By Melissa Buckley, Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs Office
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (September 22, 2026) – With a sharp crack and a rolling blast of thunder, the historic cannons at Fort Leonard Wood do more than shake the ground – they keep decades of Army heritage alive. Long after that ceremonial roar fades across the parade field, technicians at the Logistics Readiness Center work behind the scenes to keep that history firing.
“These cannons are part of the tradition of Army ceremonies. When they are used, the event is special for those being honored and in attendance,” said Robert Buske, an equipment specialist with the LRC Maintenance Division, who has dedicated more than 15 years to safeguarding the legacy of these legendary artillery pieces.
“It is an honor to help ensure these cannons are available to add to those ceremonies,” Buske said.
According to the U.S. Army Center for Military History, the tradition of rendering a salute by cannon originated in the 14th century as firearms and cannons came into use.
Fort Leonard Wood’s cannons are fired during official ceremonies, including changes of command, general officer promotions and Independence Day festivities.
According to John Brabant, small arms inspector for LRC Maintenance Division Weapons Support, Fort Leonard Wood’s cannons are 75mm pack howitzer M1A1s, an artillery platform engineered in the 1920s for rough terrain, and one M101A1 towed light field howitzer, previously designated M2A1, a general purpose light field artillery weapon, manufactured between 1940 and 1942.
Weighing more than 1,000-pounds each, Buske said the howitzers were “originally designed to be taken apart and hauled by pack mule,” but today Soldiers move them using Humvees.
“The ceremonial howitzers are operated by Soldiers who are trained by LRC personnel on basic function and Maneuver Support Center of Excellence personnel on ceremonial procedures,” Buske said.
For the past five years, Brabant has overseen the maintenance and preservation of Fort Leonard Wood’s historic cannon inventory.
The LRC team charged with keeping the vintage cannons functional is comprised of Brabant, Buske, painter Michael McCain, and mechanic Harry Minnich.
Brabant said Fort Leonard Wood’s five historic cannons can support up to 10 ceremonies annually, rotating through events that require a standard four-gun battery.
“Cannons are cleaned, greased and inspected before each use,” Brabant said.
“All replacement parts have to be custom made because standard parts no longer exist,” he said.
Despite having to custom-engineer hard-to-find components, Brabant said keeping these pieces of military history in the fight is worth it because, “it is always an honor to support warfighters while they continue military traditions.”
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About Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood is a thriving and prosperous installation that has evolved from a small basic training post more than 75 years ago to a premier Army Center of Excellence that trains more than 80,000 military and civilians each year.
Fort Leonard Wood is home to the U.S Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and three U.S. Army schools: the U.S. Army Engineer School; U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School; and the U.S. Army Military Police School. In addition to training engineer, CBRN and military police specialties for the Army, Fort Leonard Wood also provides gender-integrated in-processing and Basic Combat Training for new Soldiers.
Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps Detachment and Air Force Squadron on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.
More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission