Fly Boy ?????

Is it just me, or am I the only one offended by the title "Fly Boy"? Anybody
ever hear of an 18 or 19 year old infantryman called an Infantry Boy, or
Infantry Kid? Or a 17 year old Marine Child?

Fly Boy indeed. They were men grown old before their time making life and death
decisions, and not always the right ones. To call them "Boys" trivializes what
they went through.

Call me sensitive, but I'm really offended by that title.

George Z.

Subject: Fly Boy ?????
From: "George Z. Bush" am
Date: 10/23/03 6:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:

Is it just me, or am I the only one offended by the title "Fly Boy"? Anybody
ever hear of an 18 or 19 year old infantryman called an Infantry Boy, or
Infantry Kid? Or a 17 year old Marine Child?

Fly Boy indeed. They were men grown old before their time making life and
death
decisions, and not always the right ones. To call them "Boys" trivializes
what
they went through.

Call me sensitive, but I'm really offended by that title.

George Z.




It was part of the English language. We were all called Fly Boys since the
earliest days of WW II. Your objejctions come 65 years too late.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

ArtKramr wrote:


It was part of the English language. We were all called Fly Boys since the
earliest days of WW II. Your objejctions come 65 years too late.

Arthur Kramer


The only dictionary I can find it in is the the OED, which lists it as
U.S. Slang applied specifically to Pilots.

My 1958 unabridged Websters doesn't even list it.

I have heard it used as a derogatory term in both military and civilian
aviation circles during the 50s through to the 90s. Although I do seem
to recall it being used in some popular songs, literaure and newsmedia
in the 40s.


Dave