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Question about the movie "We Were Soldiers"


Subdeacon Joe

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I don't know about the Cav, but the folks in the clip had the blue disk behind the US and Armor pins and the blue scarf of the infantry. I would think they would have a yellow scarf and I am not so sure they would have a blue disk.

 

But that was 53 years ago.

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I thought Armor and Cavalry wore the yellow aiguillette.:unsure:

 

So did I, which is why I asked. And, isn't Armor a part of Cav?

 

ADDED IN RESPONSE TO BMC

 

Exactly why I asked. They were, if the Speech is to be believe, Cav, but the cords and scarves seem to scream Infantry.

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Soldiers wear the official branch of their MOS. Cavalry is not a separate branch. The old cavaly branch became the Armor branch in the 40s. Initially the 1st Cav was a full fledged horse mounted cavalry division when it was formed in 1923. The 1st Cav was the first airmobile infantry division. Therefore the blue background and fourragere are correct.

The 1st Cav was designated the 11th Air Assault while being formed and trained at Ft Benning. They were re-designated the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) when deployed to RVN.

Where's my dang horse?

Nowadays they have tanks, helicopters AND horses. I don't know what they are. ;)

 

Army Branches

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The 3rd Brigade, 7th Cavalry was an Airmobile unit. Most of the soldiers in that unit were infantry and airborne infantry. According to Wikipedia (yeah, I know) most of them came from the 2nd ID and 11th Airborne.

 

Now, I think, as far as I know, it is my belief that each soldier wears the colors of the branch under which his MOS falls, regardless where he is assigned. Mechanics, for instance, would wear Ordnance colors whether assigned to an infantry unit, or transportation, or whatever.

 

I think.

 

 

EDIT

Dang it, Bob!:angry: Oh well, at least I was right. :D

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Soldiers wear the official branch of their MOS. Cavalry is not a separate branch. The old cavaly branch became the Armor branch in the 40s. Initially the 1st Cav was a full fledged horse mounted cavalry division when it was formed in 1923. The 1st Cav was the first airmobile infantry division. Therefore the blue background and fourragere are correct.

The 1st Cav was designated the 11th Air Assault while being formed and trained at Ft Benning. They were re-designated the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) when deployed to RVN.

 

Nowadays they have tanks, helicopters AND horses. I don't know wh\hat they are.

 

Thanks, Bob. I figured you would jump in with a detailed answer. And thanks also for supplying the correct term, fourragère, for the cords.

 

 

The 3rd Brigade, 7th Cavalry was an Airmobile unit. Most of the soldiers in that unit were infantry and airborne infantry. According to Wikipedia (yeah, I know) most of them came from the 2nd ID and 11th Airborne.

 

Now, I think, as far as I know, it is my belief that each soldier wears the colors of the branch under which his MOS falls, regardless where he is assigned. Mechanics, for instance, would wear Ordnance colors whether assigned to an infantry unit, or transportation, or whatever.

 

I think.

 

 

EDIT

Dang it, Bob!:angry: Oh well, at least I was right. :D

 

Sounds like it could lead to a hodge-podge of colors in formation.

 

Nothing wrong with using Wiki. A lot of people bad mouth it, but it often has a well written, concise distillation of information gathered from other sites. As with other sites, don't take it as correct without checking against others.

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We had a cavalry guidon anyway. ;)

Officers were tacitly permitted to wear crossed sabers insignia in country. It was frowned upon back in the world though.

Garry Owen.

 

I always liked the shoulder cord but hated the stupid polyester scarves. :angry:

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Sounds like it could lead to a hodge-podge of colors in formation.

Not necessarily. The vast majority of soldiers in an infantry unit of whatever size would be just that, infantry. There would be a relative handful of supply, maintenance, amdin and what-have-you.

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Not necessarily. The vast majority of soldiers in an infantry unit of whatever size would be just that, infantry. There would be a relative handful of supply, maintenance, amdin and what-have-you.

Yup.

And it's not unheard of for a C.O. to yell, "Get rid of that Da***d orange scarf. By God, when you're in my formation, you Will wear an infantry blue one!" :lol:

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Soldiers wear the official branch of their MOS. Cavalry is not a separate branch. The old cavaly branch became the Armor branch in the 40s. Initially the 1st Cav was a full fledged horse mounted cavalry division when it was formed in 1923. The 1st Cav was the first airmobile infantry division. Therefore the blue background and fourragere are correct.

The 1st Cav was designated the 11th Air Assault while being formed and trained at Ft Benning. They were re-designated the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) when deployed to RVN.

Where's my dang horse?

Nowadays they have tanks, helicopters AND horses. I don't know what they are. ;)

 

Army Branches

 

 

In case anyone is interested, here is an excerpt from AR 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia

28–19. Branch colors

a. Adjutant General Corps: dark blue and scarlet (cable numbers 65012 and 65006).

b. Air Defense Artillery: scarlet (cable number 65006).

c. Armor: yellow (cable number 65002).

d. Army Medical Specialist Corps: maroon and white (cable numbers 65017 and 65005).

e. Army Nurse Corps: maroon and white (cable numbers 65017 and 65005).

f. Aviation: ultramarine blue and golden orange (cable numbers 65010 and 65003).

g. Branch Immaterial: teal blue and white (cable numbers 65024 and 65005).

h. Cavalry: yellow (cable number 65002).

i. Chaplains: black (cable number 65018).

j. Chemical Corps: cobalt blue and golden yellow (cable numbers 65011 and 65001).

k. Civil Affairs, USAR: purple and white (cable numbers 65009 and 65005).

l. Corps of Engineers: scarlet and white (cable numbers 65006 and 65005).

m. Dental Corps: maroon and white (cable numbers 65017 and 65005).

n. Field Artillery: scarlet (cable number 65006).

o. Finance Corps: silver gray and golden yellow (cable numbers 65008 and 65001).

p. General staff: no color assigned.

q. Infantry: light blue (cable number 65014).

r. Inspector General: dark blue and light blue (cable numbers 65012 and 65014).

s. Judge Advocate General’s Corps: dark blue and white (cable numbers 65012 and 65005).

t. Medical Corps: maroon and white (cable numbers 65017 and 65005).

u. Medical Service Corps: maroon and white (cable numbers 65017 and 65005).

v. Military Intelligence: oriental blue and silver gray (cable numbers 65027 and 65008).

w. Military Police Corps: green and yellow (cable numbers 65007 and 65002).

x. National Guard Bureau: dark blue (cable number 65012).

y. Ordnance Corps: crimson and yellow (cable numbers 65013 and 65002).

z. Quartermaster Corps: buff (cable number 65015).

aa. Signal Corps: orange and white (cable numbers 65004 and 65005).

ab. Special Forces: jungle Green (cable number 65025).

ac. Staff specialist, USAR: green (cable number 65007).

ad. The Sergeant Major of the Army. no color assigned.

ae. Transportation Corps: brick red and golden yellow (cable numbers 65020 and 65001).

af. Veterinary Corps: maroon and white (cable numbers 65017 and 65005).

ag. Warrant officers: brown (cable number 65016).

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In case anyone is interested, here is an excerpt from AR 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia

 

Note that the Cavalry color is the same as the Armor branch. Cavalry is still not a branch just as the Dental Corps and Civil Affairs are not. Aviation didn't used to be a branch but now it is.

The army is very good about confusing things.

The navy is even worse. :lol:

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Where's my dang horse?

Nowadays they have tanks, helicopters AND horses. I don't know what they are. ;)

 

Army Branches

 

Who is that handsome, dashing young soldier, Bob?

 

And thanks for the link to the branch devices. Intelligence is interesting - everything is "sub rosa."

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Speaking of "We Were Soldiers", that was a fine movie. We all know it was Hollywooded, but a fine movie nevertheless. I got to meet Crandall (Snake) once upon a time. Nice fellow. He still lives here in WA as far as I know.

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I always liked the shoulder cord...

I have always hated those, but that's 'cuz I spent my first 12 in the navy, and the only people who wore them were the guys in basic who did all that yelling :lol:

 

The army is very good about confusing things.

 

You ain't kidding, I've been in the Army or Guard for 11 years and STILL don't understand how it's organized. In the navy it was work center, division, department, ship, squadron, group and fleet.

 

Heck, look at the OP. 1st Cav, 7th Cav, 3rd Brigade, which is it? Plus the Army is constantly restructuring and re-organizing, de-activating, re-activating, merging, splitting...

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I have always hated those, but that's 'cuz I spent my first 12 in the navy, and the only people who wore them were the guys in basic who did all that yelling :lol:

 

 

 

You ain't kidding, I've been in the Army or Guard for 11 years and STILL don't understand how it's organized. In the navy it was work center, division, department, ship, squadron, group and fleet.

 

Heck, look at the OP. 1st Cav, 7th Cav, 3rd Brigade, which is it? Plus the Army is constantly restructuring and re-organizing, de-activating, re-activating, merging, splitting...

 

It keeps the enemy off balance. :lol:

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Things were so much simpler in The Corps......LOL

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Speaking of "We Were Soldiers", that was a fine movie. We all know it was Hollywooded, but a fine movie nevertheless. I got to meet Crandall (Snake) once upon a time. Nice fellow. He still lives here in WA as far as I know.

 

Well, they do have to compress time greatly.

 

But, by the accounts of the battle and the men, for once Hollywood toned down the drama and action. Lt. Gen. Moore, in his book on which the movie is based, wrote:

 

"We had problems on the awards... Too many men had died bravely and heroically, while the men who had witnessed their deeds had also been killed... Acts of valor that, on other fields, on other days, would have been rewarded with the Medal of Honor or Distinguished Service Cross or a Silver Star were recognized only with a telegram saying, 'The Secretary of the Army regrets...' The same was true of our sister battalion, the 2nd of the 7th."

 

That action was a case where I think every man there should have received a Silver Star or above. And the Medal of Honor handed out in by the dozen and the Distinguished Service Cross in job lots.

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Well, they do have to compress time greatly.

 

But, by the accounts of the battle and the men, for once Hollywood toned down the drama and action. Lt. Gen. Moore, in his book on which the movie is based, wrote:

 

 

 

That action was a case where I think every man there should have received a Silver Star or above. And the Medal of Honor handed out in by the dozen and the Distinguished Service Cross in job lots.

 

 

If you read the book, after action reports, and are fortunate enough to talk with participants, you will understand that Hollywood did indeed tone it down. They probably were afraid that audiences would think it was over the top and unrealistic if they did it up right.

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If you read the book, after action reports, and are fortunate enough to talk with participants, you will understand that Hollywood did indeed tone it down. They probably were afraid that audiences would think it was over the top and unrealistic if they did it up right.

 

+1 B Troop 2nd Battalion, 7th U.S. Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) 1965-1966 GARRY OWEN!

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+1 B Troop 2nd Battalion, 7th U.S. Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) 1965-1966 GARRY OWEN!

I was hoping you'd chime in here trooper. ;)

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Thanks UB. Don't have much to say...Spent the day thinking of my brothers that didn't come home. :FlagAm:

Roger that.

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Thanks UB. Don't have much to say...Spent the day thinking of my brothers that didn't come home. :FlagAm:

 

 

Jack, I do that every single day... Why I lived and they didn't is a question that I will never have an answer to....

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