Military Question

[SystematicChaos]

Why are Marines called “Jarheads” ?

[Johnny_L.A]

From WikiAnswers:

Records from Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps cite references that state, “Jarhead is probably parallel to, or derived from, jug head.” Leatherneck magazine in 1933 cited Army soldiers as being called jarheads. However, according to limited information, the term as it applies to Marines is traced to the Navy in WW II. Sailors referred to Marines, drawing from the resemblance of the Marine dress blue uniform, with its high collar, to a Mason jar.

[Whack-a-Mole]

Seems unclear. I found this bit below (had to grab it off a cached Google page…website is down):

One account suggests that it refers to the Marine “high and tight” haircut which is cut almost to the skin at the ears with a bit more as it goes up the head giving the appearance of a jar. Another legend says that during World War II the Mason Jar Company stopped making jars and made the helmets for Marines.

<snip>

The term "jarhead" as referring to a Marine comes from the same thing that gave them the nickname "leathernecks"–the leather collars on some of their uniforms.

Before rubber was commonly available, the rings used to seal canning jars were made of leather. So the implication is that the Marine’s leather collar is akin to the leather sealing rings once used on canning jars, making him, literally, a "jar head." Which also gives you an idea about how far back the term goes!

<snip>

For roughly 50 years, sailors had little luck in their effort to insult Marines by calling them Gyrenes. So, during World War II sailors began referring to Marines as Jarheads. Presumably the high collar on the Marine Dress Blues uniform made a Marine’s head look like it was sticking out of the top of a Mason jar. Marines were not insulted. Instead, they embraced the new moniker as a term of utmost respect.

SOURCE: http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:_ngWTgcpeWUJ:www.mtannoyances.com/%3Fp%3D215+jarhead+etymology&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us