Members of the 6th U.S. Cavalry Association will hold their 109th Annual Reunion June 12–14, at the Comfort Inn in East Ridge and 6th Cavalry Museum in Fort Oglethorpe.
The Association has held its annual reunion in the Chattanooga area since 1947, and will return to The Post in Fort Oglethorpe for its memorial service on Sunday, June 14, to honor their fallen members beginning at 11 a.m.
The public is invited to be a part of the 109th Annual 6th U.S. Cavalry Reunion. There will be a barbeque dinner at the Comfort Inn on Friday, June 12, at 6 p.m. and the cost is $10 per person. On Saturday, June 13, the 6th Cavalry Museum will be open from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. with living history displays from 6th Cavalry Troop B re-enactors. The museum will host local newspaper columnist and author Jeff O’Bryant who will talk about his newly published book “A Brief History of Catoosa County – Up Into The Hills” and conduct a book signing from 4–5:30 p.m. at the museum. The Reunion banquet follows at 7 p.m. at the Comfort Inn, East Ridge, and the cost is $14 per person.
The banquet guest speaker will be Col Jerry L. Egbert. Col Egbert recently commanded the 164th Theater Airfield Operations Group and Air Traffic Services Command. Prior to his retirement earlier this year he deployed the 164th TAOG to Iraq and Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom rotation 07-09. He commanded 1-6 Cavalry from 2001-2003 in Camp Eagle, Korea. He was the 6th Cavalry Brigade S-3 at Camp Humphreys, Korea from 1997 to 1998, and he commanded A Troop, 6-6 Cavalry in Illesheim, Germany from 1991 thru 1993. He joined the Army in 1975 as an airborne infantryman assigned to A/2-505.
The Memorial Service will be held Sunday, June 14, beginning at 11 a.m. at Calvary Memorial Baptist Church in Fort Oglethorpe. Following the church service, guests will move to the flagpole at The Post for the Memorial Service and laying of the wreath at the 6th U.S. Cavalry monument. The monument was dedicated in 1950 by the Association and contains the names of the 94 6th Cavalrymen who gave their lives and made the ultimate sacrifice for their country during World War II. The memorial service will also honor those veterans who have passed away this year, including the 10 6th Cavalrymen who have died in Operation Iraqi Freedom:
2nd Squadron – 6th Cavalry: 1st Lt. Keith N. Heidtman; Norwich, CT and CWO Theodore U. Church; Ohio, killed May, 2007 in Iraq.
4th Squadron – 6th Cavalry: Capt. Corry P. Tyler; Georgia, CWO2 Paul J. Flynn; Whitsett, NC, Sgt. Matthew L. Tallman; Groveland, CA and SPC Rickey L. Bell; Caruthersville, MO, killed Aug. 22, 2007 in Iraq.
6th Squadron – 6th Cavalry: CWO Matthew G. Kelley, CWO Joshua M. Tillery, CWO Benjamin H. Todd and CWO Phillip E. Windorski, Jr., killed January 26, 2009 in Iraq.
While the 6th Cavalry is no longer based at Fort Oglethorpe, the regiment regards Fort Oglethorpe as their home base with the 1st Squadron – 6th Cavalry (1/6) attached to the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Carson, CO who returned from Iraq in October, 2008. The 2nd Squadron – 6th Cavalry (2/6) is attached to the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, HI, the 4th Squadron – 6th Cavalry (4/6) is attached to the 18th Airborne Corps at Fort Lewis, WA and the 6th Squadron – 6th Cavalry (6/6) is attached to the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, NY and deployed to Iraq in September of 2008.
The Post at Fort Oglethorpe opened in 1905, serving as an active military installation through World War II and home to several cavalry, infantry and artillery units, Civilian Conservation Corp, Southern Military Training Camp, 3rd Women’s Army Corp and finally a re-distribution center after the war ended. The 6th Cavalry was permanently stationed there 1919 – 1942, when the “Fighting Sixth” entered World War II as a mechanized reconnaissance regiment for Patton’s Third Army. Housing the largest Prisoner of War camp for both World Wars, field testing the Bantam Car (better known as the Jeep) and other military accomplishments are attributed to the Post. Visited by Teddy Roosevelt, General of the Armies John Pershing, George Patton, Bing Crosby and FDR, then Capt. Dwight D. Eisenhower was also at the Post teaching trench warfare. The Post was deemed too small by the Army and closed Dec. 31, 1947. Allowing individuals to submit sealed bids to the War Assets Department, the Post at Fort Oglethorpe was sold for a variety of purposes. The new City of Fort Oglethorpe benefited from the Post closing and was chartered in 1949, making it Georgia’s first new city in 25 years.
Following the memorial service, the public is invited to the museum for tours, living history displays and refreshments until 2 p.m. For more information or to purchase meal tickets call (706) 861-2860 or e-mail info@6thcavalrymuseum.com.