Historic field gun refurbished, displayed at Pioneer Park | Local News | newsminer.com

Oct 22, 2024

A piece of military history, a 3-inch field gun, has been refurbished and is now on display at Pioneer Park, thanks to the Pioneers of Alaska Igloo #4 and the borough’s Parks and Recreation Department.

The gun is displayed close to the Riverboat Nenana. Pioneer Park officially opens May 25.

According to the Pioneers of Alaska, pioneer Roger Hopp replaced the spokes in the gun’s wheels, which were severely damaged. Parks and Recreation employees helped build the platform and placement of the gun. The borough’s Public Works staff sandblasted and painted the gun.

The field gun, an American design, was the U.S. Army’s first steel, rifled, breech loading and recoiling field gun, according to a news release from Pioneers of Alaska. These characteristics dramatically improved the range, accuracy, and rate of fire of the artillery weapon. It was also one of the first artillery guns to have an armored shield to protect the crew from small arms fire.

Here is some of the gun’s history: On Sept. 23 and 24, 1898, the Chief of Ordnance directed Rock Island Arsenal to manufacture one each of the axle, trail shoe, trail spade, transom and head for a 3-inch gun carriage. A special reference was made in the correspondence regarding drawings which were to be used for the manufacture of patterns. It is presumed that this was the first experimental work assigned to the arsenal for the manufacture of the carriage later known as the 3-inch Gun, Model 1902.

In the fall of 1902, work on the new 3-inch field artillery began. Interchangeability, as far as practicality of parts made at Rock Island Arsenal, began with the manufacture of this new 3-inch field artillery piece. All tests tools for artillery in the mobile class were made at Rock Island Arsenal, and a detailed system of inspection with special inspectors and assistants was launched. Prior to this, inspection was made by the foreman of the plant or department concerned.

Three models existed, but official records classed them all as the Model 1902. A total of 181 of the Model of 1902 were manufactured, 40 of the Model of 1904 were built, and 340 of the Model of 1905 were produced. The models of 1902, 1904, and 1905 guns were all interchangeable with the model of 1902 carriage.

The Model of 1902 gun was fielded in Pershing’s 1916-17 Mexican Punitive Expedition, but was not fired in combat. In use from 1905 to 1917, the Model of 1902 was extensively used in training artillerymen stateside during the First World War. It was phased out in the 1920s.

Reach columnist/community editor Kris Capps at [email protected].