Origin Of "Zipperhead"
Alex Cabarga
Does anyone know anything about the origin of the expression
"zipperhead," a pejorative expression for Vietnamese used by
American soldiers? What exactly does it mean? Why "zipper?"
Is this an allusion to the way their heads came apart when
blasted with an M-16 or something?
Alex "Slip a clip to a zip" Cabarga
Joan Tine
Alex Cabarga (acab...@chunkstyle.com) wrote:
: Does anyone know anything about the origin of the expression
: "zipperhead," a pejorative expression for Vietnamese used by
: American soldiers? What exactly does it mean? Why "zipper?"
: Is this an allusion to the way their heads came apart when
: blasted with an M-16 or something?
When I was at Defense Language Institute Monterey in 1975 (a hotbed of
inter-service mingling) a Zoomie Sgt explained patiently to me that
"zips" unzipped their heads at dawn of every day and removed their
brains before proceeding with the day's business. I remarked (as a
Doggie == Ommy type) that if they would _land_ their planes and
actualy _meet_ the people they were flying over, they might disabuse
themselves of some of these unrealistic prejudices (and acquire some
realistic ones, but I didn't say that:).
Hugs,
Joan
R. Martin Caskey
On 16 Feb 1997, Alex Cabarga wrote:
> Does anyone know anything about the origin of the expression
> "zipperhead," a pejorative expression for Vietnamese used by
> American soldiers?
I've heard the term, but I never heard it in reference to Vietnamese.
I've also heard the term "dipstick", which is a pejorative, but
extremely accurate, term for trollers.
Martin Caskey
Towson, Maryland
Harriman Ryan
I always thought you called tankers zipperheads because of the
stitch scars on their head from bashing around the tank.
Ryan
:
:
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Stephen Swartz
In the Air Force, I've heard the term "Zipperhead" used to refer to any
troop who parted his hair in the middle- thus giving the appearance of
having a zipper in his head from front to back.
Generally speaking, of course, this was synonomous with "dopehead,"
as everyone knew that troops who parted their hair in the middle were
also marijuana smokers.
This, of course, is late '70s era folklore from a Northern CA base . . .
YMMV!
Michael Allan Hovi
R. Martin Caskey wrote:
>
> On 16 Feb 1997, Alex Cabarga wrote:
>
> > Does anyone know anything about the origin of the expression
> > "zipperhead," a pejorative expression for Vietnamese used by
> > American soldiers?
>
> I've heard the term, but I never heard it in reference to Vietnamese.
>
> I've also heard the term "dipstick", which is a pejorative, but
> extremely accurate, term for trollers.
>
> Martin Caskey
> Towson, Maryland
I too have heard the term, but only in reference to Armoured Crewmen.
It was explained to me several times that it was in reference to the
common problem of 'hatch-rash' among tankers, the hatch bouncing from
open to closed and smashing the crewman on the head, resulting in a
deep gash and multiple stiches. And a zipper-like scar on the head.
As a former Armoured soldier, I know the term is very common in the
Canadian Army. Never heard it reference Vietnamese, though.
Mike Hovi
Oromocto, New Brunswick
Kelly Clelland
"R. Martin Caskey" <rmca...@mail.bcpl.lib.md.us> wrote:
>On 16 Feb 1997, Alex Cabarga wrote:
>> Does anyone know anything about the origin of the expression
>> "zipperhead," a pejorative expression for Vietnamese used by
>> American soldiers?
>I've heard the term, but I never heard it in reference to Vietnamese.
>I've also heard the term "dipstick", which is a pejorative, but
>extremely accurate, term for trollers.
I know in the Canadain Armed Forces "zipperhead" refers to those in
Armour Corps. I've heard that it refers to the tracks left by tanks
which resemble zippers.
Kelly Clelland
Kelly Clelland
Wade A. McEachern
Alex Cabarga wrote:
>
> Does anyone know anything about the origin of the expression
> "zipperhead," a pejorative expression for Vietnamese used by
> Is this an allusion to the way their heads came apart when
> blasted with an M-16 or something?
>
I belive the term derived from the shape of the persons eyes.
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