Jarhead?

[Danny Bear Claw]

Was watching a war movie last night with the wife when the U.S. Marine was referred to as "Jarhead".  The wife asked me what was meant by that term and how it came to be that marines came to be called Jarhead.  As much as I hate to say the words to my wife, I said "I don't know".  I'm an ex-Army grunt.  Any of you ex-marines know where the term jarhead came from?   

[GunClick Rick]

From when they got shot in the helmet it would jar thier head around,ya blanket head!!

[Charlie Bowdre]

I think it was something to do with how they blocked their headgear.
Not sure but would like to know the real story
dutchy

[Danny Bear Claw]

I got PM'd that it might have something to do with the head gear.  Jeeze...  one of you Jarheads out there must know why you're called a jarhead.   

[Major 2]

A stubborn mule is Jarhead.....

I think it morphed to mean a stubborn Marine.... as in "Tenacious, steadfast & loyal" 

[GunClick Rick]

The term originates from the "high and tight" haircut that many Marines have, which makes their head look like a jar. It did NOT originate from their uniform or cover.

[Forty Rod]

The term originates from the "high and tight" haircut that many Marines have, which makes their head look like a jar. It did NOT originate from their uniform or cover.

You're still on my list, ya know! 

[GunClick Rick]

THat's what wikipedia said

[lonedog]

No Ricky they have been called jarheads WAY longer than they have been sporting high and tight haircuts.

So that ain't it. Sometimes Wikipedia is worse than useless.

[Forty Rod]

Sometimes?   

[St. George]

The way I'd heard it - lo, these many years past - it has nothing to do with haircuts, covers or the shape of a shaved head.

It refers to the Marines overwhelming propensity to follow orders, regardless of consequences or personal safety.

Because of their single-minded willingness to put Duty before Self, Marines were said to have 'Jar Heads...hard on the outside and empty on the inside'.

Gotta admit - their 'Hey, Diddle, Diddle - Straight Up the Middle' methodology of attack gave some credence to that - but in certain situations, that's the most efficient way to attack a position, so I can't fault them, and salute the sense of esprit that's been a hallmark of the Corps.

Airborne!

Scouts Out!

[GunClick Rick]

I used to work with a feller from the service,i had to tell him to get his head out of the kimchi jar! He loved that stuff,then i had to smell him the rest of the day. You ever patch roads in 105 with a kimchi eater?

[Major 2]

The way I'd heard it - lo, these many years past - it has nothing to do with haircuts, covers or the shape of a shaved head.

It refers to the Marines overwhelming propensity to follow orders, regardless of consequences or personal safety.

Because of their single-minded willingness to put Duty before Self, Marines were said to have 'Jar Heads...hard on the outside and empty on the inside'.

Gotta admit - their 'Hey, Diddle, Diddle - Straight Up the Middle' methodology of attack gave some credence to that - but in certain situations, that's the most efficient way to attack a position, so I can't fault them, and salute the sense of esprit that's been a hallmark of the Corps.

Airborne!

Scouts Out!

what I said    .... "a stubborn Marine.... as in "Tenacious, steadfast & loyal" 

[Professor Marvel]

wikipedia, urban dictionary, et al are only as good as the people who choose to make the entries.

while i have been unable to find an official USMC history site that addresses the slang ( and oft derogatory ) terms I did find this well-done site by a Marine : http://www.montney.com/marine/brief.htm

hope this helps
yhs
prof marvel

[Drayton Calhoun]

Professor, as a retired sailor, I must admit I have heard both reasons for Marines being called 'Jarheads'. The most popular, at the time of my enlistment, was that they used old Clorox bleach jugs (the old glass type) for blocking their fatique or 'Gung Ho' covers. At the time it was generally accepted. Much the same as a G.I. being called a 'Dogface'. As I recall reading somewhere, the term came from the Native Americans who referred to most white trappers as 'Dogfaces' due to their excessive facial hair. The true origins will probably never be known.

[PJ Hardtack]

Wanna know the origin of the USMC hat badge? Check out the badge of the Royal Marines.

Note the eastern hemisphere as opposed to the western?

[Daniel Nighteyes]

From when they got shot in the helmet it would jar thier head around,ya blanket head!!

HEY NOW!!! Watch how you use the term "blanket-head"!!!!!

[3Fingers_Murphy]

Some of you are close, but most people don't realize the high and tight style most of you equate with Marines came about after WW2. Marines were already called Jarheads before the high and tight became the style of choice and later the expectation if not the letter of the code in the Marine Corps uniform standards of grooming. The military hair styles were much longer for all services than they are today.  Whitewalls really caught on in the 60s.
Instead of guessing or consulting wrongapedia you should ask a Marine. Ask an older one, if you don't know one then you should get acquainted with one.
I looked at the pages some of you listed and even those kids acknowledged you needed to consult an old salt to find the true origin. When you find a brown shoe Marine you're getting close, when you find one who calls the current crop "hip pocket Marines" then you will have reached the source you need. Ask him, but you'd better hurry, their numbers are getting thin. I don't mean the current usage of the term hip pocketing,or hip pocket training but the term an 87 year old will use with a twinkle in his eye.
Semper Fi
Murphy

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi,

Because this was Marine oriented, I have just surfed and read ... but my father was a 'brown shoe mustang' as in Army Air Corps ... he did not see blue uniforms until he went back in in 1952 for the 'Police Action'. So watch what you say about brown shoes and Mustangs ... but it did warm my heart and reminded me of my deceased dad ...

This post was written with the deepest respect for Uncle Sam's Misguided Children ... fighting words unless you are a marine or have worked closely with them ....

[John Smith]

Hi,

Because this was Marine oriented, I have just surfed and read ... but my father was a 'brown shoe mustang' as in Army Air Corps ... he did not see blue uniforms until he went back in in 1952 for the 'Police Action'. So watch what you say about brown shoes and Mustangs ... but it did warm my heart and reminded me of my deceased dad ...

This post was written with the deepest respect for Uncle Sam's Misguided Children ... fighting words unless you are a marine or have worked closely with them ....

Come now, everyone knows that USMC stands for University of Science Music and Culture.