US Cavalry Association

US Cavalry Association The U.S. Cavalry Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit preserving U.S. Celebrating our 50th Anniversary. Cavalry service. Every U.S. Army’s mounted services.

Army Cavalry history, traditions, and the legacy of the American horse soldier through competitions, education, and our Museum & Archives. The mission of the United States Cavalry Association (USCA) is to preserve the history and traditions of the U.S. We accomplish this goal through publications, events, and preservation of artifacts, photographs and written materials associated with the cavalry

in our Museum and Research Library. Cavalry Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization. Olympic and National Team horse and rider up through 1948 came from the U.S. Today the U.S. Cavalry Association preserves this fine tradition through sponsorship of the annual National Cavalry Competition (NCC) and regional competitions. The National Cavalry Competition classes include military and combat horsemanship, military field jumping, mounted saber, mounted pistol, and cross-country mobility. After three days of competition, one trooper is named NCC Champion. The only prerequisites for participation are the ability to ride and the willingness to learn the traditional skills of the cavalry trooper. Competitors include civilians and military personnel from the U.S. and overseas.

Our Friday Facts: Special Juneteenth Addition: Honoring Juneteenth and the Legacy of Black Cavalry Soldiers Juneteenth c...
06/19/2026

Our Friday Facts: Special Juneteenth Addition:

Honoring Juneteenth and the Legacy of Black Cavalry Soldiers

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union troops led by Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and issued General Orders No. 3, proclaiming freedom for all enslaved people in Texas.

The connection between Juneteenth and the U.S. Cavalry is both profound and enduring.

Among the Union forces that carried the message of emancipation were regiments of the United States Colored Troops (USCT), whose soldiers helped spread the news of freedom across Texas. Their service marked a pivotal moment in American history and demonstrated extraordinary courage and dedication.

In 1866, following the Civil War, Congress authorized six all-Black regiments in the Regular Army, including the famed 9th and 10th U.S. Cavalry Regiments. These soldiers, later known as the "Buffalo Soldiers," served with distinction across Texas and the American frontier.

Buffalo Soldiers protected communities, supported Reconstruction efforts, built roads and infrastructure, and helped shape the expanding nation. Their professionalism, resilience, and sacrifice remain an essential part of Cavalry history.

Today, as we observe Juneteenth, we honor the legacy of the United States Colored Troops, the Buffalo Soldiers, and all Black service members whose contributions strengthened both our Army and our nation.

Their story is Cavalry history.

🐴 THIS WEEK IN CAVALRY HISTORY 🐴As we continue sharing the stories of the American horse soldier, we're expanding our we...
06/17/2026

🐴 THIS WEEK IN CAVALRY HISTORY 🐴

As we continue sharing the stories of the American horse soldier, we're expanding our weekly feature from "What Happened Wednesday" to "This Week in Cavalry History," allowing us to highlight significant events that occurred throughout the week and across the rich history of the U.S. Cavalry.

June 22, 1898: The Rough Riders Land in Cuba

This week marks the anniversary of the landing of the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry, better known as the Rough Riders, in Cuba during the Spanish-American War.

Led by Colonel Leonard Wood and Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, the regiment was composed of cowboys, ranchers, miners, lawmen, Native Americans, Ivy League athletes, and adventurers from across the nation. Although organized as a cavalry unit, transportation shortages forced most of their horses to remain behind in Florida, and the troopers would fight on foot throughout the campaign.

The Rough Riders were joined by Regular Army cavalry regiments and the Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments during the Santiago Campaign. Together, they fought at Las Guasimas, Kettle Hill, and San Juan Hill, helping secure victory for American forces in Cuba.

The campaign became one of the most famous chapters in U.S. Cavalry history and demonstrated that the cavalryman's greatest strength was never the horse alone, but the adaptability, courage, and initiative of the soldier.

📸 Pictured: An original we dug deep in our archives for of a cavalry unit from the Spanish-American War era. Let me tell you we got the magnifying glass out and this photo has some truly unique and interesting details. Remember when we are open our archives and library are open and free to research in!

🐴🇺🇸

Monday Museum MomentSometimes history isn't the only thing that takes a beating from time to time.As many of our visitor...
06/15/2026

Monday Museum Moment

Sometimes history isn't the only thing that takes a beating from time to time.

As many of our visitors have noticed, our front museum sign recently suffered some damage when a mower kicked up a rock, cracking and chipping the sign panel. While it may seem like a small thing, that sign serves as the first welcome to everyone who visits the U.S. Cavalry Museum.

Lately, we've been excited to see a noticeable increase in visitors, especially since launching our new scavenger hunt. More families, students, and history enthusiasts are discovering the museum, exploring our exhibits, and learning about the proud legacy of the American Cavalry.

That growth is wonderful, but it also reminds us how important first impressions can be.
We work hard to preserve and present Cavalry history with the professionalism and respect it deserves. Our damaged sign doesn't quite tell that story the way we'd like.

If anyone in our community has experience with sign repair, fabrication, graphic design, woodworking, or would simply like to contribute toward restoring or replacing the sign, we'd love to hear from you. Like many nonprofits, we accomplish great things because of people who care about preserving history and are willing to lend a hand.

The Cavalry's story deserves a strong welcome. With your help, we can make sure visitors' first impression reflects the pride and tradition waiting for them inside.

We Remember.

🎺 Friday Fun Fact! 🎺Before radios became common, bugles and trumpets were the Army's communication network. Calls such a...
06/12/2026

🎺 Friday Fun Fact! 🎺

Before radios became common, bugles and trumpets were the Army's communication network. Calls such as Reveille, Mess Call, and Charge conveyed orders across camps and battlefields, with every Soldier expected to recognize the signals by sound alone.

This page from a Rudolph Wurlitzer Company catalog showcases official U.S. Army and Navy trumpets, including the Army's G Trumpet with F Slide and the Navy's F Trumpet, both advertised as meeting government standards. Wurlitzer, founded in Cincinnati in 1856, became one of America's largest musical instrument dealers and manufacturers.

💰 Fun Fact: The brass Army trumpet shown here sold for $7.00. Using historical inflation estimates, that's roughly equivalent to more than $250 today.

"Long before text messages, radios, or loudspeakers, a single trumpet call could move an entire formation into action." 🇺🇸🐎🎺


06/11/2026

🎥🐴 We've officially saddled up on YouTube!

To keep all of our videos corralled in one place, we've launched the US Cavalry Association YouTube channel. No more rounding up clips from all over the internet. Just one easy stop for interviews, events, history, updates, and more!

So hitch your wagon to our channel, give it a look, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a ride.

▶️ Check it out here: https://youtu.be/ffxz7zQdv0A

We'll be adding more content regularly, and we're excited to share the story of America's mounted warriors with you.

While today would usually be “What Happened Wednesday,” I want to share something that happened yesterday instead. (Get ...
06/10/2026

While today would usually be “What Happened Wednesday,” I want to share something that happened yesterday instead. (Get your tissues folks!)

The US Cavalry Association has seen a real need in our community for a stronger educational narrative, one that honors the diverse and rich history of women, minorities, soldiers, officers, workers, veterans, families, and everyone in between. With many of our visitors coming from lower socioeconomic households, we are proud to keep admission accessible. Four dollars for adults and free admission for kids is hard to beat.

In March, we launched “Ole Bill’s Scavenger Hunt” to help children learn more about the U.S. Cavalry through a hands-on museum experience. Yesterday, I saw firsthand how it can engage an entire family.

A father, an infantry veteran, came in with his six children. He seemed more interested in the museum at first than they were, but once the kids took off with their scavenger hunts, something shifted. He helped them find answers. They asked questions. They worked together. No cell phones. No distractions. Just a family learning, talking, and connecting.

They carefully completed every part of the scavenger hunt, and at one point even sent Dad to ask what troopers carried on their horses. He came back excited to share the answer with his family. Every child finished the hunt and earned their first Sooper Trooper pin and prize.

Then the younger kids got excited to make guidons. As I explained what guidons meant to the cavalry, their dad smiled quietly and said they had them in the infantry too. Then he began telling his children stories from training, about how units would try to steal each other’s guidons. He lit up. His kids listened. In that moment, the museum became more than a place to learn history. It became a place where a veteran could share one of the good parts of his military service with his children.

War can be devastating, and many veterans carry experiences they may only share with other veterans, or may not share at all. But when organizations like the US Cavalry Association create spaces where veterans can share the meaningful, human, and even joyful parts of their service with their families, we are doing our job.

These moments are why the US Cavalry Association is needed.

Our goal is to continue building outreach programs for El Reno students and families, so a child can come home from school, talk to their veteran parent, and connect in a meaningful way. That is what we are remembering. That is what we are preserving. That is what we need your help continuing.

Whether you donate your time as a volunteer or competitor, your money as a donor, or items you no longer use that our organization may have a purpose for, we are deeply thankful. Every act of support helps us serve more veterans, more families, more students, and more community members.

Thank you to everyone committed to remembering the traditions of the cavalry and the many ways they have shaped the United States.

Friday Fun Fact is a Highlight from our Archives and BioCav Program!Morris Grossman was born in New York in 1914 and ser...
06/05/2026

Friday Fun Fact is a Highlight from our Archives and BioCav Program!

Morris Grossman was born in New York in 1914 and served as a Sergeant and Warrant Officer in the U.S. Cavalry, including service with the legendary 11th Cavalry Regiment (Blackhorse Regiment).

Grossman entered military service during one of the most transformative periods in cavalry history. Throughout the 1930s and early years of World War II, the 11th Cavalry was among the Army's premier horse-mounted regiments, conducting training, patrols, and equestrian competitions that showcased the skill and discipline of American cavalrymen. As the war approached, cavalry units faced a historic transition from horses to mechanized reconnaissance and armored warfare.

During and after World War II, Grossman served through a period that reshaped the world. His decorations included the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, recognizing service during the Allied occupation of postwar Germany, and the Army of Occupation Medal with Japan Clasp, awarded for service in occupied Japan following the war. He also earned the Korean Service Medal, reflecting his service during the Korean War era, when American forces were engaged in the defense of South Korea against communist aggression.

Grossman's military career connected three defining chapters of 20th-century history: the final years of the horse cavalry, the victory and occupation following World War II, and the opening years of the Cold War in Korea. His service reflects the adaptability, professionalism, and enduring legacy of the American Cavalryman.

Photo: Morris Grossman during mounted cavalry training, demonstrating the horsemanship skills that were a hallmark of the U.S. Cavalry tradition.

*We are currently looking to expand our Biocav program. If you know any former Cavalry members you would like to enter into our growing files of over 5,000 biographies you can download and mail it in. Our form is at: https://uscavalryassociation.org/cavalry-biographies/

🚗🎉 Cruising into El Reno's Hometown Weekend?The U.S. Cavalry Museum will be FREE for all visitors tomorrow, Friday, duri...
06/04/2026

🚗🎉 Cruising into El Reno's Hometown Weekend?

The U.S. Cavalry Museum will be FREE for all visitors tomorrow, Friday, during the Cruise of El Reno's Hometown Weekend!

Bring the whole family and stop by to explore the rich history of America's Cavalry. We'll have:

⭐ Free admission all day
⭐ Kid-friendly activities
⭐ Guided tours available throughout the day
⭐ Special access to our archives with a selection of unique historical pieces on display

Donations are always appreciated and help us continue preserving and sharing Cavalry history for future generations.

Whether you're a history enthusiast, a longtime supporter, or just looking for something fun to do with the kids, we'd love to see you at the museum!

📍 U.S. Cavalry Museum
🐴 Come celebrate El Reno's Hometown Weekend with us!

🐎 ON THIS DAY IN CAVALRY HISTORY | June 3, 1863On June 3, 1863, General Robert E. Lee began the movement that launched t...
06/03/2026

🐎 ON THIS DAY IN CAVALRY HISTORY | June 3, 1863

On June 3, 1863, General Robert E. Lee began the movement that launched the Gettysburg Campaign. Riding at the forefront of the operation was Major General J.E.B. Stuart's Confederate cavalry, tasked with screening the Army of Northern Virginia's advance, gathering intelligence, and concealing its movements from Union forces.

What followed would become one of the most significant campaigns of the Civil War and a defining chapter in American cavalry history. Just six days later, mounted forces would clash at the Battle of Brandy Station, the largest cavalry battle ever fought on American soil.

The Gettysburg Campaign also marked a turning point in the evolution of U.S. cavalry doctrine. Historians often point to this period as the moment when the Union Cavalry Corps emerged as a disciplined and effective fighting force capable of matching the famed Confederate horsemen on equal terms. The campaign demonstrated the growing importance of reconnaissance, screening, and mobile combat, roles that would shape cavalry operations for generations to come.

"The eyes and ears of the army rode first."

Address

3220 N. Jesse Reno Street
El Reno, OK
73036

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+14054226330

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when US Cavalry Association posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category