G.I.s from the 25th Division in the jungle of Vella Lavella during Operation Cartwheel (Sept. 13, 1943)

G.I. is a term describing members of the U.S. armed forces or items of their equipment. It may be used as an adjective or as a noun. The term is now used as an initialism of "Government Issue" (or sometimes incorrectly as "General Infantry")^[1], but originally referred to galvanized iron. The letters "G.I." were used to denote equipment made from galvanized iron, such as metal trash cans, in U.S. Army inventories and supply records.^[2][1] During World War I, U.S. soldiers sardonically referred to incoming German artillery shells as "GI cans." In that same war, "G.I." started being interpreted as "Government Issue" and said as an adjective of anything having to do with the Army.^[1]

[edit] See also

• Dogface (military)
• Doughboy
• G.I. Generation
• G.I. Bill
• G.I. Jane
• G.I. Joe
• G.I. Blues
• Folk etymology

[edit] References

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