21 gun salute

[jtluttrell]

Who do I need to talk to regarding getting a 21 gun salute for a veteran not being buried at a national cemetary? My grandfather passed away this morning and he is going to be buried at the duckpond in Red Bank on Sunday. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I would like for my grandfather to receive the honor he deserves as a veteran.

[Garufa]

The funeral home handling the arrangements should be able to provide that info. If not maybe call the local VA.

[jtluttrell]

Thanks. My uncle said the last one he went to they sent a tape. A tape. Tomorrow being a holiday I don't know if I can get the info I need. Do they even allow this in red bank? Does guns in parks law affect this?

[Westwindmike]

The local VFW will do it for you.

[Guest clsutton21]

We actually discovered one of our distant family members. It was a great great (add appropriate amt of greats) grandfather of mine that fought in the Civil War. We found his grave site in Northern Alabama and we had a cannon firing and also a gun salute. The arms were appropriate to the period.

[jtluttrell]

If anybody has any info about people I can contact I would be in your debt. Maybe some local folks can chime in who knows someone.

[56FordGuy]

The local VFW will do it for you.

If anybody has any info about people I can contact I would be in your debt. Maybe some local folks can chime in who knows someone.

Veterans of Foreign Wars

1491 Riverside Dr, Chattanooga, TN

(423) 624-6687‎

Veterans of Foreign Wars

6011 Lee Highway, Chattanooga, TN

(423) 892-2772‎

[jtluttrell]

Thanks guys I called the vfw(who are all gearing up for their parties) and found the name and number of the fella I gotta talk to. *Edit* I spoke with Rev. Lester Norton who is in charge of the Honor Guard at funerals locally. He was extremely helpful and offered to assemble a team on short notice because his team was off until Monday. Amazing the comradery. Amazing. Thanks everyone. If all goes well, my grandfather will get the burial he deserves.

Edited January 1, 2010 by jtluttrell

[mcurrier]

My dad was/is buried in a National cemetery. He got a one-gun, three shot salute. They didn't send 7 guys, or 21 guys. Unless he was a general/admiral, probably not going to be '21' guns.

[rogue_rob]

My dad was/is buried in a National cemetery. He got a one-gun, three shot salute. They didn't send 7 guys, or 21 guys. Unless he was a general/admiral, probably not going to be '21' guns.

That sounds about right.

How did it work out for you? He was buried today?

[Fadex]

That sounds about right.

How did it work out for you? He was buried today?

Is this a recent change? My grandfather had a true 21 gun (7 men - 3 shots fired). That was about 1988.

[jtluttrell]

5 guys. 3 shots. I want to thank everyone for the help again. I collected the brass for a momento.

[Jasongar8]

:usa:Glad to hear you got it done. I am sure he would have been proud.

[GTODALEP]

Buried my Dad in June. Korean War Veteran. Honor Guard came out, played taps, flag folding etc. No guns. I believe those "21-gun salutes" are for active military, and special ranks. Honor Guard was a nice touch.

[rogue_rob]

Is this a recent change? My grandfather had a true 21 gun (7 men - 3 shots fired). That was about 1988.

Sorry for the loss of your Grandfather. Here is a C&P from Military.com concerning the 21 gun salute, notice the difference in "gun" and "rifle":

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. For example, the Vice President of the United States, Secretary Defense, and Secretaries of the Army, Air Force, and Navy all rate 19 guns. The highest-ranking generals in the services (Commadant of the Marine Corps, Chief of Naval Operations, and the Army and Air Force Chief of Staffs) all rate 17 guns. Other 4-star generals and admirals rate 17 guns. Three-stars rate 15, two-stars rate 13, and one-stars rate 11.

At military funerals, one often sees three volleys of shots fired in honor of the deceased veteran. This is often mistaken by the laymen as a 21-gun salute, although it is entirely different (in the military, a "gun" is a large-calibered weapon. The three volleys are fired from "rifles," not "guns." Therefore, the three volleys isn't any kind of "gun salute," at all).

Anyone who is entitled to a military funeral (generally anyone who dies on active duty, honorably discharged veterans, and military retirees) are to the three rifle volleys, subject to availability of honor guard teams. As I said, this is not a 21-gun salute, nor any other type of "gun salute." They are simply three rifle volleys fired. The firing team can consist of any number, but one usually sees a team of eight, with a noncommissioned officer in charge of the firing detail. Whether the team consists of three or eight, or ten, each member fires three times (three volleys).

The three volleys comes from an old battlefield custom. The two warring sides would cease hostilities to clear their dead from the battlefield, and the firing of three volleys meant that the dead had been properly cared for and the side was ready to resume the battle. The flag detail often slips three shell-casings into the folded flag before presenting the flag to the family. Each casing represents one volley.

[kckndrgn]

Buried my Dad in June. Korean War Veteran. Honor Guard came out, played taps, flag folding etc. No guns. I believe those "21-gun salutes" are for active military, and special ranks. Honor Guard was a nice touch.

Well, we had my dads memorial service in July of 2008, and he received the honor guard and "21 gun salute", then in June of 2009 when my dad's ashes were interred at Fort Snelling in MN there was another "21 gun salute". My dad was a MM2 in the Navy.

I would think that what type of honors are shown at the funeral would be up to the immediate family. I know both the funeral home where his service was held and then again at Fort Snelling we had to request what honors were to be done (though the funeral home planned everything for us).

I honestly don't know what was harder, my dads memorial service right after he died, or going to Fort Snelling 1 year later.