1st Cavalry Division (United States) - Popular Culture

Popular Culture

• The 1st Cavalry Division is featured in the 1979 film Apocalypse Now (1–9 Cavalry)
• In the 1980s TV series Airwolf, Stringfellow Hawke hints that he and his brother Saint John were members of the 1st Air Cav.
• In the 1981 film Stripes, Warren Oates as Sergeant First Class Hulka wears the 1st Cavalry Division's unit insignia as his combat patch.
• The 1985 nonfiction book Brennan's War: Vietnam 1965-1969 by Matthew Brennan provides a gripping first-hand narrative of 1st Cavalry experiences. Brennan reveals the profound changes in character and attitude of the Americans serving in the war.
• The 1986 film Platoon is based on director (and 1st Cavalry Division veteran) Oliver Stone's experiences in Vietnam. The character of Elias (Willem Dafoe) was based on a real soldier, Juan Angel Elias, who died in combat. In the film, Elias wears the 1st Cavalry Division's unit insignia as his combat patch (The unit depicted in the film is: B Co, 3-22IN, 3d BDE, 25th ID).
• The 1992 book We Were Soldiers Once… And Young, along with its 2002 film adaptation, follows the 1st Battalion of the 7th Cavalry Regiment during the Battle of Ia Drang.
• In the 2001 film The Last Castle, General Wheeler wears the insignia of the 1st Cavalry Division on his dress uniform.
• In the 2003 film Hulk, Sam Elliott as General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross wears the 1st Cavalry Division's unit insignia as his combat patch. Sam Elliott had previously starred as Sergeant Major Basil L. Plumley in We Were Soldiers.
• The 2004 book, Time Never Heals, is the story of Dr. Frank Lunati, the first battalion surgeon for the Second Battalion, Fifth Cavalry, First Cavalry Division (Air Mobile) in Vietnam.
• In the 2008 film Gran Torino, Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) belonged to the 1st Cavalry Division in the Korean War.
• In the 2010 film Predators, Noland (Laurence Fishburne) was part of the 1st Cavalry Division. He was stranded in a Predator game reserve planet.
• In Eureka, General Mansfield of the Department of Defense is a veteran of the 1st Cavalry Division and wears the unit insignia on his uniform.
• In the sketch comedy show The Whitest Kids U' Know, people in military uniform are often shown to be part of the 1st Cavalry division.