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Model 1902 Army Officers' Sword

Summary

The Model 1902 Army Officers' Saber is the current sword used by officers of the United States Army and United States Air Force.[1][2] The official nomenclature for the current regulation U.S. Army saber is “saber for all officers, Model 1902”. It was adopted on July 17, 1902, by authority of General Order No. 81. The M1902 saber was authorized for all officers, both infantry and cavalry, with the exception of Chaplains. The lightly curved blade measures between 30 and 34 inches long with weights initially specified by the U.S. Army to be between 20.2 and 22.8 ounces (573 to 647 grams) and a point of balance of 3.25 inches from the hilt as specified for infantry sabers.[3]

M1902 U.S. Army Officer's Sabers of various makes

History edit

By the early 1870s combat experience had convinced many American military officers that swords had, at best, a tertiary role in the modern army.[4][5] Given its lack of usage during the American Civil War and Indian Wars, many objected to the weight of carrying the Model 1850 Army Staff & Field Officers' Sword. This led to the adoption of the Model 1860 Army Staff & Field Officers' Sword, previously only worn by officers unlikely to see direct combat, as the regulation sword for all categories of unmounted infantry officer in 1872.[note 1] The M1860 was significantly lighter design to be used by officers primarily as a sign of rank.[6] However many disliked the idea of carrying a purely ceremonial weapon in combat, and the M1860's delicate design proved ill-suited to the rigors of military use in the field.[7][8] Some officers took to carrying the Model 1872 Cavalry Officers' Saber, or not carrying any sword at all.[9][10] However the M1872, while much preferred over the delicate M1860, lacked the strength to hold up under heavy use. Criticism of both the M1860 and M1872 eventually lead to the adoption of the M1902 in July of that year for both cavalry and infantry officers.[11] A sturdy and effective weapon, the M1902 took heavily from the previous cavalry officers' saber, and was considered a large improvement over its predecessors.[12][13]

The final design of the M1902 was the result of many years of study and experimentation by Henry V. Allien & Company, in collaboration with several army officers after they approached Mr. Allien privately and requested he develop a more effective saber for the US military. After many years of research by Mr. Allien, including numerous trips to Europe and making a number of patterns with both straight and curved blades, a final design was completed and laid before General John C. Kelton, who was noted as being a skilled swordsman. He recommended making it less curved from center to point, the latter to be in line with the gripe, so as to give greater force in thrusting. Years later in June 1902, a board met in Washington DC to develop new regulations for Army uniforms, part of which induced the adoption of a new regulation saber. Henry V. Allien & Company submitted five pattern swords for the uniform board's consideration, three with straight blades and two with curved, and the Ordnance Department submitted a similar number. The result was that of the ten patterns, one of the Allien swords was adopted, the very one approved by General Kelton.[14]

Although regarded as a significant improvement over the M1860, praise was not universal for the M1902. Although the uniform board contained several highly experienced and decorated officers,[note 2] none were noted as experts in swordplay. The board's membership was selected to present a diverse set of military knowledge, as it also had to consider many other items of clothing and equipment, and was rather different than it might have if the adoption of a new regulation sword was its primary concern. The resulting M1902 pattern sword was considered a compromise between lightness and efficiency, with several members of the Ordnance Board questioning if such a light blade could still be effective in combat during a 1905 review of the sword.[15] Nonetheless, the review eventually recommended maintaining the current pattern saber and the M1902 remains the regulation sword for officers of the US army.

The M1902's modern role is completely ceremonial, and it is virtually never carried except in parades and ceremonies, by commissioned officers in command of troops in formation. It is also used by United States Air Force officers for their parades and ceremonies.[2] As a presentation saber, the M1902 is also sometimes given to newly commissioned officers of distinction or as retirement or change of command gifts.

Notes edit

  1. ^ This has led to the sword also being referred to as the Model 1872 Army Staff & Field Officers' Sword, although its design is identical to the Model 1860
  2. ^ Most notably General Robert Patterson Hughes, who as a young officer was repeatedly cited for bravery during the Civil War, and Colonel Marion Perry Maus, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Geronimo Campaign[15]

References edit

  1. ^ Nalty, Bernard C. (1999). War in the Pacific Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 58. ISBN 9780806131993. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Air Force Sword History | Military Sword Displays | Air Force". www.militarysworddisplays.com. Retrieved 2022-01-27. Air Force officers still carry the Model 1902 Saber. In 1948, one year after the USAF separated from the Army, the Air Force Honor Guard was born. Citing the need for ceremonial edged weapons, they used the same weapons as the army due to their availability. This tradition has remained unchanged for Air Force Officers.
  3. ^ Annual Reports of the War Department for the Fiscal Year Ended in June 30, 1905. Vol. IX Chief of Ordnance. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1905.) p. 126, 136
  4. ^ "Popular Swords Used In The American Civil War". By the time the Civil War began, this was an old way to fight. Military strategists put a lot of faith in the capabilities of cold steel to steer the enemy off the field, but in reality, very few battles got that close. If a fight did end up in close quarters, the bayonet generally took things from there: the days of dramatic sword fights on the field of battle were mostly over.
  5. ^ Harold Peterson (2003). The American Sword 1775-1945. Dover Publications, INC. p. 53. The Civil War closed with the saber still an important weapon, but not as dominant an arm as it had been before that conflict. The Indian Wars in the West brought its position still lower. In fighting an enemy that refused to stand and be charged and who preferred to avoid hand-to-hand conflict unless the advantages of surprise or overwhelming numbers were with him, the potential usefulness of the saber was greatly reduced. At the same time, the adoption of the metallic cartridge revolver and carbine permitted faster loading and thus increased the fire-power of the soldiers.
  6. ^ Harold Peterson (2003). The American Sword 1775-1945. Dover Publications, INC. p. 309. Presumably acting upon the theory that staff and field officers would rarely if ever be called upon to wield a sword in battle, a sword which could not possibly serve any useful purpose was adopted for these officers on August 28, 1860. It was not mandatory, however, and many staff and field officers continued to use the sturdy pattern adopted in 1850 until after the close of the Civil War. In 1872, however, this sword became mandatory for all officers except medical staff, paymasters, mounted officers of infantry, cavalry and light artillery.
  7. ^ Harold Peterson (2003). The American Sword 1775-1945. Dover Publications, INC. p. 151. hereafter changes in tactics caused by the increased efficiency of firearms relegated the sword to a position of minor importance. There were still some officers who favored the sword, however, and when an utterly useless model was adopted in 1872, many complained that they were being deprived of their last defense in emergencies.
  8. ^ Annual Reports of the War Department for the Fiscal Year Ended in June 30, 1905. Vol. IX Chief of Ordnance. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1905.) p. 124. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015035045759&view=1up&seq=142
  9. ^ Harold Peterson (2003). The American Sword 1775-1945. Dover Publications, INC. p. 225. Shortly before 1872 a light and practically useless saber made its appearance among cavalry officers, and the regulations of that year made it mandatory. It closely resembled its predecessor in all respects except weight and strength. Despite its uselessness, it was still a better sword than that adopted the same year for most other officers, and so was often worn by them in spite of regulations. It continued in use until 1902 when it was superseded by the saber adopted that year for all officers.
  10. ^ Annual Reports of the War Department for the Fiscal Year Ended in June 30, 1905. Vol. IX Chief of Ordnance. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1905.) p. 122. "As regards the Army, it may be said that as far as the evidence at the disposal of the board goes, the sentiment of the Army is largely against the use of any sword at all by officers in the field, the idea being to replace the sword by the revolver. This was the practice in the Philippines; by almost universal consent, and without any orders in connection therewith emanating from superior authority."
  11. ^ Harold Peterson (2003). The American Sword 1775-1945. Dover Publications, INC. p. 225. These criticisms continued through the years, and finally in 1902 a sword was adopted that could be used efficiently in combat. It was a futile gesture, however, for the sword soon ceased to be worn in the field.
  12. ^ Harold Peterson (2003). The American Sword 1775-1945. Dover Publications, INC. p. 225. In July of 1902, a new saber was adopted for all officers except chaplains. It was a sturdy and useful weapon which borrowed heavily from the light cavalry officers' saber. Its principal defect as a weapon lay in its soft German silver guard and scabbard, but this was quickly changed, and the regulations of December 1902 called for both guard and scabbard to be of steel "in dull finished nickel." This pattern remained standard as long as swords were worn by officers of the Army.
  13. ^ Annual Reports of the War Department for the Fiscal Year Ended in June 30, 1905. Vol. IX Chief of Ordnance. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1905.) p. 121 " The sword is intended for both cutting; and thrusting; purposes, having a sharp point and; very slight curvature. It is rather light for a good cutting weapon, and for a perfect thrusting weapon it should be straight. It is, in some respects, possibly, a compromise between lightness and efficiency;, and in the last respect is a considerable improvement on the one which it replaced.
  14. ^ Annual Reports of the War Department for the Fiscal Year Ended in June 30, 1905. Vol. IX Chief of Ordnance. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1905.) p. 124.
  15. ^ a b Annual Reports of the War Department for the Fiscal Year Ended in June 30, 1905. Vol. IX Chief of Ordnance. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1905.) p. 121.

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