West Point Cadets' Swords are swords traditionally worn by cadet NCOs and Officers of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. They are issued only to NCOs and Officers for official ceremonies such as parades, formations, and drills. Cadets always carry their swords while on guard duty; others who carry swords include the Officer of the Day, cadets who are under arms, honor council members at hearings, the color guard, and the band Drum Major, and, of course, graduation. In 1955, author Frederick P. Todd noted that "cadet Officer and NCO's at West Point are the only people in the U.S. Army who continue to wear a sword with a sash."[1]
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There are many questions about the first cadet-store-issued swords. There are no known examples, nor are there any photos. Most students of the subject believe that from 1802 to 1839, the sword probably looked like (or was) the French Grenadier Sergeant's model sword used in the Revolutionary army."[2]
It is important to note that, starting in 1802, the West Point Cadet Store[3] became accountable for all West Point cadet swords. They were made on contract for the Academy to tight specifications. When inventory ran low, the Academy put the same design specifications out for bid up until 2001, when standards were lowered to save money. The Cadet Store today looks to the DOL_LLSO[4] which is now the group accountable for the new design following strong historic references to the past cadet swords. These are ordered for and sold exclusively through the Cadet Store and to the WS4[5] as their only issue points. Sales are limited to cadets past and present.
Cadet swords made from 1839 to 1872 are very rare. The hilt is made of solid brass and the wire wrap grip is silver plated. Only 200 swords were ordered for West Point and there are only a few known examples of 1839 swords. West Point has two, the Springfield Museum has several more, and there a few in collectors' hands. The Springfield Armory Museum is said to have several prototypes of this sword. Harold L. Peterson points out in his book, The American Sword, that the Springfield Armory ordered the swords in odd lots of 40, 18, and 20. In all, a total of 200 were received. It would be very hard to a find virgin sword that came from the West Point Cadet Store because the bookstore remade this sword over and over again, as broken swords were returned to issue. The bookstore broke it down so the best parts were used to rebuilt the sword from its parts to be reissued again and again. This sword was never sold to cadets.[3][6] Ames made 40 for VMI. The difference is detectable in the makers' marks. The sword cost $11.00 for the first 100 before the price was cut back to $10.00. Copies of the orders from the Springfield Armory to Ames are shown in his book the order clearly shows that they are ordering swords and not sabers.[6]
In his book, Cadet Gray (p. 40) Fredrick Todd says:
The Board of Visitors of the Military Academy made a study of this matter in 1837, and reported to the Secretary of War that there was "a great want of swords to supply the cadets who, from time to time, act as commissioned and non-commissioned officers of their battalion. The present swords were used during the Revolution, are worn, scarcely capable of use any longer, and entirely unfitted for the purpose. A plan of a sword is understood to be in the War Department.
The Board finally recommended a new West Point sword be adopted and issued to cadet officers, and two years later, in May 1839, these new swords arrived. They were straight-bladed with a brass hilt. The guard formed a simple cross—-and this fact has led to the story that they were modeled after the swords carried by the Crusaders. It is more likely that they were modeled after the style of sword carried by the Finance Corps.
Two years later, the Commandant ordered cadet officers always to wear the sash when the sword was worn and specified which sergeants were entitled to this privilege.
Twice since, the design of the cadet sword has been somewhat modified, but it still retains the simple cross design of 1839.[7]
In Col. Todd's words, "the only saber issued to cadets was between 1839 and 1947 and it was a light cavalry sword used for 108 years during mounted drills and tactics.[8]
Manufactured by the Springfield Armory, Springfield, Ma. Produced from 1872 up to 1920 exclusively for West Point Cadet Book Store by the Springfield Armory. Using the official description of sword as described in the 1878 printing of Springfield Ordnance Memorandum # 22 G.P.O. [9]
Please note that the head of the Pommel scroll with sword knot hole faces to the left as you view the face of the M-1872 sword. This was changed on the Model-1922 to faced to the right. Photo's of this change can be found on page 68 of Fredricks Todds cadet Gray and another example is on page 10 figure 3 in Burton A Kellerstedt book Swords and sabers of the Armory at Springfield though this can be confusing as the discrimination of photo # 3 describes another sword and does not match the discrimination.
"The Springfield Armory was the only maker of this sword till 1920 and is stamped Springfield Amory on the Ricasso. The Armory production records show that 253 Cadet Swords plus a few pattern samples were manufactured between 1868 and 1920. There was another order for 100 scabbards to replace the one that were needed. That’s 48 years in service. In 1920 the Springfield Amory stopped making this sword was produced under contract to private makers."[9] production records M-1872 1868–1920.
It would be very hard to a find virgin sword that came from the West Point Cadet Store because The bookstore returned the swords to Springfield who broke it down so the best parts were used to rebuilt the sword from its parts to be reissued again and again. This sword was never sold to cadets.
Presentation and engraved swords were produced by many manufactures. Cadets were free to purchase and use there own swords. Officially this is a copy and is not a officially issued sword. It would be very hard to find a Springfield M-1972 as the few that are around are owned by museums. There are a fair amount of custom made swords available. Unless the blade is etched with with USMA or West Point Military Academy it would be impossible to prove it was used or made for a cadet at West Point unless it is a named sword one engraved with the cadets Name and most are.
Cadets had no use for this type of sword in the Army, as officers, they carried the 1902 Army saber, so most cadets did not want to spend the money for a custom sword.
The sword used today by cadets, the model 1922, is a slightly modified version of the cadet saber adopted in 1872. Both types have a cruciform hilt of gilt brass, with silver-colored grips. Both are engraved with U.S.M.A. custom-etched on the front side of the double-edged blades, and nickel-plated-steel scabbards with gilt-brass mounts. The principal difference between the earlier and the present version is the change to a new ornament on the crossguard, which now displays an oval emblem bearing the helmet worn in Greek mythology by Athena, whose helmet design was incorporated into the Academy's heraldic arms and insignia in 1922. The 1872 sword had its MA displayed in the oval.
U.S.M.A. cadet swords are copyrighted by the academy and are only sold at the Academy's cadet store. The sword is issued to cadet seniors for free, but must be returned at the end of their senior year. Any cadet or alumnus can buy a new sword for their own. The sword is made today only by WKC Stahl- und Metallwarenfabrik in Solingen, Germany.
This sword is not allowed to be sold new by anyone other than the cadet store at West Point.
Some retail outlets sell this sword new on the internet, in violation of West Point's policies.
The West Point Book Store has never put in an order for sabers: they have only ordered swords.[6][7]
The West Point Cadet is never issued a Saber nor are they allowed to carry one. Commissioned Officers are allowed to carry the Army model 1902, carried in a scabbard hanging from a shoulder belt known as a baldric or from a waist-mounted sword belt.[10] This is not an issued item and most officers today do not buy their own until they have a need for it.