Today we look at a part of military history that encompasses
all military branches and personnel, the 21-Gun Salute. Gun salutes used on
military occasions can be traced back to early warriors who demonstrated
peaceful intentions by placing their weapons in a position rendering them
ineffective. The tradition of the salute by cannon fire originated during the
14th century. Originally, warships fired 7-Gun Salutes, as the
number 7 had such astrological and Biblical significance. Land batteries,
however, were able to fire 3 shots for every one shot fired at sea, making the
total amount of shots fired 21. It has been speculated that the number 3 was
chosen because of its significance in most civilizations. When the quality of
gunpowder was greatly improved, it no longer spoiled as easily at sea,
therefore ships at sea adopted the 21-Gun Salute. “Today the national salute of
21 guns is fired in honor of a national flag, the sovereign 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. Gun
salutes are also rendered to other military and civilian leaders of this and other
nations. The number of guns is based on their protocol rank. These salutes are
always in odd numbers.”
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