11th Cavalry Memorial

Updated August , 2009

 A crucial situation has arisen regarding the future location the 11th Cavalry Memorial currently located at Fort Knox.  The Armor Center and School will be moving to Fort Benning by 2011.  Do we move our memorial along with the other memorials when the Armor Center relocates to Fort Benning or do we remain at Fort Knox?  The 11th ACVVC Board of Directors needs your help, your feedback, and your opinions to determine the best course for the Board to pursue on behalf of our members.  We are working closely with the Blackhorse Association on this issue.  We must provide a final decision to the CG of the Armor Center by October 2009.  Any move would not take place until 2011 or 2012.

 In April 2009 we received a copy of the following letter from MG Campbell, CG Armor Center, through the Blackhorse Association regarding the move of the Armor Center and School from Fort Knox to Fort Benning.  This move is part of Base Realignment And Closing (BRAC). 

 "The US Army Armor Center and School will be relocating to Fort Benning to combine with the Infantry Center to form the Maneuver Center of Excellence.  This move will improve both the training and cohesion of our already preeminent ground combat forces.

 "Fort Benning will soon transition from being the Home of Infantry to becoming the Home of Maneuver, as well as the Home of Armor with construction having already begun on world class facilities to train future Armor and Cavalry Soldiers.  As part of that construction effort a state-of-the-art climate controlled facility, which will serve as the nucleus of the National Armor and Cavalry Museum, will be built to house one of the largest and most varied collection of armor vehicles in the world.  Our facility will be co-located with the new National Infantry Museum, a collection of World War II era training buildings once occupied by the 2d Armored Division, the Maneuver Center Parade Field, and a monument park honoring our Infantry, Armor, and Cavalry forces past and present.

 "The bulk of the armored vehicle collection presently on Fort Knox will move into this new museum, forming the backbone of the collection that will represent our historic lineage.  Some of the current collection, along with the General George S. Patton, Jr. collection, will remain at Fort Knox.  I would like to move all the Armor and Cavalry unit monuments presently on Fort Knox to the new monument park planned for Fort Benning to serve as inspiration for future generations of Armor and Cavalry Soldiers.  However, if you would rather that it stay at Fort Knox and be part of the Human Resource Center of Excellence, your monument will not be moved.  Should you allow your monument's movement, rest assured that once at the new Home of Armor and Cavalry, it would be part of the largest museum complex in Georgia, visited and viewed by tens of thousands of Soldiers, their families, and civilian visitors annually.

 "I look forward to hearing your organization's desire on this important matter as we build a wonderful new branch home post.  Sincerely, Donald M. Campbell Jr., Major General, US Army, Commanding"

 The proposed relocation of the Memorial is an emotional issue for 11th ACVVC because the centerpiece of the Memorial area is the Blackhorse Vietnam Memorial, dedicated to 730 Troopers who were killed in action while serving with the regiment in Vietnam.  Many of us know men who are listed on this Memorial.

 We are extremely proud of the 11th Cavalry Memorial and the men it honors.  This memorial is unique in many ways.  It is located at the entrance to the Armor Memorial Park and is the first memorial seen upon entering the park.  It is also the tallest memorial and covers the largest area of all memorials.

 The Vietnam Memorial has a unique history which began in mid 1967.  The regiment had been in Vietnam nearly a year.  The months of May, June and July of 1967 were particularly challenging as the regiment suffered a number of casualties.

 In the summer of 1967, an idea was conceived to create a memorial to honor the sacrifice and preserve the memory of those courageous Blackhorse troopers.  A team was formed; their mission was to build a memorial.  The team was assembled and with the help of the regiments’ engineers, a large stone was cut from the rock quarry at Gia Ray, not far from the Blackhorse Base camp.  Local stone cutters worked to chisel, cut and smooth the rock into a four sided obelisk which would become the memorial.  The finished memorial was placed in front of the regimental chapel at the Blackhorse Base camp near Xuan Loc.  In the fall of 1967 the monument was officially dedicated.  In those days, to honor our fallen comrades, brass name tags were engraved and attached to the monument.

 In mid 1969 the regiment would receive orders to move.  The regiment would take up positions in new locations such as An Loc, Loc Ninh, Quan Loi and Di An.  In October of that year the Blackhorse base camp at Xuan Loc was officially turned over.  But before the last elements of the regiment rolled out of the front gate for the final time, and with the dignity and honor so deserving of our fallen comrades, the monument was carefully packed up and moved with the regiment to a new location.

 In early 1971 as part of the drawdown of US Forces in Vietnam, Regimental Headquarters along with 1st and 3rd Squadrons would be deactivated.  Their mission was complete.  The regimental colors would be cased for the final time and sent home.

 One of the principles of the current Soldiers Ethos is: I will never leave a fallen comrade.  We knew it by other terms: you never leave a buddy.  The monument represented our fallen comrades, our buddies.  True to this principle and with Blackhorse spirit, the memorial was carefully packed up.  It too was coming home.

 The memorial would eventually make its way to Fort Knox and be placed in front of Gaffey Hall.  The brass name tags were still attached and many were tarnished and corroded from years of adverse conditions in Vietnam.  Eventually, the individual name tags were replaced with four bronze plaques, listing the names of our Blackhorse troopers.  Names were listed in chronological order.  A plaque was also added listing the units that made up the Order of Battle of the regiment in Vietnam.  In the early 1980’s the monument would be moved again and be placed at the entrance of The Armor Memorial Park.  In the years that followed many memorials would be added to the park.

 In recent years the monument has undergone a major transformation.  Over $100,000 has been invested in repairs and additions to the memorial.  In 2004 four small plaques were added to the memorial.  One plaque lists the names of the three Medal of Honor Recipients; CPL Jerry W. Wickam, SFC Rodney J. T. Yano and Captain Harold E. Fritz.  The three other plaques show the nicknames used by each of the squadrons in Vietnam:  1/11 – Iron Horse;  2/11 – Eagle Horse and 3/11 – Work Horse.  Those names are still used by the regiment today.

 In 2007 the four large bronze plaques listing the names were replaced.  After four years of extensive research a full accounting of all Blackhorse troopers was complete.  Several names that were previously missing were added.  A few names were removed as official documentation indicated they did not serve with the regiment.  Each of the four plaques represents one of the four squadrons.  Names are now listed chronologically by unit within that squadron.

 Three new memorials were also been added to honor all Blackhorse troopers who served in all campaigns since the regiment was formed in 1901.  One memorial is dedicated to the 11th US Cavalry and the campaigns during the Philippine Insurrection (1902) and Mexican Expedition (1916-1917).  A second to the 11th Cavalry Group and the campaign in Europe during World War II (1944-1945).   Research for these campaigns is ongoing.  When all troopers from these campaigns are accounted for new plaques will be added to the memorials listing those names.

 The third memorial is dedicated to Operation Iraqi Freedom.  A bronze plaque lists the names of the 21 troopers of the regiments deployment in 2005-2006 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

 Another major change is the addition of The Circle of Honor and the granite bricks.  This is another unique feature of the monument.  The bricks add a new dimension to this memorial with the many personal messages of support.

 The repairs and additions to this memorial have been made to ensure the legacy of our great regiment and of all Blackhorse troopers will continue on well into the future.  We are fortunate in this day and age that our regiment it still serving on active duty.  The 11th Armored Cavalry is one of the premiere units of the US Army.  Much of the reason for this can be attributed to its long and distinguished 108 year history, a history that each Blackhorse trooper helped write.

 There are many things we need to consider:

 CONSIDERATIONS:

§         The Armor Center and School will move to Fort Benning as a result of the Base Realignment and Closing (BRAC) recommendations.

§         Fort Benning will become the Home of Armor

§         The Armor School and Infantry School will combine and be called the Maneuver Center of Excellence.

§         Future generations of armor, cavalry and infantry soldiers will train at Fort Benning.

§         A new National Armor and Cavalry Museum will be built at Fort Benning and co-located with the new National Infantry Museum officially opened in June 2009.

§         The armor and cavalry monuments currently at Fort Knox will be moved to Fort Benning and the New National Armor and Cavalry Museum

§         The bulk of the armor vehicle collection at Fort Knox will be moved to Fort Benning and the new National Armor and Cavalry Museum.

§         We have the option of moving the 11th Cavalry Memorial to Fort Benning or leaving it at Fort Knox.

§         There are 43 armor and cavalry memorials in the Armor Memorial Park at Fort Knox.

§         The Army will pay for relocation of all monuments, including the 11th Cavalry Memorial if a decision is made to move with the Army’s planned relocation.

§         The 11th Cavalry Memorial (all 4 monuments) and bricks would be moved.

§         Any move would not occur until 2011-2012.

§         A response must be given to the Commanding General by October 2009.

§         The Human Resources Command will move from Alexandria, VA, to Fort Knox.

§         Fort Knox will be known as the Human Resource Center of Excellence.

§         The Patton Museum will remain at Fort Knox.

§         Current status of the proposed expansion of the Patton Museum is unknown at this time.

§         The 11th Cavalry Memorial would be the only armor and cavalry memorial if it remained at Fort Knox.

§         Which location (Fort Benning or Fort Knox) offers the highest visibility of our monument for armor and cavalry soldiers as well as other visitors?

 For Blackhorse troopers the decision of whether to move the 11th Cavalry Memorial may be difficult.  Perhaps the most important consideration is which location offers the highest visibility for our monument to tell our history.  While we may tend to think of the memorial in the present and our generation, we also need to think of the memorial in the future, long after we are gone.  The memorial is part of the tangible history of our regiment.  The real importance of the memorial is in passing on the honor, traditions and history of this great regiment to future generations of armor and cavalry soldiers – it should be visited and revered by them.

 The Board of Directors feels that Fort Benning, home of the new Armor Center, would be the best location and provide the highest visibility to honor our fallen Blackhorse troopers and to tell the distinguished history of our regiment.  

 Please take time to read this article again and give careful consideration to this proposal.  Also take time to review the information on the websites listed below.  The Board of Directors has discussed the Army's proposal at length and we want to hear from you.  Please take a minute to complete and mail the Monument Survey below.  We want to hear from all Blackhorse troopers before a final decision is made.

 Thank you for your support and ALLONS!

 Allen Hathaway, 11th ACVVC President

11thcav1966@comcast.net

 Please review these websites:

 Armor Center and School BRAC:  www.knox.army.mil/school/mcoe/time.asp

 National Armor and Cavalry Museum:  www.armorcavalrymuseum.org

 National Infantry Museum:  www.nationalinfantrymuseum.com

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