The Presidential Salute Battery (Guns Platoon) is an element of the

3rd United States Infantry Regiment The 3rd United States Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army. It currently has three active battalions, and is readily identified by its nickname, The Old Guard, as well as Escort to the President. The regimental motto is ' ...

. The battery, which is staffed by soldiers qualified as

MOS MOS or Mos may refer to: Technology * MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor), also known as the MOS transistor * Mathematical Optimization Society * Model output statistics, a weather-forecasting technique * MOS (filmm ...

11C (Mortarman), is chiefly responsible for firing ceremonial gun-salute honors in general officer funerals and retirements, on state occasions, and in a tactical capacity, is tasked with providing the regiment's indirect fire support.

History

Activated in 1953, the Presidential Salute Battery is equipped with ten 3-inch Gun M5s which have been mounted on M6 howitzer carriages. The M5 is a World War II-era anti-tank weapon. The battery renders gun salutes according to a customary order of arms which is 21 rounds for heads of state (including the president of the United States and former presidents); 19 for the

vice-president of the United States The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice pr ...

, foreign chiefs of government, and members of the

cabinet of the United States The Cabinet of the United States is a body consisting of the vice president of the United States and the heads of the executive branch's departments in the federal government of the United States. It is the principal official advisory body to t ...

; and 17, 15, 13, and 11 for

flag officers A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark the position from which the officer exercises command. The term is used differently in different countries: *In many countries ...

of the rank of O-10, O-9, O-8, and O-7, respectively. of only the Army, Marines, and Navy. Under an 1890 regulation issued by the

United States Department of War The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army, a ...

, the "Salute to the Union" consists of one round for every state of the United States, or 50 rounds since 1959; it is fired by the battery annually at noon on U.S. Independence Day. The Presidential Salute Battery fires blank artillery rounds packed with a 1.5 pound powder charge.

Mission

Funerals

The battery is assigned to

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

for full honor burials of sitting and former presidents of the United States, sitting cabinet secretaries, and military

flag officer A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark the position from which the officer exercises command. The term is used differently in different countries: *In many countr ...

s, as well as wreath-laying ceremonies at the

Tomb of the Unknowns The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a historic monument dedicated to deceased U.S. service members whose remains have not been identified. It is located in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, United States. The World War I "Unknown" is a re ...

. For funerals at Arlington it uses one of four firing positions, either from Sections 3, 4, and 28 of the cemetery on Miles, Dewey and Mitchell Drives respectively, or at Red Springs on McClellan Drive.

Public and military observances

The battery fires ceremonial gun salutes at events including the U.S. Army's weekly Twilight Tattoo, observances for Flag Day and Independence Day, and at the inauguration of a new president of the United States. Mortar US 3rd Infantry Regiment

Military operations

In support of the 3rd Infantry Regiment's tactical responsibilities, platoon members operate the 81mm M252 mortar system, per the 11C MOS job assignment, as battalion weapons platoon for the regiment.

State and official visits

During the White House arrival ceremony at state and official visits, the battery fires gun salutes from a firing position in President's Park during the performance of the visiting state's

national anthem A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European n ...

References

External links

{{US Army navbox, state=collapsed Ceremonial units of the United States military Military units and formations established in 1953 1953 establishments in the United States