FORT MYER, Va. (WTVR) – Monday night’s Presidential Debate opened up yet another storm of internet memes, following President Obama’s “horses and bayonets” jab at Governor Mitt Romney.
While the line has caught fire online, it begs the question, just how many horses and bayonets does the U.S. military still use?
It turns out, according to the Pentagon, quite a lot.
The Army says it has 419,155 bayonets in its inventory. The Marine Corps has another 195,334 bayonets that it bought in 2004 and it plans on buying 175,061 more bayonets this year. A Marine official says it’s not accurate to add the two totals together as the new ones will include replacements for ones already in service as well as additional stocks.
Bayonets are standard issue for Marines deployed to combat areas, though they don’t necessarily carry them with them when they’re on patrol.
If you’re wondering about horses, the Army says it has 176 horses at Fort Myer, Virginia. They’re used mainly for ceremonial duties at Arlington Cemetery and the Capital region.
