Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site amdahl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!cbdkc1!desoto!cord!hudson!bentley!hoxna!houxm!mhuxj!mhuxr!ulysses!allegra!bellcore!decvax!decwrl!sun!amdahl!gam From: gam@amdahl.UUCP (gam) Newsgroups: net.nlang Subject: Re: Soldier's names, origins Message-ID: <869@amdahl.UUCP> Date: Sun, 6-Jan-85 00:42:28 EST Article-I.D.: amdahl.869 Posted: Sun Jan 6 00:42:28 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 8-Jan-85 03:55:56 EST References: <120@cord.UUCP> <235@mtxinu.UUCP> Organization: Blue Mouse Trailer Resort, Hellmouth, CA Lines: 28 > > GI Joe is from an American comic strip. > > Yes, but before WWII, US soldiers weren't called GIs > (at least if I understand this right!). That term > comes from Government Issue - the label that some > newspeaker added to the catalog of items that the > soldiers were issued. > > Ed Gould > {ucbvax,decvax}!mtxinu!ed Well, almost ... "In the 1920's GI began to be used as the abbreviation for 'galvinized iron' in the army and a GI was a heavy galvinized iron army garbage can. By 1935, however, GI stood for General Issue (some say Government Issue), the initials stamped or stenciled on everything issued to soldiers from underwear to trucks.... 'GI' and 'Joe' were combined and first appeared as 'GI Joe' on June 17, 1942, in Lieutenant Dave Berger's comic strip for 'Yank', the army weekly." -- Stewart Berg Flexner, "I Hear America Talking" -- Gordon A. Moffett ...!{ihnp4,hplabs,sun}!amdahl!gam "Will Mr. 'Uh, Clem' please come to the hospitality shelter in this area immediately? Thank you."