Osprey's elite series title for all cavalry units that participated in World War II (1939-1945). At the time of Pearl Harbor, the United States Army still had ten cavalry regiments that were mounted on horses. One, the 26th (Filipino Scouts) fought on horseback in the Philippines, while the rest were dismounted and fought as infantry. Despite this, the cavalry units maintained their own unique organization, traditions, and identity as they saw action in the Pacific and China-Burma-India theatre.
This book covers all of the US cavalry units to see action during World War II, most of which survive to this day. It includes the little-covered Texan National Guard regiments, who took part in the vicious street fighting in Manila in 1945, and who fought beside ex-Merrill's Marauders as a deep penetration unit. It also contains detailed color-plates showing the unique uniforms of the US Army's last mounted cavalry as well as tropical combat dress worn by the dismounted units.
Table of Contents:
- The US Cavalry at the outbreak of war
- The Filipino Scouts - 26th Cavalry in action, December 1941-April 1942
- 1st Cavalry Division: Mexican border 1942, Australia 1943, New Guinea and the Admiralties, Leyte October 1944, Luzon 1945 - the battle of Manila
- 2nd Cavalry Division: inactivation & brief re-activation, 1942-43
- 112th Cav (Texas NG) - New Caledonia 1942, New Guinea 1943-44, New Britain
- 1943, New Guinea & Leyte 1944, Luzon 1945.
- 124th Cav (Texas NG), the last mounted regiment - India 1944, Mars Task Force in the CBI, 1945