Presidential Salute Battery

The Presidential Salute Battery (Guns Platoon),^[1] an element of the 3rd United States Infantry Regiment, comprises soldiers qualified as MOS 11C (Mortarman).^[2] This battery primarily handles firing ceremonial gun-salute honors at general officer funerals, retirements, state occasions, and provides indirect fire support for the regiment's tactical operations.^[3]

Presidential Salute Battery
Active	1953 – Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Memorial affairs, ceremonies and special events
Size	Platoon
Part of	3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)
Garrison/HQ	Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall
Equipment	3-inch Gun M5 M252 81mm mortar
Website	http://www.oldguard.mdw.army.mil/specialty-platoons/psb

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 and the cannons used by the battery trace their linage back to the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion. ^[4][5]

The Presidential Salute Battery pictured in 2013 during a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

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, foreign chiefs of government, and members of the cabinet of the United States; and 17, 15, 13, and 11 for flag officers of the rank of O-10, O-9, O-8, and O-7, respectively.^[6] of only the Army, Marines, and Navy.

Under an 1890 regulation issued by the United States Department of War, 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.^[7][8] The Presidential Salute Battery fires blank artillery rounds packed with a 1 pound powder charge.^[9]

Mission

Funerals

The battery is assigned to Arlington National Cemetery for full honor burials of sitting and former presidents of the United States, sitting cabinet secretaries, and military flag officers, as well as wreath-laying ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknowns .^[10] For funerals at Arlington, it uses one of many firing positions, to include Sections 3, 4, and 28 of the cemetery on Miles, Dewey, and Mitchell Drives, respectively, or at Red Springs on McClellan Drive.^[11]

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.^{[12][13][14][15][16]}

Presidential Salute Battery soldiers train on the M252 mortar in 2013, their primary equipment for non-ceremonial duties.

Military operations

As 1st Battalion’s mortar platoon and as the primary indirect fire support for the regiment, platoon members operate the 81mm M252 mortar system, per the 11C MOS job assignment.^[17]

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.^[18]

See also

• 21-gun salute