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[REV 25-NOV-2014]
Vintage photos of:
U.S. Army 7th Cavalry Company in Papago Park (near Phoenix) Arizona, circa 1940. My dad was a member of this group, originally stationed at Ft. Riley, KS, and transferred to Arizona prior to America's entry into WWII. After Pearl Harbor the 7th became a ceremonial unit and their soldiers fought the war in tanks. Note the WWI-style "Smokey" hats that were still used early in WWII. View full size.
It is a popular myth that Poles or Russians charged German tanks with cavalry. The Polish Cavalry did charge German troops, and were routed by German armor, but they did not attack tanks with cavalry. Few may be aware but the US Cavalry did charge troops--and tanks--Japanese tanks--in the Philippines in January 1942. It was just about all we had. The object was to shoot the man in the turret as well as accompanying soldiers.
This would probably be the 7th Cavaly Regiment which was part of the 1st Cavalry Division. In 1940 they may have been garrisoned in Douglas, Arizona. They went on to see action in the Pacific Theater under General Douglas MacArthur.
America had little more than the cavalry as an organized mobile military land force in 1940. Fortunately this cavalry never had to charge a German Tiger tank, used during the invasion of France in 1940, as the Russians would a year or so later on the Eastern Front.
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