A Cavalry Tradition at the University of Massachusetts Retired LTC Thomas R. Rozman

Summer 2018 A Cavalry Tradition at the University of Massachusetts by retired LTC Thomas R. Rozman Today as one walks the University of Massachusetts campus, it is a stretch to imagine that the school, through its Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Program and cadet corps, has a note worthy horse-cavalry tradition that spanned some 22 years. From the pe riod immediately following World War I as Massachusetts Agricultural College until 1931, then until the beginning of World War II as Massachusetts State College, ROTC cadets who continued to commissioning, most as Officer Re serve Corps second lieutenants, com missioned into the horse-cavalry branch of the Army. The mounted tra dition continued at the school in its ul timate post-World War II configuration as the University of Massachusetts in a form until the early 1960s, when the school trained officers to be commis sioned in the Armor Branch. During these years – the university be ing a Morrill Act land-grant school – all able-bodied male students were re quired to complete the first two years of the ROTC program on campus. A good number of the cadets then volun tarily continued in the last two years of the program until graduation. Upon graduation and successful completion of the pre-commissioning program, most were commissioned in the Offi cer Reserve Corps, a federal National Army establishment embodied in the post-World War I National Defense Act. Some cadets did acquire Regular Army commissions over these years, and Na tional Guard commissions could be sought. Relative to on-campus cavalry training, all the necessary equipment and cav alry mounts were maintained on the campus. Necessary logistic support was provided by Fort Ethan Allen, VT, then an active Regular Army installa tion and a cavalry post in the heart of Morgan Horse country some 220 miles away to the north of the University of Massachusetts. For summer training, the cadet mounted unit would roadmarch the 220-mile distance to the post in Winooski, VT. The school’s Military Department’s of ficers and noncommissioned officers, and the Regular Army officers and cav alrymen of the garrison regiment at the fort (1st Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regi ment) through much of this period pro vided the military instruction and training. Dismounted training was conducted as well. The entire cadet corps could not be mounted, nor was that a feasible program to support. The logistics if ba sic-course cadets were included would be that of a regiment, too great of an expense for the times. On graduation and commissioning, most of the new Officer Reserve Corps cavalry second lieutenants were as signed to 315th Cavalry Regiment, a Re serve Army cavalry regiment organized in New England. The regiment was initially organized in 1917 during World War I at Fort D.A. Russell near Chey enne, WY. After the war, the regiment was reorganized in the Reserve Army in New England. The cadet corps at Massachusetts Agricultural College, then Massachusetts State College, was the primary new officer feeder pro gram for 315th Cavalry Regiment throughout the interwar period. Interestingly, though the flesh-and-blood mounts of the pre-war period were no longer – as the college, then university, returned to regular academ ic operations post-war – it did remain a mounted-arm school. As mentioned, the school organized its training around the Army’s newly created Ar mor Branch, a post-war integration of the Cavalry Branch and the World War II Tank Corps and Tank Destroyer Branch. Until the program went branch-immaterial, six M41 Walker Bulldog tanks supported the on-cam pus program. Figure 1. Massachusetts State College ROTC cadet and mount in 1941.

Summer 2018 Acronym Quick-Scan Department of the Army Armored Fam ily of Vehicles Task Force, Pentagon and Fort Eustis, VA; assistant G-3, 1st Armored Division, Ansbach, Germany; battalion executive officer and acting commander, 1-46 Mech, Erlangen, Ger many; battalion executive officer, 2-6 Mech, Erlangen; and commander, Company A, 1-58 Mech, Fort Benning, GA. His military schooling includes Command and General Staff Officer’s Course, Infantry Officer’s Advanced Course, Infantry Officer’s Basic Course, Parachute School and Ranger School. He holds a bachelor’s of science degree in engineering from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY, and a mas ter’s of business administration from the University of Massachusetts. His awards and honors include the Legion of Merit and three awards of the Mer itorious Service Medal. Today, as one walks the university’s campus, this colorful and proud mounted-arm tradition is nowhere in evidence. Given that more than a few of these cavalry alumni distinguished themselves in World War II and subse quently, this seems a misplaced over sight. Retired LTC Tom Rozman is employed as the principle, TRR and Associates, LLC. He has served as director, Collec tive Training Directorate, Deputy Chief of Staff for Training, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Monroe, VA; force-development officer for in fantry and lethality systems, Figure 2. A Massachusetts State College dismounted review in 1941. Note that all cadets are wearing riding britches. ROTC – Reserve Officer’s Training Corps Donovan Research Library, Maneuver Center of Excellence, hosts Armor student papers on various subjects, http://www.benning.army.mil/library/content/Virtual/virtual.htm, and back issues of ARMOR magazine, http://www.benning.army.mil/library/content/Virtual/CavalryArmorJournal/index.htm — currently through 1888-1973 but building up to the early 1980s. Some back issues are also available on eARMOR, http://www.benning.army.mil/armor/earmor/