Hey!

[hpguru]

I thought you guys bought the farm or something.

[Kye-U]

hpguru, I was beginning to wonder where you went

Bought what farm?

[Guest]

It was an expression coined in Vietnam by US soldiers meaning that someone (or in this case, something) had died.

Anyway I'm glad you haven't taken up farming.

[Oddysey]

Guest;

Actually, my dad used to say this during WWII. In fact, he and my uncle were stationed in Europe at the same time, and I have some of their letters (V-grams) relating as how a mutual friend had "bought the farm".

Here are some excerpts from a Google search:

Quote: Well, while I believe this is a WW2 expression; I thought that it referred to the loss of an only farmer's son in the war receiving full benefits when killed overseas. Therefore, when he died his death benefits paid off the farm for his parents, or he "bought the farm."

This expression is also part of aviation history. When an early airplane (and pilot) went down, normally it was in a rural area, and did some not insignificant damage to the crop. The pilot, his employers or family was expected to reimburse the farmer for the value of the crop destroyed....therefore "to buy the farm"!

And lastly, it refers to the fact that for a long time, the average city dweller dreamed of buying a farm to retire on. When a pilot crashed fatally, he was said to have 'retired early', or to have 'bought the farm'.

I have to say that I'd never heard the second explanation before. The third one was the one I'd heard as a youngster, and the first one I heard as a recruit in the Army, back in the 19xx's. Either way seems plausible to me.

But one thing I can gar-own-tee you for sure - Viet Nam did give us "Sorry 'bout that".


Oddysey

[ProxRocks]

and "me love you long time"...

[Oddysey]

ProxRocks;

Hah! Forgot about that one. Guess my memory is Number 10, GI!


Oddysey