major@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Mike Schmitt) (04/29/89)
From: ssc-vax!shuksan!major@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Mike Schmitt) > Can someone tell me the significance of the motto 'Gary Owen', associated > with the US Cavalry? > Is it the name of a person? There is, I believe, also a song with > that name. Can someone give me the lyrics? When Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer was commanding the 7th Cavalry Regiment, he enjoyed the Irish march "Garry Owen" and adopted it as the regimental song to be played by the regimental band during parades and regimental official ceremonies. Officially, it is only associated with today's squadrons of the 7th Cavalry (Armored Cavalry Squadrons). Today, "Garry Owen" is the official motto of the 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry (3-7 Cav), formerly stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany (3d Mech Inf Div); [when I served with the 3rd Div] and (since 1986) now serving as the reconnaissance squadron for the 8th Inf Div Mech, in Germany). I've got the words somewhere - I'll have to dig through my footlocker. major mike "Scout out!" "If you ain't Cav, you ain't s***!"