Ranger & Camping Trivia & Colloquialisms

With the number of Camping and FCF History Experts here, this should get a few entries.

Here is an example:

We have used the term Ruck Sack when referring to a Back Pack.  This term is generally used by Army Veterans, or those in proximity with them.

So why the term Ruck Sack?

We have kept U.S. Army troops in Germany since the 1940's, and since the end of WWII, we have trained with the Germans as our Allies.

The German word for "Back" (as in the portion of your body below the shoulders) is "Zeruck".

The word for a bag made of heavy material, such as canvas is “Sack”.

And so the American Soldier would hear a German say that he was putting on his "Back Pack" or “Zeruck Sack”.

The Americans heard it as, “the Ruck Sack”.

You learn something new every day! That's interesting. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of terms we use are derived from similar situations.

A Navy "head" is the toilet. In the days of wooden ships and iron men, the place where you went to do your business was all the way at the head of the ship. With the wind filling the sails from behind, the aroma went in the right direction.

(And now we have iron ships and wooden men.)

I always wondered about that. I had figured that the Stern would have been the logical place. (Didn't figure on Wind Direction.)

I think that day that the sailor went to the stern to relieve himself is the day the term "he's just p#####g in the wind" was coined.

Jerry Rigged
The term for trying to cobble together a solution or repair to a problem. These days has commonly been replaced by the phrase "MacGyver".

Jerry Rigged originates from WWII also. The Germans were often derogatorily referred to as Jerry's. During the war soldiers would commonly cobble together devices equipment from what was on hand, and in the European field, that would be the German equipment.

And this comes up because how many times have you had a camp where something broke, or was lost, or left at home, and the world was ending.
"Commander the lantern handle broke, we have to go back to church" out comes the wire and multi-tool no trip needed.
"Commander, there's a hole in the tent. We're going to have to cancel camp." Duct tape, we don't cancel camps.
"Commander, it's raining." Then put the tarps up, so?
"Commander, Billy forgot his canteen." Paracord + sports bottle, congratulations Billy, your new canteen. Drink more water.
"Commander, I forgot my cook kit." wire, empty beans can congrats, you new billy can. Make some hot chocolate.

Maybe I'm too harsh, but I don't send boys home or cancel for much of anything. I don't necessarily like, but I respect and appreciate the teaching in my bible that "In this life you will have trouble . . ." If I can't show the Rangers how to overcome these comparatively small things, what are they going to do when REAL life pops up and slaps them in the face?

"your 6" or other directions
Based on a clock face, 12 = Dead ahead, 3= right, 9 = left, 6 = behind.
I use it because parents can be so easily offended and Ranger's bottoms can be so dirty. It's something I can say and not offend anyone.

"Check your 6," = look behind you
"Check your real 6" = look at the rear of your britches, you probably have a mess
"Take the 6" = Take the end of the line, usually the quartermaster, who in my outposts makes sure we don't loose any gear, or men, on a hike.

Added bonus of the boys know it and they get that "playing soldier smile"

Origin of the Term "Pup Tent"

According to popular legend (and verified, in part by the October 1, 1942 edition of the Indian Valley Record Newspaper), the term "Pup Tent" comes from the American Civil War.

Officers and Sergeants had Wall Tents, which were tall enough to sit (or even stand) in.

Soldiers were issued Shelter Halves which they buttoned together, to form a small 2-man shelter.

In one unit, when all of the soldiers had erected their shelters and were settling in, one of the men started barking (as he felt that it was of about the same size & quality as a dog house).  The barking became contagious throughout the unit, and all of the men in the shelters began barking.

And from the sarcastic humor of the American Soldier came the "Pup Tent".

There is another meaning for pup tent nowdays but I think you guys know it...

Putting the Head at the Bow is very good idea. Is it true Port side is always the side where the boat docks to port?

I can't ever remember which side is port and starboard.

RRCmdrBennett wrote: Is it true Port side is always the side where the boat docks to port?

Nope. Ships are ambidextrous. Although the newer class of amphibious ships has only one accommodation ladder for access to the pier. Trying to save a few bucks. I was in on part of its design back in the 90's and lost that battle.

Phillip Gross wrote:I can't ever remember which side is port and starboard.

When you are facing forward, the Port side is the Left side.

Easy way to remember it; the Sailor Left the Port.

I had to remember that because, as a Jumpmaster, I also had to know the Port Side from the Starboard Side inside of a C-130 or C-141 Aircraft.

When the green light came on, I figured you would just jump out the only door available. Or are they on both sides?

Phillip Gross wrote:I can't ever remember which side is port and starboard.

Left, port and red are all short words. Right, starboard and green are longer.

For whatever reason, that reminded me of a couple of really big guys on my first ship. They were Operations Specialists and spent all their time watching the radar repeater consoles and eating Twinkies. We named them Pete and Re-Pete.

joecool wrote:When the green light came on, I figured you would just jump out the only door available. Or are they on both sides?

Air Force isn't cheap like the Navy.

They gots 2 doors!!

Claymore wrote: Air Force isn't cheap like the Navy.

I always heard that when building bases, the Air Force would do the golf courses, PX and living accommodations first. When the money ran out, they'd go back to the bean counters and ask for funds to pay for the hangars and runways. How could they say no? In the Navy we build the hulls, and install the weapons systems and engineering plants first. When the money's about gone, they just figure out how to squeeze more sailors into less space.

My best friend's father was a Marine in WWII.

They were scheduled to sail overseas in a Liberty Ship.  The Liberty Ship was a Marvel of American Manufacturing, as the Kaiser Shipyard could build one in about two weeks.

He said that, after they were on the ship & underway, the Marines asked each other, "....so what did the builders do for the other ten days?"

Claymore wrote: The Liberty Ship was a Marvel of American Manufacturing

Picked up an interesting lapel pin a couple of antique stores ago. It was given to WWII shipyard workers who excelled at their work. Mass-produced Liberty ships weren't meant to last more than a few years, but some were still serving into the 80's.

Maybe Claymore knows this old saying's meaning. Why do cops say, "put'em on ice". In the days when small towns formed some didn't have jail houses and any formal law enforcement there was no jail. There was an ice house. If someone murdered or harmed another towns people would lock them in the ice house until the county sheriff could come down.

Didn't know that.

But coincidentally,

In the early 20th Century, my Grandfather was Chief of Police in Benton, Wisconsin (Population about 950).

He also owned the Ice House.

You can see this practice used once in the show "Little House on the Prairie".

RRCmdrBennett wrote:You can see this practice used once in the show "Little House on the Prairie".

Oh well if you saw it on a TV show then that proves it.   

That wasn't where I heard of that. I do remember seeing it on an episode though.

I asked my wife where she heard of ice houses used as jails. She told me she learned it in history class.

Hey Phil, I believe that Dan thinks that you "Threw Down the Gauntlet".