Return to Pointer View home page September 10,  2004

West Point holds annual Buffalo Soldiers ceremony

Story and photos by Spc. Eric S. Bartelt
Features Editor

Ominous gray skies couldn’t spoil the celebration of the 42nd annual Buffalo Soldier Memorial Ceremony at Buffalo Soldier Field Sunday to honor the members of the famed 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments.

Guest speaker Lt. Col. Willie J. McFadden, director of the Lifecycle Acquisition Management Institute at the U.S. Military Academy, recounted the historical contributions of the Buffalo Soldiers to the military and was humbled by the opportunity to speak at the ceremony.

“I’m honored to be a part of this ceremony, the Buffalo Soldiers are a great legacy for the military and what they did for African-Americans in the military has been great,” said McFadden, a 1983 USMA grad.

The Army Reorganization Act of 1866 created the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments and they served on the western frontier.

The 9th Cavalry Regiment was activated in Greenville, La., and the 10th Cavalry Regiment was activated at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., Sept. 21, 1866, and for two decades they protected settlers during our nation’s westward expansion.

McFadden explained the Plains Indians donned the name “Buffalo Soldiers.”

“The Indians saw the likeness between the black man’s hair and the mane of a Buffalo,” McFadden said. “Also, when a Buffalo is wounded or cornered it fought ferociously and displayed extraordinary stamina and courage, and this was the same fighting spirit the Indians saw in combat with the black cavalrymen.”

Buffalo Soldiers fought alongside Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War and took part in the famous charge on San Juan Hill in 1898 and the 9th Cavalry would later serve in the Philippines during the revolt from 1900 to 1902. The 10th Cavalry would ride with Gen. John J. Pershing during the Punitive Expedition of 1916 in Mexico in the search for Pancho Villa.

In 1907, the Buffalo Soldiers were stationed at West Point and taught cadets horse riding skills and mounted drill instruction on Cavalry Plain, now known as Buffalo Soldier Field. They remained at West Point until 1931 when the 2nd Squadron of the 10th Cavalry replaced the 9th Cavalry detachment and served here until they disbanded in 1946.

In 1941, parts of the two regiments formed the 4th Cavalry Brigade at Camp Funston, Kan., and were commanded by Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Sr., the first African-American general in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Staff Sgt. George Washington Howe, who attended Sunday’s ceremony, joined the 9th Cavalry in 1943, then later served under Gen. George S. Patton in Africa and Gen. Mark Clark in Italy where he earned two Bronze Stars for his participation in the Anzio Beachhead Invasion.

Howe appreciated his time with the 9th Cavalry and is glad that Sunday’s ceremony reflects on the value the Buffalo Soldiers meant during the years they served the military. He also appreciates the bringing together of old friends from the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments.

“It was great to be a part of the cavalry, it’s wonderful to be here and to see some of my old comrades,” Howe said.

Howe helps a new generation understand the cavalry units by helping some 800 school children learn about the Buffalo Soldiers history in his hometown of Philadelphia.

“I like helping the young people today by giving them the history of the Buffalo Soldiers and the history of the Tuskegee Airmen,” Howe said.

McFadden pays homage to the Buffalo Soldiers in his home with a painting depicting the cavalry units.

He also grew up hearing stories about the units from his dad, who was a military officer, and read many books about their history.

“These stories continue to be an inspiration to me and it’s been instrumental in reinforcing the bedrock traits of courage, dedication, persistence and sacrifice that I hold dear,” McFadden said. “At a younger age I would read about them and I was always struck by their strength, character and the sacrifices they were willing to make to be a part of the military -- that is something I thought was very special.”