Boogie Woogie Boy: A Dictionary of World War Two Military Slang

By Kendall Park and Steve Chadde

Boogie Woogie Boy, is a rich, unique source of hundreds of terms used by American and Allied servicemen and women in World War Two. The "slang" in the book is, by and large, humorous and paints a sometimes hilarious picture of life for the average GI, sailor, marine, or nurse. From "air corps chicken — a fowl that is all wings" to "Zeppelins in a fog — sausage and mashed potatoes," Boogie Woogie Boy is a fun-filled compendium, and also a valuable reference for readers of World War Two-era books, writers, playwrights, etc. Illustrated with ten cartoons.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barajima Books
• Release date: Jan 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9781839741791

Book preview

© Barajima Books 2020, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electrical, mechanical or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright holder.

Publisher’s Note

Although in most cases we have retained the Author’s original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern reader’s benefit.

We have also made every effort to include all maps and illustrations of the original edition the limitations of formatting do not allow of including larger maps, we will upload as many of these maps as possible.

Boogie Woogie Boy

Compiled by

PARK KENDALL and STEVE CHADDE

Boogie Woogie Boy was originally published in 1941, 1942, 1943, and 1944, as Dictionary of Service Slang by M. S. Mill Company, Inc., New York, with additional terms added to this version by Steve Chadde.

* * *

With many thanks to the men and women in our armed services.

Table of Contents

Contents

Table of Contents 4

Introduction 5

Army Slang 6

A 6

B 7

C 11

D 14

E 16

F 17

G 18

H 21

I 22

J 23

K 24

L 24

M 25

N 27

O 27

P 28

Q 30

R 30

S 32

T 36

U 38

V 38

W 38

Y 39

Z 39

Navy Slang 41

A 41

B 42

C 46

D 48

E 49

F 49

G 50

H 51

I 53

J 53

K 53

L 54

M 54

N 55

O 56

P 56

Q 57

R 57

S 59

T 63

U 64

V 64

W 64

Y 65

Z 65

Marine Slang 67

A 67

B 67

C 68

D 68

E 68

F 69

G 69

H 70

I 70

J 70

K 70

L 71

M 71

O 71

P 71

Q 72

R 72

S 72

T 73

W 74

Y 74

Australian and New Zealand Slang 75

A 75

B 75

C 75

D 75

G 76

I 76

I 76

K 76

L 76

M 76

N 76

P 77

R 77

S 77

T 77

W 77

Y 78

Z 78

SPARS SLANG 79

A 79

B 79

C 79

D 80

E 80

F 80

G 80

H 80

I 81

J 81

K 81

L 81

N 81

O 82

p 82

R 82

S 82

T 83

V 83

W 83

Y 83

WAVES SLANG 85

A 85

B 85

C 85

D 86

E 86

F 86

G 86

H 86

I 87

J 87

L 87

M 87

N 87

P 87

R 88

S 88

T 88

Z 88

ARMY AND NAVY NURSES SLANG 91

A 91

B 91

C 91

D 91

E 92

F 92

G 92

H 92

I 92

J 93

K 93

L 93

M 93

N 93

O 93

P 93

Q 93

R 93

S 94

W 94

U.S. MARINES SLANG (Women’s Auxiliary) 96

A 96

B 96

C 96

D 97

E 97

F 97

G 97

H 97

I 98

J 98

L 98

M 98

O 98

P 98

R 99

S 99

T 100

W 100

WRENs AND WAAFs SLANG 102

A 102

B 102

C 102

D 102

E 102

F 102

G 102

J 103

K 103

L 103

M 103

O 103

p 103

R 103

S 103

T 104

U 104

V 104

W 104

WACs SLANG 106

A 106

B 106

C 106

D 107

F 107

G 107

H 107

J 107

L 108

M 108

N 108

O 108

P 108

Q 108

R 108

S 109

T 109

U 110

V 110

W 110

Y 110

REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER 112

Introduction

This richly humorous and picturesque slang has been assembled from thousands of postal cards and letters received from lads and lassies wearing Uncle Sam’s uniforms in barracks, battleships and bombers; from deserts and seas and jungles around the globe.

This authentic collection of dazzling and disrespectful slanguage fulfills a double purpose —that of education and entertainment. If you are a civilian, it enables you to speak the language of the service. If you wear the uniform, you will find in this book all the regular G.I. slang from your outfit along with some innovations in cryptic cussing of literary beauty.

Army Slang

A

AAF — American Air Force.

Ack-Ack — a machine gun, also known as a scatter gun, shot gun, chatterbox. Anti-aircraft gun.

acting gadget — acting corporal.

Adjutant’s Post — spot on parade grounds where Adjutant stands during a review; also a runaround. Recruits have been known to walk miles to borrow one.

African golf — crap shooting.

air corps chicken — a fowl that is all wings.

air log — altimeter.

alibi order — firing an extra shot because of rifle trouble or something.

Ammo — ammunition.

angel — anyone who buys a drink.

angel cake and wine — bread and water in confinement.

apple knocker — upstate farm hand now in infantry.

Archies — anti-aircraft guns.

Are you writing a book? — turn-away reply for over-inquisitive.

arm bender — a drinking party.

arm dropper — section chief or sergeant who signals to fire.

an Arthur Donovan — soldier who thinks he can referee war maneuvers.

armor — the steel helmet

pass the armored cow — canned milk.

army banjo — shovel.

army Bible — regulations.

army brat — small child of an officer...such disrespect, tch, tch! Sometimes called GI brats. Well, that’s better.

army chicken — beans and frankfurters.

Aussies or Anzacs — soldiers from Australia and New Zealand.

awkward squad — where backward rookies receive elementary instruction.

A W O L — absent without leave — also A Wolf On the Loose After Women or Liquor.

B

B 19 — a hefty girl.

B Boy — playful allusion to a mess sergeant. It insinuates soldiers will have to dine later and mess sergeant will derive a commission from the cafe.

the baby carriage — machine gun cart.

baby food — cereal.

back in the rack — to get back into bed. A soldier should never go to work as long as he has the strength to lie in bed.

a back-yard soldier — lives nearby and goes home weekends.

Do you have a badge? — I say, old man, aren’t you being a bit nosy?

baffle painting — camouflage.

bag — a woman.

Baltimore steak — liver.

barb wire garters — imaginary — awarded as