First Cavalry Division

First in Manila -- First in Tokyo -- First in Pyongyang. The Fifth Cavalry Regiment, raised and posted in 1855 to Fort Belknap, Texas, is the oldest unit in the 1st Cavalry Division, United States Army. Next (1866) were the Seventh and Eighth regiments. The Eighth initially saw duty at Fort Concho, Texas. On Sept. 13, 1921, the division was constituted of these and one other regiment (later dropped) at Fort Bliss, Texas, to defend the United States-Mexico border. In 1933, the Twelfth Regiment, formed in 1901 at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, came into the division. Dismounted in 1943 and sent to the Pacific, the division captured the Admiralty Islands, joined the invasion of Leyte, and captured Manila on order of General Douglas MacArthur to act as his "First Team" . During United Nations action in Korea, the division swept over 100 miles in 11 hours to reach Osan and win victory. It was the first force to enter the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. On July 1, 1965, at Fort Benning, Ga., it was converted to an Airmobile Division -- the first in U.S. military history. It had a distinguished record in Viet Nam. Since 1971 it has been based at Fort Hood, in the state of its creation and earliest service. (1976)

First Cavalry Division is a historical marker in Killeen, Bell County, dedicated in 1976. It is one of 223 historical markers documented in Bell County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 399 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 31.1422, -97.7729 near Killeen. The nearest cataloged historic site is Bruce, Lt. Gen. Andrew Davis (historical marker), about 0.3 miles away. Others within a short drive include Second Armored Division, United States Army, Avenue D School, and Oveta Culp Hobby and the Women's Army Corps.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5027001695. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.