Wharfmaster Posted November 1, 2011 Share #1 Posted November 1, 2011 Over the years I have seen medals and groups to men with very unfortunate surnames. The type that causes endless kidding. Some so bad that they had to change their name. This can make research on a person difficult. One example in my collection is a pre-war Navy Good Conduct to a man with the last name HEAD. As we know, the "Head" is the toilet aboard ship. You can guess how much crap this guy had to take from his fellow sailors. (pun intended). Do you have a medal in your collection to a man with a very unfortunate name? Regards, The Wharfmaster In Peace and War. US Merchant Marine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted November 1, 2011 Share #2 Posted November 1, 2011 Very clever subject. I hope to hear some good names. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DutchInfid3l Posted November 1, 2011 Share #3 Posted November 1, 2011 I don't have any medals with unfortunate names but I do have a few stories. I remember seeing a hometown news blurb in the local paper, about a guy graduating from Navy boot camp, his last name was Stains... and he was listed AS Seaman Stains... Granted I don't suppose the Army would've had him fare much better... Private Stains... Also, while I was in basic training for the Air Force, we were doing accountability checks, my brother flight was doing theirs next to us and their TI was yelling out the last names, etc. He yelled aloud "NUTT" and the next name in line was "RASH" Both unfortunate, but again as they were alphabetically next to each other in this instance. Airman Rash doesn't sound that bad but Private Rash?... I'd say he chose quite nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrei Posted November 1, 2011 Share #4 Posted November 1, 2011 Another story... When I was in the Army, another platoon trooper name was Hirtler. Everyone called him "Mein Führer", to include the NCOs and the troop 1SG and the troop CO. He seemed to be philosophical about it since he had to put up with from his school days. I remember that he told us he knew a familly whose name was Hittler! He was from the part of the country were Frenchmen are ethnic germans, Elsass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curio bill Posted November 1, 2011 Share #5 Posted November 1, 2011 True story, not military but I swear it is true, I once watched a felony plea where the guy was going to prison for several years, His last name was "MANLOVE"........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrei Posted November 1, 2011 Share #6 Posted November 1, 2011 True story, not military but I swear it is true, I once watched a felony plea where the guy was going to prison for several years, His last name was "MANLOVE"........ Did he get a warm welcome from the inmates ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkdriver Posted November 1, 2011 Share #7 Posted November 1, 2011 When I was a young private in a decon company assigned to a decontamination sprayer truck, my section sergeant's name was Massengil. We both got mercilesly ribbed about that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhcoleterracina Posted November 1, 2011 Share #8 Posted November 1, 2011 Sorry but people named Dexter don't make fun of other peoples names. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMCRECON Posted November 1, 2011 Share #9 Posted November 1, 2011 Over the years I have seen medals and groups to men with very unfortunate surnames. The type that causes endless kidding. Some so bad that they had to change their name. This can make research on a person difficult. One example in my collection is a pre-war Navy Good Conduct to a man with the last name HEAD. As we know, the "Head" is the toilet aboard ship. You can guess how much crap this guy had to take from his fellow sailors. (pun intended). Do you have a medal in your collection to a man with a very unfortunate name? Regards, The Wharfmaster In Peace and War. US Merchant Marine. I would hope his first name wasn't Richard. I actually knew an AF officer named Richard Head. He went by "Rich" for obvious reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldfireguy Posted November 1, 2011 Share #10 Posted November 1, 2011 In basic we had a guy with the last name of Sergeant. Private Sergeant was known as Private Private because the Drill Sergeants would not allow him to be addressed as Sergeant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmerc20 Posted November 1, 2011 Share #11 Posted November 1, 2011 Ahhhh funny names. I remember a few over the years. In basic we had a Nutt. We also had Blohme. Of course he insisted it was pronounced with one syllable, but we enjoyed saying it with two. When I went through medical processing prior to heading to Iraq there was a doc that was Maj Kirk. He said he was sooo happy when he got promoted so he was no longer known as Captain Kirk. Of course there also was the girl in Iraq I saw in the chowhall with the name Fightmaster. Now that is just an awesome name! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin B. Posted November 1, 2011 Share #12 Posted November 1, 2011 True story, not military but I swear it is true, I once watched a felony plea where the guy was going to prison for several years, His last name was "MANLOVE"........ There was a WO Arthur Manlove KIA on the Arizona. They named a DE after him. --Justin B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted November 1, 2011 Share #13 Posted November 1, 2011 One of my instructors in ROTC had the last name of "Captain" of course his rank was, at the time, CPT. So we had Captain Captain instructing us. Not military, but the mayor of Fort Wayne, Indiana during WWII was Mayor Harry Baals (pronounced balls). He was the longest serving mayor of that city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squad leader Posted November 1, 2011 Share #14 Posted November 1, 2011 When I was in the (French) army my lieutenant had the last name of "Cocu" which means "cuckold" in english... :pinch: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilitaryWired Posted November 1, 2011 Share #15 Posted November 1, 2011 When I was in the (French) army my lieutenant had the last name of "Cocu" which means "cuckold" in english... :pinch: That's awful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge8 Posted November 1, 2011 Share #16 Posted November 1, 2011 One of my old bosses was LTC Dick Hoyt. We also had a recruiter with a last name of Major- she was a TSgt- TSgt Major (that would confuse a few PS Army types). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted November 1, 2011 Share #17 Posted November 1, 2011 Over the years I have seen medals and groups to men with very unfortunate surnames. The type that causes endless kidding. Some so bad that they had to change their name. This can make research on a person difficult. One example in my collection is a pre-war Navy Good Conduct to a man with the last name HEAD. As we know, the "Head" is the toilet aboard ship. You can guess how much crap this guy had to take from his fellow sailors. (pun intended). Do you have a medal in your collection to a man with a very unfortunate name? Regards, The Wharfmaster In Peace and War. US Merchant Marine. How about this fella ! Vietnam Veterans Database Name: HITLER TURNEY G Branch: MARINE CORPS Rate: E05 Rank: SERGEANT MOS: 4312 MOS Title: Print Journalist Entered: 660624 Discharged: Service Number: State: IDAHO Race: CAUCASIAN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1rceme Posted November 1, 2011 Share #18 Posted November 1, 2011 I have a friend named Stuart Piddass...Stu for short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeeper704 Posted November 1, 2011 Share #19 Posted November 1, 2011 Not so long ago a jacket was sold here. The soldier's name: Fook N Woo (no kidding). Erwin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmar Posted November 1, 2011 Share #20 Posted November 1, 2011 Oh dear God forgive me for posting. This man served with honor and I truly PRAY he did NOT receive too much kidding. But this Army GCM naming could have been the subject of much ribbing, My best to all, and my heartfelt thank to Mr. Cox, who served his country, :salute: Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted November 1, 2011 Share #21 Posted November 1, 2011 Over the years I have seen medals and groups to men with very unfortunate surnames. The type that causes endless kidding. Some so bad that they had to change their name. This can make research on a person difficult. One example in my collection is a pre-war Navy Good Conduct to a man with the last name HEAD. As we know, the "Head" is the toilet aboard ship. You can guess how much crap this guy had to take from his fellow sailors. (pun intended). Do you have a medal in your collection to a man with a very unfortunate name? Regards, The Wharfmaster In Peace and War. US Merchant Marine. Off the military topic but pertaining to our national past time, in the 70s there was a pro baseball player by the name of RALPH P. ( PIERRE ) La COCK jr no kidding he was known as " PETE " La COCK. Pierre as you francophiles on the forum know is french for PETER also here in this country a common nickname for the you know what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadian bacon Posted November 1, 2011 Share #22 Posted November 1, 2011 one of my friends name is richard mi lester we have fun sying that one fast and his dads name is peter gott ivanoff which is insanely fun to say fast i also have a canadian M.M named to a sgt chris cross cheers michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DutchInfid3l Posted November 1, 2011 Share #23 Posted November 1, 2011 I would hope his first name wasn't Richard. I actually knew an AF officer named Richard Head. He went by "Rich" for obvious reasons. Wow, Richard... and some with that name (no idea why) go by the nickname, Dick... and his last name is Head... That's unfortunate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curio bill Posted November 1, 2011 Share #24 Posted November 1, 2011 There was a WO Arthur Manlove KIA on the Arizona. They named a DE after him. --Justin B. I had no earthly idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12A54 Posted November 1, 2011 Share #25 Posted November 1, 2011 I dated a British girl whose last name was Major. Her dad was in the Guards...and was a Sergeant. Sergeant Major. The real Sergeant Major didn't like that at all. On an odd name, I also once dealt with a WO named Mr. Bassobilbasso. Way long nametag. My kids thought that name was pretty funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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