40th Cavalry Regiment (United States)

40th Armor Regiment
40th Cavalry Regiment
Coat of arms
Active 1941 – present
Country  United States
Branch  United States Army
Type Armor and cavalry
Motto(s) By Force and Valor
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia
Unit beret flash for 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment
U.S. Cavalry Regiments
Previous Next
38th Cavalry Regiment 61st Cavalry Regiment

The 40th Armor Regiment was an armored regiment of the United States Army until its deactivation in 1997. It was redesignated and reactivated in 2005 as the 40th Cavalry Regiment serving in the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division.[1]

World War II

Constituted as the 4th Armored Regiment on 13 January 1941, the unit was retitled the 40th Armored Regiment on 8 May 1941. The regiment was inactivated from 1 January through 2 March 1942, at which point it was again activated until 20 September 1943 when the regiment was broken up and its elements used to form smaller independent units including the 40th and 709th Tank Battalions.

Postwar

On 15 October 1957, the 40th and 709th Tank Battalions, as well as Troop E, 87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, were combined to form the 40th Armor Regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System. Thereafter, elements of the regiment served dispersed among various army commands worldwide.

  • Company A, 40th Armor Regiment was activated as 1st Medium Tank Battalion, 40th Armor Regiment on 15 October 1957 and redesignated Company A, 40th Armor Regiment on 16 December of the same year. Assigned to the 171st Infantry Brigade (U.S. Army Alaska) on 20 May 1963[2] and was inactivated on 21 September 1969.[3]
  • 1st Battalion, 40th Armor Regiment was activated in 1975 and was subordinated to the 5th Infantry Division until the battalion was inactivated in 1987. The battalion was again activated in January 1996 in California and again inactivated in September 1997.[3]
  • Company B, 40th Armor Regiment was activated at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, on 24 October 1963. The unit inactivated in 1976.[3]
  • 2nd Medium Tank Battalion, 40th Armor was activated on 1 July 1957 and subordinated to the 7th Infantry Division in Korea. The unit inactivated on 1 July 1963. On 9 October 1963, the unit was redesignated Company B, 40th Armor.[4]
  • 3rd Medium Tank Battalion, 40th Armor Regiment was activated on 15 October 1957 and subordinated to the 1st Cavalry Division in Korea. The unit inactivated on 1 September 1963.[5]
  • Company D, 40th Armor Regiment was formed on 15 October 1957 (as 4th Medium Tank Battalion) and redesignated Company D, 40th Armor Regiment on 16 December of the same year. The unit was subordinated to the 172nd Infantry Brigade (U.S. Army Alaska).[6] Later expanded to 4th Battalion, 40th Armor Regiment from March 1976 until April 1984, and subordinated to 4th Infantry Division.[3]
  • 5th Medium Tank Battalion, 40th Armor Regiment was reconstituted on 15 October 1957, subordinated to the U.S. Sixth Army in California, and inactivated on 19 February 1962. Redesignated 5th Battalion, 40th Armor Regiment on 27 March 1963 and subordinated to the 63rd Infantry Division of the Army Reserve. The unit inactivated on 31 December 1965.[7]
  • Company F, 40th Armor Regiment was originally reconstituted on 15 October 1957 as 6th Medium Tank Battalion, 40th Armor Regiment. The unit was redesignated Company F, 40th Armor on 2 May 1958 and assigned to the U.S. Army's Berlin Brigade from 1 September 1963 forward.[8] Later expanded to 6th Battalion, 40th Armor Regiment from September 1990 until May 1992.[9]
  • 7th Medium Tank Battalion, 40th Armor Regiment was activated on 1 May 1959. Redesignated 7th Battalion, 40th Armor Regiment on 1 April 1963. Subordinated to the 63rd Infantry Division of the Army Reserve and inactivated on 31 December 1965.[10]
  • 8th Medium Tank Battalion, 40th Armor Regiment was formed on 15 October 1957 and assigned on 20 May 1959 to the 96th Infantry Division of the Army Reserve.[11] On 15 February 1963, the unit was redesignated 8th Tank Battalion, 40th Armor Regiment, and subordinated to the 191st Infantry Brigade in Arizona. Final designation was as 8th Battalion, 40th Armor Regiment on 12 September 1963. On 12 January 1994, the Tucson Citizen reported that the unit's function would be transferred to the Nevada Army National Guard. The unit had been headquartered in at the Tucson Reserve Center. '..The 8th Battalion 40th Armor’s mission will be transferred to Nevada. The battalion, with headquarters in Tucson, is slated to be shut down and its mission transferred to Nevada, according to congressional sources. Congressman Jon Kyl, R-Phoenix, said yesterday that officials associated with the 63rd U.S. Army Reserve Command briefed members of the 8/40 over the weekend and, for the first time, informed members of the unit that it will be deactivated. Kyl said mission functions, but not personnel, from the armored unit are set to be transferred to the Nevada National Guard. Kyl said Pentagon officials indicated the deactivation will take effect in 1997. Closure of the 8/40 could result in the loss of 642 Army Reserve positions in Arizona. The unit has companies in Phoenix and Fort Huachuca that also would be closed under the plan.[12] The unit inactivated in September 1996.[9]

The 1st Squadron (Airborne), 40th Cavalry Regiment was first activated on 15 April 1941. On 8 May 1941 the 4th Armored Regiment was redesignated the 40th Armored Regiment and then inactivated on 1 January 1942. The 40th Armored Regiment was reactivated on 2 March 1942 at Camp Polk, Louisiana and assigned to the 7th Armored Division.

The regiment moved to Fort Benning on 20 September 1943, and was divided into two Tank Battalions, the 40th and the 709th Tank Battalions equipped with M4 medium and M5 light tanks.

The 40th Tank Battalion entered combat on August 15, 1944 fighting across northern France into Belgium where it made a significant contribution to the defeat of German forces at St. Vith during the Battle of the Bulge. The 40th then drove into Germany linking up with the Russians on the Baltic coast. The 40th Tank Battalion received participation credit for four European campaigns from Northern France to Central Europe and was awarded the Belgian Fourragere.

The 709th Tank Battalion serving as a separate tank battalion entered combat in France on 11 July 1944. The battalion participated in five European campaigns from Normandy to Central Europe. The 709th was inactivated on 10 April 1946 at Camp Kilmer.

On 28 June 1948 the 40th was reactivated at Fort Ord, California as a heavy tank battalion and assigned to the 4th Infantry Division. It was inactivated on 1 April 1957 at Fort Lewis, Washington. The 709th was reactivated as the 86th Tank Battalion on 30 July 1948 joining the 3rd Armored Division at Fort Knox. In 1953, it was redesignated as the 709th and then inactivated in Germany on 1 October 1957. On 15 October 1957 the 40th and 709th Tank Battalions were consolidated, reorganized and redesignated as the 40th Armor, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System. On 16 December 1963 Alpha Company, 40th Armor equipped with the M41 light tank, served with the 171st Infantry Brigade at Ladd Air Force Base, Alaska from 16 December 1963 to 13 November 1972. Redesignated as the 1st Battalion, 40th Armor it served at Fort Polk from 5 January 1978 to 16 December 1987. From January 1996 to September 1997 it served as an experimental test battalion at Fort Hunter Leggett, California. In 2005, the 40th Armor was redesignated as the 40th Cavalry. The former Alpha Company, 40th Armor was reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron (Airborne), 40th Cavalry Regiment (organic elements constituted). The 1st Squadron was assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division and activated on 16 October 2005 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

In October 2006 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment (Airborne) conducted its first deployment as part of the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 1-40 Cavalry Regiment conducted 14 months of counterinsurgency operation throughout Southern Baghdad including leading a decisive effort during the 2007 Iraqi Surge Campaign. For extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment was awarded the Valorous Unit Award. In December 2007 the unit redeployed back to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK.

In February 2009, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment (Airborne) deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom conducting counterinsurgency operations across Paktya Province in partnership with Afghan Security Forces. In November 2009 the 1-40 Cavalry Squadron deployed to Western Khost partnering with 1st Brigade, 203rd Corps of the Afghan Army bringing increased stability to the Western districts and setting a path for a successful future. For exceptionally Meritorious Service, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation. In February 2010 1-40 Cavalry Regiment redeployed back to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK.

In December 2011, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment (Airborne) deployed back Paktya and Khost Provinces in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. After a successful mission, partnering with the Afghan National Army, the Squadron increased stability in the region for a successful future. For exceptionally Meritorious Service, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation. In October 2012 1-40th CAV redeployed back to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK.

References

  1. ↑ US Army Alaska website Archived 29 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ Stubbs and Connor, p. 332
  3. 1 2 3 4 Aumiller, p. 126
  4. ↑ Stubbs and Connor, p. 333
  5. ↑ Stubbs and Connor, p. 335
  6. ↑ Stubbs and Connor, p. 336
  7. ↑ Stubbs and Connor, p. 337
  8. ↑ Stubbs and Connor, p. 339
  9. 1 2 Aumiller, p. 127
  10. ↑ Stubbs and Connor, p. 341
  11. ↑ Stubbs and Connor, p. 342
  12. ↑ Tank unit to leave Tucson, Rep Kyl says,' Tucson Citizen, 12 January 1994.

Bibliography

  • Timothy Aumiller, United States Army Infantry, Armor/Cavalry, Artillery Battalions 1957–2011, Takoma Park: Tiger Lily Publications, 2008. ISBN 978-0-9776072-3-5.
  • Mary L. Stubbs and Stanley R. Connor, Army Lineage Series Armor-Cavalry Part I: Regular Army and Army Reserve, Washington D.C.: GPO, 1969.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.