5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment
"Garry Owen"/"Warpaint"

The history of the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment started when the unit was first constituted on 28 July 1866 in the Regular Army as Company E, 7th Cavalry. It was organized on 22 December 1866 at Fort Riley, Kansas. Cavalry companies were officially designated as troops in 1883.

The 7th Cavalry Regiment received its baptism by fire in 1867, as a part of an expedition against the Cheyenne. On 27 November 1868, the 7th Cavalry swept down on Black Kettle's sleeping village of Cheyenne, and took them completely by surprise. During the Indian Campaigns (1866-1891), the 7th Cavalry acquired the reputation as the most experienced and capable mounted regiment in the US Army. Under such leaders as Brevet Major General George A. Custer, the regiment fought innumerable battles against the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Nez Perce Indians while setting a pattern for fighting men of courage and devotion to duty. On the command "Forward" and the playing of Custer's favorite tune "Garry Owen," the troops stood ready for battle at all times.

On 25 June 1876, the Regiment engaged in the infamous Battle of Little Big Horn in Montana. Despite the the crushing defeat, the engagement distinguished the 7th Cavalry Regiment. The battle gave the regiment one of 6 campaign streamers gained in the courage of the long and bloody Indian Wars. Fourteen troopers received the Congressional Medal of Honor during this period.

In the years that followed, the Regiment was part of the Army of Pacification in Cuba and from 1905 to 1907. It also helped combat the Phillipine Insurrection in Luzon. After fighting in these locations, the 7th Cavalry joined General John J. Pershing in the Mexican Punitive Expedition against the legendary Pancho Villa in 1916.

The 7th Cavalry was assigned in December 1917 to the 15th Cavalry Division. It was subsequently relieved in May 1918 from assignment to the 15th Cavalry Division and assigned on 13 September 1921 to the 1st Cavalry Division. The 7th Calvary dismounted on 28 February 1943 and reorganized on 4 December 1943 partly under cavalry and partly under infantry tables of organization. It reorganized wholly as infantry on 20 July 1945 but retained its cavalry designations.

7th Calvary was redesignated on 25 March 1949 as Company E, 7th Cavalry. 7th Cavalry was relieved on 15 October 1957 from assignment to the 1st Cavalry Division.

The unit was inactivated on 1 November 1957 in Japan. It was concurrently redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarter Troop, 5th Reconnaissance Squadron, 7th Cavalry. It was again redesignated on 26 March 1966 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry, and assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division with organic elements concurrently constituted).

The unit was reactivated on 1 April 1966 at Fort Carson, Colorado and inactivated on 29 March 1971 at Fort Lewis, Washington. The 7th Calvary was activated once more on 21 September 1975 at Fort Hood, Texas and relieved 30 September 1978 from assignment to the 1st Cavalry Division and inactivated at Fort Hood, Texas.

As part of an Army-wide transformation to the US Army's new modular force structure, the unit was activated once again on 21 July 2004 at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry was subsequently assigned to the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division.

The Squadron deployed in January 2005 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) III, under the command of the 42nd Infantry Division as part of Task Force Liberty. The Squadron was directly responsible for the security and reconstruction of Balad, and the Troopers distinguished themselves by providing security for 2 separate elections during their tour, allowing local citizens their first opportunity to vote and bolstering the Iraqi democracy. The Squadron redeployed in January 2006.

Following a 12 month RESET period, the Squadron again deployed to Iraq in support of OIF V, as Task Force Warpaint. The Task Force was attached to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force. After increasing the security and competency of the local Iraqi forces near the city of Ramadi, the Squadron executed a deliberate attack for Regimental Combat Team 6 to liberate a major logistical artery south of Fallujah. The Squadron defeated the insurgency there and established security, governance, and reconstruction in the villages of Fuhaylat, Amariyah, and Ferris.

The Squadron again answered the call and charged to the sound of the guns, relocating to FOB Kalsu, south of Baghdad. Here the Squadron, under the command of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, served as the Brigade's main effort in defeating the insurgent stronghold in Arab Jabour, and established reconstruction, local economy, and governance.

Following the 15 month deployment, the Troopers of the Squadron redeployed to Fort Stewart in April 2008.