Tag Archives: tomb of the unknows

The P320-M17 Ceremonial

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As we’ve previously reported, SIG’s Modular Handgun System program with the Army led to a short run of ceremonial handguns for the Sentinels over the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. While the elite Sentinels carry an Army-issue M14, the NCO of the guard carries a sidearm to allow them to properly inspect the Sentinel’s rifle, a post that has been manned for over a century.

M17 MHS Tomb SIG (Photo: Sig)

SIG is now marketing a more toned-down salute to that gun, the P320-M17 Ceremonial. It uses a distinctive high-polish AXG all-metal grip module fitted with custom Hogue walnut grip panels. With a matching high-polish optics-ready (DPP footprint) slide that includes front and rear day/night sights, it is chambered in 9mm and uses a 4.7-inch carbon steel barrel.

Other features include an M1913 accessory rail, and both a 17+1 round flush-fit magazine and a 21+1 extended magazine. (Photo: SIG)

Of note, the model is night and day different from the General Officer’s model M18 as supplied to the Army, although I would expect that the new $2K Ceremonial M17 will be a hit for retirement ceremonies among the top brass.

95 Years on Post

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Here we see an image of the first permanent armed military guard walking his post at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery, 25 March 1926.

Per Arlington:

On March 24, 1926, Major General Fox Connor, the Army’s deputy chief of staff, sent a memorandum to the adjutant general, explaining: “The Secretary of War desires that orders be issued establishing an armed guard (rifle) at the tomb of the unknown soldier in Arlington Cemetery…. If practicable, orders should be issued by telephone this afternoon in order that the guard may begin tomorrow morning.” Per these orders, the first armed military guard began duty at the Tomb on the morning of March 25, 1926.

The initial day guard, a detail of troopers from 2nd Squadron, 3rd Cavalry (Brave Rifles) at nearby Ft. Meyer, was later expanded to a 24/7 post in 1937, then assumed by the 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard)– who continue to stand post today— in 1948. 2-3 CAV, which had been sent to D.C. after arriving back from Occupation duty in Germany in 1919, spent so much time assigned to public duties around the District during the interwar period that it was known during this time as the “President’s Own.”

A smartly turned out 2-3 trooper on guard at the Tomb. Note the spurs as the regiment was still mounted until 1940.

The Tomb itself was dedicated on Armistice Day (11 November) 1921, making it 100 this year. Arlington has a special program to honor this somber milestone.

The spirit of 1898 at The Tomb

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While the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington is a hallowed place, established in 1921 with the Unknown Soldier of the Great War and guarded in all weather 24/7/365 since 1937, it has few tie-ins to the nation’s conflicts before the 20th Century. That is about to change in a small but interesting way.

On 18 October, four specially-made ceremonial Sig Sauer M17s will replace the current M9 Berettas carried by the Tomb Guard Platoon’s NCOs (Sentinels carry the M14, and that is not going to change).

These new sidearms are extremely interesting pieces with a non-railed aluminum grip module rather than the M17 (P320)’s standard polymer frame, a high-polish stainless steel slide, wood grip inserts, a 21-round 9mm magazine, and lots of other features.

(Photo: Sig)

Take a closer look at those grip inserts:

They contain the Distinctive Unit Insignia for the 3rd Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), parent unit of the platoon.

The wood itself? It comes from the decking of the protected cruiser USS Olympia (C-6/CA-15/CL-15/IX-40), the former flagship of Commodore Dewey in the Spanish-American War that later brought home the Unknown Soldier of World War I in 1921.

More on the new Sigs here.