11th armored cavalry patch

On the normal olive drab fatigue uniforms these were worn in full color but in Vietnam, they were worn as subdued colors. Following Operation Desert Storm, once a soldier had left the regiment for another unit, the patch was authorized to be worn on the right uniform shoulder sleeve with the horse revered so that it faced forward. This was not the case in Vietnam. The insignia was authorized for wear on the right shoulder sleeve but the horse was not reversed.

The patch was designed by Lt. John Casterman, M Company in at Ft. Meade, MD and adopted the following year. Casterman possessed skills as an artist and graphic designer and after several designs that incorporated elements from the official crest, Lt.

There is much on which we can look with pride. Stand tall in the saddle. The Blackhorse went home from the toughest, most agonizing conflict that has ever engaged American soldiers on foreign soil. Under the provisions of title 18 United States Code Section the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia here given having been registered and recorded in the Institute of Heraldry United States Army are reaffirmed from this date and hereafter may borne, shown and advanced by the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment as safe property of said insignia.

In testimony whereof these letters are given under my hand of the City of Alexandria in the Commonwealth of Virginia this first day of May in the year of Our Lord one thousand nine hundred and sixty seven and in the Independence of the United States of American one hundred and ninety one.

The 11th ACR initially enter the Republic of Vietnam under regimental status and not authorized a shoulder sleeve insignia. Due to mission requirements and operations as an independent unit, the Chief of Staff, General Harold K. Johnson, in February , authorized the warring of a distinctive patch. Rank and organization: Sergeant First Class, U. Entered service at: Honolulu, Hawaii. Born: 13 December , Kealakekua Kona, Hawaii.

Citation: Sfc. Yano distinguished himself while serving with the Air Cavalry Troop. From an exposed position in the face of intense small arms and antiaircraft fire he delivered suppressive fire upon the enemy forces and marked their positions with smoke and white phosphorous grenades, thus enabling his troop commander to direct accurate and effective artillery fire against the hostile emplacements.

A grenade, exploding prematurely, covered him with burning phosphorous, and left him severely wounded. Flaming fragments within the helicopter caused supplies and ammunition to detonate. Although having the use of only 1 arm and being partially blinded by the initial explosion, Sfc. Yano completely disregarded his welfare and began hurling blazing ammunition from the helicopter.

In so doing he inflicted additional wounds upon himself, yet he persisted until the danger was past. By his conspicuous gallantry at the cost of his life, in the highest traditions of the military service, Sfc. Yano has reflected great credit on himself, his unit, and the U. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 19 January , Rockford, Ill. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.

Wickam, distinguished himself while serving with Troop F. Troop F was conducting a reconnaissance in force mission southwest of Loc Ninh when the lead element of the friendly force was subjected to a heavy barrage of rocket, automatic weapons, and small arms fire from a well concealed enemy bunker complex.

Disregarding the intense fire, Cpl. Wickam leaped from his armored vehicle and assaulted one of the enemy bunkers and threw a grenade into it, killing 2 enemy soldiers. He moved into the bunker, and with the aid of another soldier, began to remove the body of one Viet Cong when he detected the sound of an enemy grenade being charged. Wickam warned his comrade and physically pushed him away from the grenade thus protecting him from the force of the blast.

When a second Viet Cong bunker was discovered, he ran through a hail of enemy fire to deliver deadly fire into the bunker, killing one enemy soldier. He also captured 1 Viet Cong who later provided valuable information on enemy activity in the Loc Ninh area.

After the patrol withdrew and an air strike was conducted, Cpl. Wickam led his men back to evaluate the success of the strike. They were immediately attacked again by enemy fire. Without hesitation, he charged the bunker from which the fire was being directed, enabling the remainder of his men to seek cover. Moments later he was mortally wounded by enemy fire. Rank and organization: Captain, U. Entered service at: Milwaukee, Wis. Born: 21 February , Chicago, Fritz, Armor, U. Army, distinguished himself while serving as a platoon leader with Troop A, near Quan Loi.

Fritz was leading his 7-vehicle armored column along Highway 13 to meet and escort a truck convoy when the column suddenly came under intense crossfire from a reinforced enemy company deployed in ambush positions.

In the initial attack, Capt. Realizing that his platoon was completely surrounded, vastly outnumbered, and in danger of being overrun, Capt. Fritz leaped to the top of his burning vehicle and directed the positioning of his remaining vehicles and men. With complete disregard for his wounds and safety, he ran from vehicle to vehicle in complete view of the enemy gunners in order to reposition his men, to improve the defenses, to assist the wounded, to distribute ammunition, to direct fire, and to provide encouragement to his men.

When a strong enemy force assaulted the position and attempted to overrun the platoon, Capt. Fritz manned a machine gun and through his exemplary action inspired his men to deliver intense and deadly fire, which broke the assault and routed the attackers. Moments later a second enemy force advanced to within 2 meters of the position and threatened to overwhelm the defenders.

Fritz, armed only with a pistol and bayonet, led a small group of his men in a fierce and daring charge, which routed the attackers and inflicted heavy casualties. When a relief force arrived, Capt. Fritz saw that it was not deploying effectively against the enemy positions, and he moved through the heavy enemy fire to direct its deployment against the hostile positions. This deployment forced the enemy to abandon the ambush site and withdraw.

Despite his wounds, Capt. Fritz returned to his position, assisted his men, and refused medical attention until all of his wounded comrades had been treated and evacuated.

The extraordinary courage and selflessness displayed by Capt. Fritz, at the repeated risk of his own life above and beyond the call of duty, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U. Army and reflect the greatest credit upon himself, his unit, and the Armed Forces. The Regiment once again unfurled its colors in Germany. This time it was at the famous Fulda Gap. The Regiment assumed a new, two-fold mission; defending the Fulda Gap against a possible Warsaw Pact attack while also conducting day-to-day surveillance of kilometers of the Iron Curtain dividing East and West Germany.

The importance of the Fulda Gap is that it offers to any attacker from the east the shortest and most direct route across the middle of West Germany. Fourth Squadron grew to become one of the largest aviation units in the Army with 74 helicopters.

Modernization brought with it organizational change on a comparable scale. The Regiment grew in size, became more diverse in its capabilities and increased its self-sufficiency. The Regiment now numbered over 4, soldiers, a four-fold increase over the original troop count. Maintenance Troop was the largest in the Regiment with troopers.

Border operations were serious business. Each cavalry troop of the Regiment could expect border duty four times a year — each tour lasting days. Part of the mission was to demonstrate to potential adversaries that the Blackhorse, representing all NATO forces, was well-disciplined and ready to fight.

Usually two armored vehicles with 10 men would respond virtually without notice to any contingency along the border.

The crews had 10 minutes to be moving out of the camp gate — fully equipped, weapons mounted, ammunition on board. Patrolling was a 24 hours a day — 7 days a week function. Troops were dispatched to OP Tennessee. The stage was clearly set for a dramatic transformation of the European status quo that had existed since the Cold War began. One historic day changed the mission of the Regiment in Fulda irrevocably.

The Regiment was not deployed into the Gulf as a unit. The scout platoons of Troop E and Troop K deployed as units. While fighting as part of the 3rd ACR, led by 1st Lt.

This one platoon captured thirteen enemy prisoners and destroyed thirteen trucks, two command bunkers, and the communications bunker. None of the scouts of Troop E, nor any other Blackhorse trooper, suffered any casualties. The end of the actual hostilities in the Gulf did not result in a return to normalcy.

The Iraqi military bloody suppression of the Kurdish uprising sent hundreds of thousands of Kurds fleeing into the mountainous wastes of southeastern Turkey and western Iran. The world watched in horrified wonderment when the United States took the lead in responding to this intolerable situation. American and Allied military units were directed to deliver relief supplies to the refugees. The morning of 10 April , V Corps directed the Blackhorse to deploy an aviation task force to supervise the relief operations in Turkey.

Within 70 hours of receiving first warning orders, Task Force Thunderhorse, under the command of Major John Mainwaring, launched from Fulda and landed in Diyarbakir, on an austere and remote airfield in southeastern Turkey. Fourth Squadron was the foundation from which massive allied helicopter fleets emerged: flying hundreds of sorties, delivering supplies, flying Special Forces teams and relief workers in and out of refugee camps, evacuating the sick and wounded, and inserting the Allied forces to protect the Kurds from Iraqi interference.

The QRF deployed off the compound without notice at least twice daily, a muscle-flexing exercise. On the morning of 11 July a defective vehicle heater triggered a motor pool fire in the north compound of Blackhorse Base Camp. The resulting shower of shrapnel and unexploded ordnance forced the evacuation of the entire compound and caused extensive damage.

Miraculously, there were no fatalities. As the Regiment returned from the Gulf in September it had to confront this period of change with an odd mixture of uncertainty and unpredictability. In a world wracked by religious and ethnic passion, economic rivalry, and the frustrated aspirations of hundreds of millions of people, the prospects for lasting peace and harmony seemed remote.

It is always a time of great sorrow when a Regiment with such distinction is ordered to furl its colors. As the military was down sizing, the Regiment was inactivated, but not for long.

The Regiment now serves as the opposing force OPFOR in exercises designed to train Army battalion and brigade task forces in tactical and operational level skills under near-combat conditions. Most knowledgeable leaders and soldiers alike, consider the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment the best-trained mechanized force in the world.

Army and that they went into the Gulf region again to stop a dictator. It was based on the training and experiences acquired at Fort Irwin, California. Over the course of the year they were attached to four different Brigade Combat Teams conducting full spectrum operations in the Baghdad area of operations. The Regimental Support Squadron was faced with the dual mission of providing the Regimental Rear Command Post and continuing to support the rotational training mission.

On two separate continents the Regiment demonstrated cavalry panache and flexibility, performing its wartime mission within a tradition of unmatched excellence that no other separate brigade has been called on to perform.

The Regiment returns to Fort Irwin to reorganize as a deployable heavy brigade combat team while continuing to serve in rotational support for the military at large. Horn Horn — Mulcahey, Wounded Squires — Starry, Wounded 6 Dec. Horn 42nd Colonel John L. Gerrity 22 Jun. Cotton — Embroidered patch on a high profile hat with a traditional snap back closure.

Size: Adjustable. Cloth background with embroidered insignia and easy sew or iron on application. Quick view Choose Options. Let your biceps breathe and show your military pride at the same time! Details Choose Options. Available exclusively at These durable metal license plates can also be used as collectors items for Located in:. Westminster, California, United States. This amount is subject to change until you make payment. For additional information, see the Global Shipping Program terms and conditions - opens in a new window or tab This amount includes applicable customs duties, taxes, brokerage and other fees.

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