Posted on 11/02/2009 9:43:40 AM PST by Sergeant Tim
Click on photo to enlarge
The soon to be commissioned USS New York sails up the Hudson River approaching midtown Manhattan a few minutes after pausing near the World Trade Center. A detail rendered a 21-gun salute in remembrance of the 2,976 murdered on September 11, 2001 as 9/11 family members, first responders, and a honor guard gathered just west of Ground Zero.
Sailors wave from the deck of the USS New York as it arrives in New York for its commissioning ceremony November 2, 2009. Steel salvaged from the World Trade Center is forged into the bow of the ship, which bears a crest featuring a phoenix rising from the twin towers and the words "Never Forget".
The USS New York enters New York harbor on its way past the former World Trade Center site. The USS New York, a naval vessel whose bow was forged in part with steel from the World Trade Center towers destroyed on 9/11, sailed for the first time Monday into the city's harbor.
The USS New York makes its way up the Hudson River in New York, November 2, 2009. The bow stem of the Naval warship contains seven and half tons of steel recovered from the World Trade Center's Twin Towers.
America The Great!
Dear God I pray you will bless our country, her people and especially our brave troops.
Amen
My picks for the christening...Guliani or President Bush...They held it together for us.
Incorrect. Three rifle volleys, not a 21-gun salute.
Gun salutes are fired by saluting artillery batteries or naval guns utilizing large caliber crew served weapons. A rifle is not a gun. That's something one is supposed to learn early in their military service. The fact that many don't and many neophytes confuse the two doesn't change the fact that they are mistaken.
But as long as you want to be impudent, chew on the following and then issue a humble apology for being wrong.
PRACTICE OF FIRING CANNON SALUTES:
The custom of firing cannon salutes originated in the British Navy. When a cannon was fired, it partially disarmed the ship. Therefore, firing a cannon in salute symbolizes respect and trust. Click here for information on the Order of Arms of Cannon Salutes
PRACTICE OF FIRING THREE RIFLE VOLLEYS OVER THE GRAVE:
This practice originated in the old custom of halting the fighting to remove the dead from the battlefield. Once each army had cleared its dead, it would fire three volleys to indicate that the dead had been cared for and that they were ready to go back to the fight. The fact that the firing party consists of seven riflemen, firing three volleys does not constitute a 21-gun salute.
21-GUN SALUTE:
All personal salutes may be traced to the prevailing use in earlier days to ensure that the saluter placed himself in an unarmed position. Salute by gunfire is a most-ancient ceremony. The British for years compelled weaker nations to make the first salute, but in time international practice compelled "Gun for Gun" in the principle of an equality of nations.
In the earliest days, seven guns was a recognized British National Salute. Those early regulations stated that, although a ship could fire only seven guns, the forts could fire for honors three shots to one shot afloat. In that day powder of sodium nitrate was easier to keep on shore than at sea. In time, when the quality of gun powder improved by the use of potassium nitrate, the sea salute was made equal to the shore salute -- 21 guns as the highest national honor. Although for a period of time, monarchies received more guns than republics, eventually republics claimed equality.
There was much confusion caused by the varying customs of maritime states, but finally the British government proposed to the United States a regulation that provided for "Salute to be Returned Gun for Gun." The British at that time officially considered the international salute to be 21 guns and the United States adopted the 21-gun and "Gun for Gun Return" August 17, 1875. Previous to that time, our national salute was one gun for each state. The practice was also a result of usage -- John Paul Jones saluted France with 13 guns (one for each state) at Quiberon Bay when the Stars and Stripes received its first salute. This practice was not authorized until 1810.
By the admission of states to the Union, the salute reached 21 guns by 1818. In 1841, the national salute was reduced to 21 guns. In fact, the 1875 adoption of the British suggestion because a formal announcement that the United States recognized 21 guns as an international salute.
Actually, its "the prospective USS New York." It doesn't earn the preface United States Ship until commissioning.
Pardon me, sir, maam, whatever, for say so but you are an arrogant jerk.
Read the USS New York’s site. It will commissioned on Saturday; that is “soon.”
If you don’t like my posts or terminology, then don’t read what I post.
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