The 17th Cavalry Regiment was first organized under the provisions of the National Defense Act of 1916 at Fort Bliss, TX on 30 June 1916 and constituted on 1 July 1916. At that time, General Pershing had taken U.S. Military formations into Mexico only a short time earlier and the need for Cavalry troops was pressing. Originally organized as G Troop, 17th Cavalry Regiment; the 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment was formally reactivated on 25 November 1966. The Squadron adopted the name “Ruthless Riders†and shortly thereafter, deployed to Vietnam on 28 October 1967 as a separate Air Cavalry Squadron of the 1st Aviation Brigade. This is the subdued version of the patch created for them and does not have velcro attached.
