What is your funniest salute story?

I was assigned to the National Security Agency when I returned from Vietnam. Was walking from the barracks area to the main NSA building with a Marine friend of mine when we met a young lieutenant. We saluted him, but he stopped us. "Where's your name tag, Marine!" "I memorized it, sir, and threw it away."

This one is hilarious! What could he say to that?

Is it because I'm prior enlisted that I never cared about salutes as an officer?

I have had several Boot Looie experiences myself.

Warrant Officer? What's that? Fresh out of college and still very wet behind the ears I was in the Navy OCS program in Newport, RI (1965). Our Seamanship class was at 0800 and our instructor was a Chief PO, but one morning he was absent and the replacement instructor was about to give us all a lesson. especially the (SLOD) Section Leader of the Day, who started off by saying "Good morning, Chief," which was returned by a shouted "START OVER AGAIN!" Totally confused, the SLOD hesitantly replied "Good afternoon(?) Chief." A few chuckles were heard. The replacement instructor then began a short dissertation advising us about Warrant Officers. So the newly confident SLOD responded "Good morning, Warrant." With a little steam flowing from his ears, the Warrant Officer continued his instruction and the SLOD finally mustered the acceptable "Good morning, sir", and the actual class started. Still funny to this day, over a half-century later.

In 1957 I was an SP3 in Wildflecken Germany when I was detailed to drive for Major General Oaks. While driving him up to our Rock Crusher Site. When going through the site gate the Soldier at opened the gate and saluted.
The General asked me if that soldier had saluted him with his left hand. I said, yes sir! The general said, STOP and he jumped out of the Jeep. I was trying to stop him but he ignored me. He told my friend to stand at attention and salute him. I jumped out of the Jeep and stood between them. The General said what the hell are you doing Love. I spoke very softly and said, Sir, PFC Johnson right is broken. But he insisted on manning the gate. He’s a very good young soldier. I’m his squad leader. I knew Johnson could not hear us. The General said, I’ll be dammed. Then I stepped aside. The told Johnson; That’s the best left handed salute I’ve seen. The General saluted Johnson and said to me let’s get moving. End of the story. Except the General told the CO, he need to promote PFC Johnson.

Prince Philip had stopped in Keflavik, Iceland to refuel... While waiting the American Admiral took him off to lunch. I was assigned traffic control when he and the Admiral returned to the flight line …. As the Admiral's car made its' turn onto the ramp I gave Prince Philip the best salute I could... I did not expect him to return my salute but he did... He leaned forward in his seat so I could see him behind the Admiral and he returned my salute by looking straight in my eyes.... That was more than fifty years ago and I'm still impressed...

A few months later I was in Philadelphia pending my separation. There were about a hundred of us sent in from all over the Atlantic to process out. One morning all of us were walking along a sidewalk headed for the gym where we were to drop our pants for the short arm inspection... For some reason an Ensign decided to walk into this crowd from the opposite direction... My buddy and I were walking along with our heads down and oblivious to the Ensign coming our way.... garnering salute after salute and enjoying the recognition he was getting...My buddy and I didn't salute.. We hadn't been more that vaguely aware he was coming our way... He demanded the two of us stop then he gave us a balling out and waited for a reply.... My buddy told him how sorry we were and then made up a story about Thailand... He said it was so cold up there that everyone saluted one time at quarters and that one salute carried you through the day... This was important because everyone walked with their heads down to protect themselves from the foul weather.... He was a bit impressed.

Al Reynolds - Think you meant Iceland, certainly NOT Thailand! ;-)

In 1968, I was at Ft. Benning before going to Vietnam. Since
the Army’s OCS is located there, there was a super abundance of brand new 2nd Lts, all of them obsessed with being saluted. I actually started crossing to the other side of the street to avoid rendering salutes to these newbies.

1. At Ft. Benning, used to go down to the Infantry School for the OCS graduation. First salute, $1. Made my beer money for the NCO club.
2. True story: In Vietnam, on Hill 55, I Corps, new 2LT (new in-country) walks up to me while I was sitting in front of my "hooch" and asked where the Weapons Platoon hooch was. I stood and pointed it out. You guessed it. A couple of minutes later, a runner said I needed to report to the Gunny ASAP. Gunny: "Our new platoon leader wants you to explain why you did not salute him earlier." Cpl: (me) "I didn't think it was a good idea to have the officer shot by our local sniper since we've been without an officer for over 10 months." Since Marines don't salute indoors, the Gunny offered the 2LT to step outside and have me salute him. He mumbled that it would not be necessary.

After returning from serving back to back tours in The PG. I proudly walked into the CMC Office at NAS Noth Island, and said, "Good Morning Master Chief. He smiled looked me up and down and said, "Your ribbons are on the wrong side of your uniform."

On 1967 graduation day at Parris Island S.C., I rounded the corner of barracks and walked between the oncoming Company Captain and Lt..
I was so surprised to nearly bump into 2 Officers, without thinking I saluted with both hands. They laughed, shook their heads, and kept walking. Whew!

who salutes in the Field? Sniper checkl!!!

Great story.

What is better is pulling the "Your rank is upside down" on an LT. So entertaining.

What a douche, no situational awareness of his own uniform but wants his ass kissed.

At Redstone Arsenal there was a Command and Staff school, so every so often there would be a gaggle of Majors headed to the DFAC. Upon seeing us (gaggle of privates) they made every effort humanly possible to hide their rank. Starkly contrast that with the new 2LT that made an appearance around the same times they did. This guy seemed oh so very happy to have to hold a salute the 100 feet from parking lot to DFAC door.

I know that DFAC! Many officers would leave that place in clusters when I was there and we would still arrive en masse.

I've personally been involved in a salute gauntlet at least 3 times in my career. Totally worth the smoking each and every time.

I did Tech School at Shepard AFB, TX. During our lunch break many Airman would rush to the Post Office. There happened to be some kind of school there for 2Lts. as well. I watched - more than once - as a new 2Lt. would walk out of the Post Office into the middle of a group of Airman returning a salute with both hands... at the same time!

Same thing happened to me when I was a 2LT. poor kid was so flustered. For about a month after any time one of my guys would see me out they would salute and yell "LT Dan, ICE CREAM!!!!"

That also happened at my AIT! Were you at Huachuca, Sir?

Thanks for this story as I got the best belly laugh ever. What a good way to start the morning.

LOL. Too bad he wasn't a sailor, where left-handed salutes are acceptable

PO3 John Jeter - Since I had been entering the twilight of my career as an O5, had I been that commander, I would have done the same thing: laugh about it, but then go on about my business. I would have given him a verbal reprimand in a sarcastic tone while trying to keep a straight face.

I really think that I've been a enlisted Soldier masquerading as an officer since 1993. Looking back, I had much more fun with the NCO/junior enlisted ranks than I did with fellow officers. Maybe that's because I encountered so many senior-ranking pricks in the officer corps. Being treated like shit by a senior officer over an honest mistake taught me to give subordinates a break when they messed up.

As an O2, I had an E5 make a comment about my radio traffic as "coming in broken and stupid" to another NCO, who relayed it to me. Later when I saw him, I said "Broken and stupid, Bruning?" He froze. Then I laughed and asked for constructive feedback. Shit like this doesn't really bother me that much. Joes will be Joes.

I think about Cary Grant in Operation Petticoat and how he acted among his crew.

LTC (Join to see) - "Good Morning, Sir; Can I get you anything?"
"Yeah, anything."

That is definitely the "Lieutenant Line" that some of us have been set up on.

Robot Chicken is the best!!!

excellent

That's any officer walking through a Marine Corps PX! :D