Can anyone tell me when it became proper for dignitaries, including Presidents, to use hand salutes while in mufti?
The first time I can think of is Reagan. I seem to remember some story of him asking an officer near him if he should return a solute and the officer saying something like “No one’s going to tell you you cant”.
You have raised one of my pet peeves. And it is one of the very few subjects where I am critical of the Gipper. It was Ronald Reagan who broke with tradition and etiquette by returning military salutes as a civilian. All of his predecessors, including some who had been professional military men before becoming president, did not do this. I think it was a mistake and has contributed to the militarization of the presidency to the point where many people now refer to the POTUS as “the Commander in Chief.”