21 Gun Salute

The 21-gun salute is the highest honor that can be given by a nation. The 21-gun naval salute was first adopted by Great Britain, the predominant maritime power world in the 18th and 19th centuries, and was later accepted as an international salute.

Early naval gun salutes consisted of seven shots because that was the standard number of weapons on ships and because of mystical properties associated with the number seven. Land batteries, which had more gunpowder than ships, could fire three shots for every one fired at sea, and as a result, batteries on shore fired 21 gun salutes. When the quality of gunpowder improved and it could be stored better at sea, naval ships also adopted the 21-gun salute for greeting each other. In 1730, the British Royal Navy adopted the use of this salute as a commemoration of significant anniversaries. The 21-gun salute was later adopted as a salute to the Royal family as well.

In the United States, a "national salute" fired on July 4th (Independence Day), was adopted in 1810. This salute contained 17 shots, corresponding with the number of states in the Union at the time. In 1818, when there were 21 states in the Union, the Navy prescribed that a President of the United States should be saluted with 21 guns when visiting a navy ship. Shots were then added as the number of states in the Union increased. However, in 1841 the number of shots was decreased from 26 to 21, in accordance with the British practice. From that time on, the 21-gun salute began to be fired on Washington's Birthday (February 22) and on July 4th as well. This practice continued until 1875, when the United States formally adopted the 21-gun salute as its national and Presidential salute.

Today, the 21-gun salute is fired in the U.S. in honor of a national flag, the head of state of a foreign nation, a member of a reigning royal family, the President, the ex-president, or the President-elect of the United States. It is fired at noon on the day of the funeral of a President, ex-President, or President-elect, and on Memorial Day, as well as on Washington's Birthday, Presidents Day, and the Fourth of July. In order to incorporate the mystical powers of the number seven, squads of seven riflemen fire three shots each.

The Real Story

The use of gun salutes for military occasions is traced to early warriors who demonstrated their peaceful intentions by placing their weapons in a position that rendered them ineffective. Apparently this custom was universal, with the specific act varying with time and place, depending on the weapons being used. A North African tribe, for example, trailed the points of their spears on the ground to indicate that they did not mean to be hostile.

The tradition of rendering a salute by cannon originated in the 14th century as firearms and cannons came into use. Since these early devices contained only one projectile, discharging them once rendered them ineffective. Originally warships fired seven-gun salutes--the number seven probably selected because of its astrological and Biblical significance. Seven planets had been identified and the phases of the moon changed every seven days. The Bible states that God rested on the seventh day after Creation, that every seventh year was sabbatical and that the seven times seventh year ushered in the Jubilee year.

Land batteries, having a greater supply of gunpowder, were able to fire three guns for every shot fired afloat, hence the salute by shore batteries was 21 guns. The multiple of three probably was chosen because of the mystical significance of the number three in many ancient civilizations. Early gunpowder, composed mainly of sodium nitrate, spoiled easily at sea, but could be kept cooler and drier in land magazines. When potassium nitrate improved the quality of gunpowder, ships at sea adopted the salute of 21 guns.

The 21-gun salute became the highest honor a nation rendered. Varying customs among the maritime powers led to confusion in saluting and return of salutes. Great Britain, the world's preeminent seapower in the 18th and 19th centuries, compelled weaker nations to salute first, and for a time monarchies received more guns than did republics. Eventually, by agreement, the international salute was established at 21 guns, although the United States did not agree on this procedure until August 1875.

The gun salute system of the United States has changed considerably over the years. In 1810, the "national salute" was defined by the War Department as equal to the number of states in the Union--at that time 17. This salute was fired by all U.S. military installations at 1:00 p.m. (later at noon) on Independence Day. The President also received a salute equal to the number of states whenever he visited a military installation. In 1842, the Presidential salute was formally established at 21 guns. In 1890, regulations designated the "national salute" as 21 guns and redesignated the traditional Independence Day salute, the "Salute to the Union," equal to the number of states. Fifty guns are also fired on all military installations equipped to do so at the close of the day of the funeral of a President, ex-President, or President-elect. Today the national salute of 21 guns is fired in honor of a national flag, the sovereign or chief of state of a foreign nation, a member of a reigning royal family, and the President, ex-President and President-elect of the United States. It is also fired at noon of the day of the funeral of a President, ex-President, or President-elect. Gun salutes are also rendered to other military and civilian leaders of this and other nations. The number of guns is based on their protocol rank. These salutes are always in odd numbers.