Geronimo (exclamation)
Encyclopedia
Geronimo! is an exclamation occasionally used by jumping skydiver
s or, more generally, anyone about to jump from a great height. The cry originated in the United States
.
test platoon at Fort Benning
, Georgia. The parachute had only recently been adopted for troop drops and this platoon was the first to test it. On the eve of an unprecedented "mass jump" of American paratroopers, the platoon decided to calm their nerves by spending the day before taking in a film at the Main Post Theatre and a night at the local beer garden
. The film they saw was a Western
featuring the Native American
chief
Geronimo
. Its title is uncertain, but it was probably the 1939 film Geronimo with Andy Devine
and Lone Ranger star Chief Thundercloud
in the title role.
On the way back to barracks, Eberhardt said he expected the jump would be no different from usual. The others taunted him saying that he would be too scared to remember his name. Eberhardt retorted, "All right, dammit! I tell you jokers what I'm gonna do! To prove to you that I'm not scared out of my wits when I jump, I'm gonna yell Geronimo loud as hell when I go out that door tomorrow!" Eberhardt kept his promise and the cry was gradually adopted by the other members of his platoon.
was due to go on the first jump. At the time there was a popular radio song called 'Geronimo' on the radio and it quickly became a favourite amongst the troops. The cry became known to the C.O. who insisted instead they would jump out and cry 'Curahee', the name of the mountain at the first camp of the Parachute training camp which they had run up and down (known to the troops as 3 miles up, 3 miles down) frequently at training.
By then, the coverage of the paratroopers' exploits during the war had made the cry "Geronimo" known to the wider public, and its use spread outside the military and air force.
Skydiver
A skydiver is a person who engages in the sport of parachuting. It may also refer to:* SkyDiver a futuristic submarine featured in the TV series UFO* "Skydiver" a carnival ride produced by Chance Morgan...
s or, more generally, anyone about to jump from a great height. The cry originated in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Background
This exclamation is believed to date from August 1940, and is attributed to Private Aubrey Eberhardt, member of the US Army's parachuteParachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
test platoon at Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
, Georgia. The parachute had only recently been adopted for troop drops and this platoon was the first to test it. On the eve of an unprecedented "mass jump" of American paratroopers, the platoon decided to calm their nerves by spending the day before taking in a film at the Main Post Theatre and a night at the local beer garden
Beer garden
Beer garden is an open-air area where beer, other drinks and local food are served. The concept originates from and is most common in Southern Germany...
. The film they saw was a Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
featuring the Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
chief
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
Geronimo
Geronimo
Geronimo was a prominent Native American leader of the Chiricahua Apache who fought against Mexico and the United States for their expansion into Apache tribal lands for several decades during the Apache Wars. Allegedly, "Geronimo" was the name given to him during a Mexican incident...
. Its title is uncertain, but it was probably the 1939 film Geronimo with Andy Devine
Andy Devine
Andrew Vabre "Andy" Devine was an American character actor and comic cowboy sidekick known for his distinctive raspy voice.-Early life:...
and Lone Ranger star Chief Thundercloud
Chief Thundercloud
Chief Thundercloud, was an American character actor in westerns.Information about Thundercloud is vague...
in the title role.
On the way back to barracks, Eberhardt said he expected the jump would be no different from usual. The others taunted him saying that he would be too scared to remember his name. Eberhardt retorted, "All right, dammit! I tell you jokers what I'm gonna do! To prove to you that I'm not scared out of my wits when I jump, I'm gonna yell Geronimo loud as hell when I go out that door tomorrow!" Eberhardt kept his promise and the cry was gradually adopted by the other members of his platoon.
Another Origin
In his book, Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Richard Winters, Winters offers a different explanation: The 501st parachute platoon at Fort BenningFort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
was due to go on the first jump. At the time there was a popular radio song called 'Geronimo' on the radio and it quickly became a favourite amongst the troops. The cry became known to the C.O. who insisted instead they would jump out and cry 'Curahee', the name of the mountain at the first camp of the Parachute training camp which they had run up and down (known to the troops as 3 miles up, 3 miles down) frequently at training.
Response
Initially, the top brass were wary of the cry, claiming that it constituted a lack of discipline. Others said that it showed bravery and should be encouraged. Eventually the latter view won out, and when the Army's parachute infantry grew, the cry grew with it. In 1941, the Army's first parachute battalion, the 501st Parachute Infantry Battalion (PIB) (now called the 501st Infantry Regiment), incorporated the name "Geronimo" into its insignia. The cry was also incorporated into the song Down From Heaven by Lieutenant Colonel Byron Paige.By then, the coverage of the paratroopers' exploits during the war had made the cry "Geronimo" known to the wider public, and its use spread outside the military and air force.