1st Battalion - 66th Armor Regiment
"Iron Knights"
As of January 2006, the 1st Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment was operating in Camp Taji, an Army base approximately 10 miles northwest of Baghdad, fulfilling their second rotation in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. They will be there until December of 2006. In March 2003, this unit deployed to Tikrit, Iraq to take part in the intial stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom and participated in Operation Red Dawn, a mission consiting of 600 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division troops, along with special operations forces, responsible for locating and capturing Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi president.
History
The 66th Armored Regiment is the oldest Armored unit in the United States Army, tracing it's lineage to the beginning of the Tank Service in February 1918.
The Regiment participated in the battles of St. Mihiel, France, where it received it's baptism of fire in the Meuse-Argonne and the Somme Offensives. The casualties of the officer and men were heavy during the short period the regiment participated in the Great War and their valor was recognized by General John J. Pershing in the following words: "The percentage of casualties among the officers and men tells the tale of splendid morale and gallantry in action and their unselfish devotion to duty".
The numerical designation of the regiment was changed several times during the period of 1918 to 1928. On 15 July 1940, the unit was redesignated from the 66th Infantry (Light Tanks) to the 66th Armored Regiment as part of the newly formed 2nd Armored Division, stationed at Ft. Benning, GA.
In December 1942, the Regiment participated in the amphibious invasion of French Morocco in North Africa and led the Division's triumphant entry into Casablanca. The regiment participated in the invasion of Sicily and through fierce fighting earned the Regiment six battle streamers during the War.
In 1944, the Regiment went into action on the European Continent, landing on Normandy's beaches on D+3. A week later the Regiment decisively defeated the German 6th Parachute Regiment and the 37th SS Panzer Regiment near Carnetan, France. The 66th Armored Regiment rolled across France to the German border. It was diverted north to counter the German advance during the battle of the Bulge, assisting in the destruction of the 2nd Panzer Division and capturing Hoffalize, Belgium.
As a result of it's exemplary conduct in the liberation of Belgium, the Regiment was twice cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgium Army. Elements of the 66th, with other units of the Second Armored Division were selected to occupy Berlin and serve as the first American troops to enter the fallen German Capital.
During the Korean War, an offspring of the 66th fought under the designation "6th Tank Battalion". During the war, the sixth won seven battle streamers and the Korean Presidential Unit Citation. These honors were awarded to the 66th Armored Regiment when the sixth Tank Battalion was deactivated after the conflict.
In 1991, elements of the 66th Armored Regiment deployed to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia--in support of operation Desert Shield and fought in Desert Storm. During Desert Storm the regiment again proved its worth by assisting in the liberation of Kuwait and the push towards Iraq.
In the Spring of 1995, the 1st of the 66th was once more called to duty. The mission consisted of assisting over 5,000 Cuban and Haitian refugees interned at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
