3-volley salute

The 3-volley salute is a ceremonial act performed at military and police funerals as part of the drill and ceremony of the Honor Guard. The custom originates from the European dynastic wars, where the fighting ceased for the dead and wounded to be removed, then three shots were fired into the air to signal that the battle could resume. [ [http://www1.va.gov/opa/feature/celebrate/gunsalut.asp Gun Salutes - US Dept. of Veterans Affairs] ]

A rifle party usually has an odd number of members from 3 to 7. The firearm used is typically a rifle, but at some police funerals, shotguns or sidearms are used. The party usually stands so that the muzzles are pointed over the casket, or some distance away if the funeral attendees are too close to it. If the service is being performed indoors, the firing party stands outside the building, often near the front entrance. [http://www.usnavy.vt.edu/CurrentStudents/Battalion/Marine%20Corps%20Drill%20Manual.pdf Marine Corps Drill Manual] ]

On the command of the NCO-in-charge, the party fires their weapons three times in unison. Modern United States military parties use modified M1, M14 or M16 rifles with their semi-automatic gas action disabled, as manually cycling weapon between shots is part of the drill. The M1 and M14 are generally preferred over the current issue M16 because the appearance of these older rifles is more traditional and the charging handles are more easily operated in a dignified, ceremonial manner.

The three-volley salute is not to be confused with the 21-gun salute (or 19-gun or 17-gun, etc) which uses a battery of artillery pieces.

References

ee also

*Military rites
*21-gun salute