Currently based at Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood) in Texas, the 1st Cavalry Division was created in August, 1921 and was able to go active within a month because it was assembled from existing units. Deployed to Australia in 1943, it first saw action in World War II during unit landings at Los Negros in February, 1944. Subsequent actions in World War II included the invasion of Leyte (October 1944) and Luzon (January 1945), where General Douglas MacArthur designated it as a “flying column” whose goal was the capture of Manila and the liberation of civilian prisoners held by the Japanese at the University of Santo Tomas.
From that auspicious beginning, the 1st Cavalry Division has fought with bravery and distinction in every conflict of any significance. In Korea, the 8th Cavalry regiment of the 1st Cavalry came under the onslaught of the first major Chinese operations of the war at the Battle of Unsan. The division's deployment to Vietnam saw its designation change to an air assault division and the subsequent name change to 1st Cavalry Division Airmobile; during the war, the 1st Cavalry suffered more casualties than any other Army division.
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1st Cavalry Division Patch (SSI)
1st Cavalry Division Unit Crest (DUI)Known as the “First Team” (which also serves as a motto), the 1st Cavalry Division played a significant role in major battles of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, in addition to aiding in peacekeeping efforts in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The design of the 1st Cavalry's Combat Service ID Badge harkens to its origins. Yellow is the traditional Cavalry color; the horse's head is a tribute to the troopers' first mounts; the black coloration is symbolic of iron and represents the transition to tanks and armor. Two five-pointed stars have been added to the diagonal stripe for the 1st Cavalry's Unit Crest.