Word: scroungers
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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Cumshaw derives from the Chinese kam sia (grateful) and entered U.S. naval argot during the 19th century when ships calling at Canton began swapping rum and ratguards for labor and litchi nuts. Today's scrounger can be an Air Cav supply sergeant or an Air Force crew chief, but Viet Nam's Feddersen outdoes them all-both in Yankee horse-trading skill and sheer inventiveness. In a scant 14 months, he unplugged the logistical bottleneck that had plagued the development of the Chu Lai enclave, and in the process set up his outfit as the most efficient unit...
...under their feet as well. Platoons of men are down in the dark earth burrowing a tunnel toward the surrounding forest. Brains of the operation is Big X (Richard Attenborough), a leader of past breakouts in other camps; among his staff specialists are the Forger (Donald Pleasence) and the Scrounger (James Garner). Steve McQueen plays an American fly boy with a carhop grin who pesters guards and tests their watchfulness...