Divisional Cavalry & Reconnaissance
3d Armored Division Cavalry (DIVCAV)
Your assistance is requested:
I was contacted by the Curator of the 45th Infantry Division Museum. He has a miniature sword engraved with the following “4/7 CAV COMMANDING OFFICER”
If you know something about this sword please contact:Michael Gonzales
Every division in the Army has a cavalry/reconnaissance battalion or squadron generally known by the abbreviation of “DIVCAV”. The 3d Armored Division was no exception. Beginning in WWII with the 83d Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, the DIVCAV unit has always been there but under various flags and lineages. Upon reactivation in the 1950’s, the 3AD DIVCAV unit was again known as the 83d Reconnaissance Battalion. It later reflagged to 3d Squadron, 12th Cavalry, holding this lineage through most of the Cold War. Then in the later 1980’s, the squadron was reflagged as the 4th Squadron, 7th Cavalry (“Garryowen”), and served as such in combat in Operation Desert Storm. Upon deactivation of 3d Armored Division, the squadron came under the new 1st Armored Division in Germany. The unit is now known as 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry, and is still stationed at Armstrong Barracks in Büdingen, Germany. Under the 1AD flag, it has done tours in former Yugoslavian republics off and on for the past five years.
We need quite a bit of input from 3d Armored Division Cavalry veterans to make this a better site. Please review the unit sites linked on the left side of this page. We greatly appreciate any additions or corrections you can give us.