26th Cavalry Regiment, Philippine Scouts
Organized
October 1, 1922 from the enlistedmen of the 25th Field Artillery (PS) and officers from the 9th Cavalry, 24th and 25th Field Artilleries. [1]
Redesignated
March 23, 1946: 2nd Squadron redesignated 12th Mechanized Cavalry Troop (PS)
(December 31, 1946: 1st Squadron inactivated) [1]
Disbanded
July 30, 1951
Regimental Day
October 1
Campaigns
Philippine Islands 1941-1942
Citations
(3) Distinguished Unit Citations
Philippine Distinguished Unit Citation [3]
Members of Captain John Wheeler’s Machine Gun Troop, 26th Cavalry (PS), during pre-war field exercises, 1941. (Photo colored by Sean Conejos)
The 26th Cavalry Regiment, Philippine Scouts, was an element of the Philippine Department, U.S. Army, based at Ft. Stotsenburg. Organized in 1922, this organization can trace its lineage to the 3rd Battalion, Philippine Scouts, formed in 1908. [2]
During the interwar period, the Army began to adopt mechanization and and modernization of the cavalry, accelerated in 1931 by Chief of Staff, General Douglas MacArthur. In 1938, the War Department directed the mechanization of all cavalry units. However, the 26th Cavalry (PS) “had been forgotten.” [3]
At the start of WWII, the 26th Cavalry (PS) fought the Japanese at the shores at Lingayen Gulf. It was here that Sgt. Dan Figuracion fired his M1 Garand, the first American soldier to do so in combat. From there, the regiment conducted delaying actions until the Filipino and American forces made it to the Bataan Peninsula. On Bataan, the 26th Cavalry (PS) conducted much needed offensive actions on horseback, including the last cavalry charge in U.S. Army history, led by Lt. Edwin Ramsey.
The regiment earned three Distinguished Unit Citations and one Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. The Army awarded 37 decorations for valor to the officers and enlistedmen of the regiment, including 5 Distinguished Service Crosses, 28 Silver Star Medals, and 4 Bronze Star Medals. After a hard-fought defense, the 26th Cavalry (PS) surrendered to the Japanese on April 9, 1942.
The Army redesignated the 2nd Squadron of the 26th Cavalry Regiment (PS) as the 12th Mechanized Cavalry Troop (PS) in March 1946. The unit was officially disbanded in 1951.
History
Pre-organization
Originally organized in 1908 as the 3rd Battalion, Philippine Scouts at Warwick Barracks on Cebu Island [4].
Army splits the 3rd Battalion (PS) into the 1st Battalion (PS) and 8th Battalion (PS) in 1914 at Ludlow Barracks at Parang, Cotabato.
8th Battalion (PS) sent to Ft. William McKinley in 1917. Redesignated 1st Battalion, 4th Philippine Infantry (Provisional).
Reverted back to its original designation of 8th Battalion (PS) in 1920.
Redesignated 2nd Battalion, 43rd Infantry Regiment (PS) in April 1920.
Redesignated the 25th Field Artillery Regiment (PS) in September 1921.
Formation
The Philippine Department redesignated the 25th Field Artillery Regiment (PS) as the 26th Cavalry Regiment (PS) on October 1, 1922 at Ft. Stotsenburg, Pampanga.
HQ Battery, 25th Field Artillery (PS) redesignated HQ Troop, 26th Cavalry (PS)
Battery A, 25th Field Artillery (PS) redesignated Troop A, 26th Cavalry (PS)
Battery B, 25th Field Artillery (PS) redesignated Troop B, 26th Cavalry (PS)
Battery C, 25th Field Artillery (PS) redesignated Troop C, 26th Cavalry (PS)
Battery D, 25th Field Artillery (PS) redesignated Troop G, 26th Cavalry (PS)
Battery E, 25th Field Artillery (PS) redesignated Troop E, 26th Cavalry (PS)
Battery F, 25th Field Artillery (PS) redesignated Troop F, 26th Cavalry (PS)
Artillery battalion HQ detachments and combat train personnel reformed into the Machine Gun Troop No. 2, 26th Cavalry (PS)
A total of 701 enlistedmen of the 25th Field Artillery Regiment (PS) transferred in
Officers’ ranks filled in by officers from the 9th Cavalry, 25th Field Artillery (PS), 24th Field Artillery (PS), and other PS officers
Horses from the 9th Cavalry transferred to the 26th Cavalry (PS) on October 2, 1922
Interwar
Scout Cars of the 26th Cavalry (PS), 1937.
World War II
One of the squadrons of the 26th Cavalry (PS) ride past an M3 Stuart tank on their way to the action at Pozorrubio, Pangasinan, December 10, 1941 (U.S. Signal Corps Photograph/National Archives)
Col. Edwin Ramsey recounts how the Last Cavalry Charge came about.
Post-WWII
The Army redesignated the 2nd Squadron of the 26th Cavalry Regiment (PS) as the 12th Mechanized Cavalry Troop (PS) on March 23, 1946. 1st Squadron was inactivated on December 31, 1946. The unit was officially disbanded on July 30, 1951.
Regimental Commanders [X]
Col. Edward Anderson
October 11, 1922 – January 16, 1923
Maj. John A. Considine
January 16, 1923 – April 3, 1923
Lt. Col. Alvan C. Gillem
April 3, 1923 – August 30, 1924
Col. Harry LaT. Cavanaugh
August 30, 1924 – June 17, 1926
Lt. Col. Isaac S. Martin
June 17, 1926 – September 14, 1926
Col. John D. Long
September 14, 1926 – October 4, 1929
Col. Robert J. Fleming
October 4, 1929 – October 13, 1931
Col. Archibald F. Commiskey
October 13, 1931 – November 11, 1933
Col. William H. Cowles
November 11, 1933 – August 23, 1934
Lt. Col. Robert M. Cheney
August 23, 1934 – October 2, 1934
Col. E. Kearsley Sterling
October 2, 1934 – July 22, 1936
Maj. Gordon J. F. Heron
July 22, 1936 – October 30, 1936
Col. George Grunert
October 30, 1936 – December 24, 1936
Lt. Col. Edgar A. Taulbee
December 24, 1936 – July 3, 1937
Col. Clarence A. Dougherty
July 3, 1937 – July 17, 1939
Col. Robert Blaine
July 17, 1939 – July 13, 1941
Col. Clinton A. Pierce
July 14, 1941 – January 24, 1942
Lt. Col. Lee C. Vance
January 24, 1942 - April 1942
Insignia and Coat of Arms
Distinctive Unit Insignia
Crest: The insignia is the crest and motto of the coat of arms.
Approved: February 6, 1924
Coat of Arms
Shield: Azure a sun in splendor with 12 wavy rays or.
Crest: On a wreath of the colors, or and azure, a black horse’s head charging, erased at the neck, bridled and a dexter cubit arm erased, habited olive drab, the hand grasping a sabre at the charge, all proper.
Motto: “Our Strength Is In Loyalty”
Approved: 1924
Meaning: The regiment was organized in 1922 from personnel of the 25th Field Artillery (PS) which in turn had been formed from personnel of the 4th Philippine Infantry (PS) and the 45th Infantry (PS). The shield is blue for the old infantry regiments and also for the color of the sea that surrounds the Islands.
The sun is similar to the Katipunan Sun of the Philippine Insurrection. The twelve rays refer to the twelve principal groups from which the soldiers of the regiment came: Ilocanos, Cagayanes, Pangasinanes, Zambalanes, Pampangos, Igorots, Tagalogs, Bicolanos, Ilongots, Samarinians, Cebuanos, and Moros. The crest signifies the dashing spirit of the Cavalry service.
Distinctive Insignia of the 26th Cavalry Regiment (PS). (Courtesy of the “Ta Na” Collection)
Original coat-of-arms for the 26th Cavalry (PS), courtesy of First Sergeant Charles Aresta (USA Ret.). The red and white mantling signifies that the unit was originally formed from Field Artillery personnel.
The redrawn regimental colors of the 26th Cavalry Regiment (PS) (Courtesy of Sean Conejos)
Bibliography
[1] “26th Cavalry (PS).” The Philippine Scouts, by John Olson, Philippine Scouts Heritage Society, 1996, p. 65.
[2] “Posts, Camps & Stations, Philippine Scouts 1901-1941.” The Philippine Scouts, by John Olson, Philippine Scouts Heritage Society, 1996, p. 9.
[X] “26th Cavalry Regiment (PS).” US Army Order of Battle, 1919-1941, by Steven E. Clay, vol. 2, Combat Studies Institute Press, 2010, pp. 627.