Marine Corps' Famous 'Oorah!' Mantra Started in a Submarine

If a group of Marines is around, you'll likely hear an "Oorah!" at some point. It's a distinctive battle cry that's been used by the Marine Corps for decades, but its origin story isn't as well known. Those outside of the service might be surprised to learn its beginnings stemmed from submarine dives.

The famous term originated in 1953 during the Korean War when Marines assigned to the 1st Amphibious Reconnaissance Company traveled aboard the submarine USS Perch. When the vessel was about to make a dive, a loud, piercing horn went off, making a very distinctive "arrugha" sound to signal the impending descent.

Back on land, when those Marines would go on training runs, they often used chants as motivational tools to keep up their spirits. According to the National Museum of the Marine Corps, someone imitated that horn at some point, yelling out "Arrugha!" as they ran. The phrase stuck, becoming a mantra for recon Marines across the force. It's a story that's even referenced in the Marine Corps Training Reference Manual that all recruits receive.

According to a 2015 issue of Leatherneck Magazine, published by the Marine Corps Association, John R. Massaro - who eventually became the eighth sergeant major of the Marine Corps in 1977 - helped make the mantra part of the common vernacular. The article said that, at some point, Massaro took the phrase and started using it at drill instructor school, passing it along to students who became instructors. Those instructors then passed it along to recruits.

Over time, "Arrugha" evolved into "Oorah," the cry Marines are famous for today.