The Dive Bomber (10 page)

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America in the 1930s and 40s

 

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Glossary

S
TORIES FROM THE GOLDEN AGE
reflect the words and expressions used in the 1930s and 1940s, adding unique flavor and authenticity to the tales. While a character's speech may often reflect regional origins, it also can convey attitudes common in the day. So that readers can better grasp such cultural and historical terms, uncommon words or expressions of the era, the following glossary has been provided.

altimeter:
a gauge that measures altitude.
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alum:
a colorless crystalline compound used as an astringent, which shrinks body tissue it is applied to. Used figuratively.
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Anacostia River:
a river in the District of Columbia about twenty-four miles (thirty-nine km) long. The name derives from the Anacostan Indians who settled on the banks of the river.
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ASI:
airspeed indicator.
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astern, two-thirds speed:
to go backward at two-thirds the standard ship speed, which is approximately ten knots or eleven and a half miles (eighteen and a half km) per hour. Used figuratively.
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bataillon pénal:
(French) penal battalion; military unit consisting of convicted persons for whom military service was either assigned punishment or a voluntary replacement of imprisonment. Penal battalion service was very dangerous: the official view was that they were highly expendable and were to be used to reduce losses in regular units. Convicts were released from their term of service early if they suffered a combat injury (the crime was considered to be “washed out with blood”) or performed a heroic deed.
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Battery, the:
a landmark promenade that stretches along the shores of the Charleston, South Carolina peninsula. It was used as a place for artillery during the Civil War.
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Berbers:
members of a people living in North Africa, primarily Muslim, living in settled or nomadic tribes between the Sahara and Mediterranean Sea and between Egypt and the Atlantic Ocean.
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Bolling:
Bolling Field; located in southwest Washington, DC and officially opened in 1918, it was named in honor of the first high-ranking air service officer killed in World War I. Bolling served as a research and testing ground for new aviation equipment and its first mission provided aerial defense of the capital.
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bosun:
a ship's officer in charge of supervision and maintenance of the ship and its equipment.
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canister:
a metallic cylinder packed with shot that scatters upon discharge from a cannon, formerly used as an anti-personnel round. Used figuratively.
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chronometer:
an instrument for measuring time accurately in spite of motion or varying conditions.
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cotillion:
a brisk, lively dance characterized by many intricate steps and the continual changing of partners. Used figuratively.
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cowl
or
cowling:
the removable metal housing of an aircraft engine, often designed as part of the airplane's body, containing the cockpit, passenger seating and cargo but excluding the wings.
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crate:
an airplane.
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crow's-nest:
a platform or shelter for a lookout at or near the top of a mast.
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Cyclone:
type of engine used extensively in large air transports and military aircraft.
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davits:
any of various cranelike devices, used singly or in pairs, for supporting, raising and lowering boats, anchors and cargo over a hatchway or side of a ship.
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Department of Commerce:
the department of the US federal government that promotes and administers domestic and foreign commerce. In 1926, Congress passed an Air Commerce Act that gave the US Department of Commerce some regulation over air facilities, the authority to establish air traffic rules and the authority to issue licenses and certificates.
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dry behind the ears, hardly:
“not dry behind the ears,” a contemptuous expression, applied to a young person; inexperienced.
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Duralumin:
a strong low-density aluminum alloy used especially in aircraft.
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Eastern Air
or
EAT:
Eastern Air Transport; former US airline that served primarily the eastern US. It was a composite of several air travel corporations established in 1926. In 1930 it was named Eastern Air Transport and later became Eastern Air Lines.
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elevator fin:
a hinged horizontal surface on an airplane at the tail end of the fuselage that is used to produce motion up or down.
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fire, Gridley:
refers to Charles Vernon Gridley (1844–1898); US naval officer who started the Battle of Manila Bay in the Spanish-American War with the order from his commanding officer, “You may fire when you are ready, Gridley.” The Spanish fleet was annihilated without the loss of a single American life. This dramatic victory eventually led to the US annexation of the Philippines.
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flivver:
a small, cheap and usually old car.
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flying boat:
a seaplane whose main body is a hull adapted for floating.
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Fort Sumter:
a fort at the entrance to the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina and the location of the first military engagement of the Civil War.
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G:
gravity; a unit of acceleration equal to the acceleration of gravity at the Earth's surface.
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G-men:
government men; agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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grandstanding:
playing or acting so as to impress onlookers.
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Great White Fleet:
US Navy; popular nickname for the white-hulled US Navy battle fleet that completed a circumnavigation of the world between 1907 and 1909 by order of President Theodore Roosevelt. It consisted of four squadrons of four battleships each. Roosevelt sought to demonstrate the growing American military power and force capable of operating across the deep waters of open oceans.
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half-winger:
refers to the rear-seat crewmember in a two-seat bomber, fighter or observation aircraft. A half-winger is not a qualified pilot. Their insignia consisted of the letter “O” with a single wing attached to one side of the letter.
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halyards:
ropes used for raising and lowering sails.
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Hampton Roads:
deep-water channel and commercial waterway in southeastern Virginia on the Chesapeake Bay. It is one of the country's busiest ports and shipbuilding centers.
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hawsers:
cables or ropes used in mooring or towing ships.
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Ibn Tumart:
(1080–1130) Berber religious teacher and founder of the ruling dynasty of the twelfth century in the region that is now Morocco. He founded a monastery in the Atlas Mountains that served as an important religious center. It is also his burial site.
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jury rudder:
a rudder constructed for temporary use.
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Karaouine University Library:
university in Fez, Morocco, founded in 859 and one of the oldest universities in the world. It is associated with the city's giant mosque and is considered one of the most important centers of learning in North Africa.
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kopek:
a monetary unit of Russia equal to one-hundredth of a ruble.
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Lebels:
French rifles that were adopted as standard infantry weapons in 1887 and remained in official service until after World War II.
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M.
or
M'sieu:
(French)
Monsieur
; French title equivalent to Mister.
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Mex:
Mexican peso; in 1732 it was introduced as a trade coin with China and was so popular that China became one of its principal consumers. Mexico minted and exported pesos to China until 1949. It was issued as both coins and paper money.
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Middle Atlas:
part of the Atlas Mountain range lying in Morocco. It is the westernmost of three Atlas Mountain chains that define a large plateaued basin extending eastward into Algeria.
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M'm'selle:
(French)
Mademoiselle
; an unmarried woman or girl; the French title equivalent to Miss.
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mooring mast:
the mast or tower to which a dirigible is moored. Used figuratively.
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Mount Vernon:
an estate of northeast Virginia on the Potomac River near Washington, DC. It was the home of George Washington from 1752 until his death in 1799.
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Neutrality Laws:
laws governing a country's abstention from participating in a conflict or aiding a participant of such conflict, and the duty of participants to refrain from violating the territory, seizing the possession of, or hampering the peaceful commerce of the neutral countries.
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Norfolk:
port city located in southeastern Virginia on the Elizabeth River at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.
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off his feed:
suffering a lack of appetite; sick.
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quarterdeck:
the rear part of the upper deck of a ship, usually reserved for officers.
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queer:
to ruin or thwart.
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ring mount:
a rotating mount on an aircraft that allowed the gun to be turned to any direction with the gunner remaining directly behind it.
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roadster:
an open-top automobile with a single seat in front for two or three persons, a fabric top and either a luggage compartment or a rumble seat in back. A rumble seat is an upholstered exterior seat with a hinged lid that opens to form the back of the seat when in use.
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Rock of Gibraltar:
projection of land 1,396 feet (425.5 meters) high, off the southwestern tip of Europe on the Iberian peninsula. Despite long sieges it seemed that there was nothing that could destroy the rock or its people. This history has inspired the saying “solid as the Rock of Gibraltar” that is used to describe a person or situation that cannot be overcome and does not fail.
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Rough Rider:
used figuratively to mean a member of the first US volunteer cavalry recruited in 1898 by Theodore Roosevelt, composed of seasoned ranch hands and expert athletes. They became famous for their bold and daring attack on the Spanish in the Battle of San Juan Hill (Cuba) during the Spanish-American War. Members became national heroes and many were awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration bestowed upon a member of the armed forces for gallantry and risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.
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