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[[File:SC180577t.jpg|thumb|right|240px|G.I.s from the [[25th Infantry Division (United States)|25th Infantry Division]] in the jungle of [[Vella Lavella]] during [[Operation Cartwheel]] (13 September 1943).]]
[[File:SC180577t.jpg|thumb|right|240px|G.I.s from the [[25th Infantry Division (United States)|25th Infantry Division]] in the jungle of [[Vella Lavella]] during [[Operation Cartwheel]] (13 September 1943).]]


'''G.I.''' are initials used to describe the [[soldier]]s of the [[United States Army]] and [[Airman|airmen]] of the [[United States Air Force]] and general items of their equipment.<ref name="Rawson">{{cite web| first=Hugh | last=Rawson | url=https://www.americanheritage.com/why-do-we-say-gi | title=Why do we say "G.I."? | publisher=American Heritage | volume=57 | issue=2 | date=April–May 2006}}</ref> The term originated in [[World War I]], when much of the government-issued equipment was stamped "G.I.", meaning that it was made from [[Galvanization|galvanized iron]]{{According to whom|date=November 2023}}{{verify source|date=November 2023}} . G.I. has been used as an [[Acronym|initialism]] of "Government Issue", "General Issue", "Ground Infantry" and "Gunnery Instructor". It was used by the [[Military logistics|logistics]] services of the [[United States Armed Forces]].<ref name="wordorig">{{cite web|last=Wilton|first=Dave|date=2 February 2009|title=G.I. – Wordorigins.org|url=https://www.wordorigins.org/big-list-entries/gi|access-date=2 January 2021|website=Word Origins|publisher=Wordorigins.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2019|title=G.I. Definition from CollinsDictionary.com|url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/gi|access-date=2 January 2021|work=Collins Dictionary|publisher=HarperCollins Publishers Ltd and Penguin Random House LLC}}</ref>
'''G.I.''' are initials used to describe the [[soldier]]s of the [[United States Army]] and [[Airman|airmen]] of the [[United States Air Force]] and general items of their equipment.<ref name="Rawson">{{cite web| first=Hugh | last=Rawson | url=https://www.americanheritage.com/why-do-we-say-gi | title=Why do we say "G.I."? | publisher=American Heritage | volume=57 | issue=2 | date=April–May 2006}}</ref> The term originated in [[World War I]], when much of the government-issued equipment was stamped "G.I.", meaning that it was made from [[Galvanization|galvanized iron]].<ref name="wordorig" /><ref name="collins" /> G.I. has been used as an [[Acronym|initialism]] of "Government Issue", "General Issue", "Ground Infantry" and "Gunnery Instructor". It was used by the [[Military logistics|logistics]] services of the [[United States Armed Forces]].<ref name="wordorig">{{cite web|last=Wilton|first=Dave|date=2 February 2009|title=G.I. – Wordorigins.org|url=https://www.wordorigins.org/big-list-entries/gi|access-date=2 January 2021|website=Word Origins|publisher=Wordorigins.org}}</ref><ref name="collins">{{cite web|date=2019|title=G.I. Definition from CollinsDictionary.com|url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/gi|access-date=2 January 2021|work=Collins Dictionary|publisher=HarperCollins Publishers Ltd and Penguin Random House LLC}}</ref>


During World War I, American soldiers sardonically referred to incoming German [[Shell (projectile)|artillery shell]]s as "G.I. cans". Also during that war, "G.I." started being interpreted as "Government Issue" or "General Issue" for the general items of equipment of soldiers and airmen. The term "G.I." came into widespread use in the United States with the start of the [[Selective Service System]] ("the draft") in 1940, extending into 1941. It gradually replaced the term "[[Doughboy]]" that was used in World War I and the use of "G.I." expanded from 1942 through 1945. American [[Five-star general|five-star General]] [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] said in 1945 that "the truly heroic figure of this war [is] G.I. Joe and his counterpart in the air, the navy, and the Merchant Marine of every one of the [[Allies of World War II|United Nations]]".<ref name="newsreel">{{cite video | url=https://archive.org/details/1945-05-10_Funeral_Pyres_of_Nazidom | title=Funeral Pyres of Nazidom | publisher=Universal Newsreel | date=10 May 1945 | people=Eisenhower, Dwight D.}}</ref>
During World War I, American soldiers sardonically referred to incoming German [[Shell (projectile)|artillery shell]]s as "G.I. cans". Also during that war, "G.I." started being interpreted as "Government Issue" or "General Issue" for the general items of equipment of soldiers and airmen. The term "G.I." came into widespread use in the United States with the start of the [[Selective Service System]] ("the draft") in 1940, extending into 1941. It gradually replaced the term "[[Doughboy]]" that was used in World War I and the use of "G.I." expanded from 1942 through 1945. American [[Five-star general|five-star General]] [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] said in 1945 that "the truly heroic figure of this war [is] G.I. Joe and his counterpart in the air, the navy, and the Merchant Marine of every one of the [[Allies of World War II|United Nations]]".<ref name="newsreel">{{cite video | url=https://archive.org/details/1945-05-10_Funeral_Pyres_of_Nazidom | title=Funeral Pyres of Nazidom | publisher=Universal Newsreel | date=10 May 1945 | people=Eisenhower, Dwight D.}}</ref>

Revision as of 23:14, 10 November 2023

This article is about the term for US military soldiers. For other uses, see GI.

G.I.s from the 25th Infantry Division in the jungle of Vella Lavella during Operation Cartwheel (13 September 1943).

G.I. are initials used to describe the soldiers of the United States Army and airmen of the United States Air Force and general items of their equipment.[1] The term originated in World War I, when much of the government-issued equipment was stamped "G.I.", meaning that it was made from galvanized iron.[2][3] G.I. has been used as an initialism of "Government Issue", "General Issue", "Ground Infantry" and "Gunnery Instructor". It was used by the logistics services of the United States Armed Forces.[2][3]

During World War I, American soldiers sardonically referred to incoming German artillery shells as "G.I. cans". Also during that war, "G.I." started being interpreted as "Government Issue" or "General Issue" for the general items of equipment of soldiers and airmen. The term "G.I." came into widespread use in the United States with the start of the Selective Service System ("the draft") in 1940, extending into 1941. It gradually replaced the term "Doughboy" that was used in World War I and the use of "G.I." expanded from 1942 through 1945. American five-star General Dwight D. Eisenhower said in 1945 that "the truly heroic figure of this war [is] G.I. Joe and his counterpart in the air, the navy, and the Merchant Marine of every one of the United Nations".[4]

"G.I." was also used as an adjective for anything having to do with the U.S. Army or Army Air Forces.[2]

They Call Me Joe was a series of radio dramas aired in 1944. Each episode focused on a different fictional American soldier. A soldier of a different national or ethnic origin was selected for each episode, but he was always identified as a G.I. named Joe. The series was intended to encourage Americans of varying backgrounds to cooperate to win World War II. It was produced by the NBC University of the Air, which also produced a series The World's Great Novels.[5] The series ran for twelve weeks[6] and aired both on the NBC Radio Network and the Armed Forces Radio Network.

"G.I. Joe", an action figure, was introduced by Hasbro in 1964. Its name comes from the term used to describe soldiers during the war.

In British military parlance and in armed forces modelled on British military traditions, G.I. refers to a Gunnery Instructor (generally an NCO responsible for inducting and training recruits).

See also

References

  1. ^ Rawson, Hugh (April–May 2006). "Why do we say "G.I."?". American Heritage.
  2. ^ a b c Wilton, Dave (2 February 2009). "G.I. – Wordorigins.org". Word Origins. Wordorigins.org. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b "G.I. Definition from CollinsDictionary.com". Collins Dictionary. HarperCollins Publishers Ltd and Penguin Random House LLC. 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  4. ^ Eisenhower, Dwight D. (10 May 1945). Funeral Pyres of Nazidom. Universal Newsreel.
  5. ^ Rivas-Rodriguez, Maggie (11 November 2016). "A Soldier's Story: World War II and the Forgotten Battle for the Aleutian Islands". KUT (radio station). Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  6. ^ "For Radio Listeners". Evening Star. Washington, D.C. 16 July 1944. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  • The dictionary definition of GI at Wiktionary
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