# Who/what was Gary Owen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 10, 2003, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-what-was-gary-owen/194164 "2003-08-10T06:27:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-what-was-gary-owen/194164/1 "2003-08-10T06:27:54Z")
In We Were Soldiers Once, and Young, the author makes references to Gary Owen. All I know is that it had something to do with the calvary. If anyone knows what I’m talking about, please help. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-what-was-gary-owen/194164/2 "2003-08-10T06:35:52Z")
[Favourite ballad song of Custer’s 7th cavalry,](http://sniff.numachi.com/~rickheit/dtrad/pages/tiGARYOWE2.html) an [Irish quick-step tune.](http://www.metronet.com/~harryb/1st_team/1stndx16.html) ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-what-was-gary-owen/194164/3 "2003-08-10T06:37:37Z")
Google is your friend [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q="Gary+Owen"+cavalry&btnG=Google+Search](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22Gary+Owen%22+cavalry&btnG=Google+Search) ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-what-was-gary-owen/194164/4 "2003-08-10T06:37:59Z")
It’s a British marching song supposedle adopted by the 7th Cavalry. > [@](#): > > Garry Owen", Gaelic for Owen’s Garden, is an inn and pub near Limerick, Ireland, which was the favorite haunt of troopers from the Fifth Royal Irish Lancers. The rollicking drinking song “Garry Owen” was brought to the United States by ex-members of the Fifth Lancers who immigrated and later served in great numbers with the, then new, 7th Cavalry. The song caught on in the regiment and was a particular favorite of Custer’s. Reportedly “Garry Owen” was the signal for the charge of the 7th Cavalry in its “victory” over the Cheyenne in the Battle of the Wasshita in 1868. Regardless of some of the questionable practices of the 7th Cavalry Regiment, during the Indian Wars, the name and the song Garry Owen instills pride in members of the 7th Cavalry. Camp Garry Owen in Korea is most certainly the only installation on the roles of the United States Army that derives its name from an Irish Pub. from [Camp Garry Owen](http://www-area1.korea.army.mil/Installations/cpgarryowen.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-what-was-gary-owen/194164/5 "2003-08-10T12:54:46Z")
The other Gary Owen was the announcer on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In. He always had one hand cupped over his ear and made for the most sonorous voice he could. Your basic Don Pardo ripoff artist. I’ve seen him since Laugh In, but forget where. Garry Owen is the song. ---
**Author:** ![RedDevil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ec8ea/32.png) [@RedDevil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedDevil)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-what-was-gary-owen/194164/6 "2003-08-10T13:20:24Z")
He’s my husband, how could you not know that? Heh. Since I met my husband, if I ever hear someone talking about rugby and say “up-and-under” I will always squeal and say “no! Garryowen!”. It doesn’t happen very often, but it always gives me a sense of satisfaction. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-what-was-gary-owen/194164/7 "2003-08-10T13:32:16Z")
Mea Culpa! The gentleman I was thinking of isn’t Gary Owen. He’s [Gary Owens](http://us.imdb.com/Bio?Owens,%20Gary%20(I)). Should have checked first. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-what-was-gary-owen/194164/8 "2003-08-10T18:16:18Z")
The “other” Gary Owen used to reference himself thusly: “and me? I’m Gary Owen, as Morgel the Friendly Drelve.”