Honoring a team and a country

Two hours before kickoff at Martin Stadium, Cougar Battalion ROTC Cadets haul a World War II-era cannon to the roof of Terrell Library. They prepare for a Cougar football tradition as unique as the fans.

The football cannon, as many call it, is one of three 75mm Pack Howitzer guns in the state of Washington. The National Guard, which owns the gun, transports it every game day from an armory in Olympia to the Pullman campus.

Jake Kurle, junior ROTC cadet and National Guard member, said he is excited to take part in the unique university tradition.

“Who doesn’t like to fire a giant weapon?” he said. “I don’t know if there are many other colleges that have a cannon for touchdowns, so having it here at WSU is really important, and it’s definitely a big part of the football program.”

The National Guard makes many calls before it lets Kurle fire the cannon.

“There’s actually a lot of logistics involved to make it happen,” said Michael Kimmell, active guard reserve officer and ROTC training supervisor. “I got to get permission through the ROTC channels, which is active army.”

He said it takes more than a call to the National Guard to acquire the cannon for game days.

Kimmell also communicates carefully with the university to ensure Cougar football fans get to hear the cannon.

“I’ve got all these student organizations that I got to make happy in order to get the cannon here,” he said.

Austin Bogard, junior ROTC cadet and National Guard member, is this year’s cannon commander. Bogard said he and the other ROTC cadets prepare rigorously to ensure a smooth performance.

This year the cannon has moved from its usual firing position on the roof of Terrell Library.

“Because of safety issues, we decided to fire it toward the glass dome above the library,” Bogard said.

Operating the cannon has typically required three people, but Bogard said this year the task might involve a team of five.

The cannon’s new location calls for heightened security, including barriers at points of access to the firing area, he said.

“That’s a challenge because now we have to block off the entire top of the library, and keeping people out is pretty hard, actually, because they don’t understand why we have it blocked off,” he said.

Bogard said firing the cannon requires rapid communication and immediate action among cadets.

“Each time we fire, we clear with what we call the surface danger zone,” he said. “It’s the area that debris from the blank rounds could land on people and possibly cause harm, so we have that area marked-out.”

Bogard said firing the cannon is about upholding Cougar pride.

Kimmell said the cannon is more than just a WSU football tradition. He said it represents those who serve to protect the U.S.

He said, “First, it’s to honor the country. It’s to honor the veterans, and it’s to honor the military.”