Military nicknames/ jargon
- Thread starter A4K
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ccheese
Member In Perpetuity
To "deep six" is to toss overboard.
This comes from taking soundings in shallow water. A man stands in "the chains" (a platform at the bow) and uses a 125' "lead line" with special markings. There are special marks at 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 13, 15, 17, and 20 fathoms. Each mark is special, so by just feel, a leadsman knows the measurement, even in the dark. For instance, at three fathoms, the mark is three leather thongs with knots on the end.
Where there is no mark (4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 19 fathoms) , these are called "deeps". So…..if the water is 36 feet deep (six fathoms) the leadsman would call out, "By the deep, six ". If the water is 60 feet deep (10 fathoms) he would call, "By the mark, ten". If he called , "And a half, six", the depth would be 39 feet. If there were two fathoms, he would call out, "By the Mark Twain" (Sound familiar ????)
This bit of info, in the navy is called "marlinspike seamanship"
Perhaps we have an ex bos'n on the forum who give us more detail.
(and to think I can't remember what I had for supper !)
Charles
This comes from taking soundings in shallow water. A man stands in "the chains" (a platform at the bow) and uses a 125' "lead line" with special markings. There are special marks at 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 13, 15, 17, and 20 fathoms. Each mark is special, so by just feel, a leadsman knows the measurement, even in the dark. For instance, at three fathoms, the mark is three leather thongs with knots on the end.
Where there is no mark (4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 19 fathoms) , these are called "deeps". So…..if the water is 36 feet deep (six fathoms) the leadsman would call out, "By the deep, six ". If the water is 60 feet deep (10 fathoms) he would call, "By the mark, ten". If he called , "And a half, six", the depth would be 39 feet. If there were two fathoms, he would call out, "By the Mark Twain" (Sound familiar ????)
This bit of info, in the navy is called "marlinspike seamanship"
Perhaps we have an ex bos'n on the forum who give us more detail.
(and to think I can't remember what I had for supper !)
Charles
Infantry = Crunchies
Air Force = Pussies
Air Force = Pussies
ccheese
Member In Perpetuity
Where's Mkloby ?
Why did they call female marines "BAMS" ??
And don't forget "MRE's"
Charles
Why did they call female marines "BAMS" ??
And don't forget "MRE's"
Charles
Downwind.Maddl-Land
Airman 1st Class
Hey PB, how do you feel being called a Troll?
Troglodyte I could live with (go to work in the dark, work in the dark, go home in the dark........), but Troll? That's just MEAN!
Straight into the hold - delay not determined.
Don't get mad - get even.
Troglodyte I could live with (go to work in the dark, work in the dark, go home in the dark........), but Troll? That's just MEAN!
Straight into the hold - delay not determined.
Don't get mad - get even.
ccheese
Member In Perpetuity
Downwind.Maddl-Land
Airman 1st Class
Charles - correct as ever.
I could do with a new head............
I could do with a new head............
Downwind.Maddl-Land
Airman 1st Class
Teeny Weeny Airways – UK Army Air Corps
Scopies – Air Defence Controllers
Fish Heads – RN
Truckies – Transport types
Wobble Heads – Rotary Support Helicoper crews
Penguins – those that inhabited 'Hand Brake House' ie Admin staff
Wokkas – Chinooks
Louden Noisen Mitten Kleine Thrusten Machinen/Fuel to Noise Converter – Jet Provost
RAF Regiment – Rock Apes (usually just 'Rocks')
Missile Magnet – E3s
Scopies – Air Defence Controllers
Fish Heads – RN
Truckies – Transport types
Wobble Heads – Rotary Support Helicoper crews
Penguins – those that inhabited 'Hand Brake House' ie Admin staff
Wokkas – Chinooks
Louden Noisen Mitten Kleine Thrusten Machinen/Fuel to Noise Converter – Jet Provost
RAF Regiment – Rock Apes (usually just 'Rocks')
Missile Magnet – E3s
Infantry = Crunchies
Air Force = Pussies
Air Force pussies are the tastiest!
Attachments
pbfoot
1st Lieutenant
As a worker in the in the allseeing and knowing Ivory Tower it was my duty look look down with disdain on the lesser lights . It used to amaze me as all those on the ramp would look with awe at the Tower whom we could send scurrying about with just a word or two on the mike. My favorite was to get the Military Police (meatheads ) out to chase the odd dog off the runway or deer from their cosy nest under the vasis . its understandable that they would call us trolls as it easier to label then to understand and it is very easy to say
Wildcat
Major
Air Force = Fairies
Navy = Pussers
Field Arty = Trail Apes or Gun Bunnies
Air Defence = Cloud Punchers or MIAD's (Mongrel Imbred Air Defenders)
Armour = Left stick, right stick, f*ck wit or simply Tankies
Army reserves = Chockos (as in chocolate soldiers that will melt under the "heat")
Non combat soldiers = Poges
Paratroopers = splat cats
Commandos = Wanna be SAS
Chinooks = Sh*thooks
Blackhawks = Crashhawks
your rifle = gat
Helmut = piss pot
That's all I can think of at the moment.
Navy = Pussers
Field Arty = Trail Apes or Gun Bunnies
Air Defence = Cloud Punchers or MIAD's (Mongrel Imbred Air Defenders)
Armour = Left stick, right stick, f*ck wit or simply Tankies
Army reserves = Chockos (as in chocolate soldiers that will melt under the "heat")
Non combat soldiers = Poges
Paratroopers = splat cats
Commandos = Wanna be SAS
Chinooks = Sh*thooks
Blackhawks = Crashhawks
your rifle = gat
Helmut = piss pot
That's all I can think of at the moment.
Naw they were only teases unless they worked in the ATC Tower.
Shes is cute though...
I thought for sure you were going to rip her for the uniform being out of regs...
double standard?8)
I can forget about things when you have a rack like that....
pbfoot
1st Lieutenant
worked with a hottie in the Tower and a 141 parked in front of the tower as taxiing and said he wasn't moving unless he got the controllers name . I grabbed the mike and said Neil and whats yours there was dead silence as he applied the throttle and continued taxiingNaw they were only teases unless they worked in the ATC Tower.
Shes is cute though...
worked with a hottie in the Tower and a 141 parked in front of the tower as taxiing and said he wasn't moving unless he got the controllers name . I grabbed the mike and said Neil and whats yours there was dead silence as he applied the throttle and continued taxiing
Bf109_g
Senior Airman
lesofprimus
Brigadier General
I'll add only one and one only:
United States Coast Guard = Pond Pus*ies
Been in a couple of fights whilst using that one, including a huge brawl at Gitmo.........
United States Coast Guard = Pond Pus*ies
Been in a couple of fights whilst using that one, including a huge brawl at Gitmo.........
- Thread starter
- #39
A4K
Brigadier General
pbfoot.. 
Thanks everyone for the response so far, and after reading Les's comment, I realise we are treading a certain line when mentioning various nicknames for the trades or services - I hope no-one's taken offence, and if so, that they know nothing personal is intended !
You're right too, Adler, there is tragic side to some of those chopper (and Bradley IFV !) nicknames, ...so I hope no-one takes it personally when I say that the Blackhawk (- 'Splat hawk'!-...) adds a new definition to the term 'ground attack helicopter'... (she would have been a good contender for the 'Daisy cutter 2' nickname aswell...)
Thanks everyone for the response so far, and after reading Les's comment, I realise we are treading a certain line when mentioning various nicknames for the trades or services - I hope no-one's taken offence, and if so, that they know nothing personal is intended !
You're right too, Adler, there is tragic side to some of those chopper (and Bradley IFV !) nicknames, ...so I hope no-one takes it personally when I say that the Blackhawk (- 'Splat hawk'!-...) adds a new definition to the term 'ground attack helicopter'... (she would have been a good contender for the 'Daisy cutter 2' nickname aswell...)
- Thread starter
- #40
A4K
Brigadier General
(Oops! That was 'Crash hawk' wasn't it? )
)
