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In WWII, the US fielded two cavalry divisions, one went on to earn great fame, and the other went into the dust bin of history.

The US Cavalry Division was an odd duck. Its 1942 TO&E had 588 officers, 48 warrant officers and 11,476 enlisted men. It included 8,323 cavalry mounts, 533 pack and draft horses and 265 mules as well as 18 light tanks, 64 armored cars, 611 trucks and 140 motorcycles. Needless to say, when the cavalry went to war, the horses and mules remained stateside.

The First Cavalry Division was a pre-war Regular Army unit stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. It consisted of some of the most famous cavalry regiments in the Army. The 1st Cavalry Brigade was made up of the 5th and 12th Cavalry Regiments and the 2nd Cavalry Brigade consisted of the 7th and 8th Cavalry Regiments.

Campaign honors for the 1st Cavalry Division in World War II included New Guinea; Bismarck Archipelago; Leyte and Luzon.

Its initial combat actions consisted of mopping up IJA stragglers in the Oro Bay region of New Guinea (4 Jan 44). Its first real test was in MacArthur's "Reconnaissance in Force" of Los Negros Island (28 Feb 44) and Manus Island. In spite of stiff resistance, the dismounted troopers secured the two islands, as well as other islands in the Bismarck Archipelago by 18 May 44.

Their next action was the 20 Oct 44 assault on Leyte Island, the 1st Cav took part in the drive that split the island in half and on 30 Dec 44, was withdrawn to prepare for the invasion of Luzon.

The division landed in Lingayen Gulf on 27 Jan 45 and took part in the drive on Manila. After the liberation of the city, the 1st Cav took part in clearing operations until 12 Mar 45 when it was withdrawn for rehabilitation and training for its next operation, the invasion of Japan.

During its service, the 1st Cavalry Division lost 734 troopers killed in action, 3,311 wounded and 236 troopers who died of their wounds.

There were two 2nd Cavalry Divisions that served in World War II. The first remained stateside and was deactivated 15 Jul 42. In its place, the 2nd Cavalry Division (Colored) was activated on 25 Feb 43, like the 1st Cavalry Division, the 2nd had two brigades, the 4th Cavalry Brigade, consisting of the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments (Colored) and the 5th Cavalry Brigade, consisting of the 27th and 28th Cavalry Regiments (Colored).

The 2nd Cavalry Division (Colored) was sent to North Africa and arrived on 9 Mar 44, where it was inactivated and its troopers used to create service and engineer units. The 2nd Cavalry Division was awarded the European Theater Campaign ribbon, without inscription.

The US Army in the Second World War was a segregated service. Colored units were composed of Afro-American enlisted men, commanded by Anglo-American officers. This policy was maintained because it was felt that Colored units were not as capable of White units in military service. Any examination of the records of the pre-war 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments (Colored) confirm that the "Buffalo Soldiers" were the equal of any of the Anglo Cavalry Regiments. It is such a pity that fighting regiments that had taken on the Apaches in the deserts of Arizona/New Mexico and had taken part in the Battles of Kettle Hill and San Juan Hill were denied their chance at "Making Hitler Dance!"

drawn from "WWII Order of Battle by Shelby Stanton".