Originally published in MilitaryWeek.com, 07 April 05

Beyond the DropZone

W. Thomas Smith Jr.

The Pope's "few good men"

W. Thomas Smith Jr., USMC 1985 Click to view larger image.

Over the years - and particularly in the wake of Pope John Paul II's passing - I've been asked about the Pontiff's colorfully uniformed soldiers and whether or not they are only "stood up" for ceremonial purposes. Indeed not. They are members of the Swiss Guard – often referred to as Papal guards or Swiss mercenaries – an elite company-sized military force that has defended a succession of Popes for over five centuries, and not always without bloodshed.

Recognizable by their traditional renaissance–era striped uniforms (legend has it the uniform was designed by Michelangelo), armor, Ostrich-plumed helmets, and halberds; Swiss Guardsmen are best known by outsiders as the armed men who stand watch at various entrances and passageways throughout the Apostolic Palace, including the doors to the Pope's private apartments and the exterior gates of the Vatican. As such, the Guards are a favorite subject of photographers and tourists, and their quiet presence is an impressive show of force much like U.S. Marines at the White House and the various British Army regiments that guard Buckingham Palace.

Like American Marines and British Guardsmen, the Swiss Guards are crack soldiers, trained and equipped to fight an armed enemy should the need arise. And they have, throughout history, as contract mercenaries to non-Swiss heads of state and others.

The Swiss Guard officially assumed Papal defense duties on January 22, 1506. The unit's most desperate action occurred 21 years later (May 6, 1527) when 147 Swiss Guardsmen – out of 189 - were killed in a defensive action that enabled Pope Clement VII to escape attacking Spanish forces.

The only blemish on the Guard's record occurred in 1798 when Napoleon entered and occupied Rome, captured and deported Pope Pius VI, and subsequently disbanded the Papal guard force. Napoleon did however deploy other (non-Papal) Swiss Guard units, also noted for their combat prowess, within the ranks of his Grande Armée.

When Hitler's army entered Rome during World War II, Swiss Guardsman donned subdued gray combat uniforms and took up positions behind machineguns and mortars. Though vastly outnumbered, they were prepared to sacrifice their lives for the Holy Father, but the Germans did not move against the Vatican.

That tradition of defending the Pope to the death continues, today, as each of the 100 Swiss Guards must swear the following oath:

"I swear I will faithfully, loyally and honorably serve the Supreme Pontiff [name of Pope] and his legitimate successors, and also dedicate myself to them with all my strength, sacrificing if necessary also my life to defend them. I assume this same commitment with regard to the Sacred College of Cardinals whenever the See is vacant. Furthermore I promise to the Commanding Captain and my other superiors, respect, fidelity and obedience. This I swear! May God and our Holy Patrons assist me!"

Like other elite military units, the competition to join the Swiss Guard is keen. Among the basics, all recruits must be unmarried Roman Catholic males between the ages of 19 and 30. They must stand at least 5'8" tall, and they must have completed military training in the Swiss armed forces. Once joined, they learn to handle swords and halberds, just as their predecessors did. Additionally, they are required to maintain a high-level of physical fitness and a mastery of modern weaponry such as the SIG Sauer 9mm pistol and the H&K submachinegun. They also work hard at developing skills in close-quarters fighting, tactical movement, security, and counter-terrorism techniques.

Aside from its noble history, reputation, and current capabilities; the Swiss Guard has, in recent years, suffered tragedy.

On May 13, 1981, would-be assassin Mehmet Ali Agca – a Turkish gunman allegedly under the indirect orders of the First Chief Directorate of the (Soviet) KGB – shot Pope John Paul II while the Pontiff was riding in an open-vehicle through St. Peter's Square. Instantly, a "plainclothes" Swiss Guard officer rushed to the wounded Pontiff's aid and shielded him with his own body as the vehicle raced to the hospital.

The Pope, of course, survived. The Guard officer, Alois Estermann, became an instant hero and would ultimately be promoted to the rank of "Captain Commander" of the Swiss Guard. Tragically, a few hours after Estermann's promotion on May 4, 1998, he and his wife were shot to death by Vice (Lance) Corporal Cedric Tornay, a disgruntled Guardsman who then took his own life. It was an event that might have cashiered a lesser unit. But like any elite soldier, their efficiency and pride of service, enabled members of the Swiss Guard to weather the Tornay storm.

Today, outsiders throughout the world view the Swiss Guard as a grand military tradition. Active and former professional soldiers, like myself, hold the unit in very high regard. And those who live and work within the walls of the Vatican are confident that the men in "the world's smallest army" will continue to effectively defend the sovereign Vatican City and its soon-to-be-elected Pope against all threats.

— W. Thomas Smith Jr., a former U.S. Marine infantry leader, parachutist, and shipboard counterterrorism instructor, writes about military/defense issues and has covered conflict in the Balkans and on the West Bank. He is an award-winning author of four books, the co-author of two, and his articles have appeared in USA Today, George, U.S. News & World Report, BusinessWeek, National Review Online, CBS News, The Washington Times, and many others.

W. Thomas Smith Jr. can be reached at wthomassmithjr@yahoo.com.

© 2005 W. Thomas Smith Jr.

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