Summary: In this paper, the author traces the evolution of the United States Cavalry from the 1800s Dragoons through the Cavalry of the mid-1900s. He discusses the participation of the Cavalry in various wars, from the brief 1832 Black Hawk War in the American frontier, to the ongoing Vietnam War, discussion equipment, supplies, organization, and training.

This is a new release of the original 1944 edition.

Horses and Helicopters, is about my father Major James R. Downey JR, US Army Retired and Technical Sgt. James R. Downey III. MA, US Air Force Retired, and their military experiences. [Part I] "Horses" is an chronological review of "Pops" travel. He did not talk much about experiences except when he and his military friend met and I happened to be listening. My thought was that I would at least leave a little taste for my kids. It would have been nice if I knew more about that part of his life. It all really got started when I received a questioner from one of the fighter squadrons I had the privilege being part of during the Vietnam Conflict. After Vietnam. I put the questioners on a computer and would work on answering the questions time permitted. I used the question as a guide; the answer might not have anything to do with the question, but did key a memory. Each question has three responses, DaNang, Udorn, and Korat. About half way through the questions I became curious about what "POPs" experience were, so I went through all his pictures and papers to include some research information. I had to do his chronologically because I could not ask him questions. He died in 1986. He enlisted at the age of 16 in the Horse Calvary 1927 breaking horses, thus the Horse part of the book. He is on the cover and is the trooper in the middle. His travels started in 1930 to the Philippines & China, 1932 when Japan invaded. . In the 1940's he went from being a First Sargent of a Negro Artillery Battalion to 2nd Lieutenant. England, France, and Germany were next, and then back to the Philippines for the X Day invasion. Then 1949, WE went back to Germany as a family for three years occupation forces. In 1955 and after 28 years he retired. [Part II] "Helicopters" is about my 3 tours to The Republic of Vietnam (RVN). [1] In 1966 1967 Danang, (RVN) "Rocket City, Musical chairs and Russian roulette". 366 Tactical Fighter Squadron, F4 Phantoms. [2] In 1969 1970, Udorn, Thailand, L98 Laos, and Vietnam 40th ARRS, HH-53 aircraft. [3] In 1972 1973 Karat, Udorn Thailand, Ben Hoa RVN," Again with the rockets" 354 TFW. A7D aircraft. Some pictures are included. It is easier to use the Table of Contents as a guide.

Pave Low. The term itself generates an image: a dark, wispy night; a low, pulsating rumble approaching from the distance. The rumble becomes a presence, a large helicopter that settles onto the ground amidst the deep darkness. Earnest men of determination spew forth from it. Heavily armed, they quickly set up to collect intelligence, kill enemy troops, rescue downed or isolated friendly personnel, or otherwise conduct a direct action mission. Mission complete, they just as quickly reassemble, reboard the aircraft, and then disappear into the consuming darkness. It is a powerful image—a conjure, if you will—that strikes fear into any enemy of the United States. But the conjure is real. It is a helicopter called the MH-53J/M. That machine is the end result of the evolution of state-of-the-art avionics, communication, and navigation equipment crewed by highly motivated, enthusiastic, and smart young operators well steeped in the principles, heritage, and credo of special operations. It is the classic combination of men and machine. Those aircraft and Airmen were assigned to the US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), “America's specialized airpower . . . a step ahead in a changing world, delivering special operations power anytime, anywhere.”1 AFSOC controls a mixed fleet of both rotaryand fixed-wing aircraft to facilitate the fulfillment of that mission. However, the single aircraft that, in its day, has best epitomized that role is the Pave Low helicopter. It, perhaps more than any other aircraft, allowed the AFSOC to realize its purpose. But it was not always so. The aircraft themselves were revolutionary combinations of new, more powerful turbine engines with rotarywing aircraft to produce vastly increased lifting power. Conceptualized, built, and designated for simpler missions, they were immediately swept up into the long war in Southeast Asia. There they proved the efficacy of the aircraft for dangerous rescue missions, for the initiation of a whole new generation of developing avionics and navigation technology, for providing challenging direct support to small special forces teams and indigenous forces inserted behind enemy lines, and for a myriad of other things that heavy-lift helicopters could be assigned to do. In accomplishing all of that, they also trained a whole generation of men who learned of combat along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos and at other places like Quang Tri, South Vietnam; Son Tay, North Vietnam; and Koh Tang Island, Cambodia. After that conflict, those aircraft and men were returned to peacetime locations and duties, and much was forgotten of those dangerous times and missions. However, a cadre of dedicated combat aviators and commanders felt that the aircraft and community of Airmen had much more to give. Foreseeing an ever-dangerous world, they harnessed those aircraft to a series of evolving new technologies that vastly improved the aircraft by giving them the ability to traverse airspace in any weather conditions, day and night, and to avoid enemy threats. That concept was validated in operations in Panama, Kuwait, Iraq, Serbia, Afghanistan, and many more smaller and quieter operations in between. The men and aircraft also showed the larger utilitarian value of the aircraft as, over the years, they were called out many times to provide natural disaster and humanitarian relief from Africa to New Orleans, Louisiana.

This is a pictorial history of Army transportation. The book outlines the development of the three modes of transport used in supporting the British Army on land, in water and in air, from the horse to the helicopter. Both the authors are retired officers who served in the Royal Corps of Transport.

The renowned historian’s classic study of the Texas Ranger Division, presented with its original illustrations and a foreword by Lyndon B. Johnson. Texas Rangers tells the story of this unique law enforcement agency from its origin in 1823, when it was formed by “Father of Texas” Stephen F. Austin, to the 1930s, when legendary lawman Frank Hamer tracked down the infamous outlaws Bonnie and Clyde. Both colorful and authoritative, it presents the evolution and exploits of the Texas Rangers through Comanche raids, the Mexican War, annexation, secession, and on into the 20th century. Written in 1935 by Walter Prescott Webb, the pioneering historian of the American West, Texas Rangers is a true classic of Texas history.