by Claudine Zap
The memorial service that honored the 13 killed in the shooting rampage at Fort Hood invoked many somber military traditions. Here, the meaning behind some of the most common.
Taps
The lone bugle call has been played since the Civil War to musically mourn the fallen. The composer, Union Army Brigadier General Daniel Butterfield wrote it in 1862 to replace the earlier "Extinguished Lights Out," which he thought too formal. The tune became known as "Taps" because the 24 notes can be tapped on a drum when there is no bugler. Although the call originated with the Northern army, the tradition spread to camps in the north and south, and has become the tradition for the armed forces ever since.
Rifle volley
Firing three shots originated from the battlefield. Once the dead were removed, a volley of three shots would be fired to signal that the battle could continue. That's different from a 21-gun salute, which is generally reserved for heads of state.
Boots on display
President Obama spoke in front of the grim reminders of the deceased men and women: Each of the 13 was remembered with a photo, boots, and a helmet atop an inverted gun. According to army lore, helmet and ID tags represent the fallen soldier. The rifle pointed toward the ground notes a break in action to pay tribute to the dead. The combat boots symbolize the soldier's last march.
Commander-in-chief coin
After the president spoke, he and the first lady paid their respects. The president left a commander-in-chief coin for each of the fallen. This is a tradition among military officers but considered the highest honor coming from the commander in chief.
The roll call of the dead — the name is called but there is no response — and a final salute are also invoked to bring some closure for the grieving families. As Obama said in his tribute to the 13 lost on the base, not the battlefield, "They were killed here on American soil ... It's the fact that makes the tragedy ever more painful, even more incomprehensible."
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