U.S. Army Branch of Service
Cavalry
The cavalry insignia was adopted in 1851.
Officers and enlisted personnel assigned to
cavalry regiments, cavalry squadrons or separate
cavalry troops are authorized to wear the
cavalry collar insignia in lieu of their insignia of
branch when approved by the MACOM
commander. Some of the armor and
aviation units are designated cavalry units.
Branch Plaque:
The plaque design has the Cavalry
insignia and rim in gold. The background is
white and the letters are scarlet.
Regimental Insignia:
Personnel assigned to cavalry units affiliate
with a specific regiment of their
branch or cavalry unit and wear the
insignia of the affiliated regiment.
Regimental Coat of Arms:
Each cavalry regiment has its own coat of arms that
is displayed on the breast of a displayed eagle.
The background of all cavalry flags is yellow.
Colors:
Although cavalry is not a branch, yellow is used
as a branch color for personnel assigned to
cavalry units. In March 1855, two regiments
of cavalry were created and their trimmings
were to be "yellow." In 1861, the designation
of dragoon and mounted rifleman disappeared,
all becoming cavalry with "yellow" as their
colors. Yellow was continued as the color
for cavalry units subsequent to abolishment
as a branch. Although the regimental flags
for cavalry units are yellow, the troop
guidons are red and white without an
insignia on the guidon.
