VISIT BY ASSOCIATION MEMBERS TO 1ST CAVALRY DIVISION, FORT HOOD, TEXAS, USA, JULY, 2001.
From Harim Tok Tok Vol 21, February, 2002.
In July last year four members of the Association—Bob Collins, Joe Fisk, Norm Mundy and Barry Wright— made a self-funded trip to the United States to attend the reunion of the US 1st Cavalry Division.
Extract from the address by Bob Collins to members and guests at the Held Dining Night on the 14th July 2001.
As you are aware four of us from the Association, Joe Fisk, Norm Mundy . Barry Wright and myself have just been to America for a reunion of the 1st US Cavalry Division, which was held at Killeen, a small town next to Fort Hood in Texas. The idea came about on a camping trip back home in Queensland, when after a beer during the afternoon, a sherry before dinner, a wine during dinner and a Port after dinner, the idea came up that we should renew acquaintances with the 1st Cavalry Division.
The background to this is that in 1944, after NGVR had been disbanded and personnel mainly posted to ANGAU (to provide local advice, scouting and liaison with the native people etc) General MacArthur decided to establish a base in the Admiralty islands (Manus is the largest island) to isolate the Japanese forces at Rabaul and the Solomons. The new base would also serve as a jumping off point for the invasion of Hollandia, the Philippines and Japan.
The 1st Cavalry Division was the basis of “Brewer Force’ which was given the task of taking the Admiralties. The 5th Cavalry Regiment was given the task of launching the initial attack, and they gave the task to their 2nd Squadron, 5th Cavalry, who had NGVR/ANGAU personnel attached.
After fierce fighting from the 28th February to the 4th March 1944, the 5th Cavalry and attached units including NGVR/ANGAU, were successful in carrying out their assigned mission. As a result, 'Brewer Force’ was awarded a US Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation.
There have been only 3 such Citations awarded to Australian Units:-
- NGVR/ANGAU in 1944 when attached to 2/5 Cavalry Squadron, 1st Cavalry Division.
- 3 RAR at Kapyong, Korea in 1952
- D Coy 6 RAR, Long Tan, Vietnam. 1966
That is the background so now onto the American trip...
!t is quite awesome to go to a base like Fort Hood. Fort Hood is the home of the 3rd Corps which consists of the 1st Cavalry Division, the 4th Infantry Division and other attached units. There are more soldiers at Fort Hood than in all of the Australian Regular Army.
Their vehicle park is 4 miles long by approx 1 mile deep and is full of tanks, Bradley APC’s and all types of vehicles required for a Cavalry Division and an infantry Division.
The 1st Cavalry Division has a battalion in Kuwait and one in Bosnia. One Battalion is on 2 hours notice to move, fully equipped, to anywhere in the world. All soldiers on rostered standby have a beeper, and cannot move more than one hours travel from base. It is also a court martial offence to have an alcoholic drink during this standby period which could last up to 3 months.
One Brigade is on 48 hours notice to move out. There are several railway lines running into the Fort and all the equipment, including heavy vehicles etc for a Cavalry Brigade, are held at battle readiness on numerous flat cars with army locomotives attached, just waiting to move.
America is the strongest country In the world today. Their army is the best equipped and the soldiers know this and are proud of it. They are extremely well trained and motivated.
There were 1300 people at the reunion which was well organised and held over a period of 5 days. The hospitality shown to us was out of this world, and everyone made us feel extremely welcome. There had been some advance publicity of our visit so quite a few knew we were coming.
We took with us an NGVR/PNGVR Association plaque to present to 2/5 Cav. and this was presented at a luncheon held for the 5th Cavalry Regiment. However to our surprise we received some presentations in return.
During the reunion, the 1st Cav Div paraded their colours on a number of occasions and, with their service history, they had quite a number of Battle Streamers on their Colours. Each Streamer denotes a battle In which a Unit of the Division was awarded a Citation of some description. We were presented with a Battle Streamer which denotes the US Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for the battle of Les Negros. The Battle Streamer was presented to our Association by retired (4 star) US General Meyer, formerly from the Chief of Staff of the US Army. There is only one higher post in the US Army and that is a posting to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As our Colours are laid up in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, we will carry this battle Streamer on our PNGVR flag.
The next presentation we received was a Gideon. Gideons are very old and were used by the horse cavalry to denote the location of commanders of units in battle. The tradition continues to this day and commanders carry a Gideon on their armoured vehicles for the same purpose as the horse commanders did. This Gideon was presented to us by the CO of 2/5 Cav. and was carried on his command Bradley APC during the Battalion’s stint in Kuwait.
I made comment at the beginning that the purpose of going to the United States was to renew acquaintances that were forged during WWII at los Negros where the US Citation was awarded to NGVR/ANGAU as part of ‘Brewer Force’. The original! citation which was presented to B Coy PNGVR in 1952 and displayed in the Company Drill Hall was destroyed during one of the volcanic eruptions. The Association has been discussing for some time how to obtain a duplicate copy of the original Citation. I am pleased to advise that General Meyer (Retd) promised us during the 5th Cav luncheon that he would ensure that we received a copy of the original Citation. I understand that a Brigadier-General in the Pentagon has been given the task of getting a duplicate Citation for the Association. In the meantime we have been given a copy of the 5th Cavalry Regiment Citation. It is appropriate that tonight we present it to our History Officer, John Holland. as it was his father who was presented with the original Citation at Rabaul in June 1952.
In July last year four members of the Association—Bob Collins, Joe Fisk, Norm Mundy and Barry Wright— made a self-funded trip to the United States to attend the reunion of the US 1st Cavalry Division.
Extract from the address by Bob Collins to members and guests at the Held Dining Night on the 14th July 2001.
As you are aware four of us from the Association, Joe Fisk, Norm Mundy . Barry Wright and myself have just been to America for a reunion of the 1st US Cavalry Division, which was held at Killeen, a small town next to Fort Hood in Texas. The idea came about on a camping trip back home in Queensland, when after a beer during the afternoon, a sherry before dinner, a wine during dinner and a Port after dinner, the idea came up that we should renew acquaintances with the 1st Cavalry Division.
The background to this is that in 1944, after NGVR had been disbanded and personnel mainly posted to ANGAU (to provide local advice, scouting and liaison with the native people etc) General MacArthur decided to establish a base in the Admiralty islands (Manus is the largest island) to isolate the Japanese forces at Rabaul and the Solomons. The new base would also serve as a jumping off point for the invasion of Hollandia, the Philippines and Japan.
The 1st Cavalry Division was the basis of “Brewer Force’ which was given the task of taking the Admiralties. The 5th Cavalry Regiment was given the task of launching the initial attack, and they gave the task to their 2nd Squadron, 5th Cavalry, who had NGVR/ANGAU personnel attached.
After fierce fighting from the 28th February to the 4th March 1944, the 5th Cavalry and attached units including NGVR/ANGAU, were successful in carrying out their assigned mission. As a result, 'Brewer Force’ was awarded a US Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation.
There have been only 3 such Citations awarded to Australian Units:-
- NGVR/ANGAU in 1944 when attached to 2/5 Cavalry Squadron, 1st Cavalry Division.
- 3 RAR at Kapyong, Korea in 1952
- D Coy 6 RAR, Long Tan, Vietnam. 1966
That is the background so now onto the American trip...
!t is quite awesome to go to a base like Fort Hood. Fort Hood is the home of the 3rd Corps which consists of the 1st Cavalry Division, the 4th Infantry Division and other attached units. There are more soldiers at Fort Hood than in all of the Australian Regular Army.
Their vehicle park is 4 miles long by approx 1 mile deep and is full of tanks, Bradley APC’s and all types of vehicles required for a Cavalry Division and an infantry Division.
The 1st Cavalry Division has a battalion in Kuwait and one in Bosnia. One Battalion is on 2 hours notice to move, fully equipped, to anywhere in the world. All soldiers on rostered standby have a beeper, and cannot move more than one hours travel from base. It is also a court martial offence to have an alcoholic drink during this standby period which could last up to 3 months.
One Brigade is on 48 hours notice to move out. There are several railway lines running into the Fort and all the equipment, including heavy vehicles etc for a Cavalry Brigade, are held at battle readiness on numerous flat cars with army locomotives attached, just waiting to move.
America is the strongest country In the world today. Their army is the best equipped and the soldiers know this and are proud of it. They are extremely well trained and motivated.
There were 1300 people at the reunion which was well organised and held over a period of 5 days. The hospitality shown to us was out of this world, and everyone made us feel extremely welcome. There had been some advance publicity of our visit so quite a few knew we were coming.
We took with us an NGVR/PNGVR Association plaque to present to 2/5 Cav. and this was presented at a luncheon held for the 5th Cavalry Regiment. However to our surprise we received some presentations in return.
During the reunion, the 1st Cav Div paraded their colours on a number of occasions and, with their service history, they had quite a number of Battle Streamers on their Colours. Each Streamer denotes a battle In which a Unit of the Division was awarded a Citation of some description. We were presented with a Battle Streamer which denotes the US Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for the battle of Les Negros. The Battle Streamer was presented to our Association by retired (4 star) US General Meyer, formerly from the Chief of Staff of the US Army. There is only one higher post in the US Army and that is a posting to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As our Colours are laid up in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, we will carry this battle Streamer on our PNGVR flag.
The next presentation we received was a Gideon. Gideons are very old and were used by the horse cavalry to denote the location of commanders of units in battle. The tradition continues to this day and commanders carry a Gideon on their armoured vehicles for the same purpose as the horse commanders did. This Gideon was presented to us by the CO of 2/5 Cav. and was carried on his command Bradley APC during the Battalion’s stint in Kuwait.
I made comment at the beginning that the purpose of going to the United States was to renew acquaintances that were forged during WWII at los Negros where the US Citation was awarded to NGVR/ANGAU as part of ‘Brewer Force’. The original! citation which was presented to B Coy PNGVR in 1952 and displayed in the Company Drill Hall was destroyed during one of the volcanic eruptions. The Association has been discussing for some time how to obtain a duplicate copy of the original Citation. I am pleased to advise that General Meyer (Retd) promised us during the 5th Cav luncheon that he would ensure that we received a copy of the original Citation. I understand that a Brigadier-General in the Pentagon has been given the task of getting a duplicate Citation for the Association. In the meantime we have been given a copy of the 5th Cavalry Regiment Citation. It is appropriate that tonight we present it to our History Officer, John Holland. as it was his father who was presented with the original Citation at Rabaul in June 1952.
Above and below. Part of 1st Cavalry Division during Divisional Parade.
Presentation of the Los Negros Battle Streamer.
Bob Collins, RSM 1/5 Cav Regt, Barry Wright, CO 1/5 Cav Regt, Joe Fisk Norm Mundy
Bob Collins, RSM 1/5 Cav Regt, Barry Wright, CO 1/5 Cav Regt, Joe Fisk Norm Mundy
Presentation of the Giedon.
Barry Wright, Bob Collins, CO 1/5 Cav Regt, Joe Fisk, Norm Mundy.
Barry Wright, Bob Collins, CO 1/5 Cav Regt, Joe Fisk, Norm Mundy.
Bob Collins with Citation just presented by CO 2/5 Cav Regt.
Bob Collins with Battle Streamer and Citation.
Display Day at Fort Hood. Joe Fisk in front of a Bradley Tank. This tank, along with a number of others on display that day, was shortly after refurbished and sent to Australia as part of the ADF armoured upgrade.
Waiting to be taken by Humvee from office of CO 1/5 Cav Regt to the Display area. The hospitality was such that each of the PNGVR members was allocated a Humvee each.
- The group with one of the 1st Cav Div Officers at the formal dinner at end of reunion. The hall in which the dinner was held at Fort Hood held 1200 people.
The group with one of the wives and a Colour Party Escort. All members of the Colour Party Escort were the same size.
Bob Collins and Joe Fisk with the CO 1/5 Cav Regt at the final dinner.
Norm Mundy and Bob Collins with one of the Committee Members of the 1st Cav Div Association, Gordon Jennings.
Gordon was one of the organisers of the reunion and took it upon himself to be a very generous host to the group while at the reunion. Gordon had served with 1st Cav Div in Korea.
Gordon was one of the organisers of the reunion and took it upon himself to be a very generous host to the group while at the reunion. Gordon had served with 1st Cav Div in Korea.
