Martin Baxter wrote:
Joe wrote:
"Wolfie" wrote
Bart Senior wrote:

The 21-gun salute comes from summing of the digits in the
year 1776.

Salutes of 21 guns for national leaders predate 1776 and
the American Revolution...

Wrong, Bart is correct.

Rubbish! By 1730 the Royal Navy (British that is) routinely fired 21 gun salutes for certain anniversaries.

Rubbish is certainly right. http://www.snopes.com/military/21gun.htm

The 21 gun salute is not of American origin and predates the American
Revolution. The 1776 thing is just a coincidence, no matter what
misinformation might have been dumped in you email inbox by clueless
people who middlessly forward everything they get without checking to
see if it's true or even plausible.

BONUS QUESTION: What's the proper way to dispose of a flag that has
become old and worn out?

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//-Walt
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