Tommy Atkins, Jack Tar, GI Joe
February 11, 2017 6:32 PM Subscribe
What are some other names that represent soldiers? Any country, any era.
Jarhead and leatherneck reporting for duty. Also tunnel rats in Vietnam.
posted by vrakatar at 7:05 PM on February 11, 2017
posted by vrakatar at 7:05 PM on February 11, 2017
Doughboy, Grunt, Mustang
posted by Rob Rockets at 7:18 PM on February 11, 2017
posted by Rob Rockets at 7:18 PM on February 11, 2017
Germans, esp. in WWII: Jerry
posted by randomkeystrike at 7:20 PM on February 11, 2017
posted by randomkeystrike at 7:20 PM on February 11, 2017
Russian: Ivan
posted by randomkeystrike at 7:23 PM on February 11, 2017
posted by randomkeystrike at 7:23 PM on February 11, 2017
I've only ever heard of "jarhead" and "leatherneck" for Marines, not soldiers. (Speaking as a former Marine.)
posted by maurreen at 8:00 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by maurreen at 8:00 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
Swaddy, swaddie, swattie, swoddy (all variant spellings)
discussion here
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:20 PM on February 11, 2017
discussion here
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:20 PM on February 11, 2017
India and Pakistan: Jawan - literally means "young", and refers to non-officer soldiers.
posted by peacheater at 8:23 PM on February 11, 2017
posted by peacheater at 8:23 PM on February 11, 2017
Dogface
posted by old_growler at 8:38 PM on February 11, 2017
posted by old_growler at 8:38 PM on February 11, 2017
More here: this kind of thing is called a Placeholder Name.
posted by Miko at 9:03 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Miko at 9:03 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
Redcoats: British Infantry during Revolutionary War
Doughboy: any American service member during WWI
Dogface: WWII term that replaced doughboy
Tonton Macoute: Haitian special forces officially known as the Milice de Volontaires de la Sécurité Nationale
Red Devils: British Army's Parachute Regiment
Screaming Eagles: US Army 101st Airborne Division
Immortals: elite heavy infantry of the army of the Persian Empire. NB: the unit's original and/or native name is unknown
Mustang: Any US military officer that started off in the enlisted service
Pogue: US Army slang for non-combat/rear-echelon/support units. US Air Force equivalent is "penguin" for anyone who doesn't fly planes. German equivalent of "Etappenschwein" ("rear swine")
FNG: "Fucking New Guy." Self-explanatory
Iron Eagle: any O-6 (army/air force colonel, navy captain) that will never make O-7 (army/air force Brigadier General, navy rear admiral)
posted by BadgerDoctor at 9:49 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
Doughboy: any American service member during WWI
Dogface: WWII term that replaced doughboy
Tonton Macoute: Haitian special forces officially known as the Milice de Volontaires de la Sécurité Nationale
Red Devils: British Army's Parachute Regiment
Screaming Eagles: US Army 101st Airborne Division
Immortals: elite heavy infantry of the army of the Persian Empire. NB: the unit's original and/or native name is unknown
Mustang: Any US military officer that started off in the enlisted service
Pogue: US Army slang for non-combat/rear-echelon/support units. US Air Force equivalent is "penguin" for anyone who doesn't fly planes. German equivalent of "Etappenschwein" ("rear swine")
FNG: "Fucking New Guy." Self-explanatory
Iron Eagle: any O-6 (army/air force colonel, navy captain) that will never make O-7 (army/air force Brigadier General, navy rear admiral)
posted by BadgerDoctor at 9:49 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
This is some rare US Army infantry slang from when I was in 1990-1994. I heard most of the above, but these three were always particularly amusing:
Joe Shit the Rag Man
Private Smuckatelli
Norman Clature
posted by seasparrow at 2:25 AM on February 12, 2017
Joe Shit the Rag Man
Private Smuckatelli
Norman Clature
posted by seasparrow at 2:25 AM on February 12, 2017
Swabbie -- Navy guys as addressed by Marines and Army guys WW2
Tommy -- Germans called English "Tommies"
Jerry -- English called Germans "Jerry"
Fritz -- Russians called Germans "Fritz"
Kraut -- US soldiers called Germans "Krauts"
Ivan -- Germans called Russians "Ivan"
Japoon -- US Marines called Japanese "Japoons" in WW2
Gook -- US soldiers/marines called Vietnamese "Gooks"
Nagoolian -- US Marines in Nam called North Vietnamese "Nagoolian"; USMC had real respect for NV Army, they were pros, unlike the Viet Cong, and unlike the South Vietnamese army.
Gyrene – Nickname for a Marine, considered an insult; combination of the words "GI" and "Marine".
posted by dancestoblue at 2:25 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
Tommy -- Germans called English "Tommies"
Jerry -- English called Germans "Jerry"
Fritz -- Russians called Germans "Fritz"
Kraut -- US soldiers called Germans "Krauts"
Ivan -- Germans called Russians "Ivan"
Japoon -- US Marines called Japanese "Japoons" in WW2
Gook -- US soldiers/marines called Vietnamese "Gooks"
Nagoolian -- US Marines in Nam called North Vietnamese "Nagoolian"; USMC had real respect for NV Army, they were pros, unlike the Viet Cong, and unlike the South Vietnamese army.
Gyrene – Nickname for a Marine, considered an insult; combination of the words "GI" and "Marine".
posted by dancestoblue at 2:25 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
We call enlisted soldiers jawans in India, it's basically Hindi for soldier.
posted by Tamanna at 2:52 AM on February 12, 2017
posted by Tamanna at 2:52 AM on February 12, 2017
Am I really the first to suggest Charlie?
(Vietnam, doesn't surf, etc)
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 3:17 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]
(Vietnam, doesn't surf, etc)
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 3:17 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]
Pongo - I've heard it in Australia but apparently from UK.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 5:06 AM on February 12, 2017
posted by Trivia Newton John at 5:06 AM on February 12, 2017
Ruperts are fresh-out-of-Sandhurst officers of upper class families, and do not have a great reputation for intelligence.
posted by scruss at 6:05 AM on February 12, 2017
posted by scruss at 6:05 AM on February 12, 2017
Lobsterback for British soldiers circa the American Revolution.
posted by leaper at 8:23 AM on February 12, 2017
posted by leaper at 8:23 AM on February 12, 2017
US Navy sailors are all called Squids by people from other services, but among themselves they're divided among Airedales (aviators), Blackshoes (surface), and Bubbleheads (submariners). Deck-apes are the big guys who haul lines.
Among the sailors, there are also Wogs (i.e. polywogs) and Shellbacks, for crewmembers who haven't and have (respectively) experienced an initiation called the Line-Crossing, when they cross the equator.
From what I've read, "soger" was an age-of-sail insult to a sailor, because suggesting that a sailor or marine has the qualities of a soldier is not a kind suggestion.
Along the lines of Squid, Marines are Jarheads (as mentioned) and Army soldiers are Ground-Pounders. You can take a guess who is meant by Chair Force.
US Marines are called Devil Dogs, so named by a captured WWI German soldier who, following the Germans' first engagement with USMC, said they fought ferociously, like "Teufel Hunden."
posted by Sunburnt at 11:53 AM on February 12, 2017
Among the sailors, there are also Wogs (i.e. polywogs) and Shellbacks, for crewmembers who haven't and have (respectively) experienced an initiation called the Line-Crossing, when they cross the equator.
From what I've read, "soger" was an age-of-sail insult to a sailor, because suggesting that a sailor or marine has the qualities of a soldier is not a kind suggestion.
Along the lines of Squid, Marines are Jarheads (as mentioned) and Army soldiers are Ground-Pounders. You can take a guess who is meant by Chair Force.
US Marines are called Devil Dogs, so named by a captured WWI German soldier who, following the Germans' first engagement with USMC, said they fought ferociously, like "Teufel Hunden."
posted by Sunburnt at 11:53 AM on February 12, 2017
REMF. Like pogue, above.
posted by Hal Mumkin at 7:00 PM on February 12, 2017
posted by Hal Mumkin at 7:00 PM on February 12, 2017
WWII era Coast Guard - sailors were called Gobs.
My grandfather served, and Gob stuck with him. When he had kids, folks started calling him Daddy Gob. Nobody ever called him Harold; he was Gob the rest of his life.
posted by The Almighty Mommy Goddess at 5:04 AM on February 13, 2017
My grandfather served, and Gob stuck with him. When he had kids, folks started calling him Daddy Gob. Nobody ever called him Harold; he was Gob the rest of his life.
posted by The Almighty Mommy Goddess at 5:04 AM on February 13, 2017
Response by poster: Thanks everybody. These are great!
posted by LonnieK at 4:26 PM on February 20, 2017
posted by LonnieK at 4:26 PM on February 20, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by holborne at 6:41 PM on February 11, 2017