Yer Friday Funny – About That Famous Town in “Kansas”
Dunno how common the term is in other services, but in the Army there’s a rather crude term that’s used (or at least was at formerly used ) at times when referring to an unfamiliar and faraway place. That phrase is, “Bumf**k, Egypt”.
Much less common is a variant: “Bumf**k, Kansas.” And that second phrase purportedly has an, um, interesting origin.
What follows purports to be the origin of that second phrase. I cannot swear to the veracity of the story; I wasn’t there when the alleged incident occurred. It’s also unclear whether the person who related the story to me about 30 years ago was there or was relating a second-hand story he’d heard.
Still, here goes. Enjoy.
. . .
Sometime in the late 1970s or early part of the 1980s, a discussion occurred at a US Army school. I believe the account I heard said it was at the Army’s Command and General Staff College at Leavenworth, but I could be wrong. The subject of the discussion is not terribly important.
During that discussion, one of those present – a mid-level US officer taking the course – used the phrase “Bumf**k, Egypt” in conversation. The phrase was fairly common at the time as a reference to an unknown, faraway place.
It turned out that wasn’t exactly the best choice of words.
Within earshot was an Allied officer – a LTC – who was attending the course. The Allied officer was from Egypt. This individual spoke excellent English, and was following the discussion.
The allied officer definitely heard and, unfortunately, understood the term “Bumf**k, Egypt”- interpreting it in a British-English, literal-definition sense.
Predictably, the man was initially somewhat taken aback. He then was understandably and visibly offended.
A more senior US officer was also present, and had observed what had happened. (My recollection was that he was leading the discussion – but again, it’s been around 30 years since I first heard the story – so I could be wrong.) With his career flashing before him (being involved in an international incident resulting from an Ally’s national honor being insulted is NOT exactly career-enhancing), this more senior US officer immediately approached the Egyptian LTC and asked to speak with him.
He explained to the Egyptian LTC that no direct insult to his nation was intended. He further explained the common, crude use of the term as a soldier’s reference to a place far away, of which the speaker has no knowledge and had never visited. He also indicated he would counsel the US officer who had used the phrase.
The Egyptian LTC – obviously still angry – looked at the more senior US officer; he though for a few moments. His face then softened.
The Egyptian LTC then smiled, and said the following, in Arabic-accented English:
“Very well, I can accept that explanation.
But around me, would you please use instead the phrase, ‘Bumf**k, Kansas’ ?”
Category: Pointless blather, Who knows
That’s great! Buddy of mine was giving a check ride to a crew on NATO AWACS. The Aircraft Commander, a German, kept telling the other pilot, an Italian, to do things and the Italian screwed everyone one of them up. Finally in exasperation, the German turned to my buddy in the jump seat and said: “now you see why we lost the war!” The Italian got pissed and there was an international incident when the plane landed back at GK.
SJ: ROTFLMFAO!
Having served in Bavaria from early 1966 to late 1968 I can really believe that one.
Ditto, Dan. After talking with our interpreters at the PMO, I can believe it.
SJ LMAO But…it’s true, it’s true.
A similar incident happened in the Navy when an aide to senior Former Soviet General or Admiral who was touring the US refused to follow the directions of the Petty Officer 3rd Class Crew Chief as the PO3 was seating and clipping all passengers in the helo for their final leg back to the Russian ship …
I believe it was either Oceana or Norfolk NAS during the 1990’s … the aide was not pleased that a PO3 could order them to do anything … the PO3 gave the hand signals to clip in just prior to departure … the aide refused … the hand signal was give again … all but the aide was clipped in and ready for flight … he refused …
The PO3 exited the helo stood on the hard deck directly in front of pilot and co-pilot and gave the hand signal to shut down the helo …
Engines off, blades turning down … he ordered all passengers off the helo and back to the terminal … back in the terminal the former Soviet General or Admiral told the US Navy 2 Star … “this is why you won the cold war.”
I know that town, its real close to fugarwee,
I thought that Fukawee was the name of a native tribe, not a place. But I might have misunderstood. (smile)
OUTSTANDING story!
Having only visited Ft Riley Kansas once for summer camp while in the Reserves, I can say, it is indeed Bumfuck Kansas.
TESTING
中國
Okay, great. The test was successful. I have a funny story about a foreign national (Chinese) who was visiting my unit back in the dark ages. Anyway, it is, without a doubt, the funniest story I ever heard. Unfortunately, it loses much in transaltion so I’ll provide it the way I heard it. Put your drinks down…
中國傳統目前使用的臺灣 (中華民國)、 香港、 澳門和追溯自漢末以來的標準化的字元形式的形式。海外華人社區一般使用傳統字元,但在中國大陸移民之間經常使用簡體字
それはとても面白かった – 私は私のお尻をオフに笑った。
It rather loses in the translation …
–ghp
ghp95134:
I laughed so hard my ass nearly fell off when the prostitute replied, “!オフに笑った。.”
See! It did lose its mirth with the translation!
That was sooooo funny!
(^___________^)
Sore ha totemo omoshirokatta ~ oshiri wo “off” ni waratta.
Okashii~!
–ghp
Of course the last phrase, being a direct translation, does not work in Japanese.
Nothing Lost in this translation
Do I need special permission to place an image in my reply? I notice that my HTML works when i bold or italicize but when I insert an image it doesn’t link correctly and I lose that part….
Hmm, I always thought it was East Bumf@ck, Egypt….glad you cleared that up for me.
That’s the Yankee version.
Along the lines of East Overshoe.
We always said “East Bumf**k” usually without the Egypt when I was growing up in Northern Nowhere New England.
Hondo I hope your second career is teaching history, I would enjoy being in that class.
I thought Bum**ck was near Camp Roberts, CA. Not Kansas.
I thought it was Camp Grayling.
Y’all know the difference between a fairy tale and a sea story?
A fairy tale begins with “Once upon a time…” but a sea story starts with either “There I wuz…” or the more classic “Now this ain’t no sh!t…”
I have a 16 year old daughter, who was born just before my retirement and has no knowledge of the military, who states that all good Army stories start with “My buddies and I were out drinking…”
I tell people my home town is not the end of the earth but you can see it from there.
H1–are you from Toole, UT or Columia, NC?
Groveton, NH
Did a winter camping trip this year and ended up in Errol which is out towards the end of the pipeline.
Continued 45 more minutes North into ME.
Nothing but logging trucks and snowplows.
lol, shame they tore down the mill there but then again, you have a brand spanking new Dollar General! I’m from Island Pond
Supposedly a biomass plant is going in. If so, it will be a boost to the economy.
Oops, Columbia, NC (what I get for gold-bricking.)
SJ, I always loved the story that at the start of WW II Churchill was told that hostilities had commenced and that the Italians had announced that they were going to be fighting with their German allies. Wonderful, said Churchill, we had to have them in the last war!
BFE is used in the AF, too.
If it wasn’t for the Coast Guard Station on Attu, Shemya AFB Alaska is the end of the earth.
At Bragg we usually called it Prairie-sh*t, Kansas and Bum**ck, Egypt.
Rats! Misspelled “Tooele, UT” too, but since Google says it has a five digit population that was a bad example anyway.
Marine6–reminds me of the story that I read about Gen. Eisenhower sending a colonel back to the States: “I’m not sending you back because you called him a [so and so}, but because you called him a British [so and so]!”
Southern Illinois University, a well known party school back in the days, was located at the southern tip of Illinois in the town of Cairo (pronounced down there as “Kayrow”). It’s a very long way from Chicago and with its Egyptian capitol namesake it became natural for us Northerners to call the place Bumf**k Egypt. Much to the irritation of the drunks who attended school there.
Found this and though I’d post it. Seems BFE has a Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bumfuk-Egypt/222540687764617?_fb_noscript=1