Photo by Erin
“Dear PoPville,
What is the loud banging that happens some mornings around 7am that you can hear in NW? At first we thought it might be trash collection, but it is too rhythmic and way too loud. We live near 14th and U. Our current theory is something on one of the military bases/buildings?”
Phil wrote at 7:06am: “Just heard cannon fire in Arlington Cemetery all the way from Kingman Park?”
From a previous discussion revealed by old guard alum:
“The Old Guard’s Presidential Salute Battery conducts rehearsals (aka Blank-Fire Crew Drills) on Thursday [Ed. Note: since this post they’ve been on Tuesdays] mornings starting at 0700 in Arlington National Cemetery and on Ft. Myer. These drills are used to rehearse for upcoming ceremonies and certify new Soldiers on the ceremonial 105mm howitzer cannons. They do the drills before the cemetery opens for the day. The modified howitzers can only fire blank rounds; no projectiles.”
Here’s what practice looks like close up.
Last year we were told in March, from Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall (a Joint Base of the United States military that is located around Arlington, Virginia which is made up of Fort Myer, Fort McNair, and Henderson Hall):
“As a reminder, the Presidential Salute Battery of The Old Guard, has begun their weekly blank-fire crew drills of their cannon salutes in Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday mornings from 7 to 8 a.m. Training is required for the platoon to maintain proficiency and readiness.”