# What is the meaning of "Is That You John Wayne? Is This Me?"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-is-that-you-john-wayne-is-this-me/486551>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 19, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-is-that-you-john-wayne-is-this-me/486551 "2009-02-19T15:14:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-is-that-you-john-wayne-is-this-me/486551/1 "2009-02-19T15:14:11Z")

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The other Full Metal Jacket thread reminded me of this quote from the movie. What does it mean? Is it a quote from another movie?

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**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-is-that-you-john-wayne-is-this-me/486551/2 "2009-02-19T15:39:48Z")

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I’d be surprised if it is. I think Joker was just making fun of the Drill Sergeant’s over the top macho manner. He says “Is that you, John Wayne?” In a John Wayne voice, realizes the contradiction and covers with “Is this me?” also in a John Wayne voice.

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**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-is-that-you-john-wayne-is-this-me/486551/3 "2009-02-20T06:21:55Z")

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I haven’t seen FMJ, but when I was in Army basic, “John Wayne” was the derogatory term drill sergeants used of anyone, including the female trainees, who didn’t have the chinstrap of their helmet fastened. Because that’s how John Wayne always wore his helmet in the movies. It could have also been referring to some other thing John Wayne did that was actually a bad example for the trainees.

\*\*\* Ponder

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**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-is-that-you-john-wayne-is-this-me/486551/4 "2009-02-20T06:29:23Z")

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IIRC, the novel, **The Short Timers** , explains it better, but it was nothing more than PVT Joker trying to fuck with the Drill Instructor. He thought he would be safe with the DI being so far away.

SSG Schwartz

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**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-is-that-you-john-wayne-is-this-me/486551/5 "2009-02-20T06:40:02Z")

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CS?

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**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-is-that-you-john-wayne-is-this-me/486551/6 "2009-02-20T06:50:09Z")

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To me the more mysterious line is “Captain January will need all his people.” Everytime I saw the movie I thought, “Who the hell is CPT January?” The LT says the line like the audience is supposed to know. When I looked into it I found that Captain January was an important character who ended up on the cutting room floor.