April 15, 2021 - U.S. Army
1st Cav. Div. Troopers with 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry
Regiment send live-fire tank rounds down range at Fort Hood
in Texas.
The 8th Cavalry regiment originally was organized as horse cavalry in 1866
... a designation under U.S. military doctrine that emphasized both light cavalry and dragoon-type mounted and dismounted fighting roles
... until 1942. It served on foot during World War II and Korea, with some elements converting to airmobile infantry for Vietnam, while others were detached and assigned to West Germany as part of an armored task force to resist any potential Soviet incursion.
It became a mechanized force in the 1970s. It has been brigaded or otherwise attached to various larger temporary and permanent Army commands throughout its history.
Currently, it is a component of the 1st Cavalry Division, a major subordinate command of the U.S. Third Mobile Armored Corps comprising a 19,000 soldier, heavy armored division stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas. As one of the two "on-call" heavy contingency force divisions of the Army, the First Team has an on-order mission to deploy by sea, air or land to any part of the world on a short notice.
