SILK GUIDON OF Troop B, 2nd Battalion, 7th CAVALRY REGIMENT: (Air Mobile) 1965

Description

POST WWII Silk Guidon * Troop “B”, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regt, 2nd Infantry Division * Camp Garry Owen, South Korea Circa 1965 * Ceremonial Silk Guidon
Identified to Cavalry Scout, Armored Cavalry circa 1965
I found Second Lieutenant David L. Maupin from a newspaper clipping. It’s dated 1963 from the University of Illinois ROTC. He signed his name to the far of the guidon next to the sleeve just below the red field.
I found Sgt Willie L Smith. He passed away Oct 2013. He served in the Korean & Vietnam War. Sgt Willie L Smith signed his name to the right of 2LT Maupin below the red field just to the left of the “B”.
These names will need to be researched on an individual basis.
This Guidon was gifted to “A Good Scout” circa 1965-66. This unit fought at the famous Vietnam War battle of “Battle of Ia Drang” on 14-18 November 1965.
I have Lt Col Robert McDade’s Dress white uniform and will be listing it soon.
For your consideration is this “B” Troop, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regt Silk Guidon. This guidon was made in Korea during the Vietnam War.
This guidon is signed by the members of B Troop and is truly historic.
This guidon refers to Scout & Armor. The 7th Cavalry didn’t receive tanks and armored vehicles until after the Korean War in 1963 with the 3rd & 4th squadrons being converted to aviation-tank cavalry squadrons.
make of guidon
This guidon is made of sewn Silk Fabric with felt appliqué “B”, & “7”. The fringing is made of white silk. This is a one sided guidon. This piece measures 19" x 27" by adding the length of the fringing, this piece measures approximately 22" x 28.5".
7th Cavalry
The 7th Cavalry Regiment is a United States Army Cavalry Regiment formed in 1866. Its official nickname is "Garryowen," after the Irish air Garryowen that was adopted as its march tune.
Following its activation the Seventh Cavalry Regiment patrolled the Western plains for raiding native Americans and to protect the westward movement of pioneers. From 1866 to 1881, the regiment marched a total of 181,692 miles (292,342 km) across Kansas, Montana, and the Dakota Territories.
4-7th CAVALRY, 2D INF DIV
In 1965, the 4-7th Cavalry joined the Korea-based 2nd Infantry Division. This new mission made 4-7th Cavalry the eyes and ears for the 2nd Infantry Division along the Western Corridor of the Korean Peninsula. Its organization has changed repeatedly between numbers of air troops and ground troops, but the mission remained the same.
In 1988, the 4th Squadron, 7th Cavalry was inactivated and the unit reflagged as the 5th Squadron, 17th Cavalry at Camp Garry Owen, Korea. On 16 February 1989, the 4-7th Cavalry was reactivated in Buedingen as part of the 3rd Armored Division. The Squadron deployed to Southwest Asia in December 1990 and led the Spearhead Division into Iraq and throughout the 100 hour Operation Desert Storm ground war.
4-7th Cavalry was again inactivated on 16 October 1991 in Germany and relieved from assignment to the 3rd Armored Division. Headquarters and Headquarters Troop consolidated on 5 April 1996 with the 2nd Reconnaissance Company and the consolidated unit was designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 4th Squadron, 7th Cavalry. 5-17th Cavalry was concurrently reflagged as 4-7th Cavalry and the unit was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division and activated in Korea.
Cold War
The regiment was relieved from its assignment to the 1st Cavalry Division on 15 October 1957, and then reorganized under the Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS) on 1 November 1957. HQ & HQ Company transferred to the control of the Department of the Army. 1 November, As part of this reorganization, Company "A" redesignated, 1st Battle Group, 7th Cavalry and assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division. Company "B" was redesignated 2nd Reconnaissance Squadron, 7th Cavalry and Company "C" was redesignated, 3d Reconnaissance Squadron, 7th Cavalry and assigned to the 10th Infantry Division.
After the Korean War, 7th Cavalry was used mainly in a reconnaissance role. It received various new weapons and equipment (including the Patton tank). Also, a few OH-13s were used by the reconnaissance squadrons.
The other 2 units, the 3rd and 4th reconnaissance Squadrons, were based in Germany, and Korea.
The 1st, 2nd, and 5th Battalions were deactivated after the Vietnam War, and only the 3rd and 4th Squadrons remained as divisional reconnaissance squadrons assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division and 2nd Infantry Division respectively. Both the 3rd and 4th squadrons were aviation-tank cavalry squadrons. In 1963 the 3rd Squadron became the divisional cavalry squadron for the 3rd Infantry Division and was stationed at Ledward & Conn Barracks Schweinfurt West Germany. The Squadron consisted of three ground troops, one aviation troop and a headquarters troop.