While serving in Vietnam with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, I received this newspaper clipping from my mother.

The Blackhorse patch, symbol of the 11th ACR, is not an insignia which has represented the regiment throughout it's glorious existence. It is, rather, a symbol which was adopted in 1966.

(The First Patch) The 11th Cavalry was assigned to 3d Cavalry Division August 1927 - March 1933. Where they were then assigned to 2d Cavalry Division October 1933 - October 1940. The 2d Cavalry Division "Patch" was the Regiments first patch worn.

Early May 1946 found the 11th Cavalry Group (Mechanized) reverting from horsepower back to horseflesh. The Group was re-designated the 11th Constabulary Regiment and reissued horses drawn from world-renowned Polish breeding stock. The distinctive "C" inside a circle on the helmets and shoulder patches earned the mounted Constabulary Regiments the nickname "Circle C Cowboys" and brought the distinction of being the last horse mounted combat patrols in US history.

At Ft. Meade, the men of the regiment were required to wear the 1st Army patch because

armored cavalry regiments were considered "army troops". The only identifying insignia worn by the regiments personnel was a patch depicting the familiar "allons" crest on the left breast pocket.

The 11th ACR initially enter the Republic of Vietnam under regimental status and not authorized a shoulder sleeve insignia. The Regiment established the justification to receive its own patch on 1 May 1967 from the Department of Heraldry and was the first of five Armored Cavalry Regiments to receive a distinctive shoulder sleeve insignia. Due to mission requirements and operations as an independent unit, the Chief of Staff, General Harold K. Johnson, in February 1967, authorized the warring of a distinctive patch.As authorized by the Secretary of the United States Army, gives grants and assigns unto the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia following.

The movement to obtain a patch symbolic of the Blackhorse Regiment began at Ft. Meade, MD in December of 1965. At that time the 11th Cavalry was a "skeleton" regiment composed of staff officers, squadron commanders and senior NCOs, awaiting the arrival of troops to train for what was anticipated to be a move to Vietnam. This period of time allowed Lt. John Casterman, 1st Platoon leader of M company, 3rd squadron about two months to research and draw a number of sketches for a new patch.

Department of the Army regulations at the time stated that only separate brigade-sized and larger units were allowed to have an individual patch. A regiment, which is considered a smaller unit was thus restrained from acquiring a unit insignia.

Lt. Casterman, who has a degree in graphic design, and a background in art had held numerous conversations with LTC Peterson, squadron commander, and Col. Cobb, The regimental commander, on the subject of designing a regimental patch during December '65 & January '66. Lt. Casterman shared with them his thoughts and desires to design the unit patch. They directed him to proceed.

Lt. Casterman began his task in a library at Ft. Meade. He reviewed the history of the regiment, and studied the science of heraldry. He knew that in order to have his design approved by the Army Department of Heraldry, he would have to familiarize himself with both of these, and apply them to his design.

He tried designs incorporating the symbols from the "allons" crest. Designs with the cactus from the Mexico campaigns & the crossed bolos from the Philippines just didn't work. Finally he found a black horse that had been used on the shields of armored knights in the middle ages. The muscular bodied stallion provided the inspiration for the design of the patch, direct from our predecessors, armored knights.

Using the colors red & white from the original cavalry guidons, along with the black battle horse gave the patch a powerful visual punch. The Blackhorse patch was born.