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Formation (1836-1842)
· Fox Company was formed on 23 MAY 1836 as part of the 2nd Dragoons primarily by volunteers from New York state.
· In 1837 Fox Company moved to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri and went through the School of the Trooper, learning how to be Dragoons. While Fox was becoming experts in their craft, elements of the regiment participated in the Second Seminole War.
● Part of the School of the Trooper was inspired by the tactics employed by Francis Marion in the Revolutionary War. From this man, known as the “Swamp Fox” Fox Troop takes its name and inspiration.
Mexican – American War (1842-1848)
- In August 1842 the Regiment was dismounted and titled the Regiment of Riflemen
- In October 1842 Fox Company with A, D, E, and G companies moved to Fort Jessup, Louisiana
- In March 1843 the Regiment was remounted and retitled the 2nd Dragoons. Fox and the rest of the Dragoons moved to Corpus Christi, Texas in 1845 and began to patrol along the border of Mexico.
- In 1846 Fox with several other companies established Fort Texas (later named Fort Brown)
- On 25 April 1846 General Taylor ordered Fox Company and Charlie Company under the command of Captain Seth B. Thornton to reconnoiter a river crossing above his position where the Mexican Army was reported to be crossing into American territory. The two Companies numbering 60 to 80 men were surrounded and ambushed by over 1000 Mexican cavalry. They sustained nine dead and two wounded. The remainder of the company was taken prisoner until after the Battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de La Palma.
- CPT Thornton was killed on 20 August 1847 in an engagement at Churubusco outside Mexico City, one of the final conflicts of the war.
- Fox Company participated in every major battle during the war and many smaller skirmishes.
Westward Expansion (1848-1861)
● In June of 1849 Fox Company, under the command of Major Ripley Arnold established an encampment along the banks of the Trinity River in Texas, which they named Fort Worth in honor of General William J. Worth, whom the Regiment had served with during the final years of the Seminole War. This area is now known as “the fort that became a city,” Dallas / Fort Worth.
● Fox Company continued to patrol the Western Frontier and ensure the safety of travelers headed to greener pastures until the Spring of 1861.
American Civil War (1861-1866)
● At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Fox Company was stationed in Texas and was immediately recalled to the North with the rest of the Regiment. The Troopers of the Regiment were divided in their allegiance and roughly half remained in the South to fight for the Confederacy.
● 29 March 1861 Fox Company, commanded by Captain R. W. Johnson, evacuated Fort Mason, Texas
● From 12 to 25 April Fox moved from Pass Cavallo, Texas on a steamship they had commandeered named the Empire City to Havana, Cuba and then to New York City.
● 27 April 1861 Fox along with A, C, and K Companies moved to Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. In June the companies would advance to Williamsport, Maryland. On 2 July 1861 the Fox crossed the Potomac and was engaged Porterfield’s Farm without casualties. Afterwards the advance continued to Hoke Run. The companies reached Bunker hill on 15 July.
● 21 July 1861 Fox and the rest of the companies attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division arrived at Harpers Ferry and were in the first Battle of Bull Run.
● On 3 August 1861 the Regiment was reclassed from Dragoons to Cavalry and rapidly trained in these new tactics. On 13 August CPT F.C. Armstrong, the Company Commander, resigned. He would go on to become a Brigadier General for the Confederacy.
● For the remainder of the War Fox Company fought in numerous battles, including the Siege of Yorktown, the Second Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Antietam, the Battle of Fredericksburg, the Battle of Chancellorsville, the Battle of Gettysburg, the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, and the Battle of Cold Harbor.
Indian Campaigns (1866-1898)
● When the Civil War ended, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment was sent west to fight against hostile Indian tribes and protect American settlers.
● Fox Troop was sent to Montana, where they established Fort Ellis in August 1867, three miles outside Bozeman, Montana. Fox would continue to patrol along the Frontier, ensuring the safety of settlers as part of the “Montana Battalion”.
● In the Autumn of 1869 1LT Gustavus Doane took command of Fox Troop.
● On 23 January 1870 Fox Company along with G, H, and L companies were sent to destroy a large force of Blackfoot that had been attacking settlements in the area. When the Battalion found a large encampment of Indians they were ordered to attack, despite a local guide telling them that this was a peaceful tribe. In what is known as the Marias Massacre the Battalion killed approximately 200 Blackfoot. The aftermath resulted in President Grant changing Federal Policy to seek more peaceful solutions.
● On 22 August 1870 a detachment from Fox Troop was tasked to escort the Washburn Party (comprised of some of the most influential men in the Montana Territory) into Yellowstone to explore and survey the land. During the exploration the party observed the wildlife, made detailed maps, climbed mountains, surveyed lakes, and made notes on the region. The party named Old Faithful Geyser after observing it erupt every 74 minutes. The Troop returned on 24 September. The report that 1LT Doane wrote to General Hancock was transmitted to congress and is one of the best descriptions of the land and most detailed account of any exploration since the Lewis and Clark expedition. This expedition was a large part of the creation of the first National Park, Yellowstone, in 1872.
● In June of 1876 the Montana Battalion was offered to LTC Custer of the 7th Cavalry to provide reinforcements on his campaign. On 25 June Custer and his entire unit was killed by roughly 5000 Sioux warriors. The Montana Battalion discovered the results of the battle of Little Bighorn on 27 June.
● From September 1876 to February 1877 Fox Troop conducted a voluntary exploration of Snake River on the Yellowstone Plateau. The expedition was a filled with hardship due to the extreme cold weather and poor planning. However, the Troop returned to Fort Ellis without losing a man.
● In April 1877 Fox was moved from Fort Ellis to Fort Custer. With the mission of preventing Chief Sitting Bull from returning from Canada.
● August through October 1877 saw Fox Troop chasing Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce and finally catching up to him with the rest of the Montana Battalion and eventually captured him.
● Fox continued its service in the Frontier region until it was called on to fight yet again.
Spanish – American War (1898-1905)
● In April 1898 the 2nd Cavalry Regiment was called to participate and assembled in Georgia. For the first time since the Civil War the entire Regiment was in one location. Fox with A, C, and D Troops boarded transports in Mobile, Alabama bound for Cuba. The rest of the Regiment spent the war in Florida and served as a transportation unit.
● Fox was and the other troops were the only mounted units available for the campaign in Cuba. They participated in the battle of El Caney, San Juan Hill, Aguadores, and the Siege of Santiago. Teddy Roosevelt observed that “the Second Cavalrymen are everywhere. All day long you see them. All night long you hear their clattering hooves.”
● In January 1899 the rest of the Regiment joined them in Cuba and began pacification duty for the next three years, also aiding in education and improving sanitation in the island.
Philippine Insurrection (1905-1917)
● From 23 January to 18 July 1905 Fox Troop and the Regiment participated in the Cavite Campaign searching out insurgents.
● On 14 February 1910 they were in the battle of Tiradores. They later participated in the battle of Mount Bagoak in December 1911, the battle of Mount Vrut in January 1912.
● In June 1912 Fox and the Regiment was brought back to the US and stationed on the Mexico border for a surveillance and patrol mission.
● 1913 saw Fox and the Regiment move to Fort Eathan Allen, Vermont to focus on training with modern equipment and tactics.
● The Regiment spent the next several years making training camps in New York and Georgia with the goal of training business leaders from across America in military matters. The program was so successful that it eventually became what is now known as the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), the primary commissioning source for Army Officers.
The First World War (1917-1919)
● In 1917 the Regiment was split and recruited up to fill three regiments, Fox stayed with 2nd Cavalry Regiment.
● April 1918 Fox Troop arrived in France after three weeks of travel and with the rest of the Regiment was used to manage horses for the Army and as a Military Police Force.
● In July 1918 Fox and Troops B, D, and H were formed into a provisional Squadron and were the last element of the Regiment to ever engage the enemy as horse-mounted cavalry.
● From 18 July to 6 August Fox fought alongside the 1st and 2nd Infantry Divisions in the Aisne-Marne offensive where the Americans penetrated the western flank of the German Marne salient at Soissons.
● Fox also participated in the Oisne-Aisne offensive from 18 August to 11 September.
● The greatest commendations the Regiment received in the Great War came for Fox’s part in the reduction of Saint Mihiel Salient. From 12 to 16 September, Fox along with Troops A, B, C, D, G, and H fought magnificently under Lieutenant Colonel D.P.M. Hazzard’s command.
● Fox returned to the main Regiment and was immediately returned to combat. From 26 September to 11 November, they were attached to the 35th Infantry Division with the Regiment and served on the left flank of the Meuse-Argonne campaign. Later the Regiment served as the Decisive Operation near the Argonne Forrest. Fox was in some of the heaviest fighting the Regiment experienced, and the men were commended for “…accomplishing their tasks with fearlessness, courage, and disregard for danger and hardship.”
● With the Germans driven across the Meuse at Sedan, the stage was set for the Armistice on 11 November. The Second Cavalry remained with the Army of Occupation in Germany at Koblenz until August 1919.
Intermission (1919-1943)
· In 1919 Fox Troop and entire Regiment was brought home and garrisoned at Fort Riley, Kansas. Due to the Regiments incredible display in the First World War, it was selected to train the rest of the Army’s Cavalry and established the Army Cavalry School.
· In 1936 Fox Troop and the Regiment received some of the first armored cars of the U.S. Army and in 1938 the Regiment hosted the first Combined Arms exercises with two armored units, field artillery, and light airplanes, pioneering the way forward for military tactics. The Regiment was in several large-scale mechanized maneuvers later in Louisiana between 1938 and 1941.
· In January 1942 Fox was sent to border patrol duty with the Regiment in Tucson, Arizona for a short time before being sent back to Fort Riley.
· On 15 May 1942 the 2nd Cavalry Regiment was reflagged as the 2nd Armored Regiment and assigned to the 9th Armored Division and outfitted to the latest equipment.
· In 1943 the Regiment was again reflagged as the 2nd Mechanized Cavalry Group (MCG) (Group was the equivalent size to a Regiment). Fox Troop was assigned to the 42nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, Mechanized (present day 2nd Squadron).
World War Two (1944-1945)
· In July 1944 Fox with the rest of the 2nd MCG landed in Normandy as part of General Patton’s Third Army and immediately began rear are security, flank security, and reconnaissance missions.
· During Operation Cobra, Fox Troop served as a reconnaissance and flank security to the 4th Armored Division. The 2nd MCG performed such daring and precise missions that it became known to the German High Command as the “Ghosts of Patton’s Army,” seemingly materializing at different points behind the German lines.
· In August 1944 Fox and the Group conducted an aggressive recon of Nantes, using the lightly armored vehicles and light tanks to probe the defenses of the Germans.
· The Allies advanced east, and Fox Troop screened the advance, providing some of the most forward elements in the entire military of the Allied Nations. On 26 August the 42nd Cavalry Squadron, including Fox Troop, protected the southern flank of the 4th Armored Division as it moved on Troyes by attacking, and defeating, a German brigade size element.
· On 4 September 1944 Fox and B Troop destroyed a column of 1,000 German soldiers attempting to attack the XII Corps flank by massing direct fire from their light tanks, and indirect fire from artillery units in support.
· On 7 September Fox and the 42nd Squadron along with the 602nd Tank destroyer Battalion assaulted and captured Fort de Pont-Saint-Vincent. They held their ground and defeated a German counterattack.
· On 16 September Fox participated in the assault and capture of Luneville and proceeded to drive the Forward Line of Troops east.
· On 17 September the German 11th Panzer Division, which Fox Troop had been engaged with since the beginning of the war, and several German units launched a massive offensive. The 2nd MCG conducted a delay action and as a result of their timely and accurate reporting, heavy fighting, and maneuverability the German offensive was stopped short of its intended objective of the 4th Armored Division’s flank, and the city of Luneville remained in allied control.
· In late October the 2nd MCG was ordered to seize Moncourt Ridge in order to protect the flank of the 26th Infantry Division. The 42nd Squadron, including Fox Troop, remembering its dragoon heritage moved quickly into position and then dismounted to fight as infantry. They assaulted on a 2-mile front and despite heavy resistance seized the objective. Showcasing how flexible they could be, and how they were ready for any mission.
· On 22 November the 2nd MCG was split up, with one Squadron staying in the south and Fox Troop with the 42nd Squadron moving north to maintain contact with XX Corps and assist the 80th infantry Division.
· On 16 December the Germans began their second major offensive resulting in the Battle of the Bulge. General Patton promised that his Army would redirect to support the units most affected by the German advance. Within 48 hours the 2nd MCG was relieving units of the 4th Infantry Division, enabling he 37th tank Battalion to relieve the 101st on 26 December 1944.
· On 7 February 1945 Fox Troop was screened the advance of XII Corps across the Sauer River and on 19 February across the Moselle River. After completing this mission, the 42nd Squadron attacked the town of Zemmer on 7 March, killing 10 Germans, and capturing 61.
· Fox Troop and the 2nd MCG conducted scouting operations and on 2 April located and liberated 3,328 US and 3,205 Allied POWs, including a Soviet general near Bad Orb.
· The 42nd Squadron and Fox Troop attacked 300 SS troops and 3 tanks on 10 April 1945. Defeating these troops near Gleicherwiesen denied the enemy’s freedom of maneuver and enabled the continued advance of the XII Corps.
· Operation Cowboy took place on 28 April 1945 and Fox Troop played a critical role.
o The Soviets were moving west and the Americans were moving east racing to liberate Prague. The Germans had gathered the world-famous Lipizzaner breed of horse and were testing a breeding program to create the “perfect” horse. When the Soviets liberated Hungary, they killed the whole Royal Hungarian Lipizzaner collection. The German commander of these horses and a German Intelligence officer did not want them to have the same fate. Contact was made with the nearest American nit, the 42nd Squadron.
o A small task force consisting of a light tank Platoon from Fox, A Troop, a gun Platoon from E Troop. The mission of the task force was to move deep into enemy territory, rescue the horses, and return to friendly lines.
o The task force broke through the German lines (including the 11th Panzer) with an artillery barrage and moved the 20 miles to the stables in Hostoun. The task force liberated POWs that were being held there and enlisted their help. The task force also gave weapons to the German “POWs” it had taken and had all aid them fighting off the German SS counterattack. Many of the horses were pregnant or young foals and the task force loaded as many of them on trucks as it could, others were ridden or headed back to the American front line. The main objective of Operation Cowboy, to gather intelligence from the senior German Intel officer was a success.
· While Operation Cowboy was happening the rest of the 42nd Squadron was also liberating POWs in nearby camps and securing the surrender of the 11th Panzer Division with whom they had fought the entire war. The Regiment is still partnered with the 11th Panzer to this day in 2024.
· On 11 May 1945, 3 days after VE Day, the 2nd MCG had pushed in Czechoslovakia when the Soviet forces advanced on Pilsen. When the Soviets told the 2nd MCG to get out of their way Colonel Reed, still under orders to hold the present line, told the Soviet commander, “If you go forward, remember, our guns are still loaded.” The Soviets made no response. Fox Troop left Czechoslovakia on 14 May without incident, but with a taste for what the Cold War would be like.
The Cold War (1945-1990)
· The 2nd MCG became part of the Army of Occupation in Europe and began peace keeping duties in Eastern Germany.
· In May 1946 the 2nd Mechanized Cavalry Group was redesignated as the 2nd Constabulary Regiment, undergoing special training and reorganization. Their mission was to “win the peace” in Europe and maintain control over the U.S. zone of occupation within Germany.
· The Regiment was the designer of the ‘Circle C’ patch of the Constabulary forces and Fox Troop with the rest of the Regiment trained the rest of the Constabulary forces.
· Fox Troop along with several other Troops were tasked with police duties as well as hunting down war criminals and finding weapons caches.
· The Regiment remounted horses for several years to patrol through the war-torn areas that were otherwise inaccessible by jeep.
· In 1948 the Regiment was redesignated again to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment.
· In 1951 the regiment was headquartered in Nuremburg and Fox Troop rotated through the cities of Freising and Augsburg.
· In 1955 Fox Troop and the Regiment finally returned to the U.S.A. to Fort Meade, Maryland, however, three years later in 1958 they were ordered back to Nuremburg, Germany.
· 2nd Squadron, including Fox Troop, operated out of Bamberg. 1st Squadron was in Bindlach, an 3rd Squadron in Amberg.
· Fox Troop spent the next years patrolling the border, rehearsing its part in the NATO defense plan, conducting Gunnery in Grafenwoehr, and participating in maneuver training in Hohenfels. The Regiment was considered the most elite and best trained fighting force in Europe and in the US Army.
· Fox Troop served as a surveillance unit along the Iron Curtain and rotated through QRF duties able to fully react to a threat and assume battle positions along the area of Operations within 15 minutes.
· In November 1989 Fox Troop witnessed the fall of the Iron Curtain. In March 1990 border patrols were discontinued, ending the longest single mission in the history of Fox Troop and the Regiment as a whole.
Persian Gulf War (1990-1993)
· On 8 November 1990, the entire Regiment was placed on alert to deploy to Saudia Arabia and on 11 November they were ordered to deploy immediately.
· In December Fox Troop occupied an assembly area deep in the dessert and trained for the for the offensive with the Regiment as well as 210th Artillery BDE, 2-1 Aviation Battalion, and the 82nd Engineer Battalion forming Dragoon Battle Group.
· On 23 February 1991 the Dragoon Battle Group, with Fox Troop in the lead, crossed the Saudi-Iraq border, spearheading the VII Corps attack. This was the first time the Regiment had seen combat in 45 years. Fox troop had a Psychological Operations Team with them broadcasting surrender messages. Fox Troop made first contact with the enemy in what would become known as the Battle of 73 Easting.
· On 24 February, Fox Troop’s scout Platoon exchanged fire with an enemy dismounted force in a dug in defense. After killing one of them the Fox Troop commander, CPT Sprowls, accepted the surrender of an enemy platoon. Fox Troop went on to clear OBJ MERRELL, along with Eagle Troop they accepted the surrender of 240 enemies.
· On 25 February, after enduring enemy artillery fire and direct fire, Fox and Ghost inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy and seized OBJ GATES. Another 200 EPWs were taken.
· On 26 February 1991 Fox Troop was tasked with providing a security position for the Regiment. However, they were quickly relieved of their mission so they could resume forward progress in enemy held territory. During the Battle of 73 Easting Fox Troop supported both Eagle and Ghost Troops as they crushed the enemy’s front lines.
· 2nd Squadron destroyed over 120 tanks and other armored vehicles, over 120 trucks, hundreds of dismounted infantry and captured around 865 prisoners.
· On their return to Germany in 1992 the 2nd ACR was moved to Fort Lewis, Washington and refitted as 2nd ACR (Light). Their equipment changed to HMMWVs equipped with TOWs, M2s, and Mk19s.
Haiti (1993-1997)
· In 1993 2nd ACR (Light) was moved to Fort Polk, Louisiana and began rotating Squadrons through a NATO peace keeping mission.
· From October 1995 to March 1996 Fox Troop and the rest of 2nd Squadron rotated through Haiti, guarding humanitarian convoys, serving as a QRF, seized illegal weapons, and protected the Hattian President, the U.S. Vice President, and the President of the United States when they visited.
Bosnia and Herzegovina (1997-2003)
· In April 1997 Fox Troop and the whole Regiment received orders to be ready to deploy to Bosnia.
· The Regiment executed an estimated 12,500 patrols and 480 weapon storage site inspections, supervised the removal of over 12,000 mines, and oversaw 350 training exercises for the former warring factions. Fox Troop participated in all these missions and was one of the longest serving units there.
· The Regiment redeployed to Fort Polk and Fox Troop awaited the time it would again be needed to answer the nation’s call.
Global War on Terrorism – Iraq (2003-2008)
· On 25 March 2003, Fox Troop and the rest of 2nd Squadron deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
· Combat operations began by 01 April 2003. Troopers worked to return the people of their zone to a life of peace and normalcy. They provided security to key infrastructure sites such as power stations, telephone stations, and propane distribution sites, reopened schools, and hospitals, and began efforts to re-establish the Iraqi police force as a respected, effective organization that could efficiently combat the increasing criminal threat. Fox Troop participated in direct-action raids in support of Coalition objectives, and killed, wounded, and captured anti-Coalition fighters during this time. Their success was critical to establishing the foundations of security and stability in the shattered city of Baghdad.
· On 15 July 2004, Fox troop and the Regiment returned to Fort Polk, LA. In December 2004 the Regiment was ordered back to JBLM, WA.
· From October 2004 to April 2005, the Regiment became the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment (SCR) and outfitted as a Stryker unit.
· In September 2006, the 2nd SCR was moved to Rose Barracks, Germany. Near their Cold War home, Fox Troop began training to answer the nation’s call once again. After a rapid training cycle, the Regiment was deployed to Iraq, assuming responsibilities on 13 September 2007 in their Area of Operations.
· Fox Troop with the rest of Cougar Squadron was sent to East Rashid in south central Baghdad. Fox and the rest of 2nd Squadron and 3rd Squadron cleared the neighborhoods of Dora and Hadar in Operation Dragoon Talon. Their combined efforts cleared out East Rashid or AQI insurgents and allowed local nationals to return to their homes.
· Fox Troop and the Regiment returned to Germany on 27 October 2008 to refit and prepare for future operations.
Global War on Terrorism – Afghanistan (2008-2014)
· Fox Troop deployed in May 2010 with the Regiment to Afghanistan. As part of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Fox Troop’s mission was to conduct population-centric counterinsurgency operations throughout the Area of Operations to train and mentor Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and enable enduring stability and legitimacy of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
· Fox Troop was stationed with the rest of 2nd Squadron in the Zabul Province. 2nd Squadron conducted the largest combined arms operation in the Province, Operation Grand Rapids, which severely disrupted enemy support zones and greatly reduced enemy activity along Highway 1 and throughout the rest of Zabul. In February 2011, Cougar Squadron facilitated the first full transition of security in Afghanistan between Coalition Forces and the ANA.
· Fox Troop and the Regiment deployed to Afghanistan again, to Kandahar, from July 2013 through April 2014. Assuming responsibility of an area and mission that was typically covered by a unit twice the size of what the 2nd Cavalry Regiment had available.
Modern Day (2014-2024)
· Since returning from the last combat deployment Fox Troop has remained busy in support of several strategic level missions as well as rotating through JMRC for Army readiness requirements.
· In 2022 Fox Troop deployed to Camp Liya, Kosovo in support of Operation Allies Refuge, aiding Afghan refugees after their evacuation from Afghanistan.
· From 08 December 2022 to 23 January 2023, Fox Troop returned to Kosovo in support of Operation Allies Welcome, enabling the relocation of over 150 Afghan refugees.
· In February and March 2023 Fox Troop and the rest of 2nd Squadron supported Operation Trident Ready, training over 1,600 Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
· In May 2023 Fox Troop with 2nd Squadron participated in Exercise Griffin Shock, a no notice deployment via Tactical Road March to BPTA, Poland. Once there Fox Troop conducted Exercise Bull Run, establishing a defense long the Suwalki Gap, only 8km from the Russian border.
· In July 2023 Fox Troop trained another group of UAF in support of Operation Trident Ready, training them on the Stryker platform.
· In April 2024 Fox Troop, during Exercise Saber Strike 24 completed the longest Tactical Road March in Army history during a single exercise of nearly 4,000km over an eight-day driving period. Fox Troop conducted a CALFEX in Poland and an FSCX in Lithuania.
From the steamy swamps of Florida to the frozen Rocky Mountains, from the badlands of the Midwest to the deserts of southwest Asia, from the northern plains of Europe to the cascades of western Washington, from the disease infested jungles of the Philippines, Cuba and Puerto Rico to the island of Haiti, and from its service in the Civil War and the War with Mexico to its current mission, Fox Troop has been on active service for nearly one and three quarters centuries, making them one of the oldest troops in the Army’s oldest mounted Regiment on continuous duty.
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