UNITED STATES ARMY

102nd CAVALRY GROUP (MECHANIZED) FLAGS & GUIDONS 1944 Regulations

In 1943 the US Army decided to abolish regimental identities in all branches except Infantry. The former regimental headquarters became group headquarters and their subordinate units became independent battalions. The aim was to increase flexibility by enabling a variable number of units to be controlled by the group HQ. Mechanized cavalry regiments were reorganized along these lines to create cavalry groups. The former first squadron took the number of the parent group and the former second squadron received a higher number. Cavalry groups raised later in the war, i.e. those with no former regimental identity, also followed this numbering scheme, one squadron having the same number as the group. The squadrons were reorganized to embody three reconnaissance troops, an assault gun troop and a light tank troop. These were lettered A through F with D being skipped. (Cavalry squadrons assigned to armored divisions had a fourth reconnaissance troop; D was reserved for them.) The reconnaissance troops were equipped with M8 armored cars (37mm gun) and jeeps (caliber .30 machine guns), the assault gun troop had the M8 self-propelled 75mm howitzer (based on the M5 light tank) and the light tank troop had the M5 tank armed with a 37mm gun. The 102nd Cavalry Group was a wartime-raised unit; it and its squadrons had no previous regimental identity. On 6 June 1944 it was assigned to V Corps, First Army.

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