On Friday, February 7, 2003 at 8:21:33 PM UTC, Frisbee® MCNGP wrote:   
   > A recent discussion came up in another froup to which I subscribe where I   
   > had related something I'd been told while in the USAF about the reason the   
   > American Salute was different from the British and some other salutes.   
   >    
   > I was told, and it's been over 25 years, so I can't remember by whom, that   
   > the reason the American salute is with the outside of the hand angled down   
   > is because America has "never lost a war."  Correspondingly, the British   
   > salute is with the outside of the hand angled up, as they have lost at least   
   > one war.   
   >    
   > Another veteran in a different branch stated he'd been told the same story,   
   > but questioned its authenticity.   
   >    
   > I cannot seem to find the magic keywords on google to turn up anything that   
   > even remotely covers this topic.  Most sites cannot even agree on the origin   
   > of the salute itself, but none that I have read to-date cover the difference   
   > in the angle of the hand.   
   >    
   > Has anyone else, veteran or civilian, heard this story of the reason for the   
   > differences in the salutes?  Can anyone find some better keywords with which   
   > to search?   
   >    
   >    
   > --   
   > Fris "21-gun salute angled down?" bee® MCNGP #13   
   >    
   > http://www.mcngp.tk   
   > The MCNGP Team - We're here to help   
      
   So the Americans won the Vietnam war?   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)