What is your funniest salute story?

I was in boot camp and was holding onto all of my company's school books while the rest of the company was inside the chow hall eating. The books were not allowed inside the chow hall or be placed onto the ground, so one member of the company was required to remain outside the chow hall and hold everyone else's books while they ate. On this particular afternoon, i was holding everyone's books with both arms full, when I spotted two company commanders, deeply engaged in conversation, approaching the chow hall. I knew that protocol was to salute these two gentlemen as they approached me, but that was going to be impossible to do while holding onto all the books. These two were so engrossed in their conversation that I thought, maybe, just maybe, they will just walk right on past me without saying a word to me. As they approached and then past me, I thought whew...I got away with it, however, as they passed by me by about 10-15 feet, one of the two company commanders quickly turned toward me and shouted "Salute me clown!" I then felt I had no choice but to drop the books and salute. Just as all the books bounced onto the ground, the other company commander proceeded to chew me out for letting go of all the books...go figure!

Airman David A. Libby & I had just gotten off duty & were headed to the Mail Room to pick up mail, our mail, when as fresh 2nd Lt.was walking our way unnoticed. was about 6:00 P.M., All of a sudden, when he had approached to about 3 or 4 feet from us, the 2nd Lt. Said. "What's the Matter Airmen, Don't You Know You're Supposed to Salute an Officer"?.... We were both caught off guard as we hadn't noticed his approach, But Dave Stopped & said "Lt. It's past 1700 hours, Sir. Are you not Familiar with Base Regulation (Blah Blah , Blah) which specifically states, 'Saluting after 1630 hours is no longer a requirement"?.. The 2nd Lt..Replied "I'm sorry, I wasn't aware of that, Thank You". And walked on... ..Then Dave and I just continued our trip to the Mail Room, Chuckling Under our Breath,.. That was Either the summer of 1962 or 1963. Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, Strategic Air Command,, Major Calvin L. Collier, Commander of the 825th Air Police Squadron....I was about 18 at the time... I joined on my 17th Birthday, 6/29/61, Basic at Lackland, AFB,. Discharged after returning from Osan AFB, S Korea,.. BEFORE Paved Roads or Barracks.. We lived in Quonset Huts, ...6/10/1965.. The Days of TRUE Adventure, !!

Seven Marines and I were walking down a dirt road in Da Nang, Viet Nam not far from III MAF, headquarters for the Marines. Up ahead we see this convoy of vehicles coming toward us, one flying what it appears to be the commanding general’s flag. So I say, hey that’s the general coming we better salute, to which the majority of the group says (in more colorful language), no way man, we are in Nam, we don’t have to salute no generals. I wasn’t so sure, but went along with the majority. Bad decision!
The entire convoy came to a stop, a couple of officers jumped out of a jeep and threaten us as only officers can. They then marched us over to the general’s staff vehicle to execute a hand salute. After the convoy departed we stood at the side of the road, arguing about whose bright idea it was that we didn’t have to salute the general.

I passed a Marine Captain, without saluting him, not noticing his rank. He told me to halt and after chewing me out, told me to salute him 100 times, so I wouldn’t forget, next time. I raised my right hand and held the salute. He said to continue and I told him it is customary to return the salute! We went our separate ways, without finishing the salute!

It was actually in boot camp. They sent me to get the orders for the squadron. For weeks, I had been used to saluting and saying, "Good Morning, Sir". As luck would have it, an officer was between myself and my destination. I was feeling quite the professional as I saluted him and said, "Good Morning, Sir". The problem was the fact that it was about 3:00 pm.

It was 1983 I just returned from germany to 2/70 armor 24 inf div ft stewart ga where my lt was 2nd lt , afterward I understand he had beed a e-6 in the reserve befor his OSC, so I entered the medic platoon and saluted him said spc ***** reports for duty and he starts giggling like a little girl, through out my stay he continued giggling when he was saluted by anyone lower then him, and noticed he would sign songs with guys of his race down to pvts and show them perfured treatment, so what was I to do? the officers in the armor didnt care for him and higher ncos in the plt were fired when they c/o. I was so glad to leave there a year later

As an Infantryman assigned with the 25th Infantry division at Cuchi Vietnam, I recall arriving at base camp in a 2 1/2 ton truck and seeing all the soldiers running around with underwear due

Coming out of the DCM's office one afternoon I saw an LT coming toward me up the street riding a bike. Being a lowly airman at the time, I had no choice but to salute, and once I saluted him he was required to salute back. He tried to do so and almost lost control of his bike!

I used to chase Officers down in the AAFES Parking lot. I came across a 2nd Lt that realized what was happening. He vehemently asked me to stop because he has to "salute everyone, Officers and Enlisted."

I was a SP4 and a new Russian language student at the Defense Language Institute after graduating from BCT at Ft. Ord in 1972. During our lunch break I walked down the hill to the base gym for a workout and was lost in my thoughts when Iooked up and realized I was quickly approaching a LTC on the sidewalk near the entrance. By the time I began to raise my hand to salute, I was so close to him that I would have committed battery! I jerked my hand to stop and must have had a very embarrassed look on my face.
"New at this game?" the LTC asked, wryly.
"Yes, Sir", I replied.
"Have a good workout," he said, and entered the gym door.