From:  Robert Vail

   Dated:  January 29, 2013

Subject:  Oh Dark Thirty

Like Joe said, anytime after midnight and before daylight.  And in the military timespeak, we don't use "O," we must use Zero. I can usually tell someone who has been in the military when they recite a telephone number or a time and they use zero instead of "O."


    From:  Jim White

   Dated:  January 29, 2013

Subject:  Oh Dark Thirty

This message seems so trivial after reading Rick Fredericksen's message on "Kill anything that moves" and then part of the except from the book that I feel almost foolish.  But, before seeing Rick's message I had been reading a TIME magazine article on Kathryn Bigelow and her movie, "Zero Dark Thirty."
The following is quoted from that article. "(Zero Dark Thirty's title is a tweak of "oh-dark thirty," a military term for half past midnight.)."  I may be wrong, but I have always thought that "oh-dark thirty" referred to most anytime from midnight on until nearly dawn and did not specifically mean "0030 hours."   Does anyone have any comments or clarification on this difference?
Thanks,
Jim W


    From:  Joe Ciokon

   Dated:  January 30, 2013

Subject:  Oh Dark Thirty

It meant anytime we had to assemble before dawn for whatever reason.

Joe C


AFVN Group Conversations

    From:  Holly Watts

   Dated:  January 30, 2013

Subject:  Oh Dark Thirty

Hi Jim;
I think I first heard that "0-dark-thirty" expression in 'Nam referred to as anything before dawn or barely morning.  Then there's the dramatic addition of an "it's-too-early" moan before pulling the covers over my head.
ciao!   Holley


    From:  Forrest Brandt

   Dated:  January 30, 2013

Subject:  Oh Dark Thirty

How'd this come up in our conversation(s)?  Learned it the first day of boot camp, when our First Sergeant put us to bed with the warning that we better be ready to rock 'n' roll at oh dark early.

Forrest

    From:  Ann Kelsey

   Dated:  January 31, 2013

Subject:  Oh Dark Thirty

I think the thread started with a reference to an interview with Katherine Bigelow, the director of the movie "0 Dark 30."
Ann

    From:  Bob Morecook

   Dated:  January 31, 2013

Subject:  Oh Dark Thirty

Hi Jim

I thouight it meant dark as s__t same as you.

Bob M

"0h Dark Thirty" or "Zero Dark Thirty"?

January 2013

    From:  Ann Kelsey

   Dated:  January 31, 2013

Subject:  Oh Dark Thirty

Like Holley, I first heard the term in Vietnam and it referred to the time between midnight and dawn. I still use it when I refer to having to get up super early usually to catch a plane. ...and you're right about always saying zero for zero. I learned that in Vietnam too and it's stuck with me along with military time.
Ann