1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment
"Jumping Mustangs"

The mission of the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry is to deploy to theatre of operation and conduct full spectrum operations.

The 8th Cavalry Regiment was first organized on 21 September 1866 at Angel Island, California. In it's early years, the 8th Cavalry as a whole fought many battles in the Indian Wars and conducted border duty along the New Mexico and Texas borders. During the Spanish-American War, the 8th Cavalry was assigned to Cuba to protect American citizens and their property. They were sent to defend the Philippines against guerrillas from 1905 to 1915.

As a result of the US entering World War II, the Regiment arrived in Australia in 1943 and started an intense period of jungle warfare training to prepare it for combat. Men of the 8th Cavalry fought in many engagements throughout the Southwest Pacific Theater and received streamers for their actions in New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, Leyte and Luzon. The Regiment was also awarded 2 Presidential Unit Citations for heroism plus the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

Following the Second World War, the Regiment was assigned to occupation duties in Japan and remained there until the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950. The Regiment arrived in Korea on 18 July 1950 and initially assisted in establishing the Pusan Perimeter.

In 1965, the "Jumping Mustangs" of the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment arrived in Vietnam. There they participated in numerous campaigns in both South Vietnam and Cambodia. As a result of its gallant performance, the Battalion was awarded 2 Presidential Unit Citations, the Valorous Unit Citation, and 5 soldiers where awarded with the nations highest honor, the Medal of Honor.

In 1986, the Battalion was organized as a Combined Arms Maneuver Battalion. The Battalion relinquished a tank company in exchange for an M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle equipped infantry company, one of the first permanently structured units of this nature in the Army.

In August 1990, a task force led by the Battalion was alerted to deploy to Southwest Asia as part of the Allied response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The task force led the 1st Cavalry Division into the Saudi Arabian desert, arriving 28 September 1990. From 10 February 1991 to 1 March 1991, the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry participated in 5 combat missions, culminating in a record setting move over 300 kilometers in 2 days. Their accomplishments led to the unit being award their second Unit Valorous Award. The Mustangs redeployed to Fort Hood, Texas in April 1991.

In June 1996, the Mustangs turned in their M1A1 tanks and became the third battalion in the United States Army to field the M1A2 Main Battle Tank.

When the 1st Cavalry Division was alerted for deployment to Bosnia for Operation Joint Forge, 1-8th Cavalry was chosen to become a part of the 1st Brigade and lead the 1st Cavalry Division into Bosnia. The Mustangs deployed in August of 1998 and maintained the peace in sector near Camp McGovern until March 1999. On 2 October 1999, 1-8th Cavalry was reassigned from 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division to 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.

The 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, as part of 5th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, presented farmers in the Al Rashid region with 4 brand new tractors between 9 and 10 June 2004. As the 5th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division plan to improve agriculture in Al Rashid, members of the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment civil affairs team, presented farmers of Al Boetha with more than 68 tons of seed, fertilizer and other supplies at the Al Ahar School by 4 August 2004. The seed delivery started on 6 July 2004. The distribution was one of many to take over 2 weeks, just in time for the second planting season.