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The 11th hour, of the 11th Day of the 11th
The 11th Hour, of the 11th Day of the 11th Month
Many of today’s common phrases came from the “Great War” or World War 1. Of course, the 11th Hour, of the 11th Day of the 11th Month marked the end of the fighting that had taken place for over 4 years taking the lives of over 16 million which includes 116,708 (this was the total amount Kenneth Reige from all causes, KIA’s, Influenza). While the total number of Americans killed during WW1 is far lower than many of the other countries, just remember our involvement was from April 1917 to November 1918.
One of the most common phrases coming from WW1 is in the title itself, and that’s “The 11th Hour.” The phrase itself can be dated back to biblical times, but took off more in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s. There are many common uses of this phrase from book titles to movies to news shows.
Another common phrase that came from WW1 is “Over the Top.”
The origin of that phrase comes from British Infantry as they would go “Over the Top” of the safety of their trenches to attack the enemy across open ground. An early example of this phrase in print is from a 1916 edition of War Illustrated when some fellows asked their captain when we were going “over the top.”
In today’s modern culture “Over the Top” means to excess or to an exaggerated degree. A good use for this would be, to describe a display by saying “That store sure went “Over the Top” to make such a beautiful Here is a photo of soldiers going ‘Over the Top” of their trenches.
display of flowers.
Here are a few more common WW1 phrases that are still in use today.
Uncle Sam
We have all seen this poster of a bearded man dressed in patriotic colors and a top hat on recruitment posters for the military. Here is a picture of Uncle Sam:
The first of these posters were British in origin until New Jersey State Museum Director, Mr. Nicholas Ciotola said the most famous poster was an Americanized caricature portrait by James Montgomery Flagg, who painted himself as Uncle Sam.
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow:
Well, this one is sadly self-explanatory when it comes to war and combat. The Whole Nine Yards:
This phrase was used sparingly during the mid 1800’s. It meant expending all the shells in an ammunition belt during WW1.
Trench Coat:
We all know this one and many I am sure have one (or more) in their closets. This is a longer, all-weather military uniform coat worn by officers in and out of the trenches.
Camouflage:
Again, one we all know, but I didn’t know that this came from WW1. It is hiding tactics including the use of fake trees to conceal equipment or weaponry. The word came from the French word “camoufler.”
The last ones I will reference are: Dogfight, Tailspin, Nosedive
These were terms given to airplane maneuvers in fighter combat and or when planes were out of control. Like a dog chasing his tail, planes often circled one another, chasing the tail of the enemy plane.
There were 121 Medal of Honor Recipients from WW1 and 34 of those were given posthumously. Here are some of the more well- known names: Alvin York, Eddie Rickenbacker, John J. Kelly, Frank Luke. Jr. and Charles Whittlesey. Most people know of the actions of Alvin York and Eddie Rickenbacker, but John J. Kelly was the last of the double Medal of Honor Recipients when he passed in November 1957 and Frank Luke Jr. is the namesake for Luke Air Force Base near Phoenix. Major Charles Whittlesey whom many may not know or would not have known if not for the made for TV Movie, “The Lost Battalion” where actor Ricky Schroder played Major Whittlesey.
Some of the more famous and everlasting sayings from WW1 are from the Battle of Belleau Wood. Captain Lloyd W. Williams is credited with the saying: “Retreat? Hell we just got here.” Probably my favorite was from Sgt. Major (and 2-time MOH Recipient) Daniel Daly. Sgt. Major Daly was also nominated for a third Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Belleau Wood where he is reported to have said to the Marines under his charge, “Come on you Sons of Bitches, do you want to live forever?”
Perhaps one of the greatest tributes to Sgt. Major Daly came from General Smedley D. Butler who himself was also a 2-time MOH Recipient. (For the fact checkers, there were 19 Double MOH Recipients.) He stated that Sgt. Major Daly was “The fightingest Marine I ever knew.” Sgt. Major Daly was offered an officer’s commission several times, but Daly’s remarks to that were, “I would rather be an outstanding sergeant than just another officer.”
Like all wars, many songs were written not only about war, but to help keep the families/service members entertained. A few of the more popular songs from WW1 were: “Keep the Home Fires Burning (Till the Boys Come Home), “Pack up your troubles” and probably the most famous “Over There.”
Things to do on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month: I read a story last year that everyone should ring a bell at this time, and I encourage everyone to do so. I do believe there will be some activities taking place at the Court House Plaza honoring Veteran’s Day. There will also be activities at the State Veteran’s Cemetery as well as Hillcrest Cemetery. Please make sure to check the local papers for the times of these events.
We should all take time out of our busy schedules to honor this day and to honor the freedoms we enjoy because of our veterans and to fully enjoy those freedoms each and every day.
As with all my stories I end with a MOH Quote from one of nations greatest heroes. I typically get those sayings from the MOH Quote Book that is published by the Center for American Values in Pueblo, CO, but for this story I am going to use a quote from Captain Eddie Rickenbacker who is probably one of the most famous aviators of all times. His quote is as follows:
