Members of the Tamaqua American Legion Post 173 Honor Guard perform a 3-volley salute during one of many ceremonies honoring veterans over the weekend. The 3-volley salute is a ceremonial act performed as part of the drill and ceremony of the Honor Guard. It consists of a rifle party firing blank cartridges into the air three times. Some say the custom originated from the European dynastic wars, where the fighting ceased so the dead and wounded could be removed. Then, three shots were fired into the air to signal that the battle could resume.