Meaning/origin of Bravo Zulu

morten lund

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Jul 8, 2003, 10:11:23 AM7/8/03

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Hi all!

I've come across the phrase: Bravo Zulu a couple of times in this group, and
I'd like to know exactly what the phrase means, and if someone knows the
origin of the phrase.

My first guess would be that its connected to Adm. Zumwaldt in soe way?

cheers, Morten

--
*****
Legal notice: This .sig is required by law in the state of Denmark

Larry

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Jul 8, 2003, 12:27:12 PM7/8/03

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> I've come across the phrase: Bravo Zulu a couple of times in this group,
and
> I'd like to know exactly what the phrase means, and if someone knows the
> origin of the phrase.

Also heard as "BZ" or "good on ya", it's congratulatory and means you did a
good job. "Bravo Zulu" is just the military long form of saying those two
letters "BZ".

Don't know where it originated. Long before Zumwalt I'd say.

Larry
AECS (AW/SW/MTS)
Disabled Combat Veteran
USN Retired

20 years of Navy in my rear view mirror
and getting further away every day ;-)

"morten lund" <no...@your.business.org> wrote in message
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Ed Rasimus

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Jul 8, 2003, 12:56:24 PM7/8/03

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"morten lund" <no...@your.business.org> wrote:

>Hi all!
>
>I've come across the phrase: Bravo Zulu a couple of times in this group, and
>I'd like to know exactly what the phrase means, and if someone knows the
>origin of the phrase.
>
>My first guess would be that its connected to Adm. Zumwaldt in soe way?
>

Enter "Bravo Zulu" in Google and take the first entry in the
returns--you'll get this:

The term originates from the Allied Signals Book (ATP 1), which in the
aggregate is for official use only. Signals are sent as letters and/or
numbers, which have meanings by themselves sometimes or in certain
combinations. A single table in ATP 1 is called "governing groups,"
that is, the entire signal that follows the governing group is to be
performed according to the "governor." The letter "B" indicates this
table, and the second letter (A through Z) gives more specific
information. For example, "BA" might mean "You have permission to . .
. (do whatever the rest of the flashing light, flag hoist or radio
transmission says) "BZ" happens to be the last item in the governing
groups table. It means "well done".

Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (ret)
***"When Thunder Rolled:
*** An F-105 Pilot Over N. Vietnam"
*** from Smithsonian Books
ISBN: 1588341038

Blair Maynard

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Jul 8, 2003, 1:14:37 PM7/8/03

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On Tue, 8 Jul 2003 16:11:23 +0200, "morten lund"
<no...@your.business.org> wrote:

>Hi all!
>
>I've come across the phrase: Bravo Zulu a couple of times in this group, and
>I'd like to know exactly what the phrase means, and if someone knows the
>origin of the phrase.
>
>My first guess would be that its connected to Adm. Zumwaldt in soe way?
>
>cheers, Morten

http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/questions/bzulu.html

Cub Driver

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Jul 8, 2003, 1:23:50 PM7/8/03

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>I've come across the phrase: Bravo Zulu a couple of times in this group, and
>I'd like to know exactly what the phrase means, and if someone knows the
>origin of the phrase.

The only time it was ever directed at me, the writer was praising a
book. So I decided it must mean: "Brilliant job!"

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: www.danford.net/letters.htm#9

see the Warbird's Forum at http://www.danford.net/index.htm
Vietnam | Flying Tigers | Pacific War | Brewster Buffalo | Piper Cub

W. D. Allen Sr.

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Jul 8, 2003, 1:28:30 PM7/8/03

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ATP 1 was the Allied Tactical Publication One, not "Allied
Signals Book"! Google goofed!

WDA

end

"Ed Rasimus" <ras...@adelphia.net> wrote in message
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Dav1936531

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Jul 8, 2003, 9:45:27 PM7/8/03

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>From: "morten lund" no...@your.business.org
><3f0ad101$0$76147$edfa...@dread11.news.tele.dk>

>
>I've come across the phrase: Bravo Zulu<

Wasn't Bravo Zulu the younger brother of Shaka Zulu? Jim Brown played Shaka
Zulu in the self titled movie and Mr. T played Bravo Zulu IIRC. So there ya
have it. :)
Dave

Gordon

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Jul 8, 2003, 10:51:52 PM7/8/03

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>
>Wasn't Bravo Zulu the younger brother of Shaka Zulu? Jim Brown played Shaka
>Zulu in the self titled movie and Mr. T played Bravo Zulu IIRC. So there ya
>have it. :)

A little known fact of the Zulu wars was that the British troops at the time
suffered from horrible desentary. It affected their fighting ability and
decimated their ranks. It was bad enough that they called themselves the
"Ahshits".

The African warriors made it a habit to always applaud their leader, yelling,
"Bravo!" whenever Shaka Tailfeather Zulu approached. They began to be called
the Bravo Zulus by their foes.

In a hard pressed battle near Roark's Truckstop, the sole unimpaired British
soldier manned a gatling gun, sweeping the advancing Zulus with murderous fire.
Indeed, it only took one Ahshit to wipe out a thousand Bravo Zulus.

<cof>

Gordon

Richard Lamb

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Jul 8, 2003, 10:58:37 PM7/8/03

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groan!

S. Sampson

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Jul 8, 2003, 11:02:35 PM7/8/03

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"Gordon" <krzta...@aol.comint> wrote

>
> Indeed, it only took one Ahshit to wipe out a thousand Bravo Zulus.

Argh!

Bravo Sierra - You're full of shit
Bravo Zulu - Your shit don't stink

Dave Kearton

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Jul 9, 2003, 7:03:55 AM7/9/03

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"Gordon" <krzta...@aol.comint> wrote in message
news:20030708225152...@mb-m25.aol.com...
| >

<< snipping to protect the innocent >>

|
| In a hard pressed battle near Roark's Truckstop, the sole unimpaired
British
| soldier manned a gatling gun, sweeping the advancing Zulus with murderous
fire.
| Indeed, it only took one Ahshit to wipe out a thousand Bravo Zulus.
|
| <cof>
|
| Gordon

Congratulations Gordon,

I know you've wanted to tell that story since you were 12, I'm glad you
carpe'd the opportunity.

Cheers

Dave Kearton

Gordon

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Jul 9, 2003, 8:07:32 PM7/9/03

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>
>I know you've wanted to tell that story since you were 12, I'm glad you
>carpe'd the opportunity.

Diem straight ;)

yfGordon

Kevin Darling

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Jul 9, 2003, 10:30:38 PM7/9/03

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"morten lund" <no...@your.business.org> wrote in message news:<3f0ad101$0$76147$edfa...@dread11.news.tele.dk>...

> Hi all!
>
> I've come across the phrase: Bravo Zulu a couple of times in this group, and
> I'd like to know exactly what the phrase means, and if someone knows the
> origin of the phrase.
>
> My first guess would be that its connected to Adm. Zumwaldt in soe way?

See: http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq101-2.htm

Which also points out that it didn't exist until 1949, and wouldn't
have been pronounced "Bravo Zulu" until 1956 (at least in the US
Navy).

morten lund

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Jul 11, 2003, 11:15:54 AM7/11/03

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Thanks all for the answers :-)

cheers,
Morten

"morten lund" <no...@your.business.org> wrote in message
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a...@a.com

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Jul 12, 2003, 1:26:32 AM7/12/03

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In article <20030709200732...@mb-m16.aol.com>,
krzta...@aol.comint (Gordon) wrote:

Jeez...you mean no one gave this guy his props for that?

That was _horrible_!

Good freakin' lord, that sucked.

I wish I had said it.

Dave Kearton

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Jul 12, 2003, 1:38:30 AM7/12/03

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<a...@a.com> wrote in message
news:a-93877D.01...@news.earthlink.net...

Sometimes Gordon is the straight man, sometimes not.

You should see us do "who's on first ?"

Cheers

Dave Kearton

Gordon

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Jul 12, 2003, 10:44:36 AM7/12/03

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>| Jeez...you mean no one gave this guy his props for that?
>|
>| That was _horrible_!
>|
>| Good freakin' lord, that sucked.
>|
>| I wish I had said it.
>
>
>
>Sometimes Gordon is the straight man, sometimes not.

In my current neibberhood, I am indeed known as the 'straight man'. Although
sometimes the natives shorten it and simply yell, "BREEDER!" as I go past. :\

yf
Gordon

Dave Kearton

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Jul 12, 2003, 9:04:15 PM7/12/03

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"Gordon" <krzta...@aol.comint> wrote in message

news:20030712104436...@mb-m07.aol.com...

Once you get a reputation like that, it tends to stick like sh*t to a
blanket.

Cheers

Dave Kearton