Anchors Aweigh!

[Carborendum]

Some of you will think I'm an idiot for not knowing this sooner.  But...

I was just reading a book about a famous sailor / captain with my daughter and came across an interesting discovery.  The phrase is not "Anchors away!"  (which I never really understood).  It is "Anchors aweigh!"  Very different meaning.

Thought I'd share.

[mikbone]

learn something new every day.

I incorrectly assumed it meant drop anchors, its time for shore leave.  Don’t try to contact me, I’ll be busy taking care of business 😉

 

Edited July 12, 2021 by mikbone

[NeuroTypical]

Huh.  I assumed it was shorthand for "put the anchors away - we're outta here".  But aweigh apparently means the anchors are still in the water, just barely clear of the sea bed.

[pam]

Anchors aweigh is when they are getting ready to set sail.  The pulling up of the anchor and the weight.  It's why we always played it when the ship was leaving for its 6 month deployment.  Oh the memories.  I went through so many military deployments.

[Carborendum]

27 minutes ago, NeuroTypical said:

Huh.  I assumed it was shorthand for "put the anchors away - we're outta here".  But aweigh apparently means the anchors are still in the water, just barely clear of the sea bed.

To "weigh" something is to put the load of an item (the anchor) onto something to support it (the chain).  So the chain feels the "weight" of the anchor.

When we say "weigh anchor" means we're lifting the anchor up.  We're ready to go.  The prefix "a" before "weigh" is short for "at" -- meaning the condition of being. 

e.g. "Adrift" means that at the moment, we're drifting.

 

So "anchors aweigh" means the anchors are either the condition of being lifted, or is a command to put them into that condition.

[Carborendum]

10 minutes ago, pam said:

Anchors aweigh is when they are getting ready to set sail.  The pulling up of the anchor and the weight.  It's why we always played it when the ship was leaving for its 6 month deployment.  Oh the memories.  I went through so many military deployments.

I thought you might like that.

[pam]

Stand Navy out to sea, fight our battle cry!
We'll never change our course so vicious foes steer shy-y-y-y!
Roll out the TNT, anchors aweigh!
Sail on to victory, and sink their bones to Davy Jones, hooray!

Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh!
Farewell to foreign Shores, we sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay;
Through our last night ashore, drink to the foam,
Until we meet once more, here's wishing you a happy voyage home!

Blue of the mighty deep, Gold of God's great sun;
Let these our colors be, Till All of time be done-n-n-ne;
On seven seas we learn, Navy's stern call:
Faith, courage, service true, With honor over, honor over all.

 

This latest and current version used was by MCPON John Hagen.    (MCPON= Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy in case you didn't know.)   

 

[LDSGator]

1 hour ago, pam said:

went through so many military deployments.

@pam-did you serve in the Navy or did a family member? 

[Vort]

4 hours ago, Carborendum said:

Some of you will think I'm an idiot for not knowing this sooner.

Not at all. There is joy in discovering the underlying meanings of words and thoughts. Any curious and intelligent person will experience this throughout his or her lifetime. We can't possibly pick up on every linguistic nuance while we grow up. It's often in seeing a familiar (if uncommon) phrase or word written out that we gain such an insight.

[pam]

8 minutes ago, LDSGator said:

@pam-did you serve in the Navy or did a family member? 

My dad and my ex-husband are both retired Navy.  I worked for the Navy (as a civilian) for 18 years.  I worked in a Navy facility as the only civilian where they repaired helicopter and jet engines.  I was the supply logistics manager.  I ordered and received and kept inventory of parts needed to repair the engines.

Plus I was Ombudsman for 3 Navy ships and on an Admiral's staff for family liaisons.  

[Vort]

1 minute ago, pam said:

My dad and my ex-husband are both retired Navy.  I worked for the Navy (as a civilian) for 18 years.  I worked in a Navy facility as the only civilian where they repaired helicopter and jet engines.  I was the supply logistics manager.  I ordered and received and kept inventory of parts needed to repair the engines.

Plus I was Ombudsman for 3 Navy ships and on an Admiral's staff for family liaisons.  

We need a "wow" reaction.

[pam]

Might I also add to the above.  I was also a member of an inspection team for the storerooms on aircraft carriers.  I did fly out to the USS Kitty Hawk while they were out sea to perform a surprise inspection.  So I did the arrested landing and the catapult launch on and off of the ship.  

[LDSGator]

9 minutes ago, pam said:

My dad and my ex-husband are both retired Navy.  I worked for the Navy (as a civilian) for 18 years.  I worked in a Navy facility as the only civilian where they repaired helicopter and jet engines.  I was the supply logistics manager.  I ordered and received and kept inventory of parts needed to repair the engines.

Plus I was Ombudsman for 3 Navy ships and on an Admiral's staff for family liaisons.  

That’s amazing. Thank you for your service. 

[mordorbund]

1 hour ago, pam said:

My dad and my ex-husband are both retired Navy.  I worked for the Navy (as a civilian) for 18 years.  I worked in a Navy facility as the only civilian where they repaired helicopter and jet engines.  I was the supply logistics manager.  I ordered and received and kept inventory of parts needed to repair the engines.

Plus I was Ombudsman for 3 Navy ships and on an Admiral's staff for family liaisons.  

All well and good @pam, but gramps reminds us

Quote

If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven’s scenes;
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.

 

[Vort]

Just now, mordorbund said:

All well and good @pam, but gramps reminds us

That was a classic response. I'd like to shake the hand of whoever wrote that. Whoever it was. Some random Ask Gramps guy.

[pam]

4 minutes ago, mordorbund said:

All well and good @pam, but gramps reminds us

 

Where is the angry response emoticon?

[pam]

The Marines always conveniently forget that they are a branch of the Navy.  

[LDSGator]

Just now, pam said:

The Marines always conveniently forget that they are a branch of the Navy.  

They are? Not a challenge, honest question. I know very little about the armed forces, it’s not a culture I grew up in. 

[pam]

Just now, LDSGator said:

They are? Not a challenge, honest question. I know very little about the armed forces, it’s not a culture I grew up in. 

Yes they are.

[pam]

The Marine Corps is the only branch that is independent but serves as part of another branch. Originally, the branch was founded as the Continental Marines in 1775, as a separate entity from the Navy. Then, in 1834, President Andrew Jackson expressed that he wanted the Marines to be part of the Army. However, the then-Marine Corps commandant, Archibald Henderson, had proven the branch’s effectiveness on sea, in addition to land, persuading Congress to put the Marines in the Department of the Navy. The Navy and Marine Corps have been considered “sister services” ever since.

[LDSGator]

Just now, pam said:

Yes they are.

What separates them? Why aren’t they (Marines) separate from Navy? Are they like Seals or something? 
 

Again, I freely admit my question is ignorant. @Grunt explained the differences to me between “officer” and “enlisted” once on here and I think I got it, but I know almost nothing about even the basics. 

[LDSGator]

2 minutes ago, pam said:

The Marine Corps is the only branch that is independent but serves as part of another branch. Originally, the branch was founded as the Continental Marines in 1775, as a separate entity from the Navy. Then, in 1834, President Andrew Jackson expressed that he wanted the Marines to be part of the Army. However, the then-Marine Corps commandant, Archibald Henderson, had proven the branch’s effectiveness on sea, in addition to land, persuading Congress to put the Marines in the Department of the Navy. The Navy and Marine Corps have been considered “sister services” ever since.

Ahh. Ok. 

[pam]

It's Navy Seals.  Not Marine Seals.  Well I guess marine seals would be the mammal type you see in the ocean.     

[pam]

3 minutes ago, LDSGator said:

What separates them? Why aren’t they (Marines) separate from Navy? Are they like Seals or something? 
 

Again, I freely admit my question is ignorant. @Grunt explained the differences to me between “officer” and “enlisted” once on here and I think I got it, but I know almost nothing about even the basics. 

https://www.uso.org/stories/2910-what-separates-the-marines-from-the-other-branches   This explains more about Marines.  It's where I got my quote from.  

[Vort]

1 minute ago, pam said:

It's Navy Seals.  Not Marine Seals.  Well I guess marine seals would be the mammal type you see in the ocean.     

I believe the technical term for a highly trained, dangerous Marine is "grunt".