What is the significance of the army rangers saying “hu-ah” ? I just watched Black Hawk Down and it kind of made me wonder.
It’s not just the Rangers, It’s to whole US Army that says it (although it is considered to be of Ranger origin). I have no idea where it came from, but it was a regular part of daily conversation when I was in the Service. I don’t think I’ve ever heard the some story twice as to the etymology of the term, however.
It’s not just Rangers, most Army personnel say “Hoo-ah.” I think that’s why they call 'em grunts.
According to a Public Service Announcement that they run on Armed Forces Network, it came from colonial times when an Indian Chief mis-pronounced “how do you do?” The British soldiers supposedly embraced the mispronunciation and it’s been in use since.
I’m not sure I buy that story though. This Ranger FAQ has a little more info.
My friend in the Marines suggests/loudly proclaims that the Army “hoo-ah” is a ripoff of the Marine “hoo-rah.” I’m doubtful, given the obvious bias of the information. Of course, I’m sure the Army has some choice things to say about the Marines.
Hmmm. My friend in the Marines says the same, but adds these two further bits of info:
“Hoo-ah!” is used to either a) respond with enthusiasm to a ranking individual’s order or statement, or to b) reply sarcastically to an especially stupid question.
He also says he has heard “Boo-yah!” on occasion, but with nothing like the frequency of “Hoo-yah!”.
I spent several glorious months at Ft. Bragg in the 1960s and I’ve spent many of the past 50 years within earshot of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego and the first time I ever heard hoo-rah or ooh-hah or anything like that was last month on TV.
Given that nothing like this either oo-rah or hoo-ah seems to have appeared in any film about the military before Black Hawk Down, I’ve gotta believe that the expression is a was introduced into one of the services in the 1990s. Surely there is someone out there who remembers when the term was first introduced.
I joined the Army in 1985; the first I remember hearing it was indeed in the early '90s (don’t know anything about its origins, although Rangers sounds about as good as any). From the context used it usually means “I hear, I understand, Sounds good to me, I’ll make it happen”. It can be used as an inquisitive as well as a response. Typical use might sound like this:
“I want you to have these vehicles PMed by 1600. Hoo-uh?”
“Hoo-uh.”
I think it sounds ridiculous myself, and only use it if it’s clear that someone wants me to say it.
I’m in the Marines myself, and we’ve said “Ooh-Rah” for…well, for as long as I can remember. Being a grunt, (0341) I suppose we say it more than most.
BraheSilver, the Marines have a lot of choice things to say about the Army, too. But what the hell, we’re both on the same side in wars. In the end, we all bleed for all the causes we’re told to support. 
Yeah–When I was in training, recruits weren’t allowed to shout “Ooh rah” at all until third phase, and even then very rarely. It was reserved for parts in training when someone sent up to demonstrate something did a good job. And of course our instructors never said it. Far too motivating.
I first ran across ** Hoo-Hah ** in Mad magazine in the fifties.Can’t remember who said it,but was probably Melvin Coznowski or Peter? Potrezebie.Kinda remember it was in a story (maybe ongoing?)called Bumble stumbles.IIRC it had nothing to do with the military-more like a celebratory exclamation.
Ratty
When I was in training (AIT), right out of Basic, I remember hearing this word being shouted in unison by all troops when orders were given. For instance, when we were “dropped” for push-ups, I would hear this being shouted. Now it seems funny to think about it because I remember thinking…what tha?? Do these guys enjoy push-ups? I think it builds enthusiasm however. It has been something that stuck with me. I use the word frequently and people look at me funny. This is fine with me.
Wow, I had no idea it was from Military origin.
I always thought it was just something Al Pacino constantly spat off in Scent of a Woman.
According to AFN (Armed Forces Network) it came from a meeting between some military leader and an American Indian Chief, as hersiarch notes above… The American Indian tried to say ‘How are you?’ and blew the pronunciation, and the soldiers ran with it.
I find the wording of the information on TV amusing, though… they say something along these lines: “The soldiers embraced the mis-pronunciation…”
The soldiers embraced it??
HA! They were making fun of him! “Did ya hear him? Hoo-Ah! BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”
Goes back to medaeval time. Something about knights and shrubberies.
More seriously, aren’t these all just different proununciations of “hurrah”, or the even older huzzah?
I’ve always understood it to either mean “Heard, Understood, Acknowledged” or “Head Up Ass”.
When I was in training at Ft. Bragg, smack dab in the middle of downtown gung ho city, no one was yelling hoo rah, hu ah, or anything remotely like it. We had to yell various things, usually in groups, and in unison, but that was not one of them. That was 1966.
I started hearing marines yell hoo rah not too long after than, though, as I recall. However no one in my close association ever listened much to marines, so I can’t be sure.
Tris
It’s hard to credit these ancient origin theories, given that hoo rah completely skipped WWII.
So we’ve got an entry date of 1990s for the Army. For the Marines wev’e got “as long as Firebat023 can remember”; can anyone provide an approximate year? How about the Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard, or do these relatively grunt-free services eschew such neologisms?
When I was an undergrad at Villanova, starting in 1994, the Marine color guard at ROTC ceremonies would always grunt in somewhat that fashion, apparently to coordinate their marching (i.e., instead of ordering “left face!” and everyone turned left, they’d order “ru RUH”, and everyone turned left). I don’t know if this is the same grunt as the one in the OP, though (grunts can be a bit difficult to spell phonetically).
OOO-RAAH was the Virginia vanity license plate my ex-wife had from 1987 (when she was married to her first Marine, third hubby). I grew up just outside the gates of Parris Island, SC, and I know it from the early 80’s, and was saying it myself in 1984 (Marine Corps oriented term).