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4-7 Cav

Distinctive Unit Insignia.  Description:   Within a Gold and enamel horseshoe 1 1/4 inches (3.18 cm) overall, showing seven nail holes, heels upward and the opening between the heels closed with a Blue ribbon bearing the words “GARRY OWEN” in Yellow letters, the crest of the coat of arms of the Regiment (on a wreath Or and Azure a dexter arm embowed vested Azure the hand in a buckskin gauntlet Proper grasping an old style United States Army saber Argent hilted Or).

        Symbolism:   The color gold, or yellow, is symbolic of the Cavalry service, yellow being the color of the facings on the old blue uniform at the time the Regiment was first organized.  The horseshoe is adapted from the Regimental coat of arms, the seven nail holes alluding to the unit’s numerical designation.  The gauntlet and saber at the “Charge” position are also adapted from the coat of arms and represent the “Cavalry Charge” and the battle heritage of the Regiment.  “Gary Owen” is the name of a song which became a favorite of General Custer and once was used as a battle song in the Indian Wars. 

        Background:   The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 7th Cavalry Regiment on 29 June 1924 .  It was redesignated for the 7th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry) on 16 December 1953 .  The insignia was redesignated for the 7th Cavalry Regiment and amended to revise the description and include a symbolism on 4 February 1983 .

Coat of Arms.

        Blazon:  

                Shield:   Or, on a chevron Azure, between a phoenix rising from its ashes in dexter chief, the head of a North American Indian in war bonnet couped at the neck in sinister chief, all Proper, and a yucca plant Vert in base, seven horseshoes heels upward of the field.

                Crest:   On a wreath of the colors (Or and Azure) a dexter arm embowed vested Azure, the hand in a buckskin gauntlet Proper, grasping an old style United States Army saber Argent, hilted Or.    

                Motto:   THE SEVENTH FIRST.  

        Symbolism:

                Shield:   The field is yellow, the Cavalry color; the principal charge is a chevron whose origin tradition ascribes to the spur, which was formerly of that shape without rowel.  The number of the horseshoes corresponds to the numerical designation of the regiment.  The phoenix symbolizes the resurgence of the regiment after its heavy losses in the Battle of Little Big Horn.  The Indian head and yucca commemorate Indian campaigns and the Punitive Expedition of 1916, respectively. 

                Crest:   The crest shows the position of “raised saber” taken at the command “Charge” prescribed by General Order 6, Adjutant General Office, 1873, the arm being habited in the uniform of the period.   

                Background:   The coat of arms was originally approved for the 7th Cavalry Regiment on 6 December 1920 .  It was redesignated for the 7th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry) on 16 December 1953 .  The insignia was redesignated for the 7th Cavalry Regiment and the symbolism amended to accurately reflect the losses incurred at the Battle of Little Big Horn on 4 February 1983 .   

Lineage and Honors Information as of 1 July 2003

7th Cavalry Lineage

Constituted 28 July 1866 in the Regular Army as the 7th Cavalry

Organized 21 September 1866 at Fort Riley, Kansas

Assigned in December 1917 to the 15th Cavalry Division

Relieved in May 1918 from assignment to the 15th Cavalry Division

Assigned 13 September 1921 to the 1st Cavalry Division

(Reorganized 4 December 1943 partly under cavalry and partly under infantry tables of organization and equipment, and the 1st Cavalry Division concurrently reorganized and redesignated as the 1st Cavalry Division, Special; regiment reorganized 25 July 1945 wholly as infantry, but retained cavalry designations)

Regimental troops redesignated 25 March 1949 as companies (1st Cavalry Division, Special concurrently reorganized and redesignated as the 1st Cavalry Division)

Relieved 15 October 1957 from assignment to the 1st Cavalry Division

Reorganized and redesignated 1 November 1957 as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System

Withdrawn 16 February 1989 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System

7th Cavalry Honors

Campaign Participation Credit

Indian Wars: Comanches; Little Big Horn; Nez Perces; Pine Ridge; Montana 1873; North Dakota 1874

Mexican Expedition: Mexico 1916-1917

World War II: New Guinea; Bismarck Archipelago (with arrowhead); Leyte (with arrowhead); Luzon

Korean War: UN Defensive; UN Offensive; CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive; UN Summer-Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Third Korean Winter

Vietnam: 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, Phase VII; Consolidation I; Consolidation II; Cease-Fire

Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait; Cease-Fire

Decorations

Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for ANTIPOLO, LUZON

Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for YONCHON, KOREA

Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for TAEGU, KOREA

Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for PUSAN, KOREA

Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for PLEIKU PROVINCE

Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for BINH THUAN PROVINCE

Valorous Unit Award for QUANG TIN PROVINCE

Valorous Unit Award for FISH HOOK

Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for SOUTHWEST ASIA

Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for 17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 JULY 1945

Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for WAEGWAN-TAEGU

Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for KOREA 1952-1953

Chryssoun Aristion Andrias (Bravery Gold Medal of Greece) for KOREA

7th Cavalry - Past and Present