By Andrew C. Carducci 1LT, AG, NYARNG – S1 Personnel 2-101 CAV (RSTA) 42nd Infantry Division:
In response to Hurricane Sandy, Governor Andrew Cuomo has activated National Guard troops from across the State, and Western New York National Guardsmen were no exception from this statewide activation. More than 200 Troopers from the 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry of the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team have been mobilized to Brooklyn to aid in the relief efforts. The 2-101 CAV, located in armories across Western and Central New York, has been activated since last Monday.
The 2-101 CAV is currently running relief operations out of Fort Hamilton, located in southern Brooklyn, NY. The CAV’s mission is to distribute food, water, blankets and other basic necessities in conjunction with FEMA and the Red Cross. The CAV’s area of operations include the hardest hit areas of Brooklyn and Queens, namely the Rockaways and Coney Island. While power has been restored to the majority of the City, these southern Brooklyn and Queens peninsulas are still without power, water and basic sanitation services.
To date, the 2-101 CAV has distributed nearly 150,000 meals, 70,000 bottles of water and 15,000 blankets to those most affected by the storm. The 2-101st Cavalry is a reconnaissance Cavalry Squadron headquartered in Niagara Falls. Its lineage dates back to 1838 as a city militia, the Buffalo City Guards. The CAV’s recent deployments include Hurricane Irene relief efforts in 2011 and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2008.
Lead image 1: 2-101 CAV, 27th IBCT of Niagara Falls enters New York City two days after the storm
Image 2: Troopers from HHT, 2-101 CAV, 27th IBCT of Niagara Falls unload water at a relief site in downtown Brooklyn