It will readily be seen that all of these rules and conventions are devised for the purpose of avoiding friction or misunderstanding and to secure efficiency and smoothness in the official and social relations between officers and officials of different services and nationalities.
CHAPTER XV
HONORS AND DISTINCTIONS
The honors and distinctions shown to the National Flag, to the President and other high Government officials, to the National Anthem and to the officers of the various ranks in the different services composing the Armed Forces of the United States are prescribed in the U. S. Army Regulations and the U. S. Navy Regulations, which are issued by the Secretaries of War and the Navy by authority of the President of the United States.
At Army Posts and Stations the National Flag is hoisted at sunrise and lowered at sunset and on board ships of the Navy the National Flag is hoisted at 8 a. m. and lowered at sunset, these occasions being known as “Morning Colors” and “Evening Colors.”
While the National Flag is being hoisted and lowered all officers and enlisted men stand at attention facing the flag, if in uniform and covered they stand at the salute during the hoisting or lowering of the flag and if in civilian dress covered, they uncover and hold the headdress opposite the left shoulder. The latter form of salute is the correct one for all civilians who desire to so honor the flag of their country.
When passing the National Flag flown at an Army post or on board a ship of the Navy, the flag is saluted with the “right hand salute” or if arms are carried in hand, with the prescribed salute for the arm carried. The same honor is accorded to the flag when it is carried past by any organization of the military or naval forces. The same honor is accorded by members of the military and naval forces of the United States to the flags of other nations under like circumstances.
When a band is present at morning or evening colors the National Anthem is played during the hoisting and lowering of the colors, and when ships of the navies of other nations are in the same port the national anthem of those nations is also played by the bands of ships of the United States Navy.
The National Anthem of the United States of America is the composition consisting of the words and music known as “The Star Spangled Banner,” which was officially designated as such by the President of the United States on August 23, 1916.