Armor Branch

The Armor Branch is the armored warfare branch of the United States Army. It began in 1940 as the Armored Force under Brigadier General Adna R. Chaffee, Jr.. At that time, it took control of all tank units from infantry and cavalry units.

Originally, the Armor Branch was one of the combat arms branches. Today, it is part of the "Maneuver, Fires and Effects" (MFE) group, showing the U.S. Army's current organization. This branch is important in modern military operations, using tanks and other armored vehicles to help protect soldiers on the battlefield.

History

The Armor Branch of the United States Army began during the First World War. In 1918, there was a group called the United States Tank Corps, but it was split into Infantry and Cavalry units by 1921.

In 1940, a new group called the Armored Force was created under Brigadier General Adna R. Chaffee Jr.. Important training centers were set up at Ft. Knox in Kentucky, and later moved to Fort Benning in Georgia in 2010. The United States Army Armor School is now at Fort Benning.

Branch insignia

In 1917, the Army created its first symbol for tank units. Over time, new symbols were made to represent these units. By 1942, a simple tank design was used during World War II. In 1951, a new symbol was introduced, showing a tank with crossed sabers, which is still used today.

Publications

The journal Armor began in 1885 as the Cavalry Journal. It changed its name in 1940 when the U.S. Army shifted from horses to tanks. Soldiers in the American West started this journal to share ideas, even when they were far apart. It is one of the oldest publications in the United States.

Weapons

Here are some important vehicles used by the Armor Branch:

• M1A1 – Main Battle Tank
• M1A2 – Main Battle Tank
• Stryker – Armored Fighting Vehicle
• Stryker MGS – Infantry Support Vehicle
• M2 Bradley IFV – Infantry Fighting Vehicle
• M3 Bradley CFV – Cavalry Fighting Vehicle

Current units

Main article: List of armored and cavalry regiments of the United States Army

The Armor Branch has many important units in the United States Army. Some of these units are:

• 1st Armored Division
• 1st Cavalry Division
• 33rd Armor Regiment
• 34th Armor Regiment
• 35th Armor Regiment
• 37th Armor Regiment
• 63rd Armor Regiment
• 64th Armor Regiment
• 66th Armor Regiment
• 67th Armor Regiment
• 68th Armor Regiment
• 69th Armor Regiment
• 70th Armor Regiment
• 77th Armor Regiment
• 103rd Armor Regiment
• 194th Armor Regiment (United States)