Chalk as a military term

Oscar P (L6)

A slightly obscure but fascinating correlation one can make with chalk is to the military, where chalk is a commonplace term used to refer to a group of paratroopers or other soldiers deployed from an aircraft. A chalk most frequently refers to a platoon sized unit (usually 20-50 soldiers and commanded by a lieutenant) for air assault operations (referring to soldiers being deployed from a helicopter) or a company sized unit (roughly 80-250 soldiers and commanded by a captain) for airborne operations (referring to being deployed from a plane.).

In modern military usage, the term “chalk” has broadened slightly in meaning. It has expanded to allude to a specific grouping of soldiers who are scheduled to be transported together. In some cases, equipment can even be called chalks so that it can more easily be loaded in the order it will be needed on arrival. For instance, one could say “You are in chalk six, but your gear will be shipped in chalk three.”

The term was first conceived in World War II for airborne operations during Operation Overlord, which was also known as the infamous Battle of Normandy. This was the Allied invasion that kickstarted the successful invasion of Nazi-occupied Western Europe. It was launched on D Day (June 6th 1944) with the Normandy Landings, where a 1,200-plane airborne assault was followed by an amphibious assault involving more than 5,000 ships, making it the largest seaborne invasion in history. To achieve this massive logistical undertaking, the US military put in place a system of chalks to organize and transport the troops, where the aircraft flight number was placed on the troops’ backs with chalk. Each chalk represented a specific grouping of soldiers, who were designated to board a specific transport aircraft. This system allowed for the swift and efficient loading of troops, which one could argue was crucial for the success of the invasion.

Later the term was further popularised during the Vietnam War, when it was very common practice to number with chalk the sides of the helicopters involved in an operation. Commercial aircraft chartered by the US military were often used by the military to transport troops into Vietnam. Each flight would carry several chalks, with each chalk being made up of around 30-40 soldiers. In addition to transporting troops, chalks were also used to transport equipment and supplies. As the US military grew its presence in Vietnam in the early stages of the war, this was particularly important. In this way, similarly to the Battle of Normandy, the ability to transport large amounts of equipment and supplies quickly and efficiently was critical. Since then, the term chalk has been used as an official military term and as a result it is important to note that it is not slang.

Overall, chalks are a critical component of military transportation operations with a fascinating history. They allow soldiers to be quickly and efficiently transported to their destination, whether it be for combat operations, training exercises, or humanitarian missions. Using chalk, streamlines loading and unloading processes and ensures soldiers arrive at their destination together, which is particularly important in combat.