Branch Insignia

Cavalry Branch Insignia and Cavalry Plaque

Collar Insignia

Two crossed sabers in scabbards, cutting edge up, 11/16 inch in height, of gold color metal. The cavalry insignia was adopted in 1851. Officers and enlisted personnel assigned to cavalry regiments, cavalry squadrons or separate cavalry troops are authorized to wear the cavalry collar insignia in lieu of their insignia of branch when approved by the MACOM commander. Some of the armor and aviation units are designated cavalry units.

Branch Plaque

The plaque design has the Cavalry insignia and rim in gold. The background is white and the letters are scarlet.

Regimental Insignia

Personnel assigned to cavalry units affiliate with a specific regiment of their branch or cavalry unit and wear the insignia of the affiliated regiment.

Regimental Coat of Arms

Each cavalry regiment has its own coat of arms that is displayed on the breast of a displayed eagle. The background of all cavalry flags is yellow.

Colors

Although cavalry is not a branch, yellow is used as a branch color for personnel assigned to cavalry units. In March 1855, two regiments of cavalry were created and their trimmings were to be “yellow.” In 1861, the designation of dragoon and mounted rifleman disappeared, all becoming cavalry with “yellow” as their colors. Yellow was continued as the color for cavalry units subsequent to abolishment as a branch. Although the regimental flags for cavalry units are yellow, the troop guidons are red and white without an insignia on the guidon.

Army Regulation 670-1 (.pdf document) – Right-click to save the file
28–10. Branch insignia

 

a. Regimental collar insignia.

(1) Regimental collar insignia is the soldier’s branch insignia on which the numerical designation of the regiment is affixed. Regimental collar insignia is worn in lieu of the branch insignia by officer and enlisted soldiers affiliated with infantry, armor, field artillery, air defense artillery, cavalry, special forces, or aviation regiments. Soldiers affiliated with these regiments also will wear the regimental collar insignia when not assigned to the regiment, except as provided in paragraph 28–9, above. A soldier affiliated to a regiment but having a branch other than the currently assigned branch will wear the assigned branch insignia without a numeral. Soldiers will not wear numerals designating battalions on regimental collar insignia. Regimental collar insignia is locally procured and furnished as an organizational item to affiliated enlisted soldiers. Commanders will permit enlisted soldiers who are affiliated with the regiment to retain regimental collar insignia when reassigned from the affiliated regiment.

(2) The regimental number for the combat arms branches is positioned as shown in figure 28–176. For armor, cavalry, special forces, infantry, aviation and field artillery officer branches, personnel may wear the regimental number as a separate item, positioned in the same location as illustrated for the one-piece insignia.

b. Branch insignia. Soldiers not affiliated with an infantry, armor, field artillery, air defense artillery, cavalry, special forces, or aviation regiment, except as provided for in paragraph 28–9, above, wear appropriate branch insignia. As an option, soldiers who are not affiliated with one of the above regiments, but who are assigned to a color-bearing regiment or separate TOE battalion of their branch, may wear the branch insignia with the numerical designation of the battalion or regiment affixed, when approved by the MACOM. Numerals are 1⁄4 inch for officers and 3/16 inch for enlisted soldiers. All optional branch insignia are authorized for wear only while personnel are assigned to the designated unit. Soldiers will not purchase optional branch insignia using appropriated funds. Commanders will not require soldiers to purchase optional branch insignia.

(8) Cavalry collar insignia. Officers and enlisted personnel assigned to cavalry regiments, cavalry squadrons, or separate cavalry troops are authorized to wear cavalry insignia in lieu of the branch insignia, when approved by the MACOM commander. The officer collar insignia is two crossed sabers in scabbards with the cutting edge up, 11/16 inch in height, in gold-colored metal. The enlisted collar insignia is the same design on a 1–inch disk in gold-colored metal.

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ARMOR

Armor Branch Insignia and Armor Plaque

The front view of an M-26 tank, gun slightly raised, superimposed on two crossed cavalry sabers in scabbards, cutting edge up, 13/16 inch in height overall, of gold color metal.

The Armor insignia, approved in 1950, consists of the traditional crossed sabers (originally adopted for the cavalry in 1851) on which the M-26 tank is superimposed. The design symbolizes the traditional and current roles of armor.

Branch Plaque

The plaque design has the branch insignia, letters and border in gold. The background is green.

Regimental Insignia

Personnel assigned to the Armor branch affiliate with a specific regiment and wear the insignia of the affiliated regiment.

Regimental Coat of Arms

There is no standard armor regimental flag to represent all of the armor regiments. Each regiment of armor has its own coat of arms which appears on the breast of a displayed eagle. The background of all the armor regimental flags is yellow.

Branch Colors

Yellow. 65002 cloth; 67108 yarn; 123 PMS.

In March 1855, two regiments of cavalry were created and their trimmings were to be of “Yellow”. In 1861, the designation of dragoon and mounted rifleman disappeared, all becoming Cavalry with “yellow” as their colors. Armor was assigned the colors green and white by circular 49 on 21 February 1947. When the Cavalry branch was abolished, the present Armor was assigned the former Cavalry color yellow by SR 600-60-1 dated 26 October 1951.

Birthday

12 December 1776. The Armor branch traces its origin to the Cavalry. A regiment of cavalry was authorized to be raised by the Continental Congress Resolve of 12 December 1775. Although mounted units were raised at various times after the Revolution, the first unit in continuous service was the United States Regiment of Dragoons, organized in 1833. The Tank Service was formed 5 March 1918. The Armored Force was formed on 10 July 1940. Armor became a permanent branch of the Army in 1950.

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Tank and Armor (Obsolete)

 

Paragraph 36, Change 1 to War Department Special Regulations No. 42, dated 29 December 1917, stated that the insignia on the collar of the coat for Tank Service would be “A conventionalized tank, one inch high, with the number of the regiment attached to the bottom.” The approved design was a front view of a French tank.

 

The insignia approved in 1917 was not well received, and a new design was announced for the Tank Corps per Change 2 to Service Regulation 42, dated 7 May 1918. The new design showed the side view of a Mark VIII Tank above two stylized dragons breaching fire over a wreath. War Department Circular 72, dated 16 March 1921, eliminated the insignia of the Tank Corps.

Tank Insignia 3

 

Paragraph 13b, AR 600-35 prescribed the collar insignia for Infantry (Tanks) as “The Infantry insignia with a circular raised center superimposed with the letter ‘T’.”

Tank Insignia 4

 

In a letter dated 21 March 1922, The Adjutant General approved a new design for Infantry (Tanks). Change 2, AR 600-35, dated 28 March 1922, prescribed the insignia for Infantry (Tanks) to be “The Infantry insignia with tank superimposed.” This insignia was rescinded by Change 2, AR 600-35, dated 22 August 1933.

Tank Insignia 5

 

Change 15, AR 600-35, dated 13 March 1943, added the insignia for Tank Destroyer Forces. This change specified the design was a “75-mm gun, motor carriage M3, in gold color metal.” The insignia was rescinded by Change 2, AR 600-35, dated 28 November 1944.

 A new insignia for the Armored Forces was authorized by War Department Circular 56, dated 25 February 1942. This insignia was the side view of the Mark VIII Tank used in World War I. The insignia was continued in use until the Armor Branch was established in February 1951. The new insignia was the result of the Army Reorganization Act of 1950 as announced in Army Bulletin No. 9. The Armored Forces and Cavalry were combined into a single branch called Armor. The Armored Forces insignia was no longer used; however, the Cavalry was continued in use as a collar insignia for personnel assigned to Cavalry Units.

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CAVALRY AND MILITARY RANK AND BRANCH INSIGNIA - CAVHOOAH.COM
OFFICIAL UNIFORM BRANCH INSIGNIA
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REGIMENTAL SABERS, LAPEL PINS, STETSON PINS,
AND CUSTOM CROSSED SABERS