Posted on 09/07/2006 9:42:26 PM PDT by mdittmar
FORT HOOD — With a rousing refrain of Garryowen and an old-fashioned cavalry charge on horseback, the 1st Cavalry Division sent its aviation brigade into the war zone of Iraq on Thursday.
The 3,000 soldiers of the 1st Cavalry’s air brigade cased their unit flags and streamers during the hourlong ceremony on a Fort Hood parade ground, the last time the unit will muster until it arrives in Iraq in a few weeks.
Portions of the 1st Cavalry Division are already in Iraq, and the rest of the 19,000-strong division will join them in Baghdad in the coming months, replacing the Fort Hood-based 4th Infantry Division as it heads home.
“These soldiers represent all that is good about America,” said Col. Daniel Shanahan, the brigade commander who has brothers who live in Fort Worth.
Close to two-thirds of the brigade’s soldiers are Iraq veterans. About a third also served in the Hurricane Katrina and Rita efforts and the humanitarian missions following last year’s devastating Pakistan earthquake.
Although all of the soldiers deploying are brothers in arms, two of them are closer than that.
Chief Warrant Officer Tomas Shacklee, a 27-year CH-47 Chinook helicopter pilot, is deploying with his son, Warrant Officer Michael Shacklee, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot fresh out of flight school.
“We decided to go on a field trip together,” Tomas Shacklee said. “It’s a proud moment to watch your child follow in your footsteps. It tells you that you must have made a pretty good career choice.”
May God Bless Them All!
Gary Owen! CO A 1/7 th Cav. Keep the tradition alive!
Ditto..........
One of my favorite movies is "They Died With Their Boots On" with Erol Flynn as George Custer. In the movie he hears some Irishmen(?) singing Garyowen, learns it and it becomes his units song. But his was the 7th Cavalry. So - is the movie inaccurate (most probable), or did the song get adopted by all of the Cavalry?
The Chinese philosophy of war stressed that there are good things to die for:
Dying to protect your family
Dying to protect your community
Dying to protect your state
Dying to protect your country
From this, the Budo (warrior way) developed in Japan.
Compare to the Jihadist...
Dying for their lie
Compare to the democrat
Do not die if cowardice buys life
There are things that need to be relearned.
Fortunately, we have volunteer soldiers who do not need lessons in Budo. They live and are willing to die Budo!
Jack Murta...doesn't get it.
I think the 1st Cav was re-designated the 7th or vice-versa.
Somebody straighten me out on this.
A web search came up with a site for the 7th Cavalry REGIMENT. They tell the story of Custer hearing the song in the bar just as in the movie.
The song became the official "song" (they called it something else but i forget) for the 1st Cav DIVISION in 1981.
Garryowen - Original Version
Let Bacchus' sons be not dismayed
But join with me, each jovial blade
Come, drink and sing and lend your aid
To help me with the chorus:
Chorus
Instead of spa, we'll drink brown ale
And pay the reckoning on the nail;
No man for debt shall go to jail
From Garryowen in glory.
We'll beat the bailiffs out of fun,
We'll make the mayor and sheriffs run
We are the boys no man dares dun
If he regards a whole skin.
Chorus
Our hearts so stout have got no fame
For soon 'tis known from whence we came
Where'er we go they fear the name
Of Garryowen in glory.
Chorus
7TH Cavalry Version
1.
We are the pride of the army,
And a regiment of great renown,
Our name’s on the pages of history,
From sixty six on down.
If you think we stop or falter,
While into the fray we’re goin’
Just watch the step with our heads erect
When our band plays "Garry Owen."
Chorus
In the Fighting Seventh’s the place for me.
It’s the cream of all the cavalry;
No other regiment ever can claim
It’s pride, honor, glory, and undying fame.
2.
We know no fear when stern duty
Calls us far away from home,
Our country’s flag shall sagely o’er us wave,
No matter where we roam.
T’is the gallant Seventh Cavalry,
It matters not where we’re goin’
such you’ll surely say as we march away,
When our band plays "Garry Owen."
3.
Then hurrah for our brave commanders!
Who lead us into the fight.
We’ll do or die in our country’s cause.
And battle for the right.
And when the war is o’er
And to our home we’re goin’
Just watch the step, with our head erect,
When our band plays, "Garry Owen."
Garry Owen (Owen's Garden) was the regimental song of the 7th Calvalry Regimenent. When the 1st Cav was formed in 1921, the 5th, 6th, and 7th (and 9th??) Cavalry Regiments were incorporated into it.
During my time, late 60's early 70's, two of the 7th Cav Battalions were in the 3rd Brigade of the Division. We, the officers, wore the 7th Cav regimental crests and the band always played Garry Owen at formations and other special events. As a matter of fact, when we'd approach amd salute a superior officer, it was always accompanied with a resounding 'Garry Owen, Sir!'.
I had a great time in that unit.
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