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A HOUSE DIVIDED
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many, as well as a large interior area. T h e i r main du-
ties were to quell the Black Market, patrol borders,
and police the Citizenry. Their vehicles were M-8
Armored Cars, jeeps, and motorcycles. Striped helmet
and yellow scarves marked the colorful mounted parade
through the streets of various cities and towns During
September 1948, the Regimental Headquarters moved
to Straubing, relieving the 11th Constabulary Regiment
(now the 11th Armored Cavalry) for the Second t i m e
(the first being a t Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, in 1919).
On 20 December 1948, with the first phase of the
occupation completed. the Sixth was again reorganized
re-equipped, and redesignated as the 6th Armored Cav-
alry. Armored Cars and motorcycles gave way to light
a n d m e d i u m t a n k s a n d j e e p s . S q u a d r o n s a n d Troops
became Battalions and Companies. The organization
and equipment became substantially the same as the
regiment h a s today.
In 1949, the regiment participated in five large
scale field training exercises and maneuvers. With
the o u t b r e a k o f h o s t i l i t i e s i n K o r e a , t h e t e n s i o n a n d
training increased. Grafenwohr, Camp de Munsingen and,
Hohne became a s familiar as the home stations of
Deggerndorf, Landshut, Straubing, and Regensburg.
Although faced by 172 rugged mountain miles of
border to patrol, the regiment found time to a s s i s t the
German People. During the terrible floods of the Dan-
ube River each spring, troops worked around the clock
on mercy missions; however, regimental assistance
was not limited to times of disaster. Orphanages and
schools were helped materially each Christmas a s offi
cers and men donated freely and wrote home for cloth-
ing and other necessities for the children.
German Rifle and Shooting Clubs often listed t h e
names of Sixth Cavalrymen a s members. Hunting and
fishine oarties found Germans and Americans side bv
ported t o begin their military training. Upon comple-
War and hatred faded a s the years rolled by and tion of their “Basic Training” they s a i l for Europe
friendships grew. O n a cold rainy day i n February and the 11th Armored Cavalry.
1957, a s the Sixth staged its final review before return-
The words of General Pershing are still true-"The
ing t o the United States, i t was presented a large sil-
traditions of the old Army and the duties of the hour
ver shield by the Bavarian Government. The shield
were our creed.” From garrison to combat, as the du-
bears the inscription “To The Sixth Armored Cavalry
ties of the hour shall dictate, the “Fighting Sixth”
Regiment (The Shield of Bavaria’ For I t s Outstanding
Service in Bavaria, 20 , November 1948, 17 March 1957, will maintain the highest traditions of the Army as it
h a s during the 98 y e a r s of i t s valiant history.
Dr. Wilhelm Hoegner, Minister President of Bavaria.”
I t symbolized the warm friendship which had arisen
during the post-war years between the regiment and the THIS IS YOUR REGIMENT
people i t had helped to conquer and remained to pro-
tect. T h i s is the only known official recognition given
an American unit by a state of Germany since prior to
World War II.
Thus t h e ("Fighting Sixth” ended i t s tour on “the ’
easternmost outpost of democracy” a s it again ex-
changed duty stations for the third time with the 11th
Armored Cavalry under “Operation Gyroscope”. After
a n absence of almost 14 years, the regiment returned
to American soil aboard the USNS Geiger and the USNS
Buckner, arriving in New York late in March 1957.
Fort Knox, Kentucky was t o be our new home.
Its first major mission a t the "Home of Armor" was
t o furnish logistical support t o Reserve and Natio nal
Guard Units during their summer training periods. The
Second Battalion, reinforced by members of the other
battalions cordoned the streets of Williamsburg, Vir-
ginia, during the visit of Queen Elizabeth II of Great
Britain i n October 1957. Following the Queen’s visit.
the troops participated in the reenactment of the Battle
of Yorktown (Virginia). Some wore the white unif orms
of the French while others portrayed the Colonial
American Forces. T h e i r outstanding performance
brought personal praise from President Eisenhower and
a letter of appreciation from the Secretary of the Army.
Mr. Wilber M. Brucker.
The Regiment began writing a new chapter in its
history in early January 1958 as 1400 young men re-
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