Meaning of the flag draped coffin

[2Paw]

http://www.burtoncowellpost265.org/m...ped_coffin.htm

[Chupaca]

Only knew part of it....I do remember that the original 21 gun salute was fired ...one...seven...seven...six. Was later changed to 3 x 7...

[Bob Denman]

Thanks!

[PrairieSpyder]

Thanks for that.

[bronzeflex42]

I did not know that. Thanks that is some great info..

[jerpinoy]

Thanks and that's awesome. I'm just curious where did you get this information.

[vided]

Thanks, that is
O U T S T A N D I N G

[MisterP]

The meanings of the 13 folds is moving, and I don't have a problem that these have developed, because it's human nature to create symbolism from tasks.

But, it's not true. It's interesting how many stories like this circulate on the web.

It takes 13 folds to create the triangle with the blue star field showing.

http://www.snopes.com/military/flagfold.asp

[2Paw]

Thanks and that's awesome. I'm just curious where did you get this information.

I got it from an American Legion website.

[Peteoz]

The 21 gun salute was actually based on a British navy practice. 7 was a "magic" number (7 days in the week etc etc) way way back, which the British ships used to salute sovereign states when approaching port. The shore batteries would fire 3 shots in return. The US chose 21 as their multiplication of the above as that was roughly the number of states in the Union when they adopted a similar approach around 1800. That's just a very rough summation.......
Pete

[2Paw]

It's also here

http://www.usflag.org/foldflag.html#FFC

Can you really trust Snopes? After all it's part of the internet also.

[cptjam]

The flag part is true. IDK on the rifle volley, even though I've heard it far too often......
Thanks for posting.

[hdlongrod]

Thanks!

[Gray Ghost]

I have done funeral details several times, have trained funeral details before and now serve on a county honor guard to ensure that our county veterans get funeral honors. I am also a member of the American Legion and the VFW. I have seen the OP's statement before, but that does not appear in any of the official guidance on military funerals. As others have stated, it is not a 21 gun salute. The 21 gun salute is known as the Presidential salute. You can find more official information about gun salutes at: http://www.history.army.mil/html/faq/salute.html.

And the flag folding thing is just a coincident as others have stated. The important thing is the tri-corner fold, reminiscent of the headgear worn by the Continental Army, with just the stars showing. Some details put the fired cartridges in the folded flag, but it was never done on any of the ones I dealt with on active duty. The type of honors rendered depends on the status of the person active/reserve/retired/veteran and the availability of personnel to complete the mission. The minimum is a two person detail, and that has no firing party.

The meaning of the three volleys is historical, from the official publication on honors and ceremonies, Army Training Circular 3-21.5 Drill and Ceremonies paragraph 14-1b(2): "(2) Today’s customary three volleys fired over a grave probably originated as far back as the Roman Empire. The Roman funeral rites of casting dirt three times on the coffin constituted the “burial.” It was customary among the Romans to call the dead three times by name, which ended the funeral ceremony, after which the friends and relatives of the deceased pronounced the word “vale” (farewell) three times as they departed from the tomb. In more recent history, three musket volleys were fired to announce that the burying of the dead was completed and the burial party was ready for battle again."