ABLE: What is your response to his tale of the Glousters, and how does that influence your perspective on the U.S. Army’s use of regimental affiliation?

The tale of the Glousters was highly inspiring, being that their NCOs and Officers served together for life. They shared experiences through each conflict. What I found most moving was closing of the chapter, where mail never reaches the Army unit that rescued surviving Glousters in Korea.

Army regimental affiliation may not be exactly the same, being service members are rotated through units as their careers progress; this trend is most pronounced in the officer corps, where timelines are based upon years in, promotions, and associated jobs. That being said, support branches share regimental affiliations that connect the overarching mission of Engineers, Med Corps, and the like. One can look back on Army units dating back to the Civil War and even WWI where units were assembled based upon geographic locations in the states.

I believe the American Army’s use of Regimental affiliation is opportunistic across First Cavalry Division, being brigades are composed of a hodgepodge of the most decorated battalions from the original cavalry regiments. The Division was not formally established until 1921 while Fifth Cavalry itself can be traced to 1855 with the establishment of the then “Second Cavalry Regiment.” Blackjack has no correlation to the Mustangs, Headhunters, Black Knights, and Darkhorse battalions. So, while it is comforting to think that GEN Patton was at one time the commander of the Fifth Cavalry, it is not a direct lineage. That being said, 1st Cav has always morphed to meet the fight. The Fifth Cavalry has moved into battle by nearly all means of transportation, rail, boat, foot, wheels, tracks, and helicopter.

Looking over the larger pantheon of Fifth Cavalry history, it makes sense that the unit can be home to such a diverse group of Soldiers, from tank crewman to airborne rangers. Just as Korea may seem suited to a light brigade, the Fifth Cavalry stands prepared to answer the war tocsin with whatever MTOE assigned, with all troopers prepared to write the next chapter in a long and distinguished history.