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2nd Squadron,
17th Cavalry Regiment

The 17th Cavalry Regiment was organized at Fort Bliss, Texas, on 1 July 1916. During World War I, the Regiment served on the Mexican Border. In 1918, it was combined with two other cavalry regiments, the 1st and the 15th, to form the 3rd Cavalry Brigade. The unit planned to join the A.E.F. in France; however, the Armistice was signed before the Brigade could be deployed. The original regiment was inactivated at the Presidio of Monterey, California, in September 1921.

In 1943, the Regiment became part of Headquarters, 17th Armored Group at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The 17th Armored Group landed in France on 5 August 1944, and fought its way through Northern France, the Ardennes, and the Rhineland into central Europe. Following V.E. Day, the 17th Armored Group moved to Ghent, Belgium, where it was inactivated on 30 April 1946.

Another ancestor of the Squadron, the 57th Cavalry Recon (Mech) Troop was activated at Fort McIntosh, Texas, on 12 May 1944. This Troop spent most of its life on the inactive rolls of the Army and underwent its final inactivation at Fort Knox, Kentucky, on 2 June 1948. On 10 August 1950, it was redesignated as the 101st Airborne Reconnaissance Company and was activated two weeks later at Camp Breckenridge, Kentucky. On 25 April 1957, the unit was redesignated Troop B (Reconnaissance) (Airborne), 17th Cavalry, and continued as such until 1964. On 3 February 1964, the unit was consolidated with elements of the command and control battalion of the 101st Airborne to form the 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry.

In July 1965, A Troop, along with supporting personnel from Headquarters Troop, departed Fort Campbell as part of the 1st Brigade Task Force, 101st Airborne Division, for the Republic of Vietnam. In December 1967, the remainder of the Squadron deployed to Vietnam, and operated for four years in South Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

During its service in the Republic of Vietnam, the Squadron had three members receive the nation’s highest award, the Congressional Medal of Honor: SP4 Michael Fitzmaurice, SP4 Joseph G. Lapointe, and SGT Robert Patterson.

In January 1972, the Squadron redeployed with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) to Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

August to September 1990 the Squadron deployed with A Troop, D Troop, Long Range Surveillance Detachment, and Pathfinder Detachment leading followed by the remainder of the unit for Operation Desert Shield serving as a deterrent force until initiation of Operation Desert Storm on 17 January 1991. On 25 February 1991, after three days of reconnaissance missions across the Iraqi border, the Squadron screened the Division’s front on its historic air assault deep into Iraqi territory. The Squadron served as one of the northern‑most deployed elements of the United States Army.

In February 2003, the Squadron deployed to in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Squadron led the Division’s aviation forces across the border securing the Division’s initial objectives. Soon thereafter, the Squadron became the Aviation force of choice for the Division Commander for the urban fight during the seizures of An Najaf, Karbala, Al Hillah, Southern Baghdad, Mosul, and terrorist training camps in central Iraq. It was Mosul, Iraq that the Squadron spent the remainder of it deployment providing reconnaissance and security to Division forces in the city.

In September 2005, 2-17 Cavalry once again deployed to Iraq in continued support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. This is a challenging time for the Squadron, as the Iraqi Constitution continues to be a major issue of dispute, along with the upcoming elections.

Today, the “OUT FRONT” Squadron still proudly serves as the “Eyes and Ears of the Eagle.”

B2/17

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Lineage and Honors Information as of 5 April 1998

2d Squadron, 17th Cavalry Lineage

Constituted 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as Troop B, 17th Cavalry

Organized 9 July 1916 at Fort Bliss, Texas

Inactivated 26 September 1921 at Presidio of Monterey, California

Disbanded 9 March 1951

Reconstituted 25 April 1957 in the Regular Army and consolidated with the 101st Airborne Reconnaissance Troop (active) (see ANNEX) and consolidated unit designated as Troop B, 17th Cavalry, an element of the 101st Airborne Division

Reorganized and redesignated 3 February 1964 as Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2d Squadron, 17th Cavalry, and remained assigned to the 101st Airborne Division (organic elements concurrently constituted and activated as elements of the 101st Airborne Division)

ANNEX

Constituted 12 May 1944 in the Army of the United States as the 57th Reconnaissance Troop, Mechanized

Activated 29 May 1944 at Fort McIntosh, Texas

Redesignated 6 July 1944 as the 57th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop, Mechanized

Redesignated 16 June 1945 as the 57th Mechanized Reconnaissance Troop

Redesignated 30 July 1945 as the 57th Mechanized Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop

Inactivated 9 November 1945 at Camp Bowie, Texas

Activated 31 December 1946 in the Philippine Islands

Inactivated 30 May 1947 in the Philippine Islands

Converted and redesignated 19 March 1948 as the 57th Reconnaissance Company

Activated 12 April 1948 at Fort Knox, Kentucky

Inactivated 2 June 1948 at Fort Knox, Kentucky

Redesignated 10 August 1950 as the 101st Airborne Reconnaissance Company and assigned to the 101st Airborne Division

Activated 25 August 1950 at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky

Inactivated 1 December 1953 at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky

Activated 15 May 1954 at Fort Jackson, South Carolina

Reorganized and redesignated 1 July 1956 101st Airborne Reconnaissance Troop

2d Squadron, 17th Cavalry Honors - Campaign Participation Credit

World War II: Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe

Vietnam: * Counteroffensive; * Tet Counteroffensive; * Counteroffensive, Phase IV; * Counteroffensive, Phase V; * Counteroffensive, Phase VI; * Tet 69/Counteroffensive; * Summer-Fall 1969; * Winter-Spring 1970; * Sanctuary Counteroffensive; * Counteroffensive, Phase VII; * Consolidation I; * Consolidation II

Southwest Asia: * Defense of Saudi Arabia; * Liberation and Defense of Kuwait