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.
- gunfireDischarge of weapons
- honorHigh regard, moral dignity
- militaryArmed forces collectively
- honor guardMilitary tribute formation
- military honorsAwards for armed service
ceremony · firing party · volley · burial · funeral · taps · bugle call · soldiers · formation · twenty-one · tribute · final farewell · fallen · fallen soldier · memorial · grave · Arlington Cemetery · flag
- Military HolidaysMemorial Day, Veterans Day, fallen heroes, remembrance, veteran
- patriotic displaysflag waving, flag pole, flagpole, parade, bunting
- war memorialwar memorial, military cemetery, national cemetery, Arlington National Cemetery, war dead
- military ceremoniescolor guard, honor guard, flag ceremony, flag raising, flag lowering
- military protocolattention, at ease, formation, chain of command, rank structure
- military signalsflag signals, signalman, signaler, parade rest, call signs
rifle, salute, rifles, rifled, rifling, rifleman, riflemen, salutes, saluted