Oorah (Marines)

Ooh-rah is a spirited cry common to United States Marines since the mid-20th century. It is comparable to the Hooah cry used in the Army or Hooyah by the Navy. It is most commonly used to respond to a verbal greeting or as an expression of enthusiasm.

Origins

See also: United States Marine Corps Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion

There are several potential sources from which the word "oorah" originated.

The 1st Amphibious Reconnaissance Company, FMFPAC can be credited with the introduction of "Ooh-rah!" into the Marine Corps in 1953, shortly after the Korean War^{[citation needed]}. Recon Marines served aboard the USS Perch (ASSP-313), a WWII-era diesel submarine retrofitted to carry Navy UDT and Recon Marines. Whenever the boat was to dive, the 1MC (PA system) 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 of 1st Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion, simulated the "Dive" horn sound "AHUGA!" as part of the 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 Marine lexicon.^[1] Over time, "AHUGA!" morphed into the shorter, simpler "Oorah!" Today, the official Marine Corps Training Reference Manual on the history of Marine Recon is titled "AHUGA!"

Other possible origins of "Oorah!" exist. One states that the term is derived from the Turkish phrase "vur ha!" translated as "strike!" or "kill them all!", which was used as a battlecry at the Ottoman Army and adopted as a Russian battlecry "Urrah!"^[2]

Culture

Owing to its relatively recent origins, it is less common for Marines who served in the Vietnam War or earlier to be familiar with "Oorah!", but most post-Vietnam Marines and Vietnam War Marines who continued to serve after the war will have learned it throughout their careers.^{[citation needed]}

A couple of shortened versions of "Oorah!" can come out as a short, sharp, monosyllabic guttural "Er!" or "Rah!"

Another phrase similar to "Oorah" is the bark, also commonly used by Marines, due to the nickname "Devil Dogs" from the Battle of Belleau Wood in World War I.^{[citation needed]}

Other uses of "Oorah"

• "Oorah" is also used by United States Navy Hospital Corpsman , Master-At-Arms and Seabees because of their close association with the Marine Corps.
• "Oorah" is also used by the Russian Ground Forces for the same purposes, though historically the cry was a genuine battle cry, shouted in unison and with a long drag on 'a' while attacking in formation. "Oorah" is a correct transliteration for "Ура" (as it would be rendered in Cyrillic), the Russian equivalent of "Hooray." Proper pronunciation of this word places emphasis on the second syllable, in contrast to the Marine Corps exclamation. It is possible that the Russian word was a loanword form of "hurrah"--there is commonality in both the placement of emphasis and the purpose of the words. The depictions of WWII and 19th century wars in Soviet films made the prolonged, overlapping waves of "Ooraah" a symbol of courage and defiance needed for pushing the attack forward and, by extension, a symbol of Russian infantry in general.
• "Oorah" is also used by the Military of Bulgaria as salute to higher ranked officers and politicians. "Oorah" was also used by the Bulgarian infantry while bayonet attacks.
• In the Netherlands, the cry "Long live the Queen!" is usually followed by three times "Hoera" (pronounced much the same way). A notable example is the State Opening of Parliament, when parliamentarians cheer the Queen in this way after she finishes reading the Speech from the Throne. ^[3]
• "Oorah" is also used by Oorah Kiruv Rechokim.^[4]
• "Oorah" is also used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Hooah
• Hooyah
• Hurrah
• Huzzah
• Semper Fi

References

1. ^ "From one era to another...". Force Recon Association. http://www.forcerecon.com/amphibrecondiary2.html. Retrieved 2009-02-13. 
2. ^ "A Little Marine Corps History". National Headquarters. Marine Corps League. http://www.mcleague.com/mdp/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=print&ceid=46. Retrieved 2009-02-13. 
3. ^ http://www.eerstekamer.nl/historische_gebeurtenis/geschiedenis_prinsjesdag
4. ^ "Oorah Kiruv Rechokim". http://www.oorah.org. Retrieved 2008-04-25. 

• Gaines, R.W. "Dick". "OOHRAH, and other things that go bump in the night...". Gunny G's GLOBE and ANCHOR. http://www.network54.com/Forum/135069/message/1072968620/OOHRAH%2C+and+other+things+that+go+bump+in+the+night---. Retrieved 2009-02-13. 
• Sgt. Wolf. "OohRah!". Gunny G's GLOBE and ANCHOR. http://www20.brinkster.com/gunnyg/oohrah.html. Retrieved 2009-02-13. ^{[dead link]}