New York Hussars 1898 BMM13

SQUADRON A ORIGINATED OUT OF A GROUP OF WEALTHY, YOUNG GENTLEMEN WITH GREAT INTEREST IN EQUESTRIAN SPORT WHO FORMED THEMSELVES INTO A GROUP CALLED THE “NEW YORK HUSSARS”. THEY ADOPTED FANCY BLUE UNIFORMS AND HEADGEAR FOR CEREMONIAL PURPOSES THAT MIMICKED EURASIAN FASHIONS DATING BACK TO THE NAPOLEONIC AND CRIMEAN WARS. IN EFFORT TO BECOME MORE PROFESSIONAL AND MILITARIZED, THEY EXTENDED MEMBERSHIP TO CAPTIAIN CHARLES F. ROE, TWENTY-YEAR VETERAN OF THE US ARMY CAVALRY, WHO INSPIRED ITS MEMBERSHIP WITH THE CAVALRY SPIRIT AND MILITARY DISCIPLINE. HIS EFFORTS WERE SUCCESSFUL TO THE POINT THAT IN 1889, FIFTY-THREE MEN WERE MUSTERED IN TO THE NEW YORK STATE NATIONAL GUARD AS TROOP A, BECOMING THE CAVALRY ARM OF THE EMPIRE STATE. SQUADRON A WAS OFFICIALLY FOUNDED.

IN THE EARLY 1900’S SQUADRON A WAS OFTEN CALLED OUT FROM  ITS MADISON AVENUE ARMORY, WHICH OCCUPIED AN ENTIRE CITY BLOCK BETWEEN 94TH AND 95TH STREETS, TO ESCORT PRESIDENTS, GOVERNORS, AND FOREIGN DIGNITARIES. THE SQUADRON WAS KNOWN FOR ITS FINE RIDING SKILLS AND ELEGANT UNIFORMS, WHICH IT SHOWED OFF IN PARADES AT THE NATIONAL HORSE SHOW. THEY EARNED THEIR SPURS AS SOLDIERS AS WELL. VOLUNTEER SQUADRON A TROOPERS WENT TO PUERTO RICO IN 1898 TO SERVE IN THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR, AND IN 1916 THE ENTIRE SQUADRON WAS CALLED INTO FEDERALSERVICE TO PATROL THE MEXICAN BORDER AND TO CHASE THE BANDIT, PANCHO VILLA.
DURING WORLD WAR I, 796 SQUADRON A MEMBERS SERVED, AND 609 BECAME COMMISIONED OFFICERS, AS PART OF THE 105TH MACHINE GUN BATTALION, THE SQUADRON PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE SMASHING OF THE HINDENBURG LINE. MEMBERS WERE HIGHLY DECORATED, INCLUDING A MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT. IN WORLD WAR II THE UNIT WAS FEDERALIZED AS THE 101ST CAVALRY,  HORSE/MECHANIZED IN EARLY 1941. FOLLOWING PEARL HARBOR, SQUADRON A MEN SERVED IN ALL BRANCHES OF THE ARMED FORCES WORLDWIDE, AND TWO ADDITIONAL MEDALS OF HONOR WERE EARNED IN ADDITION TO AN ARRAY OF OTHER DISTINCTIONS.
TODAY THE HERITAGE AND SPIRIT OF SQUADRON A IS CARRIED ON BY THE SQUADRON A ASSOCIATION. THE SQUADRON A ASSOCIATION MAINTAINS OFFICES AND A SQUAD ROOM AT THE WOMEN’S NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CLUB,  JUST OFF FIFTH AVE IN NEW YORK CITY.
THE BUST IS BASED ON THE 1898 NEW YORK HUSSARS SQUADRON “A” UNIFORM IN THE CRAMER MUSEUM.