"the whole nine yards" 1942

[Stephen Goranson]

Nine notes:

1) Here's a relatively more complete text of 1969 Graphic Science p.8
top of the right-hand column (perhaps related to defense contracting):

garding Process Specifications, it in-
vokes the entire nine yards to create a
document that is self sufficent in both
what is needed and how to do it. This is
is certainly going to inhibibit competi-
tive re-procurement. Future issues of
this column will discuss MIL STD-490
in considerably more detail.
The following is offered for the
information of the readers of this
column. DOD Instruct 5010-12
Management of Technical data
is now on the street. [Then discussion of a Computer Assisted Design
conference.]

@) Here's a relatively more complete text of
Technical Review - The Society of Experimental Test Pilots by
Society of Experimental Test Pilots {the same serial oas in Bonnie's 1966 find;
here post-Aug 1971, according to Bill] p246-
...The A-7 has enjoyed what I like to think of as a pretty classic spin
evaluation, both in the hands of the contractor
and so far in the Navy program....
.. There were analytical studies of the type which preceed any contractor
evalustion and there was wind tunnel work performed by NASA Langley, all along
standard lines. In 1966 the contractor did an 80 flight evaluation of...going
into a common report when the whole nine yards gets
wrapped up and, in fact, there will be no separate spin evaluation of the A-7D.
It was an eight flight program conducted at Edwards and I was privleged to be
the Navy spin pilot on tht evaluation along with Jim Miller who did the Air...

3) The 1973 Stratton newspaper quote (like Barry's latest find) is in item,
item, item, the whole... (count, count, count, mass?) form; yet
Stratton's 2005 memory (interestingly at a Naval Air Station) in 1955 implies a
length interpretation, which i doubt.

4) the best (poor) candidate I lately found for a length interpretation was on
Gandhi's wish that Congress members would weave ["whole" absent; and a minimum
quota] nine yards of yarn per day. I Oxford Short History of India, Smith 835
"spinning 9 yards of yarn per day." Also, google claims, in 1964, The Cambridge
Shorter History of India By Sir Wolseley Haig, John Allan, p778: For sometime
every member of the Congress was required by the rules of that orgainzation to
spin a daily quota of nine yards of yarn. I doubt this is the origin: the date
is perhaps OK, but lacks "whole," is length, and Gandhi is almost as far from
US defense contracting as possible.

5) Admiral Land, who in 1942 spoke "for the whole nine yards" on page 5192, o
the next page, complained about some labor union "loafing.' Again, his words
were noticed. FDR, usually quite supportive of Land, at a news conference,
emphasized the temporary steel shortage as a greater issue than unions.

6) Admiral Land later in 1942 launched the first of a new class of (welded in
assembly-line) ships: the SS Patrick Henry ("give me liberty or..."). Though
FDR supported Land, FDR called these ships "ugly ducklings." Land named them
the "Liberty fleet"; in "Liberty ships," his name stuck.

7) This shipbuilding increase was, according to various sources, the greatest
shipbuilding increase and the greatest fleet in history. To achieve the
demanded level of productivity "for the whole nine yards" was a big deal.
Kaiser (Hoover Dam constructor) also suggested having nine yards make
airplanes.

8) This item listed as 1976 could be redated as 1972 if the quoted radio message
is accurate: "...The young officer radioed excitedly to another OV-10 still
overhead: 'My God, you should see the people down here--all over the
place--People, Tanks, Trucks, the whole nine yards--and everybody is shooting."
(Airpower and the 1972 Spring Invasion, Dept. of Defense, Dept. of the Air
Force] : for sale by the Supt. of Docs.,U.S. Govt. Print. Off., John A.
Doglione, 1976, 113 pages. online p.31

9) My recent list inadvertantly lacked Fred's 1969 find: " _Playground Daily
News_ (Fort Walton Beach, Fla.) 25 Apr. 15 (advertisement) This home has the
"whole nine yards" in convenience." I read that as referring to items such as,
say, a dishwasher, air conditioning, and the like--not 9 times 36 inches of
convenience.

Stephen Goranson
http://www.duke.edu/~goranson

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