The 1st Cavalry Division went home in 1965, but only long enough to be reorganized and be prepared for a new mission. On 3 July 1965, in Doughboy Stadium at Fort Benning, Georgia the colors of the 11th Air Assault Division (Test) were cased and retired. As the band played the
rousing strains of GarryOwen, the colors of the 1st Cavalry Division were moved onto
the field. Within 90 days of becoming the Army's first air mobile division, the First
Team was back in combat as the first fully committed division of the Vietnam War. An
advance party, on board C-124s and C-130s, arrived at Nha Trang between the 19th and
27th of August 1965. They joined with advance liaison forces and established a temporary
base camp near An Khe, 36 miles inland from the costal city of Qui Nhon. The remainder
of the 1st Cavalry Division arrived by ship, landing at the harbor of Qui Nhon on the 12th
and 13th of September, the 44th anniversary of the 1st Cavalry Division.
In the Oriental calendar year of the "Horse", mounted soldiers had returned to war
wearing the famous and feared patch of the First Cavalry Division. The First Team had
entered its third war - and the longest tour of duty in combat history.
On 10 October 1965, in "Operation Shiny Bayonet",the First Team initiated
their first brigade-size airmobile action against the enemy. The air assault task
force consisted of the 1st and 2nd Battalions 7th Cavalry, 1st Squadron 9th Cavalry, 1st
Battalion 12th Cavalry and the 1st Battalion 21st Artillery. Rather than standing and
fighting, the Viet Cong chose to disperse and slip away. Only light contact was
achieved. The troopers had but a short wait before they faced a tougher test of their fighting skills;
the 35-day Pleiku Campaign.
On 23 October 1965, the first real combat test came at the historic order of General
Westmoreland to send the First Team into an air assault mission to pursue and fight the
enemy across 2,500 square miles of jungle. Troopers of the 1st Brigade and 1st Squadron,
9th Cavalry swooped down on the NVA 33rd regiment before it could get away from Plei
Me. The enemy regiment was scattered in the confusion and was quickly smashed. The
3rd Brigade joined the fighting on 09 November. Five days later, the 1st Battalion, 7th
Cavalry air assaulted into the Ia Drang Valley near the Chu Pong Massif. Landing Zone
X-Ray was "hot" from the start. At Landing Zone X-Ray, the Division's first medal of
honor in the Vietnam War was awarded to 2nd Lt. Walter J. Marm of the 1st Battalion 7th
Cavalry. The fighting, the most intensive combat in the history of the division, raged for
three days. When the Pleiku Campaign ended on 25 November, troopers of the First Team
had killed 3,561 North Vietnamese soldiers and captured 157 more. The troopers
destroyed two of three regiments of a North Vietnamese Division, earning the first
Presidential Unit Citation given to a division in Vietnam. The enemy had been given their
first major defeat and their carefully laid plans for conquest had been torn apart.
25 January 1966 began "Masher/White Wing" which were code names for the
missions of the 3rd Brigade in Binh Dinh Province. The mission ended 06 March 1966,
with the enemy losing its grip on the Binh Dinh Province; however, its name would be
heard again and again during the next six years.
On 16 May, Operation Crazy Horse, another search and destroy mission began in the
jungle hills between Suoi Ca and Vinh Thanah valleys. Initial contact was made by
Company "B", 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry. Soon the entire 1st Brigade was involved in
bitter engagements in tall elephant grass and heavily canopied jungle. Once the enemy
was surrounded, all available firepower was concentrated on the area. The Viet Cong
regiment was hit with artillery, aerial rockets, tactical air strikes by F-4s and bombs from
high flying B-52s. Many of the enemy soldiers, trying to flee the devastation, were cut
down in Cavalry ambushes. Many important military documents, detailing the Viet Cong
infrastructure in Binh Dinh, were discovered.
In August 1966, the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry was sent to the southernmost end of II
Corps to bring the long months of "Operation Byrd" to a productive finish. In 16 months
the 2nd Brigade fanned out from Phan Thiet, the capital city of Binh Thaun Province, and
cleared the enemy from the area.
On October 25, Operation Thayer II continued the drive to pacify the Binh Dinh
Province. On 01 November troopers of the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 5th Battalion, 7th
Cavalry became engaged in a sharp fight with the 93rd Battalion and the 2nd Viet Cong
Regiment. The action took place in the vicinity of National Route 1 and Dam Tra-O Lake
south of the Gay Giep mountains. In Thayer II the enemy suffered a punishing loss of
1,757 killed.
On 13 February 1967, Operation Pershing began in a territory which was
familiar to many skytroopers, the Bong Son Plain in northern Binh Dinh Province. For
the first time, the First Cavalry Division committed all three of its divisions to the
same battle area. ARVN soldiers familiar with the methods of the Viet Cong
operations in the Bong Son Plain helped the skytroopers locate and eliminate the
numerous caves and tunnels infiltrated by the enemy. For nearly a year the division
scoured the Bong Son Plain, An Lo valley and the hills of costal II Corps, seeking out enemy
units and their sanctuaries. Pershing became a tedious, unglamorous mission that produced
18 major engagements and numerous minor skirmishes in the 11 month campaign.
The division began 1968 by terminating Operation Pershing, the longest of the 1st
Cavalry's Vietnam actions. When the operation ended on 21 January, the enemy had lost
5,401 soldiers and 2,400 enemy soldiers had been captured. In addition, some 1,300
individual and 137 crew weapons had been captured or destroyed.
Moving to I Corps, Vietnam's northern most tactical zone, the division set up Camp
Evans for their base camp. On January 31 1968, amid the celebration of the
Vietnamese New Year, the enemy launched the Tet Offensive, a major effort to overrun
South Vietnam. Some 7,000 enemy, well equipped, crack NVA regulars blasted their
way into the imperial city of Hue, overpowering all but a few pockets of
resistance held by ARVN troops and the U.S. Marines. Within 24 hours, the invaders were
joined by 7,000 NVA reinforcements.
Almost simultaneously to the North of Hue, five battalions of North Vietnamese and Viet
Cong attacked Quang Tri City, the capital of Vietnam's northern province. The Cavalry
went on the move with four companies of skytroopers from the 1st Battalions of the 5th
and 12th Cavalry who arrived at the village of Thorn An Thai, just east of Quang Tri.
Under heavy aerial rocket attack, the enemy quickly broke off the Quang Tri attack,
dispersed into small groups and attempted to escape. Quang Tri was liberated within 10
days.
Following fierce fighting at Thorn La Chu, the 3rd Brigade moved toward embattled
city of Hue. The southwest wall of the city was soon taken after the 1st Battalion, 7th
Cavalry overcame severe resistance and linked up with the 5th Battalion. At this point, the
NVA and Viet Cong invaders were driven from Hue by late February. The Tet offensive
was over. The NVA and Viet Cong had suffered a massive defeat, with 32,000 killed and
5,800 captured.
After shattering the enemy's dreams of a Tet victory, the 1st Cavalry Division
"Sky-Troopers" initiated Operation Pegasus to relieve the 3,500 U.S. Marines
and 2,100 ARVN soldiers besieged by nearly 20,000 enemy soldiers. On 01 April
1968, the 3rd Brigade, making a massive air assault within 5 miles of Khe Sanh, were
soon followed by the 1st and 2nd Brigades and three ARVN Battalions. Company "A",
2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry led the way, followed by Company "C", 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry.
After four days of tough fighting, they marched into Khe Sanh to take over the defense of
the battered base. Pursuing the retreating North Vietnamese, the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry recaptured the Special Forces camp at Lang Vei uncovering large stockpiles of supplies and ammunition. The final statistics of Operation Pegasus were 1,259 enemy killed and more than 750 weapons captured.
On April 19 1968, Operation Delaware was launched into the cloud-shrouded A Shau
Valley, near the Laotian border and 45 kilometers west of Hue. None of the Free World
Forces had been in the valley since 1966, which was now being used as a way station on
the supply route known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The first engagement was made by the
1st and 3rd Brigades. Under fire from mobile, 37 mm cannon and 0.50 caliber machine
guns, they secured several landing zones. For the next month the brigades scoured the
valley floor, clashing with enemy units and uncovering huge enemy caches of food, arms,
ammunition, rockets, and Russian made tanks and bulldozers. By the time that Operation
Delaware was ended on 17 May, the favorite Viet Cong sanctuary had been thoroughly
disrupted.
In late 1968, the Division moved and set up operations in III Corps at the west
end of South Vietnam. The First Team established Division Headquarters at Phouc
Vinh, assuming control and mission responsibility in four provinces; Phouc
Long, Binh Long, Tay Ninh and Binh Duong. The beginning of 1969 found the
First Cavalry Division and the ARVN forces engaged in Operation Toan Thhang
II. The first three weeks of operation netted the skytroopers one of the largest caches
of munitions found in the Vietnam War.
In February 1969, Operation Cheyenne Sabre with the mission to straddle and cut
enemy infiltration routes began in areas northeast of Bien Hoa. The rest of the summer
was relative calm - until the night of 12 August. The VC threw simultaneous attacks
against Quan Lai, LZBecky, LZJon, LZKelly and LZCaldwell. The VC were thrown back,
experiencing heavy losses as they fled in retreat. In the final months of 1969, the First
Team stymied enemy infiltration along the roads, trails and narrow paths of the "Serges
Jungle Highway" which was hidden beneath the canopy of heavy jungle growth. The year
1969 ended in a high note for the 1st Cavalry Division. The enemy's domination of the
northern areas of III Corps had been smashed - thoroughly.
On 01 May 1970, the First Team was "First into Cambodia" hitting what was
previously a Communist sanctuary. President Nixon has given the go-ahead for the
surprise mission. Pushing into the "Fish Hook" region of the border and occupying the
towns of Mimot and Snoul, troopers scattered the enemy forces, depriving them of much
needed supplies and ammunition. On 08 May, the troopers of the 2nd Brigade found an
enemy munitions base that they dubbed "Rock Island East". Ending on 30 June, the
mission to Cambodia far exceeded all expectations and proved to be one of the most
successful operations of the First Team. All aspects of ground and air combat had been
utilized. The enemy had lost enough men to field three NVA divisions and enough weapons
to equip two divisions. A years supply of rice and corn had been seized. The troopers and
the ARVN soldiers had found uncommonly large quantities of ammunition, including 1.5
millions rounds for small arms, 200,000 antiaircraft rounds and 143,000 rockets, mortar
rounds and recoilless rifle rounds. The sweeps turned up 300 trucks, a Porsche sports car
and a plush Mercedes-Benz sedan.
The campaign had severe political repercussions in the United States for the Nixon
Administration. Pressure was mounting to remove America's fighting men from the
Vietnam War. Although there would be further assault operations, the war was beginning
to wind down for many troopers.
In July 1970, the 1st Cavalry Division continued the task of clearing the remaining
NVA combat elements from the area of III Corps north, east and west of Saigon. Much
of this action was supported from firebases which were able to provide field combat
units a self directed protective coverage of firepower to their identified targets over a
wide area of remote operations. In addition, most firebases were located close enough so
that they could direct protective fire support on each other's perimeter if necessary.
Typical artillery support was performed by the "B" Battery, 1st Battalion, 30th Artillery out of
Firebase "Moe", a one battalion sized firebase, located in Song Be Province northwest of Saigon approximately two kilometers from the Cambodian border. In addition to other elements, the firebase was equipped with the medium artillery platoon consisting of three 155 Howitzers and staffed by a platoon leader, an XO, a fire control officer, and 50 troopers. The 155 Howitzer, although not
state-of-the-art, was a useful heavy weapon in the Vietnam jungle because it could be
easily airlifted by a Chinook helicopter and dropped into a new clearing to easily setup a
new firebase.
The efforts of the 1st Cavalry Division were not limited to direct enemy engagements
but also, using the experiences gained during the occupation of Japan and Korea,
encompassed the essential rebuilding of the war torn country of South Vietnam. As a
result of its' gallant performance, the regiment was awarded two presidential Unit
Citations and the Valorous Unit Citation.
Although 26 March 1971 officially marked the end of duties in Vietnam for the 1st
Cavalry Division, President Nixon's program of "Vietnamization" required the continued
presence of a strong U.S. fighting force. The 2nd Battalion of the 5th Regiment, 1st
Battalion of the 7th Regiment, 2nd Battalion of the 8th Regiment and 1st Battalion of the
12th Regiment along with specialized support units as "F" Troop, 9th Cavalry and Delta
Company, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion helped establish the 3rd Brigade
headquarters at Bien Hoa. Its primary mission was to interdict enemy infiltration and
supply routes in War Zone D.
The 3rd Brigade was well equipped with helicopters from the 229th Assault Helicopter
Battalion and later, a battery of "Blue Max", aerial field units and two air cavalry troops.
A QRF (Quick Reaction Force) - known as "Blue Platoons", was maintained in support of
any air assault action. The "Blues" traveled light, fought hard and had three primary
missions; 1) to form a "field force" around any helicopter downed by enemy fire or
mechanical failure; 2) to give quick backup to Ranger Patrols who made enemy contact;
and 3) to search for enemy trails, caches and bunker complexes.
"Blue Max", "F" Battery, 79th Aerial Rocket Artillery, was another familiar aerial
artillery unit. Greatly appreciated by troopers of the 1st Cavalry, its heavily armed Cobras
flew a variety of fire missions in support of the operations of the 3rd Brigade. The pilots of
"Blue Max" were among the most experienced combat fliers in the Vietnam War. Many
had volunteered for the extra duty to cover the extended stay of the 1st Cavalry Division.
On 30 March 1972, General Giap of the North Vietnamese Army began an offensive
across the DMZ in a final attempt to unify the North and South. By 03 April, these thrusts
became a full scale attack. More than 48,000 NVA and VC troops hit Loc Ninh. Two days
later, on 05 April, the North Vietnamese threw heavy assults against An Loc and
announced that by 20 April, An Loc would be the new capital of the South for the North
Vietnamese.
In April and May, stepped up bombings by B-52's helped blunt the North Vietnamese
invasion. Large groups of enemy soldiers were caught in the open fields and entire NVA
units were destroyed. Helicopters and gunships from the 3rd Brigade saw heavy action at
An Loc and Loc Ninh, engaging heavy armor as well as ground troops. The intensity of the
fighting took a heavy toll on them. For example, on 12 May, five Cobra Ships were
destroyed in less than 30 minutes by Chinese Surface-to-Air (SA-7) Missiles.
On 15 May, relief units, moving down Highway 13, broke through and helped lift the
bitter siege of An Loc. The North Vietnamese were reeling from huge losses and began to
withdraw to their sanctuaries in Cambodia and Laos. Their spring offensive aimed at
cutting South Vietnam in half and capturing Saigon had been decisively smashed. The helo
air effort of the 3rd Brigade had turned in a magnificent performance in support of the
remaining advisors with the ARVN units. During the period of 05 April through 15 May
1972, more than 100 T54 tanks, armored personnel carriers and anti-aircraft guns were
knocked out in the area around An Loc.
By 31 March 1972, only 96,000 U.S. troops were involved in the Vietnam combat
operations. In less than two months later, the last of the 1st Cavalry Division, the 3rd
Brigade, began its "Stand Down" in a phased withdrawal and was bought back to the
United States, completing the division recall on 26 June 1972, which had started over a
year earlier on 05 May 1971. The 1st Cavalry Division had been the first army division to
go to Vietnam and the last to leave.
"Firsts" had become the trademark of the First Team.
On 27 January 1973, a cease-fire was signed in Paris by the United States, South
Vietnam, North Vietnam, and the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the National
Liberation Front (NLF), the civilian arm of the South Vietnam Communists. A Four-Party
Joint Military Commission was set up to implement such provisions as the withdrawal of
foreign troops and the release of prisoners. An International Commission of Control and
Supervision was established to oversee the cease-fire.
Vietnam Campaigns
Defense
CounterOffensive
CounterOffensive, Phase II
CounterOffensive, Phase III
Tet CounterOffensive
CounterOffensive, Phase IV
CounterOffensive, Phase V
CounterOffensive, Phase VI
Tet/69 CounterOffensive
Summer-Fall 1969
Winter-Spring 1970
Sanctuary CounterOffensive
CounterOffensive VII
Consolidation I
Consolidation II
Cease-Fire
Honors
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
1st Cavalry Division
"The First Team"
Presidential Unit Citation (Army),
Streamer embroidered PLEIKU PROVINCE
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 40, 1967)
Valorous Unit Award,
Streamer embroidered FISH HOOK
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 43, 1972)
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965-1969
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 59, 1969)
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 42, 1972)
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1970-1971
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 42, 1972)
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969 - 1970
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 42, 1972)
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division
"Ironhorse"
Presidential Unit Citation (Army),
Streamer embroidered PLEIKU PROVINCE
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 40, 1967)
Valorous Unit Award,
Streamer embroidered FISH HOOK
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 43, 1970)
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965 - 1969
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 59, 1969)
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965 - 1969
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 59, 1969)
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969 - 1970
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 42, 1972)
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969 - 1970
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 42, 1972)
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division
"Blackjack"
Presidential Unit Citation (Army),
Streamer embroidered PLEIKU PROVINCE
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 40, 1967)
Valorous Unit Award,
Streamer embroidered FISH HOOK
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 43, 1972)
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965-1969
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 59, 1969)
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 42, 1972)
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1970-1971
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 42, 1972)
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Medal, First Class,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 42, 1972)
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division
"Greywolf"
Presidential Unit Citation (Army),
Streamer embroidered PLEIKU PROVINCE
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 40, 1967)
Valorous Unit Award,
Streamer embroidered QUANG TIN PROVINCE
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 39, 1970)
Valorous Unit Award,
Streamer embroidered FISH HOOK
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 43, 1972)
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965 - 1969
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 59, 1969)
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969 - 1970
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 42, 1972)
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1970 - 1971
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 42, 1972)
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1971 - 1972
(3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 54, 1974)
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969 - 1970
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
cited; DA GO 42, 1972)
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division
"Warriors"
