“Hooah” is the war cry of the United States Army, the United States Air Force, and the United States Space Force. “Oorah” is the war cry used by United States Marine Corps.
Throughout history, service members have developed a special vocabu¬lary all their own. Military slang can vary by branch or take hold military-wide. While Soldiers say “Hooah,” U.S. Marines shout, “Oorah” as a battle cry and Navy seamen say, “Hooyah!”
Oorah is a battle cry common in the United States Marine Corps since the mid-20th century. It is comparable to hooah in the US Army and hooyah in the US Navy and US Coast Guard.
Hooah /ˈhuːɑː/ is a battle cry used by members of the United States Army, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Space Force.
U.S. Army: “This We'll Defend”
As the oldest branch of the U.S. military, the U.S. Army's motto is steeped in a long history of service to this country. The phrase “This We'll Defend” was first used by the War Office of the Continental Army during the American Revolution in 1778.
Latin for “Always Faithful,” Semper Fidelis is the motto of every Marine—an eternal and collective commitment to the success of our battles, the progress of our Nation, and the steadfast loyalty to the fellow Marines we fight alongside.
Bands of warriors would often cry out in unison to frighten their enemies and fill themselves with thumos. Even today, soldiers and fighters continue to yell and shout when engaging with the enemy.
Battle cries are not necessarily articulate (e.g. "Eulaliaaaa!", "Alala"..), although they often aim to invoke patriotic or religious sentiment. Their purpose is a combination of arousing aggression and esprit de corps on one's own side and causing intimidation on the hostile side.
War Cry: Jai Hind, Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Vande Mataram.
“Hooah!” “Oorah!” and “Hooyah!” are all cries that are considered military slang. While related, they do not always have the same meaning. These terms can be used to say yes, understood, thank you, you're welcome, amen, nice to meet you, and many other things.
Hooyah is the battle cry used in the United States Navy and the United States Coast Guard to build morale and signify verbal acknowledgment. It originated with special operations communities, especially the Navy SEALs, and was subsequently adopted by other Navy divisions.
The motto "Rangers Lead the Way" has proven true for more than 60 years. Since the first group of handpicked volunteers was activated in World War II, Rangers have led the way on more than 50 military campaigns, including operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
• Ooh-rah: A battle cry among Marines, 'Ooh-rah' can be used as a greeting, a term of affirmation, or as a way of expressing enthusiasm. • Ductus Exemplo: A Latin term that means “lead by example,” Ductus Exemplo is the official motto of Officer Candidates School (OCS).
The term 'OoRah' is said to be local slang for 'farewell' or 'until then', although it is likely to be a mishearing of the more common 'ooroo'. The 1st Amphibious Reconnaissance Company, FMFPAC can be credited with the introduction of "Oo-rah!" into the Marine Corps in 1953, shortly after the Korean War.
Using the Marines' “Oorah” call is usually acceptable for both those serving in the Marine Corps as well as those outside of the branch.
Due to the nature of their service, soldiers often have to grab sleep whenever they can get it, and must fall asleep quickly even in loud, uncomfortable environments.
Drill sergeants still shout to enforce discipline, and they may force young soldiers to do push-ups—but they're not supposed to hurl personal insults. (They'd never call them “pukes,” for example.)
The UCMJ authorizes 9 types of punishment for different types of offenses: punitive discharge, confinement, hard labor without confinement, restriction, reduction in grade, fine, forfeitures, reprimands, and death.
As the war dragged on, this battle cry became most famously associated with so-called “Banzai charges”—last-ditch human wave attacks that saw Japanese troops run headlong into American lines. Japanese kamikaze pilots were also known to howl “Tenno Heika Banzai!” as they plowed their aircraft into Navy ships.
In battle, Vikings would urge each other forward by yelling "SKOLL" to one another. By doing so, they were telling each other to keep it up so they could drink from the skull (and the top of a lopped off skull looks roughly like a.. wait for it... BOWL!!) of the Vanquished that night.
Our War Cry: Prayer
Verse 18 describes how Christians are to use these tools. The verse begins with a present participle: “praying.” Praying is our war cry that attaches to the bayonet of God's Word for the very real and brutal spiritual warfare in which we must engage. As one Reformer maintained, “We fight by prayer.”
Another unofficial motto is sometimes found on the Internet: Semper Fortis, or Always Strong. Always Strong! That's an appropriate, consistent message fit for the world's greatest Navy. Our Navy, Sailors, and civilians must be Always Strong! It applies to all that we are and all that we do.