The Military Origins of the Phrase ‘Die Hard’

PO2 Russell "Russ" Lincoln
"“Die Hard” has a lot more to do with military history than you might think. This is true for both the phrase and the movie. The book on which the 1988 movie “Die Hard” is based is called “Nothing Lasts Forever,” and our hero is Joe Leland. Leland is still a New York police officer, but he’s also a World War II Army Air Forces veteran with an ax to grind.

As for the phrase “Die Hard,” it goes much further back in military history than World War II, but its origin is no less awesome. The first person ever to tell his men to “die hard” was British Lt. Col. William Inglis of the 57th Regiment of Foot, and he shouted it to encourage them after taking an artillery round and defending the regimental colors."

Always fascinating to learn of the source of phrases in common use. Cute, chit, etc.