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We've all heard of the different nicknames given to various military units: The Electric Strawberry, The Big Red One, Screaming Eagles, etc. What's your favorite that you were attached to or deployed with? If there is history behind the name, please enlighten us a little.
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Tradition
Tradition
Posted 12 y ago
Responses: 8
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The Witch-Bitch. USS Wichita. She had a giant witch riding a broom painted on part of her hull. (Don't get your panties in a fluff, PC Crowd. That was the nickname given by 30 years of her crew, and we all loved her.)
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Army Security Agency Eagle Claw gripping a lighting bolt . It became Lighting Fast Chicken F($7&( .
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The 6th ID in AK had their patch nicknamed as the death star since it was a six point star. Being a bit of a nerd I kind of liked that.
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VAW-124 "Bear Aces", E-2C Hawkeye squadron. They still exist but the unit patch is much more "PC". They acquired the name back in the 80s, Cold War days after a series of running intercepts on Soviet "Bear" bomber aircraft. Sailors being sailors the nickname got bastardized into "Bare Asses" by other squadrons but VAW-124 ran with it and their logo became a spinning E-2C prop with a bare assed female figure in front of it (some of the squadron patches went so far as to show a hint of "under boob" on the figure...) with a Bear paw print on her butt cheek.
Well...about 1991 (post "Tailhook Navy") or so, all that changed. Gone was any thing that might offend or send the wrong message so the female figure was removed from the logo.
We once did some joint exercises with the Coast Guard and got put in for some joint medal/ribbon. Well, the squadron letter head wound up on the desk of a female Coast Guard Captain who shot a scathing letter back to our CO about our squadron logo and that she would in no way endorse any award to our squadron! The CO read us the letter at Command Quarters (in front of the whole squadron)...and subsequently tore it up and stated we would not be wearing any Coast Guard ribbons!
Well...about 1991 (post "Tailhook Navy") or so, all that changed. Gone was any thing that might offend or send the wrong message so the female figure was removed from the logo.
We once did some joint exercises with the Coast Guard and got put in for some joint medal/ribbon. Well, the squadron letter head wound up on the desk of a female Coast Guard Captain who shot a scathing letter back to our CO about our squadron logo and that she would in no way endorse any award to our squadron! The CO read us the letter at Command Quarters (in front of the whole squadron)...and subsequently tore it up and stated we would not be wearing any Coast Guard ribbons!
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I also remembered to 29th Infantry Divisions moniker of the "old blue and gray," in reference to the civil war days, there was a portion of them based in Fort Belvoir back in the 80s, so the civil war roots were still somewhat alive in VA at the time, so to speak.
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SGT Chester Beedle
The blue and the grey. HQ was at Belvoir, one of the three brigades (the 116th Infantry) and support units were in VA. One brigade was in MD, the 115th Infantry until it was disbanded and made into a pure support STB with some artillery (I was in the 115th and the second floor of the armory housed an arty battery). And one brigade was in another state, I want to say PA, but I'm not sure about it.
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I think it is funny you mentioned the "electric strawberry," because the 25th also has the moniker of "Tropical Lightning" as well for the division, although many people have given the patch of the division unofficial nicknames for years based on its design and color scheme.
That made me think when I saw the 1st name you used, I will have to dig out my old photo albums and see what else I can find from unit assignments and attachments from my career as well.
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