HUMOR OUT OF THE WAR
- There is nothing funny about war; but even in the worst of times,
humor is necessary to human existence. Without humor, the stress,
strain and tragedy of war would be unendurable. Out of the great
cauldron of World War II humor emerged, because such a relief was
necessary.
The term "Snafu" was the result of GI humor.
Snafu has entered the language and means "a real mess". It came
from the first letters for the words "situation normal all fouled up",
or perhaps something a little stronger.
The following is a humorous incident that came out of World War II. A Cherokee countian relates this tale.
Bert
Ritzel Gustafson served in the South Pacific with the 5th Amphibious
Track Batallion. He participated in the campaigns against the
Japanese in the invasions of the Mariana Islands, Saipan, Guam, and Iwo
Jima.
During the invasion of Iwo Jima, the following occurred as related in his own words.
"On
Iwo Jima I drove my tank over the Infantry Colonel's jeep, pressing the
front end into the ground. He jumped out, shaking his fist at me,
but my tank was bigger than his rank. He thought he had the
right-of-way; but I couldn't stop in time, so I kept right on going
over the hill. I didn't dare stop to pick up my court martial."
Source: Cherokee County Historical Society Newsletter, Vol 15, Num 2, Feb 1980, Sec VI, Pg 8
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