During the Vietnam War units of the battalion participated in 12 campaigns and earned three Presidential Unit Citations and three Valorous Unit Awards for actions against the Viet Cong and the People's Army of Vietnam. In June 1972 the battalion returned from Vietnam to its new home at Fort Hood, Texas where it was organized as an M113A1 equipped mechanized infantry battalion, a maneuver battalion of the 1st Brigade of the Army's 1st Cavalry Division (TRICAP). Significant during the battalion's TRICAP period in 1972, it participated in a massive removal of unexploded ordnance in the impact area of Ft. Hood, much of it dating to WW II, in preparation for the conduct of a several week multi division force on force exercise pitting the TRICAP Division against 2nd Armored Division in Operation Gallant Hand. The 1st Battalion's work during this exercise was a further extension of work done by the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry with other units of the 1st Brigade during Air Cavalry Combat Brigade Tests 1 and 2 to evaluate the TRICAP organization of armor, air assault, assault helicopter and mechanized infantry as a combined arms force operating against Soviet style ground forces. LTC Kelley commanded the battalion at this time.