"Hoo-raw" is a Marines thing. Although this page pronounces it "Oo-rah!" and contrasts it with the "Hooah!" of the infantry (Army).
There are several purported origins, including these two:
On theory is that the word originated with the Second Dragoons in Florida as "hough" in 1841. In an attempt to end the war with the Seminoles, a meeting was arranged with the Indian Chief Coacoochee. After the meeting, there was a banquet.
Garrison officers made a variety of toasts, including "Here's to luck" and "The old grudge" before drinking. Coacoochee asked Gopher John, an interpreter, the meaning of the officers' toasts. Gopher John responded, "It means, ÔHow d'ye do.'"
The chief then lifted his cup above his head and exclaimed in a deep, guttural voice, "hough."
Another theory is that during the Vietnam War many American soldiers used Vietnamese and Vietnamese-French expressions interchangeably with English.
One widely used term was the Vietnamese word for "yes," which is pronounced "u-ah." When assigned a task or asked a question, soldiers would often answer with "u-ah." This term -- used for many years after the war by many soldiers, is easily changed to "hooah." |
