Was watching Gods and Generals again . In a scene, 2 guys salute each other using the British (open pam) style salute. My friend asked me when the US cahnged over to the palm dow salute that is i current use i the US Military. Ayone actually know? My speculation was that it was during the Civil War as a lot of the common southerners would touch the brim of their hats as a form of deference/greeting and this habit was incorporated into saluting.

I am not 100% sure but the salute goes back much farther than the civil war. I believe it is a shortened form of removing ones hat in a sign of respect. Without having to remove your hat (which would be tiresome in a military environment) obviously. This is also where the term tipping ones hat came from.

Jim

Of course then there is this:

http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/history/vignettes/respect1.html

I had forgotten about the whole "Knight" visor thing.

Jim

If I can recall this correctly. I believe that the only Military in the world that uses the Palm down Salute is US Forces. The reason being is that according to the history lesson is was taught was that the US has never formally surrendered in any armed conflict.
Along with the reasons that Jim mentioned. It was also used as a sign that the person approaching you was unarmed. A sign of surrendering
I think the South used the Open Handed salute during the Civil war due to the fact that European countries used it and they at the time considered themselves to be more of the European System than that of the American System.
Paul

I'll go along with Paul, that's pretty much the way I recall the legend.

The US is not the only country to use the "palm down" salute. Canada, for example, uses it as well. If interest, the Royal Navy uses a "palm down" salute as opposed to the "palm forward" salute used by the rest of the British forces. In deed, Britain is one of the few countries that still uses the "palm forward" salute. Most of the rest of the world uses "palm down".

The German Army certainly uses it as do the Russian.

I was talking to a yeoman warder in the Tower of London on such matters. He told me that the palm down salute wasused by the Royal navy the chap giving a salute could hide a daggerdown the sleeve of his jacket, the british army used the open palm to show they were unharmed,there is a lot of stuff like this like passing the port in the mess with the right hand so you couldnt draw your blade on a fellow diner. my favourite is not so much military, over here we have a saying "if you have a secret keep it under your hat" i often wondered what that ment, the before mentioned warder explained it, In the middle ages people used to wear a metal skull cap under their hats to protect them from footpads and highwaymen, this cap originated in france and was called a secrete the pronounciation changed over the years to secret hence the saying "if you have a secret keep it under your hat" and here endeth the lesson on totally useless information #:-)

Interesting!
thanks
DJ

Thanks guys. I learned about the open up the visor premise as a young Boy Scout 35+ years ago, but delighted in learning the diferences in the palm up/palm down methods

Here's some info on the salute:

http://www.oregonarmyguard.com/salute.htm
http://www.leathernecklane.com/marine/history/salute.htm