Where did the expression "Kilroy was Here" originate?

Answer 1

nos,

Mr. Kilroy was an inspector at a shipyard that produced ships during WWII. They were really crankin' 'em out, and he was constantly on the go...so, to make sure he didn't re-inspect where he'd already been, he drew the now famous 'face peerin over the wall' sketch and scrawled "Kilroy was here."

Now, when the military guys were in these ships, they had no idea who Mr. Kilroy was, but the drawing and the saying stuck with them, and they started leaving the sign wherever they went.

Answer 2

"Kilroy was here" is a U.S. military graffito dating from 1945. Some of Kilroy's friends started the term as a prank. They wrote "Kilroy was here" everywhere. The Kilroy in question was either Frank J. Kilroy Jr., U.S. Army air transport, or James J. Kilroy, Materiels inspector.

Answer 3

There was one person who led or participated in every combat, training or occupation operation during WWII and the Korean War. This person could always be depended on. GI's began to consider him the "super GI." He was one who always got there first or who was always there when they left. I am, of course, referring to Kilroy Was Here. Somehow, this simple graffiti captured the imagination of GI's everywhere they went. The scribbled cartoon face and words showed up everywhere - worldwide.
Legend #1: This Legend of how "Kilroy was here" starts is with James J. Kilroy, a shipyard inspector during WWII. He chalked the words on bulkheads to show that he had been there and inspected the riveting in the newly constructed ship. To the troops in those ships, however, it was a complete mystery — all they knew for sure was that he had "been there first." As a joke, they began placing the graffiti wherever they (the US forces) landed or went, claiming it was already there when they arrived.

Answer 4

"The phrase appears to have originated through United States servicemen, who would draw the doodle and the text "Kilroy Was Here" on the walls or elsewhere they were stationed, encamped, or visited. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable notes that it was particularly associated with the Air Transport Command, at least when observed in the United Kingdom."

Answer 5

Glasgow Dockyards

I think the guy who used to check the quality of the rivetting was called Kilroy, and when he had checked a section he used to write "Kilroy was here" to show he had checked it

Answer 6

I think it came from WW2. Someone, allegedly, called kilroy, was in charge of logistics somewhere. Sorry I cant help more....

Answer 7

very much bandied about in the services during the war and quite a few years after until it was worn out/ pretty well the same as a rail coach no-smoking but to the service man he would shout along the train corridor Nosmo King is here

Answer 8

I agree that that's possibly from while mattresses have been full of straw, or human beings purely basic slept on hay . i'm a evening owl - I often hit the hay around lifeless night, yet then I study till one or so, observing the e book.

Answer 9

he was a quality checker with the us army who used the phrase to show various equipment had been passed,with the posting of troops around the world the phrase went global.

Answer 10

try these:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilroy_was_here

http://www.answers.com/topic/kilroy-was-here

http://www.answers.com/topic/kilroy-was-here

hope it all goes smoothly for you