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oorah or hooyah?

usmarinemike

Solidly part of the 42%.
pilot
Contributor
Naturally. Of course I am just a bit jealous of the "warrior runs" they have some fridays, weather permitting of course.

At least they're trying.

When you've just recently had all of your bosses fired it is cause for some soul searching and an identity crisis.

Damn...didn't take long for it to become a "boo air force" thread.
 

HAL Pilot

Well-Known Member
None
Contributor
My last job was at SOUTHCOM where it was 80% Army.

The Army guys would say "Hooah" and I'd immediately say "Gazuntite". It would drive them crazy.
 

BarrettRC8

VMFA
pilot
There was a legitimate article in one of the Military Times pubs that the Air Force had officially tried making their battle cry "Air Power." What a joke. You couldnt even brain wash me into screaming that the way the Marine Corps did with oorah.

I used to be a member of Army ROTC when I was a student at Florida State and on the rare occasion the AF would PT, and the even rarer occasion that we'd see them on the track during our speedwork, we could hear them yell "Air Powerrrrr!" at the end of every stretching exercise.

It was rather entertaining.
 

HackerF15E

Retired Strike Pig Driver
None
I don't know if they're still pushing this but for a time I believe they were supposed to say "airpower!" to each other. I don't think it caught on.

That started in the late 90s in one of the PME schools -- I don't remember which one.

Fortunately it never caught on.

The AF, however, continues to try and manufacture "new" heritage while it ignores the perfectly good heritage it all ready has.
 

jdnew

Registered User
Personally, I prefer "kill." Or the more formal "kill babies."

I always heard "Kill Bodies." I guess, they deemed it a little less disturbing. Never heard Oorah as motivating as I did from a certian AI (Infrantry Officer from Alabama if you know who I'm talking about) "Gettin ready to take that first full 30 inch step..Oorah." Funny how stuff will stick with you like that.
 

FlyMikeFly

Happiness is Vectored Thrust
pilot
Contributor
This is probably by far the lamest thread I've ever. Seriously, you guys sound like groupies. Just my two cents, wanted to put it out there. :(
 

FlyinRock

Registered User
Seen from the perspective of someone who has been around the USMC for the past 72 years, I'll make the following observation. during WW2, Semper Fi Mac was common and usually meant something like "up yours" and interchangeable with "F'n A". During Korea, it was usually Semper Fi and "What is this chickenshit" that went up until Viet Nam. In the early 60's, Marine Force Recon began to grow and part of their unit cohesiveness came the cry of "OOh Rahh" which was simulating the dive signal of submarines. That in part due to their being inserted on unfriendly soil/beach by subs. It came more popular after that and gradually spread throughout the USMC.
The Army, trying to find something to be proud of, tried their "ARMY of One", the HooYah (poor imitation of the USMC) and the SEALS started their OooYah as a jab at the recon guys.
The Air Force stuck with "get me some more coffee will ya", and the USCG with "Do we really have to work today?"<gg>
So, perhaps that gives you some history about the different expressions.
However, throughout the USMC, Semper Fi is universal and especially with the older jarheads like me.
Semper Fi
Rocky active duty 1953/63 - my old man 1934/64 MSGT Apr1942
 

phrogdriver

More humble than you would understand
pilot
Super Moderator
Seen from the perspective of someone who has been around the USMC for the past 72 years, I'll make the following observation. during WW2, Semper Fi Mac was common and usually meant something like "up yours" and interchangeable with "F'n A". During Korea, it was usually Semper Fi and "What is this chickenshit" that went up until Viet Nam. In the early 60's, Marine Force Recon began to grow and part of their unit cohesiveness came the cry of "OOh Rahh" which was simulating the dive signal of submarines. That in part due to their being inserted on unfriendly soil/beach by subs. It came more popular after that and gradually spread throughout the USMC.
The Army, trying to find something to be proud of, tried their "ARMY of One", the HooYah (poor imitation of the USMC) and the SEALS started their OooYah as a jab at the recon guys.
The Air Force stuck with "get me some more coffee will ya", and the USCG with "Do we really have to work today?"<gg>
So, perhaps that gives you some history about the different expressions.
However, throughout the USMC, Semper Fi is universal and especially with the older jarheads like me.
Semper Fi
Rocky active duty 1953/63 - my old man 1934/64 MSGT Apr1942


I thought the Army's "hoo-ah" had been around a lot longer. I've heard 2 stories. One, that it's short for "heard, understood, acknowledged (HUA)."

Two, the some senior officer was giving a pep talk to a unit along the lines of,"...and you're going to take that hill!!!" To which the troops relied,"Who, US?!?" The general misheard and thought they'd come up with the warcry, "Hoo-ah!" and so the phase was born.

When was Recon inserted by sub in combat since WWII (Makin Island)? Seems odd they'd reach back that far for inspiration.
 
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