Military Officer - December 2006 - (Page 62)

the embarrassing radio conversation between the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea and Canadian authorities? According to a transcript of the conversation released by the chief of naval operations, the captain of the Coral Sea ordered what he believed to be a Canadian vessel to divert its course 15 degrees to the north to avoid a collision. ■ The Canadians replied, “Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the south to avoid a collision.” ■ USS Coral Sea: “This is the captain of a U.S. Navy ship. I say again, divert your course.” D ID YOU H EA R A BOU T Canadians: “No, I say again, you divert your course.” USS Coral Sea: “This is the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea. We are a large warship, part of the U.S. Navy. Divert your course now or countermeasures will be undertaken to ensure the safety of this ship!” Canadians: “This is a lighthouse. Your call.” The above is a classic example of an urban legend, a story considered by many to be true, that, upon closer examination, almost always proves to be more ﬁction than fact. This particular tale — which is completely false — has been making the rounds since the mid-1990s, usually via the Internet. So many people assumed it to be true that the Navy was forced to refute it on its ofﬁcial Web site. The so-called “lighthouse story” is just one of dozens of military and war-related urban legends that have popped up over the years, according to folklorists. And as long as men continue to go to war, more urban legends are certain to follow. 62 MILITARY OFFICER DECEMBER 2006 “The military and war have a lot of unknowns so urban legends often serve to inform people about how things are, even if the information is false.” “The military and war are important in the affairs of humans. As such, there are ample legends surrounding both,” notes Brenda Sanders, a senior instructor at the College of Charleston in South Carolina and a longtime student of urban legends. “Also, the military and war have a lot of unknowns surrounding them. Humans do not like to go into situations without knowing what to expect, so urban legends often serve to inform people about how things are, even if the information is false.” “The military is a kind of closed society with very precise rules and customs, as well as training for life-and-death situations, so it would seem — Brenda Sanders natural to me that rumors, legends, and other forms of ‘folk’ expression would develop,” adds Dr. Jan Harold Brunvand, professor emeritus of English and Folklore at the University of Utah and author of numerous books about urban legends. “Many civilian urban legends are about crime, dishonesty, errors, false assumptions. The military is a sort of microcosm of our society but with very special governing principles.”

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Military Officer - December 2006

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