The Marine Corps noncommissioned officer's sword is a

sword A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed ti ...

worn by

noncommissioned officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...

s (NCOs) and staff noncommissioned officers (SNCOs) of the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through c ...

. The NCO sword was adopted in 1859 and is patterned after the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...

'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.

Description

The sword is patterned after the

'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 The hilt (rarely called a haft or shaft) of a knife, dagger, sword, or bayonet is its handle, consisting of a guard, grip and pommel. The guard may contain a crossguard or quillons. A tassel or sword knot may be attached to the guard or pommel ...

with a half-basket

guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison gu ...

; leather-wrapped grip bound with twisted brass wire; a slightly curved, single-edged

blade A blade is the portion of a tool, weapon, or machine with an edge that is designed to puncture, chop, slice or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they are to be used on. Histor ...

with a wide central fuller and short false edge; and a black-leather

scabbard A scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword, knife, or other large blade. As well, rifles may be stored in a scabbard by horse riders. Military cavalry and cowboys had scabbards for their saddle ring carbine rifles and lever-action rifles on the ...

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

Sergeants’ swords are not discussed in the earliest Marine uniform regulations but were apparently items of issue by at least 1798 when in a note Commandant Burrows observed “Sergeants’ swords have brass handles”. There are occasional early mentions of purchasing swords for sergeants and musicians, but little is known about the designs prior to the adoption of the model with the distinctive stylized eagle head pommels 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. 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

mounts, whereas officers' hilts and scabbard mounts normally were gilt. Also, the grips on NCO swords were wrapped with

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hog ...

, 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. The sword worn by Marine NCOs since 1859 was also carried throughout the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...

. 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 1950s. The M1859 Marine NCO sword is the oldest weapon in continued (unbroken) service still in U.S. inventory.

Variations

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 later, probably in the 1860s, and they have been a standard feature of Marine NCO swords ever since. When first adopted in 1859, it was specified that the sword was “to be worn with a frog”. By 1875, however, this had changed. The 1875 regulation now read “The non-commissioned staff, field and band musicians shall wear a white waist belt with sword attached to the belt by a sliding frog, except the Sergeant Major and the Leader of the Band, whose swords will be slung as prescribed for officers”. Thereafter authorization to wear swords with scabbards fitted with carrying rings, for attachment to sword belt slings, was expanded to include other senior Staff NCOs, e.g. quartermaster sergeants. These senior Staff NCO swords are frequently misidentified as Civil War USMC officer swords. this practice ceased during WWII and was not restored after the War.

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 swordDepartment 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 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.Simmons (1998) pp. 138–139

Footnotes

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, *''Guidebook For Marines'', Dept. of Defense Legacy Resource Management Program, *Simmons & Moskin, ''The Marines'', 1998, , *NAVMC 2691, ''Marine Corps Drill and Ceremonies Manual'', January 1999

External links

Current USMC M1859 NCO sword with accouterments
{{USCWWeapons Swords of the United States United States Marine Corps equipment United States Marine Corps lore and symbols American Civil War weapons Ceremonial weapons