Archive for the 'Regimental Customs and Traditions' Category

Regimental Birthday

January 25th, 2004

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The Regimental birthday is celebrated on 23 May each year. On 23 May 1836, the Congress of the United States declared “be it enacted, that there shall be raised and organized, under the direction of the President of the United States to accept the service of volunteers and raise an additional Regiment of Dragoons or mounted riflemen and be it further enacted that there shall be raised and organized under the direction of the President of the United States one additional Regiment of Dragoons or mounted riflemen to be composed of the same number and rank of the officers, noncommissioned officers, musicians, and privates composing the Regiment of Dragoons now in the service of the United States, who shall receive the same pay and allowances, be subject to the same rules and regulations and be engaged for the like terms and upon the same conditions in all respects what-so-ever as are stipulated for the said Regiment of Dragoons now in service.”

On June 15, 1836, the Headquarters of the Army in Washington D.C. went on to issue General Order Number 38, which declared that : “the Second Regiment of Dragoons will be recruited and organized with as little delay as practicable, and the several officers appointed will report for orders and recruiting instructions to the Colonel of the Regiment, who will establish his recruiting headquarters at some central position and report to the Adjutant General.”

Regimental Standard and Troop guidons

January 24th, 2004


The organizational flag of a mounted unit has traditionally been referred to as the “standard”, as opposed to the “colors”, which are carried by dismounted units. The regimental standard (this one from the 1880′s) is the single most visible symbolic representation of the regiment. The standard and its accompanying set of national colors are displayed in the regimental commanders office and are carried to all regimental ceremonies and formations. When a new standard is issued, the old one is retired from service and should be placed in the Reed Museum. Many former standards are on display in the Reed Museum, the oldest one dating from 1861.

From crwflags.com:

The 2nd Dragoons would have been issued one standard and one guidon per company when raised in 1836. The standard was blue with the U.S. coat of arms in color and the regimental designation on a red scroll. As prescribed in the 1834 General Regulations for the Army, the standard was silk, 27 inches hoist by 29 inches fly, with a yellow silk fringe. The standard was carried on a 9-foot lance tipped with a spearhead of essentially the same design used by the U.S. Army today.

Davis’ book…..described by him as “very deep blue.” He says the standard could be as old as 1836, based on its design, but there is no record of its issue. The number of stars (normally a clue in dating regimental flags of this period) is uncertain as some have disappeared. Davis says the standard of the 1st Regiment of Mounted Riflemen (now 3rd Armored Cavalry) is identical, except for color.

For the Civil War period, a watercolor by Davis of a flag then (1912) in storage at the Army depot in Philadelphia. The inscription on the scroll is SECOND / REGT U.S. / CAVALRY, with the T smaller and elevated. Dimensions at this time were the same as in 1834. This basic design was used until 1887.

The 1834 regulations described company guidons for cavalry as silk, 27 by 41 inches, with a swallowtail. From the hoist to the fork of the swallowtail was 15 inches. The guidon was divided horizontally, red over white. By regulation, the letters U.S. appeared in white on the upper half and the letter of the company on the lower. The guidon was carried on a nine-foot lance with arrowhead finial.

According to Randy Steffen’s The Horse Soldiers, 1776-1943 (Norman: U. of Oklahoma Press, 1977-79), vol. I, pp. 109 and 114, most guidons issued from the raising of the 2nd Dragoons onward were inscribed not only as prescribed in regulations but with the regimental number as well. He illustrates an example inscribed U.S. / A Compy on two lines in white Roman lettering on the red half and 2nd DRAGOONS in two lines in red Roman lettering on the white half.

From January 1862, guidons were in the same dimensions as before but in the form of the Stars and Stripes, with the stars painted in gold in two concentric circles and one star in each corner of the canton. In 1863, a general order directed that “there shall be inscribed upon the colors or guidons of all regiments and batteries in the service of the United States the names of the battles in which they have borne a meritorious part.” An 1878 order clarified that guidons would only bear the battle honors won by the company on separate service. An 1881 order directed that the company letter be placed in yellow on one of the white stripes.

The red over white guidon was revived in 1885.

Joe McMillan, 23 October 2000
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Regimental Motto

January 23rd, 2004

The Regimental Motto is: “Remember your Regiment and Follow your Officers.” These were the words spoken by Captain Charles A. May to his Dragoons just before their gallant charge at Resaca de la Palma in 1846.

Regimental Distinctive Unit Insignia

January 22nd, 2004

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BACKGROUND SHIELD
Originally called the Second Dragoons, the Regiment wore an eight-pointed guilded star as a cap ornament. Representing the very earliest of the history of the Second Armored Cavalry, the Dragoon star forms the background of the insignia….
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Regimental Colors

January 21st, 2004

The Regimental Colors are orange and gold. Orange reminds us of the orange trim of the Dragoon uniform and gold reminds us of the eight pointed star worn on the Dragoon shako.

Regimental Decorations And Campaigns

January 20th, 2004

DECORATIONS

DecorPresidentialUnit

Presidential Unit Citation (Army)
Streamer embroidered BASTOGNE (2d Tank Battalion cited; WD GO 17, 1945).

DecorPresidentialUnit

Presidential Unit Citation (Army)
Streamer embroidered IRAQ (2nd Cavalry Regiment and attached units cited for extraordinary heroism, valor and gallantry during the period
6 April 2003 to 15 June 2004).

BY VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
I HAVE TODAY AWARDED
THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION
FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM
TO THE
2D ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
1ST ARMORED DIVISION
THE 2D ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT AND ATTACHED UNITS DISTINGUISHED
THEMSELVES DURING THE PERIOD 6 APRIL 2003 TO 15 JUNE 2004 BY
EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM, VALOR, AND GALLANTRY DURING COMBAT, STABILITY,
AND SECURITY OPERATIONS IN THE LIBERATION OF IRAQ. DURING THIS PERIOD,
THE REGIMENT PERFORMED NUMEROUS COMBAT, STABILITY, AND SECURITY
OPERATIONS, WHICH ULTIMATELY ENABLED THE RETURN OF CONTROL OF IRAQ
BACK TO THE CITIZENS. ALTHOUGH THE REGIMENT WAS OPPOSED DAILY BY
UNCONVENTIONAL GUERILLA-TYPE ATTACKS FROM FORMER REGIME LOYALISTS,
INSURGENTS, AND TERRORISTS, THE REGIMENT FOUGHT WITH STEADFAST
COURAGE AND AN UNWAVERING SENSE OF DUTY. THE ESPRIT DE CORPS AND
HEROISM OF THE REGIMENT’ S SOLDIERS AND THE UNITS IN SUPPORT OF THEM
EXEMPLIFIED THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF MILITARY SERVICE AND REFLECT
GREAT CREDIT UPON THE 2D DRAGOON REGIMENT, 1ST ARMORED DIVISION, AND
THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

To see the orders authorizing the award of the PUC to 2CR and attached units and download a printable pdf file click this link: PresidentialUnitCitationfor2DACR

VUA

Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered IRAQ.

Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 with Palm
Streamer embroidered BASTOGNE; cited in the order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at BASTOGNE (2d Tank Battalion cited; DA GO 43, 1950 and DA GO 27, 1950).

PPUC

Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Streamer embroidered 17 October 1944 to 4 July 1945 (776th Amphibious Tank Battalion cited; DA GO 47, 1950. Headquarters Troop, and Troops A, B, and C, 1st Squadron entitled to wear due to lineage.

CAMPAIGN CREDITS

INDIAN WARS
Seminoles; New Mexico 1852; New Mexico 1854; Cheyenne; Wyoming 1866; Wyoming 1867; Kansas 1869; Montana 1870; Montana 1872; Little Big Horn; Bannock; Nez Perce; Montana 1879; Montana 1880.

MEXICAN WAR
Palo Alto; Resaca De La Palma; Monterey; Buena Vista; Vera Cruz 1846; Cerro Gordo; Contereras; Churubusco; Molino Del Ray; Chapultepec; Nuevo Leon; Tamulipas 1846; Texas 1846; Vera Cruz 1847.

CIVIL WAR
Peninsula; Manassas; Antietam; Virgina 1863; Fredricksburg; Chancellorsville; Maryland 1863; Virgina 1864; Gettysburg; Wilderness; Spotsylvania; Cold Harbor; Petersburg; Shenandoah.

WAR WITH SPAIN
Santiago.

WORLD WAR I
Aisne-Marne; St. Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne.

WORLD WAR II
Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Leyte (with Arrowhead); Ryukyus.

SOUTHWEST ASIA
Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation of Kuwait.

Regimental Formals

January 19th, 2004

regimental-punch
Regimental Formals are held twice each year and include a ball and a dining-in. As at any other Regimental function, the Regimental standard is present and the Regimental Command Sergeant Major is in charge of the posting and retirement.

This also gives the opportunity for the mixing of the Regimental Punch.

Regimental Toast

January 18th, 2004

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I PROPOSE A TOAST
TO THE HARD BITTEN DRAGOONS WHO RODE WESTWARD FROM
THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS SECURING
THE FRONTIERS OF OUR ADVANCING CIVILIZATION, AND WHO LED
THE VICTORY MARCH INTO MEXICO CITY….
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Regimental Punch And Ceremony

January 17th, 2004

regimental-punch-ii
To the Regimental Punch Bowl add one bottle each of:
Cold Duck ( Champagne and Red Wine )
Rye Whiskey
Tequila
Kahlua
Southern Comfort
Bacardi’s Rum
Vieux Bordeaux
Napoleon Brandy
Vodka
Rhine Wine
Evian Water
Two Sharp’s Non-Alcoholic Beers
Slivovitz
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Regimental Meal Blessing

January 16th, 2004

Almighty, merciful, and loving Father, we praise and bless you for bringing all of us together to celebrate this meal. We bless you for all the good gifts we receive from you, especially for peace and freedom. We ask you now to bless us to your service, and this food we are about to receive from your bounty, to our good. Father of all mercy, all praises, and honor to you this day and forever. Amen.

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