In railway trains, street cars, theaters and public buildings where salutes would be manifestly inappropriate or where the observance of the rules regarding saluting would be apt to interfere with civilians present salutes are usually not rendered.
Officers and enlisted men in civilian clothing exchange salutes in the same manner as if wearing uniform, but no officer in civilian clothes is saluted with cannon or has a guard of honor turned out and paraded in his honor.
The same salutes are given by all officers and enlisted men of the military and naval forces to officers of foreign armies and navies.
On board ships of the Navy officers and enlisted men while on board their own ship salute their captain on every occasion of meeting, passing near or being addressed by him. They salute all officers who are their senior in rank on the occasion of their first daily meeting or passing near and upon being addressed by the senior officer, and at other times during the day they stand at attention instead of saluting. Officers from other ships are saluted on each occasion of meeting or passing near.
When in uniform officers and enlisted men should salute ladies with the military hand salute and the headdress should not be removed for this purpose when out of doors.
The Navy Regulations require that all boats from men-of-war shall exchange salutes when passing each other in accordance with the following table, which covers all of the various conditions likely to arise.
Rank or rate of the senior in the saluting boat. | Rank of the senior officer in the boat to be saluted. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Flag or general officer (with flag flying). | Commanding officer above rank of lieutenant (with pennant flying). | Other commissioned officer. | Midshipman or warrant officer. | |
Flag or general officer. | Junior salutes with hand. | |||
Commanding officer above rank of lieutenant (with pennant flying). | Stops engine, lays on oars, and salutes with hand. | Junior salutes with hand. | ||
Other naval officer below flag rank and above rank of lieutenant, and marine officers of corresponding rank. | Stops engine, lays on oars, and salutes with hand. | When meeting a senior commanding officer, or immediate commanding officer, stops engine, lays on oars, and salutes with hand. | Junior salutes with hand. | |
Other commissioned officers. | Stops engine, tosses or trails oars, and salutes with hand. | Stops engine, lays on oars, and salutes with hand. | Junior salutes with hand. | |
Midshipman or warrant officer. | Stops engine, tosses or trails oars, and salutes with hand. | Stops engine, lays on oars, and salutes with hand. | Salutes with hand. | Junior salutes with hand. |
Officer and coxswain in loaded or towing boat or boat under sail. | Salutes with hand. | Salutes with hand. | Junior salutes with hand. | Junior salutes with hand. |
Coxswain. | Stops engine, tosses or trails oars, stands, and salutes with hand. | Stops engine, lays on oars, stands, and salutes with hand. | Stands and salutes with hand. | Salutes with hand. |
The starboard gangway ladder is used habitually by officers and their visitors when going on board of a man-of-war or departing therefrom, and the port gangway is used by all other persons. In other words the starboard gangway may be considered the “front door” of a ship. Yet whenever circumstances render it advisable or necessary an exception may be made to this rule by the commanding officer’s order.
Upon reaching the quarterdeck from a boat, from a gangway or from the shore, or from any other part of the ship, officers and men face the colors, stand at attention and salute the colors; and the same procedure is followed upon leaving the quarterdeck.
After saluting the colors upon arriving on the quarterdeck and just before saluting the colors upon leaving the quarterdeck, officers and enlisted men salute the officer of the deck, and the officer of the deck returns both the salute to the colors and the salute to him.