Your Nickname while in the Service?

[Tamaroa]

On a lighter note, I was wondering what some of your nicknames were in the service. Was it based on a physical characteristic such as size, hair color or state of origin or was it based on your particular ability to do something.

For my part, immediately after boot camp I was stationed on the search and rescue vessel Tamaroa. A pretty rowdy crew they were with a lot of hard drinkers on board (when we came into port that is). And life on the quarter century old Tamaroa was a little on the no amenities side. we had no A/C and we slept on hammocks. racks were piled three high with about 36 guys squished into an area 38 feet by about 25 feet. Tough duty with a couple of SAR cases on almost every patrol keeping you hopping. To be one of the crew the deckies had to hate the snipes and vice versa except when we all went out drinking and then you had to put them away to be a part of the crew.

Well on my very first patrol after about two weeks on the ship, we were steaming along at our cruising speed of about 8 knots (ocean going tugs are not known for their speed). I was walking toward the bow on the starboard main deck when I passed our GM1 who was also the Master-at-Arms. I greeted him and he returned it with 'mornin' sunshine. well, needless to say, I was horrified. My God, I thought. Then I blurted out, "why did you call me that?" He looked at me and had a good laugh saying that everytime he saw me, I had a smile on my face.

I went below decks and spoke to guys some of whom had spent up to 4 years on the deck force. When I told them the story, they nearly died laughing. Of course being a young impressionable 19 year old at the time, I just thought about what everybody's reaction would be when they heard that "awful" nickname.

One old salt said to me. Don't sweat it, the fact that Guns gave you a nickname within two weeks on board means he has accepted you as a member of the crew so now I was legit. After that, sunshine didn't bother me at all. But, it did draw some strange looks from new guys as they reported on board.


Bill

[blues clues]

I've had mine for as long as I can remember with a last name like rasmussen (razz) just seems right my mother hates it but what can i say.
razz

[Stick]

Hey the Handle tells the story. 5'7" was all there was, less today. Rather go by "Little John" than by "Rat" (as in tunnel) which was where they told me that I was headed while in Basic and AIT.

[RobH]

They called me "rock"......had nothing to do with being big....was 5'6" @ 155 lbs when I joined in 67'.....had nothing to do with being tough....nope, but it had to do with being phenomenally "hardheaded"......but as I remember....I got called "sh*thead" as often as anything else...until I got some rank.....

[Keith_Hixson]

Last three numbers of my serial number was "007"

Drill Sergeant "so you are Mr. Bond

Whenever anyone learned my serial number it was . . . "James, James Bond"

I hated IT!!!


Keith

[Andy]

Never had a nick-name till I joined the service. Once in, they called me alphabet - never figured that one out. However, once I got my large nervous hands on an M-60 everyone called me Andy.
Sort of a trick I have, anyone I know from the military or from the police knows me as Andy. Everyone from my boyhood or people I meet under friendly circumstances know me as Tom. Usually still can't remember who they are but at least I know where I forgot them from.

Stay healthy,
Mr. A.

[judyvillecco]

Oh I hate to say how I got mine. I had two children when I went in who I talked about all the time. I also was very feminine like private Benjamin and some of the WACs made fun of me and one in particular decided to call me names because I didn' cuss. Many of them called me Mother, My last name was Tucker at the time. I'll leave the rest to your inagination as to the cussing but as I encountered the tough troop and she saw I wasn't so sissy she quit cursing me but the name Mother Tuck stuck! Especially near the end of my time when I was being separated from the rest some of the women would say they were going to seek counseling from their Mother on the third floor which is where I was put on guard duty to keep me away from the others. They would sneak up to where I was and bring comfort despite the isolation that was ordered for me and seek comfort for themselves with asking questions about problems they too were having with old Chief Ogre. Mother Tucker my nickname

[vetgirl]

Wasn't in the servic but I was Deborah Jean.... back then

[Sgt_Tropo]

Just because I was the only guy in the unit from Texas. It sure bet some of the other names that guys got saddled with !

[DMZ-LT]

For some reason they called me "el t "