The American military has a long tradition of giving colorful nicknames to its various companies, divisions, and specialty groups. To go along with these nicknames are specially commissioned patches to be worn proudly on uniforms or jackets. Take a look at the assortment above. The graphics reached their height of bizarreness during the Vietnam war years, when they marked the wearer as belonging to an elite boy’s club of skulls with their eyes popping out, hissing vipers, drooling wolves, and angry woodpeckers … childlike, yet offputting.
The nicknames may stick with a division for a while, or change from conflict to conflict. To make a nickname “official” requires a special document from the Center of Military History.
In some future conflict, perhaps there will be monikers like these.
Military Division Nicknames
| Hell’s Diving Birds
The Shoeless Cougars Brownheads Doctor Oppers The Carpet Spillers Earth Rhinos The Rolling Wolfpack The Flying Dobermans Turret Goons Bridge Shakers Nose Squad The Grunting Muppets Road Ruffians Gobi Zombies Smoky Birds The Jammin’ 43rd Ultra Beamers The Onboard 88th Hoppin’ Copperheads Soil Mappers |
Gray Hairs
Dirty Zoo Diablos 43rd Globe Anglers Musket Avengers Groundsquids Tanker Breakers 79th Snow Squad Golden Guns Haulin’ Dogs Black Eyes Fighting Apes Silver Buttons 26th Hill Division Horse Eyes Rivermen Aqua Falcons Whiskey Legs Harbor Bulls Cannon Cobras Mountain Shakers |
