13th Armored Cavalry Regiment

[rcaf_777]

If you have been reading Matt Wiser posts you have no doubt heard of the 13th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Over the weekend I did some researching trying to figure out how the unit would look and function. Here is what I came up with so far, suggestion for vehicles or organization changes are welcome.

13th Armored Cavalry Regiment: TO and E

• Regimental Headquarters Troop

• 1st Squadron (Stingrays) (2 x Troops of 4 x Stingrays and 1 x Troop with 4 x M151 with TOW, and 1 x M577)

• 2nd Squadron (Stingrays) (2 x Troops of 4 x Stingrays and 1 x Troop with 4 x M151 with TOW and 1 x M577)

• 3rd Squadron (Motorcycle) (Long Range Reconnaissance) – See Below

• 4th Squadron (Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition) (LAV-25?)

• Regimental Support Squadron

o Headquarters Troop
o Combat Engineer Troop
o Signals Troop
o Military Intelligence Troop

• Field Artillery Squadron

o Headquarters Battery
o A Battery (6-gun 105mm howitzer battery)
o B Battery (6-gun 105mm howitzer battery)
o C Battery (6-gun 105mm howitzer battery)

• Regimental Support Squadron

o Headquarters Troop
o Supply and Transportation
o Maintenance Troop
o Medical Troop
o Military Police Troop

3rd Squadron (Motorcycle) (Long Range Reconnaissance)

The Squadron has three long range reconnaissance detachments, a communications platoon, and a troop headquarters. As with LRRP units of the past each US Army LRS team is composed of six soldiers:

1. Team Leader
2. Assistant Team Leader
3. Senior Scout Observer
4. Radio Operator
5. Scout Observer
6. Assistant Radio Operator

[Matt Wiser]

In the Red Dawn timeline as opposed to T2K, the 4th Squadron would be an aviation squadron with AH-1F, UH-1H, and OH-58A-apart from the Regiment's HQ troop, the only Regular or USAR personnel in the unit when formed.

In that TL, The LAV-25s would take the place of M-113ACAV in a late '70s-early '80s ACR. Each squadron would have a motorcycle reconnaissance troop as opposed to the Regiment having a full squadron. Keep the Jeeps with TOW to provide some extra antiarmor firepower.

The artillery squadron looks OK.

Just remember that, given the background of many of the regiment's rank and file, that they can be counted on to accomplish their assigned mission; albeit in some very unorthodox methods.

[Panther Al]

Originally Posted by rcaf_777

If you have been reading Matt Wiser posts you have no doubt heard of the 13th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Over the weekend I did some researching trying to figure out how the unit would look and function. Here is what I came up with so far, suggestion for vehicles or organization changes are welcome.

13th Armored Cavalry Regiment: TO and E

• Regimental Headquarters Troop

• 1st Squadron (Stingrays) (2 x Troops of 4 x Stingrays and 1 x Troop with 4 x M151 with TOW, and 1 x M577)

• 2nd Squadron (Stingrays) (2 x Troops of 4 x Stingrays and 1 x Troop with 4 x M151 with TOW and 1 x M577)

• 3rd Squadron (Motorcycle) (Long Range Reconnaissance) – See Below

• 4th Squadron (Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition) (LAV-25?)

• Regimental Support Squadron

o Headquarters Troop
o Combat Engineer Troop
o Signals Troop
o Military Intelligence Troop

• Field Artillery Squadron

o Headquarters Battery
o A Battery (6-gun 105mm howitzer battery)
o B Battery (6-gun 105mm howitzer battery)
o C Battery (6-gun 105mm howitzer battery)

• Regimental Support Squadron

o Headquarters Troop
o Supply and Transportation
o Maintenance Troop
o Medical Troop
o Military Police Troop

3rd Squadron (Motorcycle) (Long Range Reconnaissance)

The Squadron has three long range reconnaissance detachments, a communications platoon, and a troop headquarters. As with LRRP units of the past each US Army LRS team is composed of six soldiers:

1. Team Leader
2. Assistant Team Leader
3. Senior Scout Observer
4. Radio Operator
5. Scout Observer
6. Assistant Radio Operator

For what it is worth, looking at numbers, this is more a Cav Squadron than regiment. The way the US uses the term troop and squadron is a little different than most everyone else. Basically, Platoon, then Troop, Then Squadron, then Regiment.

But it looks good considering I don' know the backstory.

[Matt Wiser]

The back story of the 13th ACR is that in the Red Dawn storyline, the Hell's Angels offered their services to the U.S. Army, on one condition: that a Regiment be formed from members who were Vietnam Vets. The Army accepted, albeit reluctantly, and the 13th ACR was formed. A standard three-squadron ACR, with support elements, and a USAR AH-1F unit became the 4th (Aviation) Squadron. They were equipped with Cadillac-Gage Stingrays, LAV-25, and towed 105-mm howitzers. By the end of the war, they had a reputation for ruthlessness, and took pride in that they used less ammunition and produced more corpses than any unit of comparable size. And they could be counted on to accomplish their assigned missions, but given the background of many of the Regiment's members, they did so in some unorthodox ways....

[Canadian Army]

Originally Posted by Matt Wiser

The back story of the 13th ACR is that in the Red Dawn storyline, the Hell's Angels offered their services to the U.S. Army, on one condition: that a Regiment be formed from members who were Vietnam Vets. The Army accepted, albeit reluctantly, and the 13th ACR was formed.

Since the regiment is drawn from Hell's Angels its should be called the 81st ACR. 81 is a metonym. It stands for the 8th letter of the alphabet which is an H, and the 1st letter of the alphabet which is an A, HA = Hells Angels.

The regiment's motto would be "Red and White Forever". Red & White is another metonym; Red & White are the colors of the club.

[rcaf_777]

Updated

13th Armored Cavalry Regiment: TO and E

• Regimental Headquarters Troop

• 1st Squadron
1 x Headquarters Troop (M577)
1 x Troop of 4 x Stingrays
1 x Troop of 4 x LAV-25
1 x Troop with 4 x M151 with TOW
1 x Motorcycle Reconnaissance Troop
1 x Forward Support Troop

• 2nd Squadron
1 x Headquarters Troop (M577)
1 x Troop of 4 x Stingrays
1 x Troop of 4 x LAV-25
1 x Troop with 4 x M151 with TOW
1 x Motorcycle Reconnaissance Troop
1 x Forward Support Troop

• 3rd Squadron
1 x Headquarters Troop (M577)
1 x Troop of 4 x Stingrays
1 x Troop of 4 x LAV-25
1 x Troop with 4 x M151 with TOW
1 x Motorcycle Reconnaissance Troop
1 Forward Support Troop

• 4th Squadron (Aviation)

1 x Headquarters Troop
1 x Troop of 4 AH-1F,
1 x Troop of 4 UH-1H,
1 x Troop of 4 OH-58A
1 x Maintenance Troop
1 x Forward Support Troop

• Regimental Support Squadron

1 x Headquarters Troop
1 x Combat Engineer Troop
1 x Signals Troop
1 x Military Intelligence Troop

• Field Artillery Squadron

1 x Headquarters Battery
A Battery (6-Gun 105mm Howitzer Battery)
B Battery (6-Gun 105mm Howitzer Battery)
C Battery (6-Gun 105mm Howitzer Battery)
1 x Forward Support Troop

• Regimental Support Squadron

1 x Headquarters Troop
1 x Supply and Transportation
1 x Maintenance Troop
1 x Medical Troop
1 x Military Police Troop

[CDAT]

Originally Posted by rcaf_777

Updated

13th Armored Cavalry Regiment: TO and E

• Regimental Headquarters Troop

• 1st Squadron
1 x Headquarters Troop (M577)
1 x Troop of 4 x Stingrays
1 x Troop of 4 x LAV-25
1 x Troop with 4 x M151 with TOW
1 x Motorcycle Reconnaissance Troop
1 x Forward Support Troop

• 2nd Squadron
1 x Headquarters Troop (M577)
1 x Troop of 4 x Stingrays
1 x Troop of 4 x LAV-25
1 x Troop with 4 x M151 with TOW
1 x Motorcycle Reconnaissance Troop
1 x Forward Support Troop

• 3rd Squadron
1 x Headquarters Troop (M577)
1 x Troop of 4 x Stingrays
1 x Troop of 4 x LAV-25
1 x Troop with 4 x M151 with TOW
1 x Motorcycle Reconnaissance Troop
1 Forward Support Troop

• 4th Squadron (Aviation)

1 x Headquarters Troop
1 x Troop of 4 AH-1F,
1 x Troop of 4 UH-1H,
1 x Troop of 4 OH-58A
1 x Maintenance Troop
1 x Forward Support Troop

• Regimental Support Squadron

1 x Headquarters Troop
1 x Combat Engineer Troop
1 x Signals Troop
1 x Military Intelligence Troop

• Field Artillery Squadron

1 x Headquarters Battery
A Battery (6-Gun 105mm Howitzer Battery)
B Battery (6-Gun 105mm Howitzer Battery)
C Battery (6-Gun 105mm Howitzer Battery)
1 x Forward Support Troop

• Regimental Support Squadron

1 x Headquarters Troop
1 x Supply and Transportation
1 x Maintenance Troop
1 x Medical Troop
1 x Military Police Troop

I was in Armor not Cav, so keep that in mind. I see two things, 1st if this is a US unit still using squadron/troop wrong. Troop is a company sized element, and Squadron is Battalion sized. For example I was D company, 1-303AR Battalion, 81st Inf Brigade if that was Cav it would have been D Troop, 1-303 Cav Squadron, 81st Cav Regiment. 2nd we had two M577 at Battalion/Squadron level one for S2, one for S3, then had attached one M577 from the ENG, and one from the FA the four of them made up our Battalion/Squadron TOC.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by Matt Wiser

The back story of the 13th ACR is that in the Red Dawn storyline, the Hell's Angels offered their services to the U.S. Army, on one condition: that a Regiment be formed from members who were Vietnam Vets.

I guess their motorcycle reconnaissance troop would be fairly distinctive.

[rcaf_777]

There is an old war movie B Movie call Nam's Angels in which a gang of Vietnam Veteran Hells Angels type bikers called "The Devil's Advocates" are recruited by the US Army, for a mission to the Cambodian jungle order to rescue an American diplomat/CIA Agent.

In the movie they ride converted Yamaha bikes. Many are converted by welding armor plating with submachine guns on the handlebars. There is three-wheeler modified from a Harley-Davidson frame with a Volkswagen rear end that is armed with heavy .50 caliber machine guns and a multiple rocket launcher from a helicopter.

In order to open fire on enemy soldiers in trees or towers the gang does wheelies whilst firing their weapons.

The bases for this movie come from a telegram the white house got on 19 November 1965. Sonny Barger the "Maximum Leader" of the Hells Angels motorcycle club sent a telegram to President Johnson offering the Angels as "guerrilla fighters" in the Vietnam War.

While I could find the original source on this there is an online article By Peter Carlson of the Washington Post dated Wednesday, August 9, 2000 in which he talk a 1965 press conference in which Mr. Barger talks about the Telegram to then President Lynd Johnson. This was done apparently to boast the Club image.

http://www.nolimitsonline.com/biker_life1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nam's_Angels

[Matt Wiser]

Actually, no. Slidell, LA is east of the Mississippi, which is the front lines. A lot of swamp, and having the bridges on I-10 and U.S. 90 blown make SE Louisiana (Baton Rouge-New Orleans-Slidell safe from ground attack. The factory would still be in U.S. hands.

[rcaf_777]

The LAV-25 is and would still be built in Eastern Canada (Ontario), well away from the front line in the US or Western Canada

[Tnchi2a]

Originally Posted by Matt Wiser

Actually, no. Slidell, LA is east of the Mississippi, which is the front lines. A lot of swamp, and having the bridges on I-10 and U.S. 90 blown make SE Louisiana (Baton Rouge-New Orleans-Slidell safe from ground attack. The factory would still be in U.S. hands.

Slidell, LA is west of the Mississippi between pearl river state wildlife preserve
and Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge.
between the I-10 (East),Route 11 (West), I-12 (North), and Lake pontchartrain (South)
so would be in Mexican hands.

Originally Posted by rcaf_777

The LAV-25 is and would still be built in Eastern Canada (Ontario), well away from the front line in the US or Western Canada

never said anything about General Dynamics Land Systems being in anyone's hands other then the U.S.
P.S. the plant that makes the LAV-25 is in London,Ontario, Canada for Informational Reference.