Lineage

The unit insignia is a gold color device consisting of a black star with two crossed sabers, hilts up, superimposed below a gold ancient oil lamp enflamed red, with the star attached below a black scroll inscribed "Train for Combat" in gold letters.

Gold/yellow is the color traditionally associated with cavalry units. Red symbolizes valor and sacrifice; gold denotes excellence. The star, indicating achievement, highlights the unit's five campaign participation credits in World War II. The crossed sabers reflect teamwork and underscore the cavalry heritage.

The 4th Cavalry Brigade traces its lineage and honors to the 4th Cavalry Brigade of the 2nd Cavalry Division. Placed on the Army rolls in 1921, the 2nd Cavalry Division was activated at Fort Riley, Kansas in February, 1941, with the historic 9th and 10th Cavalries as its regiments. Famed as the “buffalo Soldiers,” those two regiments had received 24 medals of honor during the Indian Wars and the Spanish-American War, including the battle of San Juan Hill.

In August and September, 1941, the 4th Cavalry Brigade participated in the Louisiana maneuvers and later maneuvers in Kansas.

Later flagged as the 4th Tank Destroyer Group, the unit landed in France on 19 July 1944 and saw extensive action in Europe, with campaign credit for Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe.

During those campaigns, the 4th Tank Destroyer Group supported the 5th Infantry Division, 90th Infantry Division, and 95th Infantry Division in crossing the Moselle and Saar rivers, taking Metz and breaching the Siegfried Line.

The 4th Tank Destroyer Group was deactivated in 1945. In October 1977 it was reconstituted at Fort Knox, Kentucky as Headquarters, 4th Cavalry Brigade. In October 1999, the unit was reflagged as 4th Brigade, 85th Division.

The unit was reflagged as 4th Cavalry Brigade on 1 December 2006.