What is your funniest salute story?

While I was walking out of the command headquarters as a SP5 in Class A's a SGT walked pass me, stopped, turned around and stated while saluting, "I am sorry sir, I was thinking of something and not paying attention!" I stated in return, "Don't salute me, I'm not an officer, I am a SP5!" He stated that the Specialist rank looked like a major while being caught off guard. Wow, go figure, a Specialist 5 being saluted by a NCO.

Was at NTC Orlando in 1988, myself and another E4 were walking about 20 paces behind a Master Chief Petty Officer that had a CMH from Vietnam, he was well known on base. He walked behind a newly minted Ensign and did not salute. The Ensign stopped him and asked him "shouldn't you salute me, I am an officer". The SCPO reached into his pocket, took out a quarter, flipped it to the Ensign and told him "here's a quarter, go call your mama and tell her you met a real sailor and walked off". The ensign stormed off in out direction and myself and the other E4 gave the best salutes we have ever mustered as he really wanted to blast someone.

Was at NTC Orlando in 1988, myself and another E4 were walking about 20 paces behind a Master Chief Petty Officer that had a CMH from Vietnam, he was well known on base. He walked behind a newly minted Ensign and did not salute. The Ensign stopped him and asked him "shouldn't you salute me, I am an officer". The SCPO reached into his pocket, took out a quarter, flipped it to the Ensign and told him "here's a quarter, go call your mama and tell her you met a real sailor and walked off". The ensign stormed off in out direction and myself and the other E4 gave the best salutes we have ever mustered as he really wanted to blast someone.

A lot of Marines who made training missions to Vegas Puerto Rico in the 1960’s aboard the USS Boxer did this one for entertainment. Three or four of us enlisted would go to the hanger deck and put our M14 rifles on our right shoulder and when an officer would go by we would salute with our left hand ! We loved the puzzled looks we got ! Some officers gave second looks like what just happened !

My platoon deliberately spaced ourselves out on base and waited for a Lt. to walk by. Once the target was acquired we executed by walking one by one. You could see his frustration grow as he repeatedly returned each one of our salutes for about 200 meters straight.

When I was in the Army Reserve, a group of us were hanging by a door waiting for our Platoon Sergeant. A Navy man approached to go inside the building. As he approached, we starting asking each other if he was an officer. Someone suggested we err on the side of caution and we all saluted. He grinned and said he wasn't an officer as he went inside.

About to graduate from boot camp at PISC in '65, we were in 5th phase and were cleaning weapons when I took a really stupid chance to mail a letter to my girlfriend because of something I wanted her to bring to graduation. Sneaking out the back door, I was running around the barracks to the mailbox in front. As I rounded the corner, I met a 2nd Lt. and, thinking I was toast, skidded to a walk and saluted him with the Boy Scout 3 fingered salute. He returned my salute without comment and I made it safely back to the barracks without being caught.

Not a salute story per se but I was in a snack bar located next to the flight-line at Shaw AFB and had a big dip of tobacco in my mouth. Didn't think anything about it because I didn't plan on being in there any longer than it took to purchase a soda. I had picked my soda out of the cooler and went to turn towards the cash register when a two star asks me if he can cut in front of me because he has to get to his bird asap. I swallowed what had become a mouthful of tobacco spit and replied, Yes Sir, no problem! He left, I paid for my soda and went outside and puked for the next 10 minutes!

The year was 1967 and I was assigned to the Tactical Fighter Wing as a radio operator in Bien Hoa, South Vietnam. I was standing in front of the local mail depository and was getting ready to check my mail when I heard someone say "good morning Specialist." I turned around to see a Full Bird Colonel facing me at full salute. Luckily, I immediately regained my composure, sharply snapped to attention, and saluted the Colonel back. The Colonel then stated that there had been an issue as of late of NCO's not saluting officers at Bien Hoa airbase and that he had been testing me. I think maybe the Colonel had initially thought that I had seen him and not recognized his rank but I had been absorbed in checking my mail. Luckily, the U.S. Army had conditioned me to salute when it was proper without fail. It was my saving grace. I have never forgotten this episode and never will.

My funniest salute was the time, I was walking by and around a MARS building, with a cigarette in my mouth I round the corner and here is the full colonel, I salute him with my finest salute ever. about the time I realized I had the cigarette in the corner of my mouth, the colonel called me back, to dress me down in the intricacies of saluting. As the Colonel turned to go I saw a small smile creep up in the corner of his mouth. On reflection that was also funny to me, of course much later...