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Video by 1st Lt. Russell ShirleyJones, Christopher Davis

First Team farrier making a caltrop

III Armored Corps

Dec. 2, 2024 | 0:50

The III Armored Corps Public Affairs Office visited the 1st Cavalry Division’s Horse Detachment to witness the creation of a caltrop from scratch. A caltrop is a spiked metal device with four sharp points designed so that one point always faces upward when placed on the ground. Historically, caltrops were used as anti-personnel or anti-cavalry tools, scattered across battlefields or defensive zones to slow enemy advances by injuring soldiers, horses, or, in later eras, vehicles like carts or tires. Despite their simplicity, caltrops were highly effective in creating logistical challenges for opposing forces. The III Armored Corps adopted the caltrop as its logo due to its symbolic significance. When viewed on a flat plane, three spikes point outward, reflecting the Corps’ numerical designation and its readiness to project power in all directions.