Gary Owen & 1st Cavalry?

[Warhorse]

I recently read somewhere (cannot recall where) that the 1st Cavalry has adopted "Gary Owen" from the 7th Cavalry as their theme song.

 

I have been out of the inner loop for half a century but thought that someone on this forum might be able to confirm or deny that particular rumor. Anyone?

 

Warhorse

[Noz]

I was a 2nd Lt in the Artillery and at the Grafenwoehr firing range in southern Germany. We were billeted in old German army barracks. We were unaware that the 7th Cav had moved into the next barracks overnight until morning and the piper played Garry Owen in the street in front of our barracks.

To say we woke up quickly is a mis-statement. It was much faster than that.

[Utah Bob #35998]

As far as I know, the official song of the 1st Cav is still "Spirit of the Cav".

http://www.hood.army.mil/1stcavdiv/

 

Unless something has changed very recently it remains the march of the 7th regt.

https://www.1cda.org/garryowen.html

[Warhorse]

Thanks, Utah. I noticed that the second to last line of the last stanza says: "We're Gary Owen...." I''ll bet THAT'S where the rumor started. Obviously not the same thing.

 

Warhorse

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

In Utah Bob's post above, the link showing the 7th Cav's Regimental song has verbiage that says the 1st Cavalry Division has adopted "Garryowen" as its official song. That may be were the confusion came in: 1st Cavalry Division, not 1st Cavalry Regiment. (See third from the last paragraph.)

 

https://www.1cda.org/garryowen.html

 

Quote:
"Garryowen" has become undoubtedly the most famous of all the regimental marches in the Army. It became the Official Song of the 1st Cavalry Division in 1981.

[Utah Bob #35998]

According to the 1sy Cav's band, The Spirit of the Cavalry is the official division march.

Nonreference to Garryowen on their page.

http://www.hood.army.mil/1stCavDiv/1cdBand/Band.aspx

Somebody get me the Commanding General on the horn. We need to get to the bottom of this!

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

Captain, I suspect there is confusion between the 1st Cavalry Division's official march and its official song.

[Utah Bob #35998]

Captain, I suspect there is confusion between the 1st Cavalry Division's official march and its official song.

But..... Garryowen IS a song. A drinking song.

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

1st Cavalry Division

 

Official March: The Spirit of the Cavalry

Official Song: Garryowen

 

Bottles, I'll have a nice red wine on UB please.

[Utah Bob #35998]

1st Cavalry Division

 

Official March: The Spirit of the Cavalry

Official Song: Garryowen

 

Bottles, I'll have a nice red wine on UB please.

They may have usurped our song at Division level.....but we 7th Troopers know to whom it really belongs.

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

 

Just to add confusion, "The Spirit of the Cav" is a song also.

And the last stanza of "The Spirit of the Cav" is:

We are the Cav

We are the First Team

We're Garry Owen

Sound the Charge

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

They may have usurped our song at Division level.....but we 7th Troopers know to whom it really belongs.

Just as the Artillery song was usurped at Army level....but we...

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

I always wondered about that Over Hill thingy. We in the infantry kinda got left out.

But the dear old Second Infantry Regiment had Annie Laurie for a marching song.

[Major Crimes]

I was a Troop Leader and Squadron Commander in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Australia.

 

You guessed it, our quick march was Gary Owen.