The Staten Island Guardsmen has been formed in 1948 by a group of soldiers, to perpetuate the memory and history of the 101st Armored Cavalry located at the Manor Road Armory, Staten Island, New York, to include members of the 3rd Battalion, 51st Infantry Regiment, New York Guard whom attended their drills at the Armory prior to 1963, when the 101st Cavalry was re-designated the 1st Squadron, 101st Cavalry and later the1st Battalion, 101st Cavalry (Tanks) Regiment. This group of Active, Retired and Honorable discharged soldiers formed the organization to keep the history of the 101st Cavalry alive, and to inspire amongst their members and their descendants, the patriotic spirits of the forefathers; to inculcate in the community in general, sentiments and respect for the principles for which the patriots of the Guardsmen contended and to assist in other great historical events of importance, and to promote social Inter-course and the feelings of fellowship amongst its members.
To preserve and strengthen comradeship amongst its members; to assist worthy members, to perpetuate the memory and history of our deceased and to their widows and orphans; to maintain due allegiance to the Government of the United States of America and fidelity to it's Constitution and laws; to foster true patriotism, to maintain and extend the institutions of American freedom and to promote social Inter-Course and fellowship amongst the members.
The beginning seeds of the 101st Cavalry were planted with the formation of an elegantly uniformed mounted team during the Blaine-Cleveland presidential campaign in the summer of 1884. After the election, they continued as the “First New York Hussars”’ and then the “First Dragoons”. Horace J. Brooks was elected Captain, and drills were conducted at the Dickel’s Riding Academy. During the period, five U.S. Army generals, including William Tecumeseh Sherman, Became honorary members of the unit.
In 1888, Captain Charles F. Roe joined the New York Hussars-First Dragons. Uncle Roe’s leadership, after intense periods of training, the team was integrated into the National Guard of New York State as Troop A in 1889, becoming the first Cavalry arm of the state. Over the next ten years, Troop A would be called out to guard critical stock yards during a strike in Buffalo; support operations during the Brooklyn Trolley strike; and perform guard duty during the Croton Dam strike. Because of outstanding equestrian skills, they were also called upon to act as military escorts for presidents, governors, and high-ranking dignitaries. They were utilized in hundreds of parades, military funerals and ceremonies, and presidential inaugurals. In 1894, Troop A participated in the cornerstone ceremony of their new home, the armory at 94th Street and Madison Avenue in manhattan.
Troop A’s involvement in the Brooklyn Trolley strike proved a need for cavalry units in state service. As a result, Troop C of the New York National Guard was formed in 1895 at the Portland Street Armory in Brooklyn.
Both Troops A and C first saw federal service in 1898, when they were mobilized and deployed to Puerto Rico during the Spanish American war. At this time over 25% of the unit’s enlisted were field commissioned and were a vital part of the army’s occupation of the island.
In 1911, the 1st New York Cavalry was formed with Squadron A (formerly Troop A) located in Manhattan, Squadron B in Albany, Squadron C (formerly Troop C) in Brooklyn and Squadron D in Syracuse.
On 19 June 1916, the 1st New York Cavalry was called into federal service again, as one of the several units protecting the U.S. border with Mexico from attacks against Pancho Villa. The mobilization ended on 14 December 1916, and the unit promptly returned home.
Seven months after returning from Mexico, Squadron A disembarked for Spartenburg, South Carolina, where they were reorganized into the 105th Machinegun Battalion, 27th Infantry Division. After the months of rigorous training, the deployed to St. Nazarie, France and were assigned to the second British army at Beauvarde Woods, Belgium. The battalion played an important part in the smashing of the Hindenburg line and the allied attack at the LaSalle River. The battalion suffered 29 losses and several casualties. On 27 January 1919, General Pershing reviewed the 27th Infantry Division, and awarded six Congressional Medals of Honor, including one to Sergeant Reider Waaler, a member of the battalion. On 24 March 1919, the battalion returned home. They were re-designated the 51st Machinegun Battalion in 1921, and then again in 1928 as part of the 101st Cavalry Regiment, rejoining Squadron B, C, and D as part of the 21st Infantry Division
In the past 20 years between World war I and World War II, the 101st Cavalry maintained readiness. They participated on parades and ceremonies, and organized a polo team to maintain their equestrian skills.
In 1940, with the clouds of war hanging over the U.S., the unit stepped up training maneuvers, and doubled the number of drills. On 27 January 1941, the 101st Cavalry was federalized and shipped to Fort Devins, Ma. For training. Following the declaration of war, the 101st Cavalry mobilized several of its members to augment U.S. military units around the world. The ranks of the 101st Cavalry were filled to full strength, and mobilized under the code name “Wing Foot” which gallantly fought in France, Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia. By the end of World War II, unit members had served over 14 countries, on 3 continents. At war’s end, 44 members of the unit died in action. Members earned aa Congressional Medal of Honor, 32 Croix de Guerre’s, 5 French Legion of Honor Awards, 10 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and several Combat Stars, Purple Hearts and a Presidential Unit Citation.
In 1963, the squadron was re-designated as the 1st Battalion, 101st Cavalry, and element of the 42nd Infantry division, in 1965, the Madison Avenue Armory was slated for demolition, and the 101st Cavalry was relocated to its present home at the Manor Road Armory on Staten Island, which was then occupied by the 42nd Reconnaissance Company. At this time. The 42nd Recon. Company integrated into the 101st Cavalry.
In 1970, the 101st Cavalry was federally activated to deliver the mail during a nation-wide post office strike. In 1979, the unit was activated again to take the place of striking correction officers. At strike’s end, the 101st managed the security of 5 States Prisons.
Since 1980, the unit has been called to serve the state for disaster relief during the blizzards (1983, 1987, 1nd 1996), two hurricanes (1988 and 1997), and an ice storm (1998). In 1997, volunteers form the unit formed a search party for a missing Staten Island child. In addition, the 101st supports the community by supporting local road raced, the New York City Marathon, County fairs, and local parades. They also support NYC Parks Department, Boy Scouts of America, and local Red Cross activities.
In 1981, unit members volunteered time and money to design and build a museum to hold memorabilia from their storied past. From the flag used during the Spanish American War to their polo trophies to World War II memorabilia to a beautiful oil painting of Old Bill, the Cavalry symbol, painted and given to them by the inmates of the Arthur Kill Correctional Facility during the prison strike in 1979, the museum is truly a sight to see.
Although the unit participates in many activities, readiness is still the primary mission. In 1980's, the squadron played opposing forces for the 10th Mountain Division during numerous exercises, and ran a river crossing where companies of tanks and personnel carriers crossed the Black River.
During the Persian Gulf War, the unit was called upon to perform their Annual Training at the National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin, CA. In preparation for deployment to Southwest Asia. The 101st Cavalry learned Iraqi tactic, and fought as the opposing forces against the combined forces of the Texas and Mississippi State National Guard units. Winning all battles, the 101st Cavalry became the first national Guard ever to receive the Hambee Award, given for outstanding unit performance at the NTC. Although the nation did not require their service, the Squadron was ready.
Year after year, the Squadron, now re-designated as an Armor Battalion, shows their outstanding readiness capability. As recent as this summer, the battalion went to Fort Knox and Fort Leavenworth, KS. To train under simulated war conditions, during which the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Riemer, observed the might of the101st . As in the past, the 101st is ever ready to support their country in any capacity required
Soldiers from the 101st Cavalry were among the first military responders at the World Trade Center site on September 11th, 2001. The 42nd Division would later assume command and control of the entire New York National Guard joint task force for response and recovery in lower Manhattan. The National Guard response in New York City would reach more than 1,800 Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and Marines in the days and weeks following the attacks. Task Force Liberty, the New York Guard Component of the 42nd Joint Task Force Rainbow Hope activated for Operation World Trade Center. The Task Force consisted of approximately 3,000 soldiers, drawn from The Army National Guard, The New York Guard, The Naval Militia and The Air National Guard.
In early November, the 101st Cavalry, with elements of the 53rd Troop Command, was tasked with the mission of providing security within the city of New York. For the following 90 days, the unit's soldiers guarded the bridges and tunnels, the train stations, and the area immediately around ground zero.
The 42nd Infantry Division Headquarters and base units mobilized in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the nation's Global War on Terror. The headquarters troops mobilized 27 May 2004 to train for their mission at Fort Drum, NY. The division expected to complete its training tasks later this year and deploy to Iraq at the end of 2004 and early 2005. Over the month of June 2004 the citizen-soldiers of the Army's famous "Rainbow Division" departed home station armories across the United States for movement and in-processing at their Fort Drum, NY, Fort Dix, NJ, Fort Hood and Fort Bliss, TX and Camp Shelby, MS mobilization sites. More than 3,000 division Soldiers mobilized to include the 1/101st Cavalry in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terror.
The 1/101st Cavalry has since disbanded.
They truly performed to the “UTMOST”