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I've always wondered this. What is the history and tradition behind having a red and white, swallow-tailed guidon?
UPDATE: A member said it is because the US Cavalry traces it's linage to European Dragoons and Dragoons are often associated with red and white. This makes a lot of sense. So the next question is why are Dragoons red and white?
UPDATE: A member said it is because the US Cavalry traces it's linage to European Dragoons and Dragoons are often associated with red and white. This makes a lot of sense. So the next question is why are Dragoons red and white?
Cavalry
19D: Cavalry Scout
19C: Cavalry Officer
Military History
Posted 7 y ago
Responses: 71
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MSG William Hesser
SSG Martin Reyna - SF is already there waiting for the conventional forces to catch up.
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1SG John Duprey
1SG John Duprey - welcome I am new to been ret since age 60MRD but still the Army and he way of life and the no BS
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What I really want to know is if this guy in the picture could bring his horse into theater, why can't I bring a dog?
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John Mullis
Please refer to Grey scouts Rhodesia both mounts and Rhodesian Ridgebacks were used in tracking terrorist in the bush and velts.
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SSG (Join to see)
SMSgt Roger Horton This is in fact a real photo from 1-61 CAVs Gold Spur Ceremony held at Camp Clark, Khost AFG in 2013. We rented the horse from a farmer in a village nearby the COP.
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I seem to recall the color combination made it easily identifiable in the smoky conditions on the battlefields in the days of black powder. Drab/darker colors tended to blend with the fog of way. The red and white was visible, and necessary due to the mobility of the Cav, whereas other units were slower moving. It helped to prevent blue on blue. I can't remember where I learned this though. It does make sense.
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LtCol Robert Quinter
Right on Maj. Davis. They were originally meant to guide on, and red, white and the yellow mentioned in another post are all colors that would be easily identified.
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SrA Jay Brigham
Red on top from a distance told commanders that the unit they were looking at was doing ok, but white on the top meant they were in trouble. Easy way to communicate HELP on the battle field, from long distance.
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