Why are 3 shells put into the folded American flag at the burial ceremony?

Answer 1

Apparently, this is the reason;

At military funerals, one often sees three volleys of shots fired in honor of the deceased veteran.

The three volleys comes from an old battlefield custom. The two warring sides would cease hostilities to clear their dead from the battlefield, and the firing of three volleys meant that the dead had been properly cared for and the side was ready to resume the battle.

The flag detail often slips three shell-casings into the folded flag before presenting the flag to the family. Each casing represents one volley.

Much of the above information compiled from the Naval Historical Society and the Army Center of Military History.

(Same text in first two sources)

The third source says the three shell-casings also represent, duty, honour and country;

The American flag covering the casket of the soldier who wore No. 72 on the 1991 Stroman Raiders football team was painstakingly folded by white-gloved Army honor guardsmen from Fort Sam. One of them folded in three brass shell casings, exclaiming, "Duty, honor, country," as he held the casings aloft.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

When the military rites are provided, the family leaves first and the honor guard cleans up, picking up the shells for the family or placing three of the shells in the last fold of the flag upon request.

Answer 3

Shells? I didn't know that,but the flag is folded in a triangle to show the stars on the blue field.

Answer 4

It may be because during the three volley's of rifle fire they were folding the flag and the ejected shells from one of the rifles landed in the flag as they were folding it.

I am guessing because I have never done one of these.

Answer 5

I did not know that I been to a lot of service men burial ceremony and did not know Thank you for sharing this now I need to go and find out Thank you John

Answer 6

Just a trivia note here:

When my troops got funeral detail we scrounged empty brass casings that had been used for live ammunition. This way they could put these into the flag instead of expended brass from the blank ammunition used to fire the volleys.

Answer 7

It represents the 3 vollies fired during a 21 gun salute.

Some honor guards do it and others don't . I don't think official military honors include this tradition though.

Answer 8

To represent the 3 services; army, navy, air force

Answer 9

They are? When my grandfather was buried in Arlington National Cemetery they didn't put three shells in his flag.

Answer 10

I never saw them put them in my husbands but I have never unfolded it either. I was told I was never supposed to unfold his flag.