Salute

A salute is a gesture or other action used to indicate respect. Salutes are primarily associated with military forces, but other organizations and even general populations use salutes.

Military Salutes

In military traditions of various times and places, there have been numerous methods of performing salutes, using hand gestures, cannon or rifle shots, hoisting of flags, removal of head gear or other means of showing respect or obeisance.

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Hand Salutes

A common military hand salute consists of raising the right hand, held flat, to the right eyebrow. In the United States, the hand is horizontal, as if shading the eyes. This salute is based on the British naval-salute of the Royal Navy which is still in use. The British military-salute, used by the British Army, Royal Marines, Royal Air Force and armed services of many of the current and former members of the British Commonwealth, is similar apart from the hand being turned so the palm is visible to the person receiving it. The French Army salute is almost identical to the British Army's. Kosovo's KLA uses a salute similar to the British military-salute, except that the fingers are clenched into a fist and the knuckles pressed against the temple, a gesture originating with the communist movement. The customary salute in Poland is a variation of the British military-salute with only two fingers extended. In Russia, the right hand, palm down, is brought to the right temple, almost, but not quite, touching; the head has to be covered.

Related Topics:
United States - British - Royal Navy - British Army - Royal Marines - Royal Air Force - British Commonwealth - French Army - Kosovo - Poland - Two fingers - Russia - Covered

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In the U.S. Navy and each of the British Armed Forces, hand salutes are only given when a 'cover' (hat) is worn, while the U.S. Army gives salutes both covered and uncovered.

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When the presence of enemy snipers is suspected, military salutes are generally forbidden, since the enemy may use them to recognize officers as valuable targets.

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The origin of this salute is unknown. One theory is that it came from Roman soldiers' shading their eyes from the intense light that was supposed to shine from the eyes of their superiors (see emission theory (vision)). Another theory is that it came from when men-at-arms wore armor--a friendly approach would include holding the reins of the horse with the left hand while raising the visor of the helmet with the right, so that one could be recognised. A third theory is that the salute, and the handshake, came from a way of showing that the right hand (the fighting hand) was not concealing a weapon. The most widely accepted theory is that it evolved from the practice of men raising their hats in the presence of officers. Tipping one's hat on meeting a social superior was the normal civilian sign of respect at the time http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/aams/hd_aams.htm#visor_b. Repeated hat-raising was impractical if heavy helmets were worn, so the gesture was stylised to a mere hand movement. The naval salute, with the palm downwards, is said to have originated because the palms of naval ratings, particularly deckhands, were often dirty through working with lines. Because it would be insulting to present a dirty palm to an officer, the palm was turned downwards.

Related Topics:
Emission theory (vision) - Men-at-arms - Handshake - Deckhand

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The Roman salute is the oldest known hand salute. It consists of holding the right arm straight out from the shoulder, elevated about forty-five degrees. It was widely used throughout the world until World War II. In the United States, civilians gave the Bellamy salute, based on the Roman gesture, while reciting Francis Bellamy's Pledge of Allegiance. It wasn't until 1942 that the U.S. Congress abolished the extended-arm salute in favor of the current hand-over-the-heart gesture. That decision was in reaction to events in Europe; Benito Mussolini and the Fascist Party of Italy, seeking to revive the spirit of the Roman Empire, had adopted the Roman salute in the early 1920s. Adolf Hitler copied it, and it developed such a close association with Nazis that it has rarely been used by any organization not specifically linking itself to the Nazis since then. One exception to this involves swearing in ceremonies in the Republic of China (Taiwan) where a Roman-like salute is used while an oath of office is taken, although the person making the salute is usually reading an oath of office held in the left hand while making the salute.

Related Topics:
Roman salute - World War II - Bellamy salute - Francis Bellamy - Pledge of Allegiance - 1942 - U.S. Congress - Benito Mussolini - Fascist Party - Roman Empire - 1920s - Adolf Hitler - Nazis - Republic of China

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Many secret societies develop gestures to signal fellow members. In 1830s Missouri, some Mormons formed a militia organization called the Sons of Dan, more commonly known as the Danite band, which developed a salute "whereby ye may know each other anywhere, either by day or night, and if a brother be in distress. It is thus: to clap the right hand to the thigh, and then raise it quick to the right temple, the thumb extending behind the ear."

Related Topics:
Secret societies - 1830s - Missouri - Mormon - Sons of Dan

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A common kung fu salute involves making one hand into a fist and covering it with the other hand. There are considerable differences between different traditions as to which hand is made into a fist, and what the salute symbolizes, although it has been noted that unlike a handshake or an elaborate Western-style salute, the kung fu salute does not compromise one's immediate ability to defend one's self. In fact, it is often, perhaps primarily used to salute an opponent prior to sparring.

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Small Arms Salutes

When carrying a sword (which is still done on ceremonial occasions), European military forces and their cultural descendants use a two-step gesture. The sword is first raised, in the right hand, to the level of and close to the front of the neck. The blade is inclined forward and up 30 degrees from the vertical; the true edge is to the left. Then the sword is slashed downward to a position with the point close to the ground in front of the right foot. The blade is inclined down and forward with the true edge to the left. This gesture originated in the Crusades. The hilt of a broadsword formed a cross with the blade, so if an actual crucifix was not available, a Crusader could kiss the hilt of his sword when praying, before entering battle, for oaths and vows, and so on. The lowering of the point to the ground is a traditional act of submission.

Related Topics:
Crusades - Hilt - Broadsword - Crucifix

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When armed with a rifle, two different levels of formality are available when saluting. The most formal method is called "present arms"; the rifle is brought to the vertical, muzzle up, in front of center of the chest with the trigger away from the body. The hands hold the stock close to the positions they would have if the rifle were being fired, though the trigger is not touched. Less formal salutes include the "order arms salute" and the "shoulder arms salutes." These are most often given by a sentry to a low-ranking superior who does not rate the full "present arms" salute. In the "order arms salute," the rifle rests on its butt by the sentry's right foot, held near the muzzle by the sentry's right hand, and does not move. The sentry brings his flattened left hand across his body and touches the rifle near its muzzle. When the rifle is being carried on the shoulder, a similar gesture is used in which the flattened free hand is brought across the body to touch the rifle near the rear of the receiver.

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Heavy Arms : Gun Salutes

Naval cannon fire

The custom of firing cannon salutes originated in the British Royal Navy.

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When a cannon was fired, it partially disarmed the ship, so firing a cannon needlessly showed respect and trust. The British, being the dominant naval power, compelled the ships of weaker nations to make the first salute. At first ships were required to fire seven guns, and forts, with their more numerous guns and a larger supply of gunpowder, to fire twenty-one times. Later, as the quality of gunpowder improved, the British increased the number of shots required from ships to match the forts.

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As naval customs evolved, the 21-gun salute came to be reserved for heads of states, and a lesser numbers of guns or gunshots were used to salute lower ranking officials.

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In the colonial context

In the British Empire (originally in the maritime and hinterland- sphere of influence of the East India Company, HEIC, later transformed into crown territories), mainly in British India, the numbers of guns fired as a gun salute to the ruler of a so-called princely state became a politically highly significant indicator of his status, not governed by objective rules, but awarded (and in various cases increased) by the British paramount power, roughly reflecting his state's socio-economic, political and/or military weight, but also as a prestigious reward for loyalty to the raj, in classes (always uneven numbers) from 3 to 21 (7 lacking), for the 'vassal' indigenous rulers (normally hereditary with a throne, sometimes raised as a personal distinction for an individual ruling prince). Two sovereign monarchies officially outside the Empire were actually granted a higher honour : 31 guns for the royal houses of Afghanistan (under British and Russian influence) and Siam. This subject is discussed in more detail and fascinating historical and genealogical context on Christopher Buyer's website http://4dw.net/royalark/, mainly in the vast section devoted to INDIA and PAKISTAN, but also in sections (some are still under construction) devoted to other countries, mainly in the Commonwealth, usually considered as strategically valuable to the British Royal Navy, such as various ports in Arabia (in present UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait the lowest ranks, 3 or 5 guns, were awarded), Malaysia and Indonesia (under British instead of Dutch rule some time during the Napoleonic wars), and even a few odd men out, such as the kabaka in Uganda and the British-protected King of the Mosquito Indians (of the coast of present Nicaragua). In addition, the right to style himself Highness (Majesty, which since its Roman origin expresses the sovereign authority of the state, was denied to all 'vassals'), a title of great importance in international relations, was formally restricted to rulers of relatively high salute ranks (originally only those with 11 guns or more, later also those with 9 guns).

Related Topics:
Princely state - Majesty

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Aerial salutes

Gun salute by aircraft, primarily displayed during funerals, began with simple fly-overs during World War I and have evolved into the missing man formation, where either a formation of aircraft is conspicuously missing an element, or where a single plane abruptly leaves a formation.

Related Topics:
World War I - Missing man formation

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A casual salute by an aircraft, somewhat akin to waving to a friend, is the custom of "waggling" the wings by partially rolling the aircraft first to one side, and then the other.

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From United States Army Field Manual FM 22-5

The rules of saluting are as follows:

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• When you meet someone outside, salute as soon as you recognize an officer (when about six steps away).
• Salute all officers (recognized by rank) in official vehicles identified by special plates or flags.
• Salute only on command when in formation.
• If in a group and an officer approaches, the first soldier to recognize the officer calls the group to attention and all personnel salute.
• If you approach an officer while you are double-timing alone, assume quick time march and render the hand salute. When the salute is returned, execute order arms and resume double-timing.
• The salute is always initiated by the subordinate and is terminated only after acknowledgement by the individual being saluted.
• Accompany the salute with an appropriate greeting, such as, “Good morning/afternoon, sir/ma’am.“
• Salutes are not required to be rendered by or to personnel who are driving or riding in privately owned vehicles.
• It is not customary for enlisted personnel to exchange salutes, except in some ceremonial situations.
• Never render a salute with a noticeable object in your mouth or right hand.
• If you are on detail and an officer approaches, salute if you are in charge of the detail. Otherwise, continue to work. If you are spoken to, then come to attention.

It is a widely-believed myth that in the United States military all personnel are required to initiate a salute to a Medal of Honor recipient, regardless of rank. Nothing in United States military regulations relates specifically to the Medal of Honor except for its order of precedence on the uniform. Custom, however, does dictate that a general should salute a private if the private has the Medal of Honor. In the United Kingdom, a similar fiction attaches to holders of the Victoria Cross.

Related Topics:
Medal of Honor - Victoria Cross

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