The official song of the Regiment is “Hit the Leather and Ride” by Captain Robert Meredith Willson. It praises the Infantry “behind us”, but promises “they’ll have to eat Cavalry dust to find us”. The words are listed below:….
It’s a far cry — from San Juan Hill to the gallant Twenty-Sixth at Bataan —
Now the spurs blend their jingle with the clank of a tank; —
Our scouts reconnoiter to protect the Yankee flank; —
Our mechanized security is money in the bank; —
It’s the Cavalry rolling on —
CHORUS
We’re gonna “Hit the Leather and Ride”, take it all in our stride, “Hit the Leather and Ride” all the way, —
And though we’re glad to know the Infantry’s behind us, —
They’ll have to eat Cavalry dust to find us, —
Let every son of a gallopin’ Yank jump in a saddle or tank, “Hit the Leather and Ride” all the way, —
Tho’ some are the mechanized, you’ll recognize the outfit, —
We’re ridin hell bent for leather today, —
We’re ridin hell bent for leather today, —
VERSE
Let your spurs dig in!
Let the charge begin!
Let the order to rally — — roll through the valley like the roll of drums — —
Let hooves ring true — — in a wild tattoo!
Colonel Teddy and Custer know how we’ll muster when the great day comes —
Who was Captain Meredith Wilson and when was the regimental song created?
Captain Robert Meredith Willson (note correct spelling of last name) served during WWII with the Armed Forced Radio Service and wrote the song as part of a contest for a song for the Cavalry during WWII. According to his biography, “The Unsinkable Music Man” by John Skipper, he never knew the song was ever used.
Meredith Willson is best know for writing the broadway music “The Music Man”, made into a movie starring Robert Preston and Shirley Jones and the musical, “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.” He is also remembered for writing “May the Good Loard Bless and Keep You” and “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.”
Much appreciated, Paul!
This song is still sung every morning after Reveille in the 2d Cavalry Regiment on Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany
I was TDY to Graf back in Dec 2016 (Retired trooper, now a DA civilian) and we were put up in the Kristall Inn. Every single morning I was treated to Reveille and the Regimental Song.
My days in 3/2ACR were some of the toughest of my Army career, but they shaped me, influenced who I was to become.
It was both melancholy and refreshing to hear those two broadcast, and see young 2CR troopers putting the colors up the flag pole every morning.