In an earlier episode, we speculated about the origin of the phrase go commando, which means to go without underwear. We suggested that it was somehow associated with being “tough as a commando,” gritting one’s teeth through the attendant chafing. But a listener who served as an infantryman in Vietnam has a different take. After a comrade suggested he “go commando,” he discovered that opting out of his army-issued boxer shorts actually made him more comfortable in the tropical heat. We love these firsthand reports about language, so keep ’em coming. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Vietnam Vet’s Take on “Going Commando””
A couple of people called and wrote in to respond to our discussion of go commando, which means to forego wearing underwear under one’s clothing.
You remember that one, Martha?
Oh, certainly do.
I said that it likely came from having to be tough, like a military commando, because you have to be tough to endure the kind of chafing that you would get if you aren’t wearing underpants, you know, and presumably are wearing jeans or some other kinds of pants.
Right. Real men don’t wear underpants.
Something like that.
Yeah, that was our argument.
Right.
But a couple of people, actually more than a few people, wrote to say otherwise.
And a typical response was the one we got from Bob Potter of Allentown, Wisconsin.
And he wrote, I first heard the term when I was in the infantry in Vietnam in 1969.
The Army issued boxer shorts.
In the heat and humidity, plus the rain in the rice paddies, we were constantly wet.
So he goes on to say the boxer shorts tended to soak up moisture to keep the moisture.
And then it would be like wearing a wet diaper.
And he says soon after he got in country, he was beginning to chafe badly.
And a buddy suggested that he go commando.
So for the rest of his tour, he didn’t wear undershorts at all.
He went commando.
And he says it was a great relief.
It was actually more awkward and uncomfortable and more chafing to wear the wet boxer shorts than it was to go without.
How interesting.
I still have questions about this because I wanted to know, don’t your outer pants hold moisture?
Don’t they chafe as well?
I guess the difference is that the outer pants are thicker fabric and they’re not going to bunch up.
And they’re going to stay away from sensitive regions, so to speak, right?
Yeah, yeah.
There are those seams, but we won’t go into that.
Well, we love these reports about language used in the wild.
Tell us your experiences.
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