What “scene” is this country song describing?

@Kwek00 I’m thinking you’re right. I’m non-American too, they can be a weird bunch but who is “Uncle Sam” lol.

@XenonRush Uncle Sam is a propaganda figure that became a cultural icon... he's the icon that is used to recruit people for militairy service.

@XenonRush At a military funeral, there will be a few extra soldiers and they will fire their guns into the air. A soldier's casket (coffin) is often covered with a flag draped over it. After the graveside eulogies, but before the casket is lowered into the ground, soldiers will fold up the flag into a triangle and present it to the parents.

[quote]The three rifle volley consists of no less than three and no more than seven rifles firing three volleys in memory of the fallen. The original history comes from the Roman era that at the end of the day of battle when the field of battle was cleared, if the soldier removing the slain soldier knew the name of the soldier, then they would call his name three times into the night as a form of remembering their sacrifice.

Typically three fired cartridges are placed into the folded flag prior to presentation to the next of kin; the cartridges signify "duty, honor, and sacrifice.”
[/quote]

@ElwoodBlues Is that a recent or old tradition? Because the song talks about 21 shots... I just know cultures where they shoot as many times as the age of the deceased. Not sure if that is a thing out there.

@Kwek00 I've never been in the military, but I think it's a pretty old tradition. Three volleys, but up to seven rifles per volley; i think more rifles denotes more respect for the deceased.

@ElwoodBlues Okay... so that makes the 21 then ...

I thought he was 21. Wrong deduction there.