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Again on the Frontier of Freedom
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The Thoroughbred
March 2022
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81 Sends:
Toujours Pret! Greetings from Eastern Romania, not far from the Black Sea and Ukraine’s southern boundary and coastline.
I am proud to report that the Regiment is arrayed across the Eastern flank of NATO, standing ALWAYS READY to “Defend every inch of NATO sovereign territory.” The Regiment’s role in Europe is as relevant as ever, as we assure our Allies through interoperable strength and deter our adversaries through combat credible presence. We are living our Task and Purpose as a forward-stationed, EUCOM-assigned, Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
With a backdrop of the Russian forces build up and threat of invasion, the Dragoons “hit the leather and rode” rapidly as far North as Latvia and as far South as Bulgaria, as well as Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania in between. Across these locations, we are showing strength and resolve by conducting tough and realistic training with our Allies, building our readiness and increasing our interoperability.
Simultaneously, we recently welcomed back Palehorse Troop 4/2CR from a Security Forces mission in Kenya. While I’ve recently learned that these were not the first Dragoons in Regimental history to conduct a mission in Africa, I do believe that they were the first Troop sized mission there. We also continue a Security Force mission in Kosovo with one Troop as well.
While we don’t know what will happen next in this strategic security crisis, we do know that the Regiment will continue to have a role in our Nation’s response. RCSM Pingel and I are incredibly proud of ALL of our Dragoons. We appreciate the continued thoughts, prayers, and support of the Association during these demanding times – Thank You!
ALWAYS READY!
Colonel Joe Ewers
81st Colonel of the Regiment
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President’s Message
On March 16, 2022, we had an excellent Board meeting. The DCO, LTC Phil Mundweil, gave us an update on the Regiment’s activities as the RCO was circulating among his deployed units. However, you can read the RCOs update in this issue of The Thoroughbred. We are grateful for his consideration and commitment to keeping us informed.
A few other updates:
Bob Young and Oscar Ruiz continue to ready plans for the 2023 Reunion in Annapolis, which will be April 27-April 30. Please get this on your calendar. Stay tuned for more information over the summer and registration to open this fall. I hope that each of you will plan to attend.
The hard and important work of enhancing our website to better deploy our archives and nurture our brand continues. Many are involved in this effort; special thanks go to our historian Matt Simon for leading this charge with our website host Greg Hallmark. A special shout to the tremendous efforts of TJ Linzy to keep our history alive for so long—thanks TJ!
We are working with RCSM Pingel to support a renewed awards program. Our awards contributions to the Regiment began in 1960 and we are looking forward to re-engaging. More to come on this front soon.
Our Treasurer, Mike Wieczorek, is developing a pavers program for our Memorial. I appreciate Mike’s efforts to bring this to fruition. Stay tuned for the rollout of his efforts.
Mary Smith tenaciously, tirelessly and graciously works to reconnect Gold Star Families, Wounded Warriors and family members of our troopers who have gone to Fiddler’s Green with the Association. This is critically important for this Association and an effort that I hope that you’ll enthusiastically embrace. They are important members of our family that we can’t forget. Please help us remember. If you can help us to identify people in those categories to whom we can reach out, please let Mary know.
I continue to be impressed by the generosity of our members and the depth of affection in which so many hold our Regiment. Thank you for your service and for your contribution to the 2d Cavalry Association.
Always Ready,
Tim
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Please help support our Troopers and their families during
Operation Victory Vigilance
Troops from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment are on a mission to reassure allies worried about Russian aggression in the region. Show them that we’ve got their backs by making a donation that will go to support them and their families.
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Kill Tank Radio – Episode 31: Making Your Mental Health A Priority
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We Need Your Help
We’d like to thank Dave McGuire for volunteering to help connect Find-A-Grave information to the fallen in our Memorial database of fallen troopers. Thank you, Dave!
The Board continues to press forward on several fronts. However, success depends on your help. We need several volunteers to help in the following endeavors.
John MacEnroe needs writers for The Thoroughbred. Historically, The Thoroughbred was resplendent with great history on the Regiment and its members. We have so much history to tell and stories to share. We need help getting the stories written that add dimension and humanity that come only come from the first-person accounts of our veterans. You don’t need a Pulitzer in your pedigree, just a desire to help us tell the story of the Second Cavalry and the troopers who have made the Regiment. Or, if not history, help us keep members current with the many activities of the Association and are members.
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Mary Smith needs assistance with our outreach efforts to Gold Star Families, Wounded Warriors and families of the troopers that have gone to Fiddler’s Green. Mary is doing a herculean effort by herself, but we can reach more with help.
Please reach out to Mary at [email protected] and see how you can help us do this better.
We are capable of so much, but only with the assistance of our members. Please help. As the Board strives to make us peerless as a unit organization, we will continue ask for volunteers. However, you needn’t wait; contact Tim White at [email protected] if you’d like to volunteer.
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Franklin D. Bamsey (Age 92)
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Passed away March 3, 2022, with family by his side in Leesburg, VA. He was born October 17, 1929 in Lake Park, Iowa, to the late Arthur L. Bamsey and Mary T. Knowles. He was a US Army veteran retired (SFC) who served throughout the world in Germany, France, Korea, Vietnam and the US. After his military service he had a 20 year career as a Piledriver and Welder in the construction industry which included the building of the METRO subway system. Upon retirement he spent time with family, traveled and enjoyed all things German, especially the music. Frank is survived by two brothers, Robert Albers (Norine) and Larry Bamsey (Sue); two sisters, Sandra Emmert and Linda Dailey; three children, Franklin Bamsey, Barbara Dunnuck (Frank) and John Bamsey (Vickie); five grandchildren, Matthew Bamsey (Melissa), Coleton Herrman (Andrea), Amber Pritt (Ryan), Brittany Camp (Lawrence) and Robert Bamsey; and seven great-grandchildren, Kayla Bamsey, Kristina Bamsey, Easton Herrman, Jensen Herrman, Aiden Pritt, Ryder Pritt and Scotlynn Camp.In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife, Ingeborg Huber Bamsey and four brothers, Leonard Bamsey, Lyle Albers, Keith Bamsey and Garland Bamsey.A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 23, 2022 at Quantico National Cemetery.Condolences may be shared with his family online at www.foundandsons.com
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Phase Lines– Welcome to this new section designed to celebrate the phases of our lives. If you have a milestone that you would like to share, please contact [email protected].
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SFC Laauli Uaita Utupo, originally from Samoa is retiring next month following 23 years of US Army service with two of his three deployments with 2d SCR. He deployed with 1/2 SCR to Sadr City and with 3/2 SCR to Afghanistan earning two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star.
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Regimental Medal of Honor
recipient:
Sgt. Martin HAGAN
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13 Dec 1862, Fredricksburg, VA.
Having been left behind in charge of a detachment of seven 2nd Dragoons in Fredericksburg, VA., when that city was evacuated by our troops (13 Dec 1862), with “to remain until relieved”, did remain at his post until the army of northern Virginia was about to enter the town, when he succeeded in delaying the advance by skirmishing until, learning that the bridges behind him had been removed, and that his was the only union force in the city, he concluded to retire. This he did with great deliberation, disputing every foot with a brigade of the enemy’s cavalry, until the Rappahannock was reached, when, after seeing his men with their horses well over the river, he plunged in himself under a shower of balls, and swam across without the loss of a man, horse, or article of equipment.
Footnote: Records do not show Sgt. Hagan receiving the Medal of Honor. There is ongoing research to see what happened to the award.
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Thank You!
We want to thank the following members of our Association for their recent contributions to our archives and, ultimately, the Reed Museum.
Owen Edwards for a Regimental TACSOP and FARS.
Larry Galaske for early issues of The Dragoon and very unique bolt from a gate at Merrill Barracks on which a swastika is stamped.
Richard Kim for yearbooks and photos from his time in the Regiment in the early 1960s. Richard also provided us with several championship volleyball plaques from that era. Richard is a veteran of the famed 442nd INF during WWII and a former RCSM.
Harry Miller has provided a wealth of materials on the Constabulary.
Bill Wilson has given a virtue treasure trove of materials on Colonel Page (#59) and the Regiment of that era.
We are grateful for their willingness to share their collections with us. Through their generosity, these veterans are helping to preserve the lineage of our Regiment. We truly hope that their example is one that all of us will emulate. If you materials that you’d like to contribute to the Association’s archives, please contact Tim White at [email protected].
Help us to Remember our Regiment.
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Check out this dashing young Cavalryman in 1945!
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Check out our friend and contributor Chris Williams
at Cav Swagger. – $17 all in.
Pick up an Old Bill pin for your Stetson and other swag.
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