MAD DOC MATZ

maddoc222@comcast.net

UP FRONT

THIS PAGE IS ABOUT THE HUMOR, IRONY, AND PATHOS OF THE LIFE OF A COMBAT SOLDIER IN ALL WARS

THE TITLE IS DEDICATED TO BILL MAULDIN AND HIS ICONIC WWII DOGFACES "WILLIE AND JOE"

CONTACT MAD DOC IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WISH TO CONTRIBUTE HERE

maddoc222@comcast.net

 

New U.S. Army "Harry Potter" Recon Vehicle

 

 

Did You Know?

During WWII, the U.S. intered 5,413 Japanese, 51,156 Italians, and 371,683 German prisoners of war within the continental U.S.  Over 1,800 Axis prisoners attempted to escape, and by the end of the war 28 Germans and 15 Italians were still at large.

In Europe, American Military Police handled 3,239,484 German prisoners up to VE Day, a number that was greater than the total number of Americans in the European Theater of Operations on VE Day.

POW JARGON

(Slang of Americans held by the Germans)

"APPELL"

A roll call held to count prisoners

"FERRETS"

Germans who wandered through  the compound to catch prisoners in escape attempts

"GOONS"

Name given to the Germans and also anything associated with them

"GOONSKINS"

Fake German uniforms made by the prisoners for escape attempts

"PENGUINS"

Prisoners who dispersed dirt and sand from tunnels

"STOOGES"

Prisoners who kept an eye out for Germans and warned other prisoners


FOREIGN ASSESSMENTS 

One of the serious problems in planning the fight against American doctrine, is that the Americans do not read their manuals, nor do they feel any obligation to follow their doctrine...
- From a Soviet Junior Lt's Notebook

"The reason the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices it on a daily basis."
- from a post-war debriefing of a German General

 

"The Americans will always do the right thing... After they've exhausted all the alternatives."
- Winston Churchill

 


 

TO THOMAS ATKINS
 
I HAVE MADE FOR YOU A SONG,
AND IT MAY BE RIGHT OR WRONG,
BUT ONLY YOU CAN TELL ME IF IT'S TRUE;
I HAVE TRIED FOR TO EXPLAIN
BOTH YOUR PLEASURE AND YOUR PAIN,
AND, THOMAS, HERE'S MY BEST RESPECTS TO YOU!
 
O THERE'LL SURELY COME A DAY
WHEN THEY'LL GIVE YOU ALL YOUR PAY,
AN TREAT YOU AS A CHRISTIAN OUGHT TO DO;
SO, UNTIL THAT DAY COMES ROUND,
HEAVEN KEEP YOU SAFE AND SOUND,
AND, THOMAS, HERE'S MY BEST RESPECTS TO YOU!
 
FROM "BARRACK ROOM BALLADS" BY RUDYARD KIPLING
 
 
The name "Thomas Atkins," or "Tommy," was a generic term, for British soldiers, for centuries.  It's origins are sketchy, and there are many theories of its' beginnings.  It was used, in reference, much the way "Dogface" or "Grunt" is used for American soldiers.  Rudyard Kipling dedicated several poems to "Tommy," and probably is responsible for introducing the term outside of the British Dominions.
Mad Doc
 
 
 
 
SUPERLATIVES
FUBAR - Fouled* up beyond all recognition
FUMTU - Fouled* up more than usual
JANFU - Joint army navy foul* up
SNAFU - Situation normal, all fouled* up
TARFU - Things are really fouled* up
(* "fouled" being  used in place of an expletive deleted)