Sgt. Grit,
The origin of Oohrah . . .
1st Amphibious Recon is taking credit for introducing “Oohrah” into the Marine Corps greeting which is absolutely true, however “Aaroogah” goes back to the WW2 Marine Corps Raiders out of Camp Catlin, not after the Korean War. Lets not let this part of history be forgotten.
The submarine’s klaxon that sounded ‘Aaroogah’ in preparation to dive was the source of the Marine Raiders from Camp Catlin who went out on a submarine pulling their rubber boats up thru a hatch to make a shore landing. They imitated the sound saying Aaroogah greeting one another. It sounded ridiculous and never caught on. But 1st Amphib Recon heard the Raiders and made their own ‘Oohrah’ version which we use today.
Sgt. Max Sarazin
1st Recon version: The United States Marine Corps Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion can be credited with the introduction of “Oo-rah!” into the United States Marine Corps in 1953 shortly after the Korean War. Recon Marines served aboard the USS Perch (SS-313), a WWII–era diesel submarine conversion to transport Marine Corps Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion, Recon Marines. Whenever the boat was to dive, the PA system (bitch box) would announce “DIVE! DIVE!”, followed by the sound of the diving klaxon, “AHUGA!” In 1953 or 1954, while on a conditioning run, former Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps John R. Massaro, while serving as company Gunnery Sergeant, simulated the “Dive” horn sound “AHUGA!” as part of the Military cadence. Legend has it, he took it with him when he went to serve as an instructor at the Drill Instructor school at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego. He there passed it on to the Drill Instructor students and they, in turn, passed it on to their recruits where it eventually and naturally became a part of the Recon cadence, and thereafter infiltrated Recon Marines. From one era to another… Over time, “AHUGA!” morphed into the shorter, simpler “Oo Rah!”
I was in the Corps 1965 to 1969. Not once did I ever hear this Oorah!
I was in at the same time and I never heard that phrase either.
I did my hitch from 1960 to 1964. Never ever heard Oorah.
I can only surmise that my Boot Camp [MCRD San Diego -1961] never got The Word, as I sure don’t recall hearing “OoohRah!” until around late 70’s, at the earliest. It wasn’t used in movies or TV shows of the time; we never heard PFC Gomer Pyle holler “Shazam and a big ol’ OoohRah!”
But, as Marine tradition holds, “Never let the Truth get in the way of a good seastory.”
I served in the Corps from 1964-1969. I never heard “Oorah!” until sometime during the late seventies. I guess that makes me Old Corps or asleep at the wheel.
Mike……..got your six on the Oorah and time thing
Same here, at the same time frame….
Then First Sgt John Massaro was the First Sergeant of Headquarters Company, Recruit Training Regiment, MCRD SD for most, if not all, of the two years I was in that company as a member of the Special Training Branch (STB included Hand to Hand (as it was known then), Casual , PCP , and the new Correctional Custody Platoon and Motivation Platoon, the staff of the swimming pool, etc. One of the two Company Commanders I recall for the period was Captain Wunderlich, both he and the other Captain were the definitive edition of “lean”.
The typical daily routine for the Company was that those not actively involved with
recruits at lunch time would form up in PT gear on the street between RTR Hq building and the south side of the base theatre………and we would run……as a minimum, out to the airport fence, along the fence to the end, back via the street between 2ndBn and the baseball field, etc……often a longer distance. I was a plank holder in Motivation, and was there from it’s inception in late 1963 until I got orders to VN in spring of ’66. Suffice it to say that I and my compatriots from HQ Company travelled many miles behind the 1st Sgt and the Skipper………
NOT ONCE do I recall hearing anything like “OOH-RAH!”, nor anything like it in those two years……in fact, I am sure that it was totally new to me when I first heard it on Range 401 (Cone Hill to you saltier types) at Pendleton when the 1st Marine Division Association reunion group was privileged to witness a live FIREX at the range (we also got to fire weapons…..the other entertainment for the day was watching the attempted fitting of the ‘flack jackets’ (body armor) on those guests who lined up to fire.
This was the first time most of us oldsters heard “YUT!, or OOH-RAH, etc…….it was late 1980’s or early 1990’s……along with “it ain’t nothing but a thing (or”thang’)
Did you know Massaro? I think he made Sgt. Major of the Marine Corps. He was one of my 1st Sgt. in Vietnam at 3rd Eng. Bn. in 1968. He was or still is a Marine’s Marine.
Murray 1371 Vietnam Dec 66 to Aug68 Back May69to Aug 69 went with 1/9,2/9,3/9, 2/26 and others many operations. Hi Harry are you still around.
Still kick’n Murray. Just chill’n. Have not read any stories that light my fuse…..
“Fire in da hole”
I too was in Corps from ’66 to ’69 and never heard the battle cry “Oohrah”. Use of this battle cry obviously came in after I got out.
I was a ”Grape” in PLT 2117, CO Golf, 2nd BN, RTR, MCRD San Diego. PLT CMDR GySgt Lauren Rainey, SDI GySgt Hall, DI S/Sgt Flournoy, JDI Sgt Marks. Series Officer 1LT Garrison. We launched 3 DEC 1973. We were the first Series [2116 -2120] to be issued the M-16 all thru Boot. 1st Phase drill, 2nd Phase ITS and Rifle Quals, and 3rd Phase more drill. We went from 60 recruits down to 45 Pvts. We heard ”OOH-RAH” constantly and always shouted it at the top of our lungs. You could feel the steel I-beams of the hi-rise barracks resonate when the whole herd thundered OOH-RAH in unison on the DI’s command.
It may not have been Old Corps tradition then, but we didn’t know that LT Presley O’Bannon’s people hadn’t shouted it at the tops of their lungs on taking the fortress at Tripoli. We could have sworn they did. Semper Fi.
I was in from ’66 – ’70 and heard it once, from a couple of drunk recon guys on Okinawa.
Only heard AHUGA from the Recon Plt. at H&S 1/3, K-Bay 70 to 71. I was with Eng Plt. Every morning after formation, their routine was AHUGA- Kill. one step to the rear, and AHUGA again, and fall out. Best I can remember Sgt. Gear was the Plt Leader.
Fun Times
I served from Dec. 1956 to Oct. 1966, never once heard OOHRAH used.
TO THE MARINE WHO STARTED ALL THIS THANKS FOR THE HISTORY LESSION. TO MY WAY OF THINKING AND WHAT I WAS TRAINED AT BOOT AT PARIS ISLAND 1N 1965. MARINES GREETED EACH OTHER WITH SEMPER FI. END OF STORY.
THE FIRST TIME I HEARD XXXXX WAS AFTER I GOT OUT AND A KID
AT THE LUMBER YARD SAW A USMC STICKER ON MY TRUCK AND
GREETED ME WITH XXXXX. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT HE MENT AND THOUGH HE WAS HIGH. NEVER HEARD IT AGAIN. ANYWAY
THAT AND A QUARTER WILL GET YOU ON THE SUBWAY IF YOU HAVE THE BALLS
MARY JANE.
.
I served from July 65 to April 69. Nam Aug 67 to Sept 68. Never heard Ooh RAA!
I did here Semper Fi – Do or Die !!!
Air Wing – A/C Mechanic School, Memphis, TN – H&MS 33, El Toro,CA – VMFA 323, Chu Lai, VN – VMFA 542, Da Nang, VN & Iwakuni, Japan – H& MS 33, El Toro, CA
Happy Birthday to all my brothers and sisters!
Semper Fi!!
OOPS! !
I did HEAR SEMPER FI – DO or DIE ! !
Duh ! !
My mind certainly isn’t what it once was. :^)
Served 61 t0 65 From P I to Lejeune to Naples Italy and never heard it until I had been out for many years
John
Like the rest of you I served 1964/69. Never heard Ooorah. My son enlisted(at age 28) in 2010 did 4 yrs and came home saying Ooorah. So I imagine it’s a NEW CORPS thing along with the don’t touch me card they give you today. Semper Fi. RVN 65/66/69.
I was in the Corps from 1981 to 1985 and during the latter two years is when I first heard “OOH-RAH”, but, I do recall many “old-school” Devildogs (at that time) not liking it and wondering where it came from. Most of us gravitated to it and started yelling it at every motivational opportunity, but the Old Corps Marines were not impressed and I recall one Nam vet SSGT even getting a bit pissed when we yelled it .
Mike Kunkel
Cpl. 0331
Lima 3/8, Weapons Plt.
If either my grandfather, or my great uncle were alive, I would ask them about it. My grandfather served in the Navy in WW II, and in Marine aviation maintenance in Korea, and Vietnam, and my great uncle in both WW II, and in Korea. As for me, I was taught the chant from the word “go” when I went to boot in 89. The other motivational chant I heard from other units was “yut”. From what I gather, as far as I can tell, it depends on whether one went to San Diego, or Paris Island. Living west of the Mississippi, I was sent to San Diego. I was never really fond of either one, but I have been known to use “ooh, rah” when appropriate, and/or when everyone else is using it. I’ve heard both officers, and enlisted use both. I’ve also heard “Semper Fi, do or die” on numerous occasions as well.
I joined the Corps in November 1966. I first heard it in ITR and it was known as the recon yell. In 1968 while a sea going Marine a Corporal reported in and while on road runs he would give the yell and I picked it up from him. By 1970 it seemed to be going Marine Corps wide. We did use it in Vietnam in 1970 as a battle cry.
Semper Fi
Noble Callaway
CWO-5 Retired
First time I heard ooh Rah was Jump School Fort Benning in 1969. A Marine Corps Captain from Recon greeted us every morning as we ran into the training area. There were eight of us Marines out of the class of 600.
I served 1954 -1956 and the battle cry was “Gungho” during my time in boot camp
I was in 2nd Amphib Recon from January 1957 until it was succeeded by 2nd Force Recon where I remained until July 1959. Did lot’s of PT, marching and running but never heard “ooh rah.
I was in 1957 to 1961, served in the P.I. and with 5th Marines, (Camp Margarita), never once heard ooh rah, it was always ‘Gung Ho and Semper Fi”.
Dennis R. Smith
I went to Parris Island in the summer of 1968 and was in Nam in very early 1969. I rarely say Oohrah and cannot remember when I first heard it. I fact, my poor memory cannot recall my platoon number in boot camp.
As I sit and type, Semper Fi is on the sleeve of my shirt, USMC is on my sweat shirt, and the EGA is on my cover (baseball cap).
I appreciate the postings from you all, it keeps me in touch with my military sisters and brothers.
Old, slightly lean, and rarely mean.
Saw a photo in Leatherneck Mag showing Gen. Krulak (then Capt or Maj) digging a muddy hole
aqnd talking about his generation got the sound from a Sub Klaxon in WWll. Hw was later Commandant in late 50’s early 60’s.
I was A Company, 5th Recon at Camp Schwab on Okinawa in 1968. No Ooorah there but Aaroogah or some version of it was. Describing it reminds me of the description of the CSA rebel yell, “You have to be running at full speed and it can only be done on an empty stomach”.
I have never been able to find those with whom I served in Force Company, First Recon Bn late ’68-June ’69