5th Squadron, 15th Cavalry Regiment Site

5th Squadron, 15th Cavalry Regiment

Mission

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The 5th Squadron, 15th Cavalry (5-15) is the proud descendent of the 15th Cavalry Regiment that was formed in 1901 at the Presidio in California. As the only active Squadron of the 15th Regiment, the 5th Squadron maintains the Regimental Colors.

Immediately upon its organization in 1901, the 15th Cavalry embarked for the Philippines to quell an insurrection in the United States newly acquired territory. The fierce combat in the Philippine jungles against the savage Moros forged the spirit of the Regiment in fire and blood; a spirit exemplified in the motto the Regiment chose for itself-TOUS POUR UN, UN POUR TOUS (All for one, one for all).

The Regiment's next action was part of the Cuban Pacification from 1906 to 1909, followed by duty along the Mexican border and the hunt for Poncho Villa.

When the United States entered World War I, the Regiment sailed for France as one of the four horse mounted Regiments on duty with the Allied Expeditionary Force. The fighting had already bogged down into trench warfare and the role of horse Cavalry was nearly over. The 15th was called upon to dismount and relieve exhausted infantry units in the trenches. It was the tank that finally broke the trench lines to end both the war and the role of the horse Soldier. The 15th served occupation duty after the war until June 1919 when it returned to the United States.

Sadly after 20 years of continuous active service, the Regiment was deactivated as part of the massive cutbacks in the Regular Army following the "war to end all wars".

With the advent of the Second World War, the 15th was again called to service in March 1942. The spirit and elan of the Cavalry were to lead the Army again, this time with new mounts, the armored car and tank. The 17th Cavalry Regiment was activated for the war in Europe and arrived in Scotland in March 1944. In England, the 15th was reorganized as the 15th Cavalry Group Mechanized. The Group was composed of the 15th and 17th Reconnaissance Squadrons. The 15th landed on Utah Beach on the 5 July 1944 as part of Patton's Third Army. The 15th served in four major campaigns in Europe: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe. The 15th fought as part of the Third Army, Ninth Army and was assigned as a security force for several different divisions. The end of the war found the 15th deep inside Germany, covering over 1000 miles of enemy held territory since landing on the Continent in July 1944. The 15th had taken nearly 7000 prisoners, destroyed 78 guns and 495 enemy vehicles.

Following the war, the 15th was redesignated the 15th Constabulary Regiment, charged initially with occupation duty of the defeated Germany. The 17th was deactivated in January 1947. As the cold war began in earnest, the Regiment's duty shifted to patrolling the border between West Germany and East Germany, as well as the border with Czechoslovakia. The Constabulary Force guarded the border until 1952.

From 1952 to 1987, the Regiment went through a series of redesignations, inactivations and reactivations. Elements of the regiment served across the Army from Korea, Germany, and the United States to Troop G service in Vietnam from 1971 to 1972. In March 1987, the Army overhauled its Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS) to restore some order to the history and lineage of its regiments. One goal of this reform was to keep on active duty those regiments which had earned distinguished records over long years of service. The 15th Cavalry clearly deserved such recognition and in March 1987, the 15th Cavalry Regiment was reactivated at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The Squadron, as part of the 1st Armor Training Brigade, was charged with the mission of training 19D Cavalry Scouts. What greater honor could be bestowed on a distinguished Cavalry Regiment than charging it with the sole responsibility for training enlisted Cavalrymen for America's Army? The 15th Cavalry Regiment has served our country faithfully for nearly 100 years. Although only one squadron of the regiment is actively serving, who knows when the call to duty will bring the other squadrons back to active service? Until than, the 5th Squadron, 15th Cavalry proudly serves as the regimental home base and color bearer, maintaining the links between the proud past and the challenging future.