[Ads-l] antedating "wilco"

[MULLINS, WILLIAM D (Bill) CIV USARMY RDECOM AMRDEC (US)]

_Muncie [IN] Evening Press_ 31 Jul 1941 p 15 col 1

" "Remember your signals.  Save words. 'Willco' means 'will comply.' 'Roger' means 'message received.' " "

Note that this may be an antedating of "Roger" as well; OED has 1941 Amer Speech 16 168/1.

> 
> 
> ----
> 
> OED: 1946
> 
> 1941 _Sunday Oregonian_ (Portland) (Dec. 7) 90 [ReadEx]:
> The Tower answers, "Tower to four-seven-two. Land in the east. Wheels down and locked. Go ahead." I say, "Four-seven-two, wilco."
> 
> Earlier, "Tower to four-seven-two. You may take off, Roger."
> 
> The writer is an air cadet at Randolph Field, but this use of "Roger" (no, not his name) seems wrong or archaic (i.e., new to me).
> 
> It should be "Out." Or perhaps "Over." Shouldn't it?
> 
> JL
> 
> 


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