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[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by egmurphy I suppose it could be true, but I kind of doubt that the ‘whole 9 yards’ saying came from a concrete truck. When I started out in the business, I think that 5-6 yards was more common. Of course, I can barely recall what I had for breakfast yesterday, so my memory may not be that reliable. [/quote] According to either "Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise?" or "Why Do We Say It?", the expression dates from WW II when ammo for the waist gunners on bombers came in 27-foot belts - 9 yards. In mission debriefing, when the gunners were asked how much ammo they'd shot off, it was smart to respond "The whole 9 yards, sir", lest you be seen as a hesitant gunner. Now I'm sure some of that 9 yards ended up in the English Channel...
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