BOISE - There are numerous rituals associated with the ceremonial burial of military men and women -- traditions that have been around for centuries and longer.
From the 21-gun salute, to a flag-draped casket, to the playing of Taps.
"This history of military funeral honors can trace its roots back hundreds, even thousands of years," said Sgt. Aaron Davis, Idaho Honor Guard. "What we do at military funerals is the firing of three volleys of rifle fire and that actually traces its roots back to Roman times when they would shout the name of the deceased three times."
During the Revolutionary and Civil wars, Davis says cease fires would be called so each side could clear the war dead off the battle field. The signal to resume fighting would again be three volleys of rifle fire.
"That's actually where we trace our direct lineage of what we do with the firing of three volleys is to symbolize that the dead have been cared for and the fighting can resume," said Davis.
It was also during the Civil War that the American flag began being draped over caskets.
"Then, they wanted to present that to the next of kin, so they needed to come up with a way to fold it. That's where we get the folding and presentation of the American Flag," said Davis.
"The playing of Taps started in the Civil War when an Army General wanted a way to change the end of day bugle call, it just didn't have the right touch that he felt like it should have. He grabbed one of his buglers and he and this bugler wrote the words and lyrics to what we now now as Taps. It became the lasting tribute to the fallen soldiers. It says 'Day is done, gone the sun, from the fields from the hills from the plains. All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.' And that just sums up why we do what we do."
