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16th Cavalry Regiment History |
The 16th Cavalry was organized
in July 1916 at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. The Regiment was charged with providing
personnel for units serving overseas in France during World War I. After a post
war drawdown the regiment was inactivated in 1921 in Texas.
Twenty-one years later, in June 1942,
the 16th Cavalry was reactivated at Camp Forrest, Tennessee, as a mechanized
unit. To increase flexibility in the assignment of mechanized units, the regiment
was broken up into Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 16th Cavalry Group and the
16th and 19th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadrons. All three units were assigned to
defend the coastal areas of Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. In November 1944,
these units sailed overseas aboard the Queen Elizabeth. After training in the United
Kingdom, they landed in France in February 1945, marched across the French countryside,
and crossed the border into Germany at the village of Pearl.
As part of the 316th Provisional Cavalry
Brigade, the 16th and 19th Cavalry joined the Third Army's drive to end enemy
resistance in the Palatinate. Entering combat near Waldrach in March, the units
engaged in reconnaissance missions for the XII and XX Corps across the Rhine near
Wiesbaden and up the autobahn to Kassel. After the fighting ceased, the group and the
two squadrons performed occupation duty in the Cologne area. Several months later, the
squadrons returned to the United States where they were inactivated.
In May 1946, new troops were added
to the Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 16th Cavalry Group, which became
the 16th Constabulary Squadron. The squadron was then inactivated in West Germany
in 1950. In 1951, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 16th Constabulary Squadron,
became
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 16th Armored Cavalry Group, and was inactivated
at Camp Cooke, California. It was redesignated as the 16th Armored the 16th Cavalry
was designated as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System,
and its former
troops were withdrawn from the 16th Armored Group to become elements of the regiment.
In
1963, the 16th Cavalry was redesignated as the 16th Armor. D Company, 16th Armor
was the only active
duty unit of the 16th Armor. The company served as one of the subordinate units
of the 173rd Separate Airborne Brigade during hostilities in Vietnam from 1963-69.
D/16th Armor
provided the anti-tank protection for the 173rd Bde. This was the only airborne
tank unit at the time as well as the only separate Tank Company in the history
of the army.
The company was equipped with '"Scorpions" which were air droppable
Armored Personnel Carriers that were equipped with high velocity 9Omm guns.
From 1963 through
1969 D/16th Armor served in every campaign which the 173rd Airborne Bde fought
in. During its service in Vietnam D/16th Armor is credited with 16 Vietnam
Campaign streamers
as well as earning the Meritorious Commendation Medal for its valorous service.
In 1969,
16th Armor reverted to the designation of 16th Cavalry and was inactivated.
Reactivated in Vietnam on 20 March
1970, using the assets of D Troop (Air), 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry. (1st Infantry
Division), the 16th Cavalry operated as a separate air cavalry troop of the
1st Aviation Brigade. Departing Vietnam on 26 February 1973, the unit was again
inactivated.
On 25 March, 1987, the 16th Cavalry
was withdrawn from the Combat Arms Regimental System, reorganized under the
U.S. Army
Regimental System and transferred to the U.S. Army Training And Doctrine command
as a parent regiment for training units at Ft. Knox where the 6th Squadron
was posted.
In April 1993, the regiment was reactivated
as the Training and Training Support unit for all leader training conducted
at the U.S. Army Armor School, Ft. Knox.
Currently with three squadrons and a separate headquarters and headquarters
troop the regiment continues to train the leaders of the mounted force to fight
and win on the modern battlefield.
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