rifle salute

Ceremonial gunfire tribute

A rifle salute is a ceremonial firing of rifles to honor the dead or mark solemn occasions.

Soldiers fire in unison, typically three volleys, at military funerals and memorials.

The practice derives from battlefield customs of pausing combat to clear the dead.

The related twenty-one gun salute uses artillery rather than rifles and honors living dignitaries or national occasions.

Related

ceremony · firing party · volley · burial · funeral · taps · bugle call · soldiers · formation · twenty-one · tribute · final farewell · fallen · fallen soldier · memorial · grave · Arlington Cemetery · flag

Categories
Opposites
type of ceremonial gunfire

rifle salutesilent tribute

Wordless act honoring someone

moment of silence · 21-gun salute · flag lowering

military honor vs. dishonor

rifle salutedishonorable discharge

Punitive military separation

drumming out · cashiering · court-martial

ceremonial vs. hostile gunfire

rifle salutefiring squad

Group executing by gunshot

execution · assassination

Family

rifle, salute, rifles, rifled, rifling, rifleman, riflemen, salutes, saluted

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