Mr. December

**SergeantFirstClass** · 24th October 07, 08:43 AM

The army bought pipes, a kilt and altered the jacket. I had the privelage to pipe the 69th into formation to unfurl their BCT colors in Kuwait, just before they crossed the berm into Iraq. Quite an honor. My proudest moment in OIF. No, the 1st Cav no longer have the pipers....odly they had an attachment to the 3rd ID with a pipe band in Germany. The name they gave them was something like Garry Owen.....something or other. The historical connentations are obvious. Apparently, the 2nd ID had a pipe bend as well but I can't place when.

**Monkey@Arms** · 24th October 07, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by SergeantFirstClass

I can't seem to produce a bigger picture.

Let me try:

Looking good!

Best regards,

Jake

**macwilkin** · 24th October 07, 09:28 AM

odly they had an attachment to the 3rd ID with a pipe band in Germany. The name they gave them was something like Garry Owen.....something or other. The historical connentations are obvious.

That would be the 7th Cav's pipe band, since the regimental march of the 7th is the old Irish drinking tune, "Garryowen", which refers to rather wild pub in Limerick called Owen's Garden. Custer chose "Garryowen" for the 7th, and then the 7th's regimental customs and traditions were revived when the 7th became part of the new 1st Air Cavalry Division during Vietnam -- the move "We Were Soldiers" touches on this, as well as the book by Gen. Hal Moore about the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley in Vietnam.

Besides the 7th, a number of Irish Regiments in the British Army, the Irish Regiment of Canada and the 69th New York have "Garryowen" as their regimental march.

Regards,

Todd

**SergeantFirstClass** · 24th October 07, 04:05 PM

I'll have to send you a link. I said 1st based on the patch. The large shield with wide black line on a field of yellow with a horse head. This is 1st Cav as long as I remember. I don't think Custer was in charge of a division though. It would have had to ba Brigade. The web site lists the units with the pipe bands. They were in Germany in the 40's-50's. The bands no longer exist though and haven't for quite some time. I can't seem to find the web site at this time. It had links to photos as well as a history of the band, perhaps there were two bands. Somehow the 3ID had some sort of attachment with a pipe band as well. When I find the site, I'll post a link.

**macwilkin** · 24th October 07, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by SergeantFirstClass

I'll have to send you a link. I said 1st based on the patch. The large shield with wide black line on a field of yellow with a horse head. This is 1st Cav as long as I remember. I don't think Custer was in charge of a division though. It would have had to ba Brigade. The web site lists the units with the pipe bands. They were in Germany in the 40's-50's. The bands no longer exist though and haven't for quite some time. I can't seem to find the web site at this time. It had links to photos as well as a history of the band, perhaps there were two bands. Somehow the 3ID had some sort of attachment with a pipe band as well. When I find the site, I'll post a link.

Here's a pretty decent history of the 7th Cavalry Regiment. The US Army really didn't make the switch to Divisions until around the time of the First World War:

http://www.cavhooah.com/7th.htm

The 7th served with the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) during Vietnam. 3rd Squadron, 7th Cav. was assigned to the 3rd ID ("The Rock of the Marne") which was the Division Audie Murphy served in, btw (15th Regiment) in 1996. 3-7 went into Iraq with the 3rd ID in 2003. I remember several reporters noting the symbolism of the 7th Cavalry being the first to charge over the border.

The web site for the 7th Cavalry Association has a graphic of the 7th's tartan and some information about the pipe band:

http://www.us7thcavalry.com/7-cav-k.htm

Cheers,

Todd