whole nine yards and "Smash" Chandler

[Sam Clements]

Well, I jumped to conclusions.

The Ft. Walton paper covered that reunion for weeks.  Shepard was there.
Everyone was there.
One article even said her book was serialized in October of 1967 in the
"Cocoa Beach newspaper, Today."

Sam Clements

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sam Clements" <SClements at NEO.RR.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, December 25, 2004 4:24 PM
Subject: whole nine yards and "Smash" Chandler


I think I've discovered something new. (Although some of you long time
researchers--Doug Wilson-might have already known this).

Fred Shapiro on 25 April 2004 posted to ADS-L his new find of the term in
the Ft. Walton Beach(FL) paper from 25 April 1969.  This was in a real
estate ad, and is currently the third oldest cite.  A discussion followed
about Ft. Walton Beach being the home of an Air Force Base.

http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0404D&L=ads-l&D=0&P=5945

Using Newspaperarchive, I searched for "Smash Chandler."

And found a _Playground News_ 13 Nov. 1968 picture with caption showing him
and a nurse.  Both were attending a reunion of the 311th Air Commando
Squadron.

Text reads "VIET NAM VETERANS--Lt. Col. "Smash" Chandler and USAF nurse Lt.
Jane Lombardi came from Offutt AFB, Omaha, Nebraska to attend the reunion of
the 311th Air Commando Squadron held at the Black Angus on the beach
Saturday night.  Col. Chandler was one of the main characters in Elaine
Shepard's book about the Viet Nam war,  "The DOOM Pussy."  He is now
information officer at Offutt.  Lt. Lombardi, also stationed at Offutt, was
recently awarded the Bronze Star for her work loading patients under fire at
Da Nang Air Base last Jan. 30. (Pegggy May)  "

So, this would provide a newspaper ad-writer a source of the phrase. Of
course, it could have been common AF slanguage, and Chandler didn't bring
the phrase with him to Florida.  But he could also have been the vector.

 I wonder if any researchers would share where Chandler grew up, when did he
enter Air Force, when was he in Viet Nam, etc?  Doug, anyone?

I guess Barry can plan his next trip now--Offutt AFB.  Better wait till
Spring.  :)

Sam Clements