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1st Battalion - 101st Cavalry Regiment
"Wingfoot"

The 1st Battalion, 101st Cavalry is an M1 tank battalion, part of the 42nd Infantry Division (Mechanized), New York Army National Guard. The unit is the only tank battalion headquartered within New York City. Its companies are located throughout eastern New York, with A Company and Headquarters Company on Staten Island, B Company in Troy, C Company in Hoosick Falls, and D Company in Newburgh.

The mission of the 1st Battalion, 101st Cavalry Regiment, is to close with and destroy enemy forces using fire, maneuver, and shock effect; or to repel his assault by fire and counterattack.

The 1st Battalion, 101st Cavalry was originally organized on29 December 18060 in the New York State Militia from new and existing companies at Albany as the 10th Regiment (the New York State Militia was redesignated on 23 April 1862 as the New York National Guard). It was mustered into Federal service on 21 November 1862 at Albany as the 177th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment and mustered out of Federal service on 10 September 1863 at Albany and resumed state status as the 10th Regiment.

The unit was reorganized and redesignated on 17 February 1881 as the 10th Battalion. It was redesignated on 27 April 1898 as the 1st battalion, 1st New York Volunteer Infantry and mustered into Federal service on 20 May 1898 at Camp Black, NY, before being mustered out of Federal service on 20 February 1899 at Albany and reorganized as the 10th Infantry Battalion.

The unit consolidated on 1 May 1905 with the 1st Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment (which was organized on 1 April 1898 with Headquarters at Mount Vernon), and the consolidated unit was reorganized and redesignated as the 10th Infantry Regiment with Headquarters at Albany. It was mustered into Federal service on 16-22 July 1917 at home stations and drafted into Federal service on 5 August 1917 (the 10th Infantry organized 3 August 1917 in the New York Guard with Headquarters at Albany to replace regiment in Federal service). It was reorganized and redesignated on 4 January 1918 as the 51st Pioneer Infantry. The unit was demobilized on 8 July 1919 at Camp Upton, NY.

It consolidated with the 10th Infantry, New York Guard, and the consolidated unit reorganized in the New York National Guard as the 10th Infantry with Headquarters Federally recognized on 22 May 1922 at Albany. It then became assigned on 29 January 1927 to the 93d Infantry Brigade. Inducted into Federal service on 15 October 1940 at home stations, it was redesignated on 11 December 1940 as the 106th Infantry and assigned to the 27th Division (later redesignated as the 27th Infantry Division). It inactivated on 31 December 1945 at Fort Lawton, WA.

Relieved on 17 May 1947 from assignment to the 27th Infantry Division, the 1st Battalion was withdrawn on 3 November 1947 from the 106th Infantry and converted, reorganized, and Federally recognized as the 7th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, an element of the 27th Infantry Division (later reorganized and redesignated as the 27th Armored Division), with Headquarters at Albany (remainder of 106th Infantry - hereafter separate lineage). It was redesignated on 1 May 1950 as the 106th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion; on 15 October 1952 as the 127th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion; and on 1 October 1953 as the 127th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion.

The unit was reorganized and redesignated on 16 March 1959 as the 210 Artillery, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System, to consist of the 1st Automatic Weapons Battalion. It was then converted and redesignated on 1 October 1960 as the 210th Armor to consist of the 1st Medium Tank Battalion, and element of the 27th Armored Division, before being reorganized on 15 April 1963 to consist of the 1st Battalion, an element of the 27th Armored Division; and on 1 February 1968 to consist of the 1st Battalion.

It was withdrawn on 20 October 1986 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System with Headquarters at Albany. It was next consolidated on 1 September 1993 with the 101st Cavalry and the consolidated unit reorganized as the 101st Cavalry, with Headquarters at Staten Island, to consist of the 1st Battalion, an element of the 42d Infantry Division.

In response to the events of September 11, 2001, the unit used its Staten Island armory as home base with over 400 members of the battalion assisting the New York City Police and Fire Departments in the rescue efforts. The unit provided assistance to displaced civilians, in addition to securing the ground zero scene, shuting down unnecessary traffic in southern Manhattan, transporting needed supplies, and providing a military presence to reassure city residents.

In early November, the 101st Cavalry, with elements of the 53rd Troop Command, was tasked with the mission of providing security within the city of New York. For the following 90 days, the unit's soldiers guarded the bridges and tunnels, the train stations, and the area immediately around ground zero.