United States Marine Corps noncommissioned officer's sword

The Marine Corps noncommissioned officer's sword is a sword worn by noncommissioned officers (NCOs) and staff noncommissioned officers (SNCOs) of the United States Marine Corps. The NCO sword was adopted in 1859 and is patterned after the United States Army's foot officers' sword of 1850. The M1859 NCO sword continues service today as the Marine Corps drill and ceremonial sword. The sword's use is restricted by regulation to ceremonial occasions by an NCO or Staff NCO in charge of troops under arms or at weddings and wedding receptions where at least one of those being married is in uniform and has the rank of Corporal or higher.

USMC Model 1859 NCO Sword
TypeSword
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service1859–present
Used byUnited States Marine Corps non-commissioned officers
WarsMid-19th and early-20th centuries
Production history
DesignerModeled on U.S. Army M1850 foot officers' sword
DesignedIntroduced 1859, notable design changes 1875, 1918
ManufacturerHorstmann, Ames, various others
Produced1859–present
No. builtUndetermined
VariantsUnetched blades until 1875, wide blades until 1918
Specifications
Length34"-36" commonly
Blade length28"-30" commonly
Blade typeSaber, slightly curved, single-edged with false edge
Hilt typeCast-brass hilt, leather-wrapped grip
Scabbard/sheathBlack leather scabbard, two brass mounts, frog stud

Description

The sword is patterned after the United States Army's foot officers' sword of 1850, with minor differences. NCO swords initially were equipped with heavy, wide blades similar in shape and weight to those typically used on standard Army M1850 foot officers' swords. Unlike the Army officers' blades, however, the blades on old Marine NCO swords were polished bright but not etched. The familiar etched designs on Marine NCO swords were authorized in 1875 regulations, and they have been a standard feature of Marine NCO swords ever since.

Marine NCO swords feature a cast-brass hilt with a half-basket guard; leather-wrapped grip bound with twisted brass wire; a slightly curved, single-edged blade with a wide central fuller and short false edge; and a black-leather scabbard with two brass mounts, including an upper mount with a stud for carrying in a leather belt frog, and a brass tip with drag.

History and development

U.S. Marine officers and NCOs have carried swords since the American Revolutionary War. During the earliest years, the swords worn by Marine NCOs are believed to have been based on Army patterns, though not necessarily the exact swords used by Army NCOs. By approximately the mid-1820s, however, Marine NCOs began wearing distinctive short sabers with cast brass eagle head hilts and curved blades. About this same time, in 1826, Marine Corps officers also began wearing a distinctive new sword of the Mameluke style, similar to those worn today.[1]

Five U.S. Marines with fixed bayonets. Their NCO displays his M1859 sword. Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., April 1864.

In 1859, a completely new sword pattern was introduced for Marine Corps officers, who were instructed to wear the same sword then worn by Army foot officers since 1850. Also, in 1859 a similar sword was authorized for wear by Marine NCOs so that the swords worn by Marine officers and NCOs appeared to share very nearly the same pattern and characteristics. The Marine NCO version, though similar to that worn by Marine officers, had several differences. Among the most noticeable, NCO swords had plain brass hilts and scabbard mounts, whereas officers' hilts and scabbard mounts normally were gilt. Also, the grips on NCO swords were wrapped with leather, whereas those for officers were usually covered with sharkskin. Finally, NCO scabbards had only two scabbard mounts, consisting of a top mount with frog stud and a scabbard tip, whereas officers' scabbards bore three mounts, including upper and middle mounts fitted with carrying rings.[2][3]

The sword worn by Marine NCOs since 1859 was also carried throughout the American Civil War. With only slight modifications since that time, it has maintained its distinctive and traditional appearance. Even though the Navy Officer Sword is older (1852), it was discontinued until reauthorized during the 1900s. The M1859 Marine NCO sword is the oldest weapon in continued (unbroken) service still in U.S. inventory.[4]

Variations
Marine using an NCO Sword with the MCCUU.

Model 1859 Marine NCO swords initially were equipped with heavy, wide blades similar in shape and weight to those typically used on standard Army M1850 foot officers' swords. Unlike the Army officers' blades, however, the blades on early Marine NCO swords were polished bright but not etched. The familiar etched designs on Marine NCO swords were authorized in 1875 regulations, and they have been a standard feature of Marine NCO swords ever since. That same year, in 1875, Marine officers once again were permitted to wear their traditional Mameluke swords, which had been discontinued since 1859. At some point after 1875, Marine Staff NCOs wore swords fitted with carrying rings, for attachment to sword belt slings, as opposed to traditional attachment by a stud in a sliding frog; this practice ceased during WWII and was not continued. The only subsequent change significantly affecting Marine NCO swords was in 1918, when uniform regulations specified that blade width be reduced to the narrow dimensions seen today.[5][6]

Sword Manual Procedures

The USMC Sword Manual Procedures are:

  • Draw sword
  • Present sword from carry or order sword
  • Order sword from present sword
  • Carry sword from order sword or present sword
  • Eyes right (left) from carry or order sword
  • Parade rest from order sword
  • At ease from any position of the sword
  • Rest from any position of the sword
  • Return to Attention
  • Return sword from carry or order sword[7]

The NCO sword continues service today as the Marine Corps drill and ceremonial sword. In the Marine Corps the sword's use is restricted by regulation to ceremonial occasions by an NCO or Staff NCO in charge of troops under arms.[5]

See also

Footnotes
  1. Peterson.(1970) pp. 57–58.
  2. Cureton (2006)
  3. Unpublished article "Marine Swords" by Richard E. Schenk
  4. Crouch (1999) p.99
  5. Simmons (1998) pp. 138–139
  6. Unpublished article "Marine Swords" by Richard Schenk
  7. Department of the Navy. (2003). MARINE CORPS ORDER P5060.20. Retrieved from http://navy.rotc.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Marine_Drill_and_Ceremonies_Manual1.pdf

Bibliography
  • LtCol (Ret.) Cureton, Charles H., USMC. "Early Marine Corps Swords," The Bulletin of the American Society of Arms Collectors, No. 93, 2006
  • Crouch, Howard R. Historic American Swords. Fairfax, VA: SCS Publications, 1999
  • Peterson, Harold L. The American Sword 1775-1945. Philadelphia: Ray Riling Arms Books Co., 1970,
  • "USMC Essential Subjects, Dept. of Defense Legacy Resource Management Program, ISBN 0-9675123-6-0
  • Guidebook For Marines, Dept. of Defense Legacy Resource Management Program, ISBN 0-940328-07-0
  • Simmons & Moskin, The Marines, 1998, ISBN 0-88363-198-9,
  • NAVMC 2691, Marine Corps Drill and Ceremonies Manual, January 1999
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