota war leader of the Oglala band. He took up arms against the United States federal government to fight against encroachment by White Americans, White American settlers on Nativ ...

and his band of

and the Northern Cheyennes to surrender. In the autumn of 1879, Mackenzie with six companies of the 4th Cavalry subdued the hostile

Utes Utes may refer to: *Ute people, indigenous people of North America *Students of the University of Utah *Utah Utes The Utah Utes are the college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletics teams that represent the University of Uta ...

in Southern

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

without firing a shot and in August 1880 forced them to move to a reservation in

Utah Territory The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah, the 45th st ...

Apache War

Immediately thereafter, the 4th Cavalry was transferred to

Arizona Territory The Territory of Arizona, commonly known as the Arizona Territory, was a territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863, until February 14, 1912, when the remaining extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the ...

, where Mackenzie was to assume full command of all military forces in the department and subdue the hostile

s. Within less than a month, the Apaches had surrendered or fled to Mexico, and on 30 October, Mackenzie and the 4th Cavalry were transferred to the new District of New Mexico. By 1 November 1882, when W. B. Royall replaced Mackenzie as colonel, the 4th Cavalry had forced the White Mountain Apaches,

Jicarilla Apache Jicarilla Apache (, Jicarilla language: Jicarilla Dindéi), one of several loosely organized autonomous bands of the Eastern Apache, refers to the members of the Jicarilla Apache Nation currently living in New Mexico and speaking a Southern Athaba ...

Navajos The Navajo or Diné are an Indigenous people of the Southwestern United States. Their traditional language is Diné bizaad, a Southern Athabascan language. The states with the largest Diné populations are Arizona (140,263) and New Mexico (10 ...

, and

Mescalero Mescalero or Mescalero Apache () is an Apache tribe of Southern Athabaskan–speaking Native Americans. The tribe is federally recognized as the Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Apache Reservation, located in south-central New Mexico. In ...

s to remain peacefully on their respective reservations. From 1884 to 1886 the 4th Cavalry again operated against the Apaches in Arizona and helped capture

Geronimo Gerónimo (, ; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a military leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Ndendahe Apache people. From 1850 to 1886, Geronimo joined with members of three other Central Apache bands the Tchihen ...

. Particularly noteworthy was B troop's pursuit of Geronimo into Northern Mexico led by Capt. Lawton and Surgeon Leonard Wood. Sergeant James T. Daniels of the 4th Cavalry was a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Cherry Creek Campaign in March 1890 against the Apaches in Arizona. In 1890 the regimental headquarters was moved to

Fort Walla Walla Fort Walla Walla is a United States Army fort located in Walla Walla, Washington. The first Fort Walla Walla was established July 1856, by Lieutenant Colonel Edward Steptoe, 9th Infantry Regiment. A second Fort Walla Walla was occupied Septe ...

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

. The regiment split, with half going to the Department of the Columbia, and half to the Department of California at the

Presidio of San Francisco The Presidio of San Francisco (originally, El Presidio Real de San Francisco or The Royal Fortress of Saint Francis) is a park and former U.S. Army post on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, and is part ...

. The California contingent provided the first superintendent and park guardians for the General Grant, Sequoia and

Yosemite National Park Yosemite National Park ( ) is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States in California. It is bordered on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The p ...

s in 1891.

Philippine Insurrection

Once the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

had ended in 1898,

Admiral Dewey George Dewey (December 26, 1837January 16, 1917) was Admiral of the Navy, the only person in United States history to have attained that rank. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War, wi ...

called for reinforcements to defend the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

from insurgents and dissident elements of the

Philippine Revolutionary Army The Philippine Revolutionary Army ( Spanish: ; ), later renamed Philippine Republican Army, was the army of the First Philippine Republic from its formation in March 1897 to its dissolution in November of 1899 in favor of guerrilla operation ...

. Six troops of the 4th Cavalry were sent out in August 1898 and began to garrison

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

. After Filipino forces fired on American soldiers on the San Juan Bridge, the Battle of Manila began. American troops drove out the Filipino forces and the 4th Cavalry began marching on

Malolos Malolos , officially the City of Malolos (), is a component city and capital of the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 261,189 people. It is the capital city of the province of Bulacan as the ...

, the enemy capital. Because of a mix-up regarding supply and shipping, the regiment's mounts were unloaded in

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

and the Troops E, I, and K were forced to ride Philippine ponies, and Troops C, G, and L acted dismounted during the Battle of Santa Cruz under General

Henry Ware Lawton Henry Ware Lawton (March 17, 1843 – December 19, 1899) was a U.S. Army officer who served with distinction in the Civil War, the Apache Wars, and the Spanish–American War. He received the Medal of Honor for heroism during the American Civil ...

, who had served with B Troop of the 4th Cavalry in 1888 during the Geronimo campaign. By August 1899, the remainder of the regiment arrived, and in the fall, the troopers engaged in the Battle of Paye in an attempt to capture the Philippine General,

Emilio Aguinaldo Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (: March 22, 1869February 6, 1964) was a Filipino revolutionary, statesman, and military leader who became the first List of presidents of the Philippines, president of the Philippines (1899–1901), and the first pre ...

, and Gen. Lawton was killed in action leading the troops. In January 1901, the 4th Cavalry was assigned pacification duties in the southern region of

Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...

and finally shipped home on 31 September 1901. During the Philippine Insurrection, the 4th Cavalry Regiment had fought in 119 skirmishes and battles. Upon returning home from the Philippines, the three squadrons were sent to

, and

respectively. In 1905, the troopers returned to the Philippines, when the

Moro Rebellion The Moro Rebellion (1902–1913) was an armed conflict between the Moro people and the United States military during the Philippine–American War. The rebellion occurred after the conclusion of the conflict between the United States and Fir ...

began. This time, the troopers would operate in the southern Philippines on the islands of

Mindanao Mindanao ( ) is the List of islands of the Philippines, second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and List of islands by population, seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the ...

and

Jolo Jolo () is a volcanic island in the southwest Philippines and the primary island of the province of Sulu, on which the capital of the same name is situated. It is located in the Sulu Archipelago, between Borneo and Mindanao, and has a populatio ...

. Between 5–8 March 1906, the 4th Cavalry fought in the

First Battle of Bud Dajo The First Battle of Bud Dajo, also known as the Moro Crater Massacre, was a counterinsurgency action conducted by the United States Army and Marine Corps against the Moro people in March 1906, during the Moro Rebellion in the southwestern Philip ...

, where rebellious forces of the Islamic

Sultanate of Sulu The Sultanate of Sulu (; ; ) is a Sunni Muslim subnational monarchy in the Philippines, Republic of the Philippines that includes the Sulu Archipelago, coastal areas of Zamboanga City and certain portions of Palawan in today's Philippines. H ...

had fortified the

Bud Dajo Bud Dajo (; ), is a cinder cone and the second highest point (+600m) in Sulu, a province of the Philippines in the Sulu Archipelago. It is one of the cinder cones that make up the island of Jolo Island, Jolo and part of the Jolo Group, Jolo Volca ...

volcano. 211 dismounted troopers advanced up the sides of the steep volcano alongside other elements of the US Army and

Philippine Constabulary The Philippine Constabulary (PC; , ''HPP''; ) was a gendarmerie-type military police force of the Philippines from 1901 to 1991, and the predecessor to the Philippine National Police. It was created by the Insular Government, American occupat ...

. The going was tough and they had to slash through the jungle with machetes up a 60% slope. After reaching the enemy defensive positions, the troopers engaged in a gun battle, then charged, and the American bayonet clashed with the Filipino

Kris The kris or is a Javanese culture, Javanese asymmetrical dagger with a distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (''pamor''). The kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade, although ma ...

. Nearly 1,000 Filipinos were killed, including civilians not engaged in the battle, and 21 Americans were killed and 70 were wounded. This was the bloodiest battle of the Moro Rebellion and it is depicted today at the top of the 4th Cavalry's Coat of Arms.

Early 20th century

In 1907, the balance of the regiment was reassigned to

Fort Meade, South Dakota Fort Meade, originally known as Camp Sturgis and later Camp Ruhlen, is a former United States Army post located just east of Sturgis, South Dakota, United States. The fort was active from 1878 to 1944; the cantonment is currently home to a Vete ...

, while the 3rd Squadron was assigned to

Fort Snelling, Minnesota Fort Snelling is an unorganized territory of Hennepin County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is named after historic Fort Snelling, which is located within its boundaries. The district also includes Coldwater Spring park, Fort Snelling ...

. The 4th Cavalry served on the Mexican border in Texas from 1911 to 1913. For the next six years, the regiment served at

Schofield Barracks Schofield Barracks is a United States Army installation and census-designated place (CDP) located in Honolulu and in the Wahiawa District of the Hawaiian island of Oahu, Hawaii. Schofield Barracks lies adjacent to the town of Wahiawā, separated ...

in the

Territory of Hawaii The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ''Panalāʻau o Hawaiʻi'') was an organized incorporated territories of the United States, organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from Apri ...

and did not participate in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. In 1919, the 4th returned to the Mexican border and patrolled the area near

Brownsville, Texas Brownsville ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Cameron County, Texas, Cameron County, located on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border, border with Matamoros, Tamaulipas ...

. In 1921, they were transferred to

Fort Sam Houston, Texas Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas. "Fort Sam Houston, TX • About Fort Sam Houston" (overview), US Army, 2007, webpageSH-Army. Known colloquially as "Fort Sam", it is named for the first president of the Republic of T ...

, and in 1922, the regimental Coat of Arms and Distinctive Unit Insignia were approved by the War Department. In 1925, the regiment returned to Fort Meade, SD, and conducted normal peacetime training and field operations in

Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...

. In 1926,

John Philip Sousa John Philip Sousa ( , ; November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic music, Romantic era known primarily for American military March (music), marches. He is known as "The March King" or th ...

, impressed with the 4th Cavalry's reputation, wrote a march for the unit; "Riders for the Flag."

World War II

In 1939,

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

erupted in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

, and by 1940, the US Army realized that its armored warfare capabilities were inadequate should war come to America. The 4th Cavalry Regiment was redesignated as a Horse-Mechanized Corps Reconnaissance Regiment. 2nd Squadron was mechanized but 1st Squadron retained its horses until the spring of 1942 when it was mechanized as well. In January 1943, the 4th Cavalry left for the

Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert (; ; ) is a desert in the rain shadow of the southern Sierra Nevada mountains and Transverse Ranges in the Southwestern United States. Named for the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous Mohave people, it is located pr ...

to begin training for desert warfare in preparation for the fighting in the

North African Campaign The North African campaign of World War II took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943, fought between the Allies and the Axis Powers. It included campaigns in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts (Western Desert campaign, Desert Wa ...

. Orders were changed, however, and the unit was sent to

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

to serve as the reconnaissance element for the

VII Corps 7th Corps, Seventh Corps, or VII Corps may refer to: * VII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars * VII Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I * VII ...

. Arriving on 15 December 1943, they camped at

Singleton, West Sussex Singleton is a village, Parish, Anglican parish and civil parish in the Chichester (district), Chichester Districts of England, district of West Sussex, England. It lies in the River Lavant, West Sussex, Lavant valley, north of Chichester on th ...

. The 4th Cavalry's designation was then changed to the 4th Cavalry Group, Mechanized (later called the 4th Mechanized Cavalry Group, or MCG. During WWII, the term MCG is synonymous with regiment in regards to cavalry formations). 1st Squadron was renamed the 4th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, Mechanized, and 2nd Squadron was renamed the 24th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, Mechanized. In preparation for the

Invasion of Normandy Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 ( D-Day) with the ...

, the 4th MCG was assigned the task of capturing the

Îles Saint-Marcouf Îles Saint-Marcouf comprise two small uninhabited islands off the coast of Normandy, France. They lie in the Baie de la Seine region of the English Channel and are east of the coast of the Cotentin peninsula at Ravenoville and from the island ...

, 6,000 yards out from Utah Beach in order to neutralize the formidable fortifications the ''

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...

'' had erected there. Along with this mission, the 4th was also to land two troops ashore in order to link up with elements of the

82nd Airborne Division The 82nd Airborne Division is an Airborne forces, airborne infantry division (military), division of the United States Army specializing in Paratrooper, parachute assault operations into hostile areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops ...

and the

101st Airborne Division The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division (military), division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault military operation, operations. The 101st is designed to plan, coordinat ...

behind German lines to give the paratroopers armored support. At 0430 on 6 June 1944, elements of A Troop 4th Squadron, and B Troop 24th Squadron landed on the Saint-Marcouf islands. CPL Harvey S. Olson and PVT Thomas C. Killeran of Troop A (4th), and SGT John S. Zanders and CPL Melvin F. Kinzie of Troop B (24th) swam ashore armed only with knives to mark the beaches for the landing craft. They became the first seaborne American soldiers to land in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

on D-Day. When the invasion began, the troops rapidly captured the islands with no resistance; the Germans had evacuated, but 19 men were killed or wounded due to enemy mines. On 7 June, just south of Utah Beach, a platoon of Troop B, 4th Squadron, linked up with elements of the 82nd Airborne and managed to ambush a German convoy in a mechanized cavalry charge, causing the enemy to retreat and leave behind 200 casualties. Rough seas prevented C Troop from landing, but they linked up with elements of the 101st on 8 June. As US forces attacked toward the

Cotentin Peninsula The Cotentin Peninsula (, ; ), also known as the Cherbourg Peninsula, is a peninsula in Normandy that forms part of the northwest coast of France. It extends north-westward into the English Channel, towards Great Britain. To its west lie the Gu ...

, the 4th MCG's two squadrons provided flank security for the 4th Infantry Division and the 9th Infantry Division. Near Cape de la Hague, 4th Squadron fought dismounted in a bloody five-day engagement and captured over 600 prisoners. Both Squadrons were awarded the French

Croix de Guerre The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...

with Silver Star for their gallantry in the

Battle of Cherbourg The Battle of Cherbourg was part of the Battle of Normandy during World War II. It was fought immediately after the successful Allied landings on 6 June 1944. Allied troops, mainly American, isolated and captured the fortified port, which was ...

. After the

Battle of Saint-Lô The Battle of Saint-Lô was one of the three conflicts in the battle of the hedgerows which took place between July 7 and 19, 1944, in Saint-Lô, Manche, Normandy, France, just before Operation Cobra. Saint-Lô had fallen to Germany in 1940, and, ...

in July 1944, VII Corps began its drive towards

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, and the 4th MCG assumed responsibility of covering the Corps' flanks. Paris was liberated on 24 August 1944, and the 4th crossed the

Seine River The Seine ( , ) is a river in northern France. Its drainage basin is in the Paris Basin (a geological relative lowland) covering most of northern France. It rises at Source-Seine, northwest of Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres p ...

the next day, and the

Marne River The Marne (; ) is a river in France, an eastern tributary of the Seine in the area east and southeast of Paris. It is long. The river gave its name to the departments of France, departments of Haute-Marne, Marne (department), Marne, Seine-et-Ma ...

by 31 August. As the men prepared to enter German-occupied

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

, the 759th Light Tank Battalion, the 635th Tank-Destroyer Battalion (Self-Propelled), and the 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion were attached to the 4th MCG, giving it the firepower of a light armored brigade. The Group penetrated the

Siegfried Line The Siegfried Line, known in German as the ''Westwall (= western bulwark)'', was a German defensive line built during the late 1930s. Started in 1936, opposite the French Maginot Line, it stretched more than from Kleve on the border with the ...

and crossed into

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

on 14 September, but met stiff German resistance in the

Battle of Hürtgen Forest The Battle of Hürtgen Forest () was a series of battles fought from 19 September to 16 December 1944, between United States Armed Forces, American and Wehrmacht, German forces on the Western Front (World War II), Western Front during World War ...

. On 16 December 1944, the ''Wehrmacht'' launched a major surprise attack on the Allied lines in the

Ardennes The Ardennes ( ; ; ; ; ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, extending into Germany and France. Geological ...

in what would become known as the

Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive or Unternehmen Die Wacht am Rhein, Wacht am Rhein, was the last major German Offensive (military), offensive Military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western ...

. The attack landed on elements of VII Corps as well, and some of the fiercest fighting of the war for the 4th MCG occurred on 19–21 December on the edges of the

Hürtgen Forest The Hürtgen forest (also: Huertgen Forest; ) is located along the border between Belgium and Germany, in the southwest corner of the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Scarcely in area, the forest lies within a triangle outlined ...

along the

Roer River The Roer (, ) or Rur (; ) is a major river that flows through portions of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. It is a right (eastern) tributary to the Meuse (). About 90 percent of the river's course is in Germany. It is not to be conf ...

. Here, the troopers of the 4th MCG were ordered to seize the heavily defended town of Bogheim and the high-ground from the southeast. On the 19th, under a blanket of heavy fog, two troops from the 4th Squadron infiltrated Bogheim undetected and engaged the Germans, but the two other troops coming to support were spotted and engaged in the open as the fog lifted, and took heavy casualties. Despite this, the Germans were driven out of town by the afternoon. All four troop commanders were casualties, as well as a quarter of all the enlisted men. Nevertheless, the 4th Squadron charged, dismounted, across 200 yards of open field the next morning to capture the nearby high ground. In the Battle of Bogheim, 4th Squadron had defeated two battle groups of the 947th German Infantry and company of the 6th Parachute Regiment. For its bravery in action despite heavy casualties, the 4th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. As the German offensive resumed, VII Corps was sent south into Belgium to block the enemy's advance. By 23 December, the 4th MCG was once again in contact, and screened the movement of VII Corps units. On 24 December, the 4th was attached to the 2nd Armored Division and was tasked with defending the key road junction at Humain to prevent the Germans separating the 2nd Armored Division and the 84th Infantry Division defensive lines. 4th Squadron left to screen the flanks of CCA and CCB of the 2nd Armored Division, leaving 24th Squadron to defend Humain. By midnight of 24–25 December 1944, Troop A, 24th Squadron, had taken Humain, but was repulsed by a German ''

panzer {{CatAutoTOC, numerals=no Words and phrases Germanic words and phrases Words and phrases by language la:Categoria:Verba Theodisca ...

'' attack on

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...

morning. The 24th attempted to retake the town, but its light armor was no match for the heavy German ''panzers'', and the troopers made little progress. On 26 December, reinforced by tanks from the 2nd Armored Division, the 24th drove out the Germans from Humain and halted their advance in that sector. After retaking the ground lost in the Battle of the bulge, Allied forces resumed their drive into Germany. The 4th MCG conducted more screening operations for the VII Corps advance during the closing of the Ruhr Pocket. As the war in Europe began winding down, the 4th MCG participated in the operation to eliminate a force of 85,000 Germans holding out in the

Harz Mountains The Harz (), also called the Harz Mountains, is a Mittelgebirge, highland area in northern Germany. It has the highest elevations for that region, and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. The nam ...

, and this mission was accomplished on 21 April 1945 with most of the enemy surrendering. The 4th continued advancing and mopped up along the

Elbe River The Elbe ( ; ; or ''Elv''; Upper and , ) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Republic), then Germany and flo ...

, and was in

Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...

VE Day Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945; it marked the official surrender of all German military operations ...

, 8 May 1945.

Occupation of Germany and Austria

After the Allied victory in World War II, the US Army organized the

United States Constabulary The United States Constabulary was a United States Army military gendarmerie force. From 1946 to 1952, in the aftermath of World War II, it acted as an occupation and security force in the Allied Occupation Zones in Germany, U.S. Occupation Zone ...

to perform occupation duties in

Allied-occupied Germany The entirety of Germany was occupied and administered by the Allies of World War II, from the Berlin Declaration on 5 June 1945 to the establishment of West Germany on 23 May 1949. Unlike occupied Japan, Nazi Germany was stripped of its sov ...

West Berlin West Berlin ( or , ) was a political enclave which comprised the western part of Berlin from 1948 until 1990, during the Cold War. Although West Berlin lacked any sovereignty and was under military occupation until German reunification in 1 ...

, and

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

. The 4th Mechanized Cavalry Group was redesignated the 4th Constabulary Regiment with the 4th and 24th Constabulary Squadrons. The regimental HQ was located at Camp McCauley in

Hörsching Hörsching is a municipality in the district Linz-Land in the Austrian state of Upper Austria. It is next to the Linz Airport which is served by a shuttle bus from the Hörsching railway station. Anton Bruckner Joseph Anton Bruckner (; ; 4 ...

, Austria. The 4th Constabulary Squadron was stationed in

Wels Wels (; Central Bavarian: ''Wös'') is a city in Upper Austria, on the Traun River near Linz. It is the county seat of Wels-Land, and with a population of approximately 60,000, the List of cities and towns in Austria, eighth largest city in Aus ...

and the 24th was stationed in Ebelsberg. Several troops were separated and posted to other areas within the American zone of occupation in Austria maintaining law and order and security. The 4th Constabulary Regiment was inactivated on 1 May 1949, but its subordinate units remained active. The same day, the 24th Constabulary Squadron was sent to

Bad Hersfeld The festival and spa town of Bad Hersfeld (''Bad'' is "spa" in German; the Old High German name of the city was ''Herolfisfeld'') is the district seat of the Hersfeld-Rotenburg district in northeastern Hesse, Germany, roughly 50 km southeast ...

, West Germany, and conducted surveillance along the

Iron Curtain The Iron Curtain was the political and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1991. On the east side of the Iron Curtain were countries connected to the So ...

until 15 December 1952, when it was deactivated. However, on 21 April 1953, the squadron was redesignated in an inactive status and renamed the 524th Reconnaissance Squadron. The 4th Constabulary Squadron was redesignated as the 4th Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 April 1949, and then on 1 December 1951 as the 4th Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. After several reorganizations and renamings, it was registered in an inactive status as the Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 14th Squadron, 4th Cavalry on 1 April 1963.

Vietnam War

Initially, senior US commanders believed that armored cavalry formations would not have success in the dense

jungle jungle is land covered with dense forest and tangled vegetation, usually in tropical climates. Application of the term has varied greatly during the past century. Etymology The word ''jungle'' originates from the Sanskrit word ''jaṅgala'' ...

s of

South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...

, but the successful actions of 1-4 Cavalry, attached to the 1st Infantry Division, and 3-4 Cavalry, attached to the 25th Infantry Division, proved that armored formations could be decisive in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

when used in conjunction with mechanized infantry and air cavalry to defeat the

People's Army of Vietnam The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), officially the Vietnam People's Army (VPA; , , ), also recognized as the Vietnamese Army (), the People's Army () or colloquially the Troops ( ), is the national Military, military force of the Vietnam, S ...

(PAVN) and

Viet Cong The Viet Cong (VC) was an epithet and umbrella term to refer to the communist-driven armed movement and united front organization in South Vietnam. It was formally organized as and led by the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, and ...

(VC).

1st Squadron

1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry (1-4 Cavalry, popularly called "Quarterhorse") was assigned to be the divisional reconnaissance squadron of the 1st Infantry Division based at

Di An Di or DI may refer to: Arts and media Music * Di, a tone in the solfège ascending chromatic scale existing between Do and Re * dizi (instrument) or di, a Chinese transverse flute * ''D.I.'' (band), a punk band from Southern California ** ''D. ...

. It arrived at Vung Tau on 7 October 1965, making it the first element of the 4th Cavalry to deploy to Vietnam. Commanded by LTC Paul M. Fisher, the Squadron was ready for action. On 12 November 1965, 1-4 Cavalry received its baptism by fire in the Vietnam War when Troop A, attached to 2-2 Infantry, engaged a VC regiment in the village of Bau Bang. Three enemy probing attacks were thrown back, and on the fourth charge, .50 caliber machine-gun fire broke up their assault and the enemy retreated, leaving 146 dead. On 24 February 1966, Troop B fought a stiff skirmish with the VC and repulsed the enemy. In April 1966, LTC Fisher became the executive officer of the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, and his replacement was LTC Leonard L. Lewane. LTC Lewane led the squadron in several operations in conjunction with other elements of the 1st Infantry Division, including Operations

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

El Paso El Paso (; ; or ) is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States. The 2020 United States census, 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the List of ...

, and Shenandoah. On 8 June 1966, during Operation El Paso II, Troop A, en route to An Loc, was ambushed by the VC 272nd Regiment along Route 13. The battle lasted 5 hours and resulted in 14 US and 19 South Vietnamese killed. VC losses were 105 dead (body count) and it was estimated that the bodies of a further 200+ were removed. For their courage, Troop A was awarded the

Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross also known as the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross or Vietnam Cross of Gallantry () is a military decoration of the former Government of South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam). The medal was created on August 15, 1 ...

. On 30 June 1966, HQ, Troops B, C, D and C Company 2-18 Infantry engaged the VC 271st Regiment while conducting reconnaissance and managed to kill 300 VC during the seven-hour battle. On 9 July, 1-4 Cav troopers engaged the enemy again in the Battle of Minh Thanh Road and killed 250 VC. For these three engagements, the squadron was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. Throughout the Vietnam War, the troopers of 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment participated in numerous battle and operations including; Operation Niagara,

Operation Cedar Falls Operation Cedar Falls was a military operation of the Vietnam War conducted primarily by US forces that took place from 8 to 26 January 1967. The aim of the massive search and destroy, search-and-destroy operation was to eradicate the Iron Triangl ...

, Operation Williston, Operation Tucson-Delta,

Operation Junction City Operation Junction City was an 82-day military operation conducted by United States (US) and South Vietnam forces against Viet Cong (VC) forces begun on 22 February 1967 during the Vietnam War. It was the first US combat airborne operation sinc ...

Operation Manhattan Operation Manhattan was an operation conducted by the 1st and 2nd Brigades, 25th Infantry Division and the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division in the Ho Bo Woods/ Bến Củi area, lasting from 23 April to 7 June 1967. Background The objective ...

Operation Shenandoah II Operation Shenandoah II was a security operation conducted during the Vietnam War by the U.S. 1st Infantry Division to secure and repair Highway 13, South Vietnam from 29 September to 19 November 1967. Background For the 1967–1968 dry season ...

(where Troop C handed the VC one of their heaviest defeats of the war), the

Tet Offensive The Tet Offensive was a major escalation and one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War. The Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) launched a surprise attack on 30 January 1968 against the forces of ...

, and many more in numerous small villages along the

Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...

-South Vietnam border, and throughout South Vietnam. Meanwhile, Troop D provided helicopter support for the 1st Infantry Division, and acted as air cavalry, a new concept in the Army. The 1st Squadron participated in eleven campaigns of the Vietnam War from 20 October 1965 to 5 February 1970. The 1st Squadron was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for its heroism in Binh Long Province as well as a

Valorous Unit Award The Valorous Unit Award (VUA) is the second highest United States Army unit decoration which may be bestowed upon an Army unit after the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). The VUA is awarded by the United States Army to units of the United State ...

for Binh Doung Province. Troop A, 1st Squadron received a Valorous Unit Award for its actions at the battle of Ap Bau Bang.

3rd Squadron

The 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry (3-4 Cavalry, or popularly known as "Three-Quarter Horse" or "Mackenzie's Riders" after Ranald S. Mackenzie) acted as the reconnaissance squadron for the 25th Infantry Division. Deploying to Vietnam on 24 March 1966, the men were based at Cu Chi Base Camp northwest of

Saigon Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...

, while Troop C served with the division's 3rd Brigade in the Central Highlands. Here, Troop C pioneered the use of armored vehicles in dense jungle terrain and fought fiercely against PAVN and VC units. The Troop received a Valorous Unit Award for engaging VC forces in Quảng Trị Province and later joined the rest of 3-4 Cavalry on 1 August 1967. The 3rd Squadron participated in 12 campaigns from 24 March 1966 to 8 December 1970. The squadron's primary mission was to conduct route and convoy security along South Vietnam's

Route 1 The following highways are numbered 1. For roads numbered A1, see list of A1 roads. For roads numbered B1, see list of B1 roads. For roads numbered M1, see List of M1 roads. For roads numbered N1, see list of N1 roads. For roads numbered S ...

ensuring that the main supply and communications route from Saigon to

Tay Ninh Tay or TAY may refer to: People and languages * Tay (name), including lists of people with the given name, surname and nickname * Tay people, an ethnic group of Vietnam ** Tày language * Atayal language, an Austronesian language spoken in Taiw ...

remained secure. By 1967, Mackenzie's Riders was escorting some 8,000 vehicles each month in both day and night escorts. It also participated in large scale combined arms operations such as Cedar Falls, Junction City and the invasion of Cambodia. During the

during the Vietnamese New Year in January 1968, 3-4 Cavalry was rushed to

Tan Son Nhut Air Base Tan Son Nhut Air Base () (1955–1975) was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) facility. It was located near the city of Saigon in southern Vietnam. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War (1959–1975), stationing ...

near Saigon where it successfully repelled a massive VC attempt to seize the air base. For its gallantry at Tan Son Nhut, the 3rd Squadron was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. In addition, the squadron received two Valorous Unit Awards for battles along the Cambodian border and in Bình Dương Province. Also, Troop D (Air), 3rd Squadron received a Presidential Unit Citation for gallantry in Tay Ninh Province. Troop A, 3rd Squadron received a Valorous Unit Award for contributing to the defeat of VC forces in the Cu Chi District. The 1st Platoon, Troop A, 3rd Squadron also received a Presidential Unit Citation while attached to 1-5 Infantry during the Battle of

Bến Củi Bến Củi is a commune of Dương Minh Châu District, Tây Ninh Province, Vietnam. The area of the commune is 34,26 km2, and the population in 1999 was 4,802 people. Vietnam War Bến Củi was the site of a rubber plantation (Nông tr ...

. Troop F, 4th Cavalry was activated on 10 February 1971 in Vietnam and assigned to the 25th Division as a separate air cavalry troop in support of the 25th Division's 2nd Brigade. After the 2nd Brigade left Vietnam on 30 April 1971, Troop F remained assigned to the 25th while serving with the 11th and 12th Aviation Groups. It was one of the last Army units to leave Vietnam on 26 February 1973.

Gulf War

Three elements of the 4th Cavalry Regiment participated in the

Gulf War , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...

. 1-4 Cavalry continued to serve with the 1st Infantry Division (part of

) as a reconnaissance squadron, 2-4 Cavalry served with the 24th Infantry Division (part of

XVIII Airborne Corps The XVIII Airborne Corps is a corps of the United States Army that has been in existence since 1942 and saw extensive service during World War II. The corps is designed for Rapid deployment force, rapid deployment anywhere in the world and is r ...

), and Troop D, 4th Cavalry served with

197th Infantry Brigade The 197th Infantry Brigade ("Sledgehammer" / "FOLLOW ME") is an active Infantry brigade of the United States Army. The brigade was active as an Organized Reserve unit from 1921 to 1942, in the Regular Army from 1962 to 1991, and as a TRADOC train ...

, which was in turn attached to the 24th Infantry Division, and Troop D was attached to>2-4 Cav control. In 1990, the First Squadron deployed to

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...

, as part of

Operation Desert Shield , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...

. The ground warfare phase,

Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...

, began on 24 February 1991 in the XVIII Airborne Corps sector of operations, on the left flank of the

coalition force A coalition is formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political, military, or Economy, economic spaces. Formation According ...

. The 24th Infantry Division had the mission of blocking the

Euphrates The Euphrates ( ; see #Etymology, below) is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of West Asia. Tigris–Euphrates river system, Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia (). Originati ...

River valley in order to block the escape of

Iraqi forces The Iraqi Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of Iraq. They consist of the Ground forces, the Army Aviation Command, the Iraqi Air Force, the Air Defence Command, and the Iraqi Navy. The armed forces are administered by the Min ...

in Kuwait and then to attack east with VII Corps to destroy the Republican Guard (Iraq), Republican Guard divisions. 2-4 Cav and D Troop operating independently and under control of the 197th crossed the Iraqi border 6 hours ahead of the main assault and scouted north along the two axes of advance. 2-4 Cavalry and D Troop in their sectors found little evidence of the enemy which enabled the 24th Division to make rapid progress. With elements of the 4th Cavalry screening 5 to 10 miles in front of the attacking brigades, the 24th continued north until around 0141 hours when D Troop set a screen at the 197th Infantry first objective 75 miles inside Iraq. By 27 February, the 4th day of fighting, the 24th Infantry Division had destroyed all Iraqi units it had encountered securing the Euphrates River Valley, and had successfully trapped most of the Republican Guards divisions for the two Corps to destroy. In the VII Corps sector the 1st Infantry Division was given the mission of breaching the enemy's defensive line, and the 1-4 Cavalry was selected to lead the way. First Squadron was assigned to Task Force 1-41 Infantry, 1-41 Infantry to breach Iraq's initial defensive network on the Saudi Arabian-Iraqi border. This joint effort would be known as Task Force Iron. The 1st Squadron had arrived in Saudi Arabia without its tanks which had been in storage while the squadron served as the Opposing Force (OPFOR) in 1st Division maneuvers in

and was short tank-qualified personnel. 1-4 Cavalry began quickly integrating new replacements fresh from training and readied newly issued tanks for A and B Troops. On schedule, 1-4 Cavalry with its two armored cavalry troops and two air cavalry troops launched the VII Corps attack destroying around 27 Iraqi tanks and armored vehicles in the initial attack. The Big Red One soon had destroyed some ten miles of enemy defenses and had created a breach in the Iraqi lines for the VII Corps to pour through. Now moving east, the Corps with the 1st Division on the south passed through the cavalry screen and attacked the Iraqi forces. By 27 February the 1st Division had destroyed 2 Iraqi armored divisions. The 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry then set up blocking positions on the Al Basrah – Kuwait City highway preventing Iraqi forces from escaping from Kuwait. 1-4 Cavalry received a Valorous Unit Award for its actions during Operation Desert Storm. Excerpt from orders: "The 1st squadron, 4th cavalry led the 1st infantry divisions attack across Iraq and Kuwait cutting the Iraqi army's escape route, the Kuwait city/Basra highway. The squadron continued its rapid advance, culminating with the capture of the Safwan airfield. During this drive the squadron destroyed 65 tanks, 66 armored personnel carriers, 66 trucks, 91 bunkers, and captured 3,000 enemy soldiers." A cease-fire was declared at 0800, 28 February 1991. Thus ended the quickest and most overpowering victory in U.S. Army history. The 4th Cavalry Regiment elements that participated in Desert Storm, 1-4 Cav, 2-4 Cav, and Troop D, all performed their missions with courage, and outstanding professionalism adding to the reputation of the 4th Cavalry as being one of the Army's finest regiments.

Balkans conflict

In 1995, 3-4 Cavalry deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina, (along with 1-1 Cavalry from Buedingen, Germany, under 1st Armored Division) supporting the peace enforcement mission set forth by the Dayton Peace Accord, for a period of eleven months at Camp Molly, Camp Alicia called the "Dog Pound" near Kalesija and Eagle Camp at Tuzla Main. While deployed, 3-4 Cavalry was re-flagged to 1-4 Cavalry and from 3rd Infantry to 1st Infantry at the Division level. 1999 saw 1/4 Cavalry returning to the Balkans, this time Kosovo. A "Avenger" and B " Bulldog" troops, ground element, along with E Troop, air element, of 1-4 Cavalry deployed to Skopje, Macedonia, Leaving C troop "Charlie Rock",ground, behind in Schweinfurt Germany as a reserve element. In April 1999 the Scout platoons of C Troop were deployed to Camp Able Sentry, as dismounted Cavalry, to provide additional security support after 3 troopers of Bravo Troop were captured. This event turned the mission from a United Nation mission to a NATO mission. In May, the Squadron redeployed back to Germany to prepare to redeploy back to Macedonia as a mounted element for forward movement into Kosovo. The end of June the squadron was notified of change of mission and the drive into Kosovo was handed off to elements of the 1st Armored Division. During the summer of 1999 in support of Operation Joint Guardian, Kosovo Force (KFOR) with OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters to support reconnaissance and security operations in the MNBG-E region of Kosovo. Later that same year, in November 1999, D Troop 1-4 Cavalry followed by deploying additional OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters to Skopje, Macedonia while awaiting final completion of Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo.

"K4B"

The Schweinfurt-based "Quarterhorse" was tasked to be part of the 1st Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade task force due to rotate into Kosovo, in late 2002. The squadron was to lead the U.S. contingent's aviation task force of OH-58 Kiowa, OH-58D Kiowa and Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, as well as provide force protection personnel for the U.S. headquarters at Camp Bondsteel. In late-October 2002, soldiers with 1st Infantry Division's, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment were abruptly told they would not deploy to Kosovo for peacekeeping duties, after working for several months to ready equipment they had received for their peacekeeping mission. 1st Infantry Division officials in Kosovo said they could not comment on the change, while a spokesman for V Corps (United States), V Corps, the division's Corps headquarters, referred all questions to U.S. European Command, EUCOM, the overall combatant command for V Corps. An EUCOM spokesman said he could not comment on the change, referring all questions back to V Corps. The first trainloads of the squadron's equipment bound for the Balkans from Germany was called back after departing Schweinfurt, en route to the Balkans.

War on Terrorism

On 6 November 2002, the 1st Infantry Division published a warning order establishing ARFOR-T (Army Forces Turkey). This mission was enormous, encompassing the subordinate units of 2 heavy mechanized divisions, 4th ID and 1st ID. Normally these missions are assigned to corps headquarters. The following months involved extensive planning, command post exercises, and a joint warfighter with 1st ID key personnel traveling to Ft. Hood, TX, to conduct planning with the 4th ID staff. During this time the 1st Squadron's commander, Lt. Col. James H. Chevallier, designated about 40 personnel to comprise an Advanced Echelon (ADVON), and they deployed to Turkey in early February. Their mission was to conduct a detailed route reconnaissance from the seaport of debarkation (SPOD) at İskenderun, on the Mediterranean Sea coast, in south-central Turkey, to the border crossing near the tactical assembly areas located near the towns of Silopi, Dicle, and Cizre, near the Turkish-Iraqi border. The route reconnaissance conducted by less than 30 officers and non-commissioned officers is believed to the longest route recon conducted in modern times; the men assigned the task cataloged every bridge, route constriction and obstruction, hill grade, and curve radius for nearly . The goal of ARFOR-T was to open a second front, to crush Iraqi armed resistance from the North. The Quarterhorse, mounted on the hastily drawn, and refurbished, HMMWVs they had prepared initially for their Kosovo rotation, would conduct a screen along one of the 4th IDs flanks as it charged south out of Turkey. While the Quarterhorse was conducting the route reconnaissance, the Turkish government debated at length whether they should to allow Coalition forces to invade from their territory, finally signaling in early March 2003 that the invasion would not be permitted from their soil. By early April, all of the Quarterhorse troopers returned to Schweinfurt, unsure what the future held, as the Iraqi regime was toppled by forces assaulting north from Kuwait. The main body of the squadron never deployed out of Germany, despite being on standby and prepared to move for nearly two weeks in early March. While the invasion from the north never materialized, the Quarterhorse participated in an accidental, yet convincing and important, deception that caused Saddam Hussein to order several armored divisions to the north to meet the invasion force. Because of this, the enemy force strength, or Order of Battle, was significantly reduced in the South, enabling the rapid assault from Kuwait in the opening days of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) II

1-4 Cavalry acted as the divisional reconnaissance squadron for the 1st Infantry Division, and Troops D, E, and F acted as the three brigade reconnaissance troops during Operation Iraqi Freedom II (2004–2005). 1ID operated as a part of Task Force Danger in the city of Tikrit, and 1st Squadron with attached elements was organized as Task Force Saber. Their mission was to conduct security and stability operations from FOB MacKenzie near the town of Ad Duluyuah. Attached to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division during operations in the city of Samarra from 1 October 2004 through 1 November 2004, 1-4 Cavalry's gallantry resulted in the receipt of a

. Troop D served with the 1st Brigade in Al Anbar Province from January to September 2004, also receiving a Valorous Unit Award. Troop E served with 2nd Brigade alongside 1st Squadron from February 2004 to February 2005 and received a Meritorious Unit Commendation. Troop E received a Valorous Unit Award for its actions in the city of Samarra from 1 October 2004 to 1 November 2004. Troop F served with the 3rd Brigade from February 2004-March 2005. Troop F was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in action during the Second Battle of Fallujah from 8 to 20 November 2004. In January 2005, Quarterhorse oversaw the conduct of the Iraqi parliamentary election, January 2005, first Iraqi parliamentary elections after the 2003 invasion within their sector and passed over control of their sector to elements of the 3rd Infantry Division (United States), 3rd Infantry Division before redeploying to Schweinfurt, Germany in February and March 2005.

Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) 2004–2005

3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry served in the War in Afghanistan (2001–present), War in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) for one year; from April 2004 – 2005. Initially based at Kandahar Airfield, the 3rd Squadron was under the operational control of the 25th Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team organized as Task Force Bronco. Initially, 3-4 Cavalry was responsible for security and stability operations throughout Kandahar Province. Organized as Task Force Saber (not to be confused with Task Force Saber in Iraq), the squadron's two air cavalry Troops (Troops B and C) initiated the first OH-58D helicopter operations in Afghanistan logging over 6,000 hours in support of Task Force Bronco's security and stability missions, while Troop A was mounted on Humvees and conducted screening and route security missions. In addition, the squadron initiated and supervised a significant number of reconstruction and educational initiatives in Kandahar Province. In August 2004, hostilities broke out between Warlord#Afghanistan, Afghan warlords in the western city of Herat. Coalition forces including Task Force Saber halted the hostilities. Task Force Saber remained in the area to disarm the militias, to successfully secure polling sites for the Afghan presidential election, 2004, October national presidential elections and to conduct operations to block Taliban infiltration of Regional Command West. In February, the squadron returned to Kandahar Province where it resumed security and stability operations. For its accomplishments in Afghanistan, the 3rd Squadron was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation. In April 2005 the squadron returned to its home at Wheeler Army Air Field,

Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) 2006-2007

In July, 2006 the 3rd Squadron began a tour of duty in Iraq with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team. For the majority of its Iraq tour of duty the 3rd Squadron served under the operational control of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division and was based in Tal Afar in western Nineveh Province near the Syrian border. The 3rd Squadron 4th Cavalry returned to Schofield Barracks in October 2007. Army Cpl. Casey P. Zylman was killed in action on 25 May 2007 of wounds sustained when an Improvised explosive device, improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near his vehicle in Mosul, Iraq.

Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) 2008–2009

In June 2008, the 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment deployed to the Kunar Provence in Afghanistan to replace the 173rd Airborne Brigade. They were stationed at FOB Bostick and COP Lowell. They were originally going to be deployed for 15 months, but halfway through deployment it was dropped to 12 months. Their mission was to work with and support the local villages while neutralizing enemy insurgents in the area. On May 1st, 2009 an Afghan/US observation post, OP Bari Alai, several kilometers South of FOB Bostick was overrun by insurgents. FOB Bostick fired constant artillery rounds to stop the attack while FOB Bostick's Quick Reaction Force(QRF) drove down to support the OP. However, the rugged terrain and distance meant the QRF team would never arrive in time. 6-4 Cav returned to Ft. Cavazos(Hood) in June 2009.

Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) 2008-2009

In October 2008 the 3rd Squadron returned to northern Iraq for a twelve-month tour of duty. The squadron operated in the Saladin Governorate north of Baghdad in the vicinity of Balad City where it was primarily involved in economic revitalization efforts as well as joint security operations with Iraqi forces. A-Troop (Apache) was assigned to Forward Operating Base Paliwoda, FOB Paliwoda. For the 3rd Squadron's exceptional accomplishments it was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation and it also received participation credit for the Iraqi Surge and Iraqi Sovereignty campaign phases. The 3rd Squadron returned to Schofield Barracks in October 2009.

Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) 2011–2012

The 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry returned to Afghanistan with the 3rd BCT after an absence of six years in April 2011 and on 3 May 2011 as part of Regional Command- East, assumed responsibility for security and stability operations for eastern Nangarhar Province, located along the border with Pakistan. The squadron's mission was to provide security, support governance and assist in the economic development of the province. A-Troop (Apache) was assigned to FOB Shinwar. Other elements of 3rd Squadron were assigned to Jalalabad Airport, Jalalabad Air Base (Dakota Troop) FOB Connolly (Comanche Troop), Forward Operating Base Fenty, FOB Fenty (Huron Troop) and FOB Hughie (Blackfoot Troop), 4-4 CAV was also stationed with 10th MTN at FOB Pasab formerly FOB Wilson.

Current status

* 1st Squadron is the Brigade_combat_team#Cavalry_squadron_2, cavalry squadron of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division (United States), 1st BCT, 1st Infantry Division stationed at

. *

3rd Squadron is the cavalry squadron of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, stationed at

. * 4th Squadron was inactivated in October 2015. * 5th Squadron is the armored reconnaissance squadron of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division (United States), 2nd BCT, 1st Infantry Division, stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas.

Honors

Campaign participation credit

* Indian Wars: # Comanches; # Solomon River, Kansas; July 1857 # Little Big Horn; # Red River; # Remolino; # Palo Duro Canyon; # Geronimo's Apaches Expedition; 1886 * Civil War: # First Bull Run; # Peninsula Campaign; # Antietam; # Fredericksburg; # Chickamauga; # Murfreesboro; # Nashville; # Columbus, Georgia; # Capture of Jefferson Davis; * World War II: # D-Day – hedgerows of Normandy; 1944 # Huertgen Forest, Battle of the Bulge; 1944 * Korean War: * Vietnam: # Defense; # Counteroffensive; # Counteroffensive, Phase II; # Counteroffensive, Phase III; # Tet Counteroffensive; # Counteroffensive, Phase IV; # Counteroffensive, Phase V; # Counteroffensive, Phase VI; # Tet 69/Counteroffensive; # Summer–Fall 1969; # Winter–Spring 1970; # Sanctuary Counteroffensive; # Counteroffensive, Phase VII; # Consolidation I; # Consolidation II; # Cease-Fire * Southwest Asia: # Defense of Saudi Arabia; # Liberation and Defense of Kuwait; # Cease-Fire * Bosnia * Kosovo * Iraqi Campaign # Transition of Iraq # National Resolution # Iraqi Surge * Afghanistan Campaign # Consolidation II

Decorations

The Below Decorations have been awarded to the regiment as a whole: # Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered BOGHEIM GERMANY # Presidential Unit Citation (US) (Army) for BINH THUAN PROVINCE # Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (France), French Croix de Guerre with Silver-Gilt Star, World War II, Streamer embroidered NORMANDY, 4th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron [less "B" Troop] #

for QUANG TIN PROVINCE #

for FISH HOOK # Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for SOUTHWEST ASIA #

for Desert Storm – 1st Squadron #

for Operation Iraqi Freedom, 1 Oct – 1 Nov 2004 – 1st Squadron #

For Operation Iraqi Freedom, 12 Mar – 30 Sep 2004 – 1st Squadron #

For Operation Iraqi Freedom, 14 Mar 2007 – 3 Apr 200 – 1st Squadron # Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for 30 Aug 2009 to 21 Jul 2010 – 1st Squadron # Superior Unit Award for Operation Joint Endeavour – 1st Squadron

References

Bibliography

4th U.S. Cavalry Regiment Association
* * Shelby L. Stanton; ''ORDER OF BATTLE: U.S. ARMY, World War II''; 1984; Presidio Press; . * * ''Ranald S. Mackenzie on the Texas Frontier'', Wallace, Ernest, (Lubbock: West Texas Museum Association, 1964) * *

External links

* *

2009-10-22) {{Authority control Military units and formations established in 1855, 004 Cavalry regiments of the United States Army, 004 Military units and formations of the United States in the Indian Wars, 004 United States Army regiments in World War II, 004 United States Regular Army Civil War units and formations, 004th Cavalry Regiment Bleeding Kansas Military units and formations of the Great Sioux War of 1876, 004th Cavalry Comanche campaign 1855 establishments in Missouri

Origin and early service

Campaign against the Cheyenne of 1857

Civil War

Civil War service

Indian Wars

Red River War

Apache War

Philippine Insurrection

Early 20th century

World War II

Occupation of Germany and Austria

Vietnam War

1st Squadron

3rd Squadron

Gulf War

Balkans conflict

"K4B"

War on Terrorism

Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) II

Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) 2004–2005

Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) 2006-2007

Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) 2008–2009

Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) 2008-2009

Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) 2011–2012

Current status

Honors

Campaign participation credit

Decorations

See also

References

Bibliography

External links