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Military Salute Project :: Reference Desk :: Military and Veterans Protocol :: Gun Salutes Author Topic: Gun Salutes (Read 10,556 times) Moderator Administrator member is offline Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 255 Location: Woodbury, MN Gun Salutes « Thread Started on May 21, 2005, 4:22pm » Today, the firing of guns is seen as a great honor bestowed upon both military and political officials. Firing guns at the approach of a party demonstrates not only welcome but also respect and trust. In former times, however, firing all guns could leave a ship, fort or battery virtually defenseless, for the reloading took a great deal of time. For this reason, gun salutes were seen as a great honor. The practice of firing gun salutes was well established by the sixteenth century, although gun salutes had existed for centuries. Later, the number of guns to fire was designated for various ceremonies, honors and officials, in relation to their importance and position. The firing of three rifle volleys (rounds) over the graves of fallen armed forces members and political leaders can be traced to the European dynastic wars, when fighting was halted to remove the dead and wounded. Once an area was cleared of casualties, three volleys were sent into the air as a signal to resume fighting. By about 1730, the British navy was prescribing 21 guns for certain anniversary dates as a personal salute to members of the royal family. This was not mandatory, however. The 21-gun salute was adopted as the standard salute for royalty in 1808. The United States fired a "national salute" on special occasions and during times of mourning, of one gun for each state in the union until 1841, when the salute was standardized at 21 guns. It was customary at that time, when naval vessels were visiting foreign ports, to salute the flag of that nation with the number of guns present in the foreign country's national salute. It would have been difficult, if not impossible, for vessels visiting the United States to fire a salute that, in 1841, doubled the number of guns prescribed by most other nations (42 as compared to 21). Also, it would have been internationally discourteous to offer a salute to a foreign port with fewer guns then prescribed by our own national salute. The British proposed that the two nations exchange salutes gun for gun when their vessels visited American ports in the nineteenth century. In 1875, the British minister at Washington , D.C. and the U.S. secretary of state decided to work towards an agreement on salutes. On August 18, 1875, the United States formally adopted the 21-gun salute, the number prescribed by Britain, France and other nations. No one can explain why the number 21 was chosen for national salutes. In ancient cultures, numerology, the study of numbers, developed symbolism behind most numbers. These cultures believed the number seven to be sacred and, therefore, it is believed, multiples of seven would be looked upon favorably (hence 21). Other gun salutes vary from five guns (the lowest) to 21 guns (the highest) by increments of two, and are prescribed in accordance with occasion and level of importance of those honored. It is generally believed that gun salutes are set off in odd numbers because of an old naval superstition that even numbers are unlucky. « Last Edit: Jun 19, 2009, 10:27pm by Moderator » Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged Moderator Administrator member is offline Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 255 Location: Woodbury, MN Re: Gun Salutes « Reply #1 on May 21, 2005, 9:42pm » DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER WASHINGTON NAVY YARD Origins of the Twenty-One Gun Salute The practice of firing gun salutes has existed for centuries. Early warriors demonstrated their peaceful intentions by placing their weapons in a position that rendered them ineffective. In early times, it was customary for a ship entering a friendly port to discharge its cannon to demonstrate that they were unloaded. The rendering of gun salutes in odd numbers may be traced to the superstition that odd numbers were considered lucky. Seven, for example, was held by the earliest civilizations to have mystical powers. Seven gun salutes were widely used. Forts ashore, which could store gunpowder more readily and in greater quantity than on board ship, would sometimes fire three shots for each shot fired afloat. Salutes with an even number of guns came to signify that the captain or ship master had died on the voyage. For many years, the number of guns fired for various purposes differed from country to country. By 1730, the Royal Navy was prescribing 21 guns for certain anniversary dates, although this was not mandatory as a salute to the Royal family until later in the eighteenth century. Several famous incidents involving gun salutes took place during the American Revolution. On 16 November 1776, the Continental Navy brigantine Andrew Doria, Captain Isaiah Robinson, fired a salute of 13 guns on entering the harbor of St. Eustatius in the West Indies (some accounts give 11 as the number). A few minutes later, the salute was returned by 9 (or 11) guns by order of the Dutch governor of the island. At the time, a 13 gun salute would have represented the 13 newly-formed United States; the customary salute rendered to a republic at that time was 9 guns. This has been called the "first salute" to the American flag. About three weeks before, however, an American schooner had had her colors saluted at the Danish island of St. Croix. The flag flown by the Andrew Doria and the unnamed American schooner in 1776 was not the Stars and Stripes, which had not yet been adopted. Rather, it was the Grand Union flag, consisting of thirteen alternating red and white stripes with the British Jack in the union. The first official salute by a foreign nation to the Stars and Stripes took place on 14 February 1778, when the Continental Navy ship Ranger, Captain John Paul Jones, fired 13 guns and received 9 in return from the French fleet anchored in Quiberon Bay, France. The U.S. Navy regulations for 1818 were the first to prescribe a specific manner for rendering gun salutes (although gun salutes were in use before the regulations were written down). Those regulations required that "When the President shall visit a ship of the United States' Navy, he is to be saluted with 21 guns." It may be noted that 21 was the number of states in the Union at that time. For a time thereafter, it became customary to offer a salute of one gun for each state in the Union, although in practice there was a great deal of variation in the number of guns actually used in a salute. In addition to salutes offered to the President and heads of state, it was also a tradition in the U.S. Navy to render a "national salute" on 22 February (Washington's Birthday) and 4 July (the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence). A twenty-one gun salute for the President and heads of state, Washington's Birthday, and the Fourth of July became the standard in the United States Navy with the issuance of new regulations on 24 May 1842. Those regulations laid out the specifics: When the President of the United States shall visit a vessel of the navy, he shall be received with the following honors: The yards shall be manned, all the officers shall be on deck in full uniform, the full guard shall be paraded and present arms, the music shall play a march, and a salute of twenty-one guns shall be fired. He shall receive the same honors when he leaves the ship. Upon the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the United States, the colors shall be hoisted at sunrise, and all the vessels of the navy shall, when in port, be dressed, and so continue until the colors are hauled down at sunset, if the state of the weather and other circumstances will allow it. At sunrise, at meridian, and at sunset, a salute of twenty-one guns shall be fired from every vessel in commission mounting six guns and upwards. On the twenty-second day of February, the anniversary of the birth of Washington, a salute of twenty-one guns shall be fired at meridian from every vessel of the navy in commission mounting six guns and upwards. Today, the national salute of 21 guns is fired in honor of a national flag, the soverign or chief of state of a foreign nation, a member of a reigning royal family, and the President, ex-President, and President-elect of the United States. It is also fired at noon of the day of the funeral of a President, ex-President, or President-elect, on Washington's Birthday, Presidents Day, and the Fourth of July. On Memorial Day, a salute of 21 minute guns is fired at noon while the flag is flown at half mast. Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged Moderator Administrator member is offline Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 255 Location: Woodbury, MN Re: Gun Salutes « Reply #2 on May 21, 2005, 10:08pm » Contrary to what many people think, including media personnel, a 21-gun salute and a rifle squad salute are NOT the same thing. A 21-gun salute is rendered by firing cannons. It is only used in the specific circumstances outlined in the previous post. In the case of a funeral with Military Honors for either active-duty personnel or veterans, a rifle squad salute is fired by 7 members of the Honor Guard (firing three rounds each). This is NOT a 21-gun salute. The only person eligible for a 21-gun salute at a funeral with Military Honors is the current President of the United States or a former President of the United States. The practice recognizes the deceased's status as the current or former Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States of America. « Last Edit: May 21, 2005, 10:10pm by Moderator » Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged Moderator Administrator member is offline Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 255 Location: Woodbury, MN 21-Gun Salute « Reply #3 on Sept 4, 2011, 11:17am » 21-GUN SALUTE All personal salutes may be traced to the prevailing use in earlier days to ensure that the saluter placed himself in an unarmed position. Salute by gunfire is a most-ancient ceremony. The British for years compelled weaker nations to make the first salute, but in time international practice compelled "Gun for Gun" in the principle of an equality of nations. In the earliest days, seven guns was a recognized British National Salute. Those early regulations stated that, although a ship could fire only seven guns, the forts could fire for honors three shots to one shot afloat. In that day powder of sodium nitrate was easier to keep on shore than at sea. In time, when the quality of gun powder improved by the use of potassium nitrate, the sea salute was made equal to the shore salute -- 21 guns as the highest national honor. Although for a period of time, monarchies received more guns than republics, eventually republics claimed equality. There was much confusion caused by the varying customs of maritime states, but finally the British government proposed to the United States a regulation that provided for "Salute to be Returned Gun for Gun." The British at that time officially considered the international salute to be 21 guns and the United States adopted the 21-gun and "Gun for Gun Return" August 17, 1875. Previous to that time, our national salute was one gun for each state. The practice was also a result of usage -- John Paul Jones saluted France with 13 guns (one for each state) at Quiberon Bay when the Stars and Stripes received its first salute. This practice was not authorized until 1810. By the admission of states to the Union, the salute reached 21 guns by 1818. In 1841, the national salute was reduced to 21 guns. In fact, the 1875 adoption of the British suggestion because a formal announcement that the United States recognized 21 guns as an international salute. The Order of Arms for Cannon Fire The number of cannons fired in salute to each of the following... President of the United States ... 21 Ex-President of the United States ... 21 Foreign Heads of State ... 21 Vice President of the United States ... 19 Foreign Prime Ministers ... 19 Secretary of Defense ... 19 Secretary of the Army ... 19 General/Admiral ... 17 Lieutenant General/Vice Admiral ... 15 Major General/Rear Admiral (Upper) ... 13 Brigadier General/Rear Admiral (Lower) ... 11 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PRACTICE OF FIRING THREE RIFLE VOLLEYS OVER THE GRAVE This practice originated in the old custom of halting the fighting to remove the dead from the battlefield. Once each army had cleared its dead, it would fire three volleys to indicate that the dead had been cared for and that they were ready to go back to the fight. The fact that the firing party consists of seven riflemen, firing three volleys of seven rounds each, does not constitute a 21-gun salute. 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