FIX BAYONETS!

Most Cav soldiers have never seen a horse outside the movies but they all still pretend to be horse Cavalry. The good thing about this is that it encourages the traditions that branch has built up. The bad thing is that they’re so dang cocky about it.

They’re easy to spot at formal functions. Black Stetson Cav hats, spurs (worn with dress shoes!), fancy belt with sword. Most officers have at least the hat, the rowdier types come with the entire get up.

The other branches have nothing similar.

Now, a certain young NCO used to do quite a few color guards and funeral details. A lot of the color guards in the late ‘70s were ‘period’ that is, each member of the guard wore a uniform from a different period of U.S. history. When his unit started wanting to field period color guards, they were a little delayed because they only had three different uniforms to wear; WW I, WW II and Viet Nam era. They got the fourth when our young hero discovered a picture of a soldier in the Spanish American War. He had Army khaki trousers that matched the picture. An old blue pull over work shirt was a perfect match not only for color but style too. He had a set of canvas leggings that were close enough. His wife sewed an imitation Mills cartridge belt that and he happened to have the proper belt plate (buckle) for that belt. A borrowed Trapdoor Springfield rifle from a friend nearly completed the uniform. All he needed was a hat.

The issue hat at the turn of the century was khaki colored, broad brimmed with a tall crown and a fore and aft crease in the crown. He couldn’t find one, of course. The closest thing in the right color he could find was a riverboat gambler’s style. Not nearly the right shape but, hmmmmm.

It turns out that you can reshape a high quality fur-felt hat by simply soaking and forming into the shape you want. A supply house called Dixie Gun works had the proper blue cord and ‘acorns’ to sit on the brim around the crown and even, fortuitously, had some original crossed musket insignia from the Spanish American War. The costume was complete and served for quite a few color guards.

But that’s not really the story I wanted to tell.

Later on, our young soldier was commissioned but continued to help with color guards. The old uniforms carried enlisted rank, so his new status was invisible. Funeral details were a different matter though. They required dress greens and instead of being a member of the detail, he was now the officer in charge.

Commanding the firing detail is no problem but if you want it to be perfectly done, instead of only well done, the officer in charge really needs a sword. This is because, once the three volleys are fired, the detail salutes the flag as it is being folded. The salute is done with their rifles held vertically in front of their bodies. If the officer has no sword, he does a normal salute with his hand, which just clashes somehow. A sword salute is much more formal and elegant.

He stumbled across a sword at a gun show. It turned out to be a Model of 1850 foot officer’s sword, which was perfect. (The Model of 1902 is the regulation sword but who wants to carry what all the Cav guys have?) His Company Admin/Supply technician found a “1938 National Guard Manual” that gave the manual of arms for the sword. All set.

The Lieutenant started off slowly with his attempt to inject class into the Battalion officer corps. At a dining in, he arrived in Dress Blues and sword. Nothing was said, so the sword became a fixture whenever he wore Blues. His Battalion hated him but no one had the cojones to say anything.

At the next few State officer’s conventions, he brought the sword with him to dinner. Nothing was said. He began adding the hat to his get up. Still, nothing was said. Now, traditionally, the CAV wears their black Stetsons as an informal part of their uniform when they’re doing CAV things; usually during dinners or other celebrations. A khaki ‘Infantry’ hat is not part of any informal tradition. But, still, no one said anything and the hat showed up year after year. After twenty six years as an officer, he finally retired without starting a new tradition. Sure was fun to tweak the establishment though!
My old Hat