13th Cavalry Regiment (United States)

The 13th Cavalry Regiment ("13th Horse" ) is a unit of the United States Army. The 1st and 2nd Squadrons are currently stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas as part of the 1st Armored Division.

Service History
The regiment was constituted 2 February 1901 in the Regular Army as Troop K, 13th Cavalry. The regiment was organized on 26 July 1901 in Fort Meade, South Dakota. The first task of the regiment was in the Philippines from 1903 to 1905 and from 1909 to 1910 where they engaged rebels as part of the Philippine-American War..

The 13th Cavalry was transferred to Fort Riley, Kansas, in 1911. On March 9, 1916 the 13th Cavalry was in Columbus, New Mexico which was raided by Pancho Villa, eight soldiers and ten civilians were killed. Under General John J. Pershing, the regiment fought in the Mexican Expedition from 1916 to 1917, which was a response to the attack on Columbus. On April 12, 1916, about 100 men of the 13th Cavalry engaged Mexican federal troops in the Battle of Parral. During the fighting, two Americans were killed and six others were wounded. However, they defeated the Mexicans, killing at least a dozen of them or possibly many more. The 13th Cavalry remained ready near the Mexican border until 1921.

In 1936, the 13th Cavalry became a part of the 7th Cavalry Brigade (Mechanized), formed officially in 1940.

The 13th Cavalry was re-formed 15 July 1940 as the 13th Armored Regiment under the 1st Armored Division. On 8 November 1942, the 13th Armored regiment, combined under Combat Command B, landed in Oran, Algeria to augment fighting in North Africa.

From 1946 to September 1947, the 13th Armored regiment was a part of the US Constabulary in Germany. It became inactive in Coburg, West Germany, on 20 September 1947.

From 1996-2008, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team (BCT) of the 1st Armored Division was stationed at Fort Riley, KS.

In February 2003 the 3rd BCT began deploying units to Kuwait for the anticipated Invasion of Iraq. As the US led invasion began, the 2-70 Armor and 1-41 Infantry Battalions (3rd BCT), directly supported the 3rd Infantry Division as part of the initial US advance into Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom. As part of the 3rd BCT, the 1st Battalion, 13th Armor Regiment (TF Dakota), began deployment to Iraq 1 April 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The BCT and subsequently the battalion, were attached to the 3rd Infantry Division, and controlled the Kadhimiya area of Baghdad, and was redeployed to Fort Riley, KS 2 April 2004.

Less than a year later, in February 2005, the 3rd BCT deployed to Iraq for a second time, again attached to the 3rd Infantry Division. LTC Eric Wesley and CSM Carlos Alers led 1-13 during this deployment. The TF was primarily stationed north of Baghdad in the Taji, Mushahda, Tarmiyah, Husseiniya, and Rashidiya districts. The unit was redeployed to Ft. Riley, KS in January 2006.

In March 2008 the 3rd BCT "was inactivated....as part of the redeployment of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division from Germany to Fort Riley. The 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division was reflagged as the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division in the process. 3rd Brigade was subsequently reorganized and redesiganted as 3rd Brigade Combat Team, an Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and reactivated at Fort Bliss, Texas, home of the 1st, 4th, and 5th Brigade Combat Teams, 1st Armored Division."

The 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment stood up in 2008 as part of 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armor Division at Ft Bliss, TX, commanded by LTC W. Walski and Command Sergeant Major Jack P. Iglesias. The Squadron deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from May 2009 to May 2010.

The 1st Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment "WARHORSE" stood up in 2009 as part of the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, TX. The Squadron is commanded by LTC John K Woodward and Squadron Command Sergeant Major is Command Sergeant Major Angelo Lisondra.

After returning home to Fort Bliss from Iraq in May 2010, the 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment bid farewell to LTC W. Walski and welcomed a new Command Team led by LTC Jeffery Merenkov and Command Sergeant Major Arthur O. Abiera in a Change of Command Ceremony on 8 June 2010. Shortly afterward, the Squadron bid goodbye to Command Sergeant Major Abiera and welcomed Command Sergeant Major Dennis Bellinger. The Squadron immediantly began preparing for redeployment to Iraq scheduled for August 2011 in support of Operation New Dawn. In April 2011, the Squadron successfully completed a rotation at the Army's renowned National Training Center in Fort Irwin California in preparation for deployment to Iraq. The Squadron began deploying personnel to Iraq in July 2011 and is currently stationed in Northern Iraq.

Current status

 * 1st Squadron is the Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA,) of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, and was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom 11-12. 1st Squadron 13th Cavalry returned to Fort Bliss, Texas in July 2012.
 * 2nd Squadron is the Armored Reconnaissance Squadron of the of the 4th Brigade, 1st Armored Division stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. It has been deployed to Iraq in support of Operation NEW DAWN in August 2011 and was expected to be deployed until December 2011. 2nd Squadron returned home in November after the U.S. decision to withdraw American forces by October 2011, due to concerns involving immunity of American forces from Iraqi courts. Despite this early end to the deployment, 2nd Squadron was able to conduct and successfully complete their mission in Iraq, thus playing an important role in the ending of the Iraq campaign.