15 Military Operation Code Names That Will Surprise You

Winston Churchill had little patience for frivolous military code names. In a 1943 memo addressing the creation of operation names, he advised: “Avoid names that reveal the nature of the mission or belittle it in any manner, and ensure no grieving mother or widow can claim her son died in an operation named ‘Bunnyhug’ or ‘Ballyhoo.’” A fair point.

Yet, military operations—whether British or otherwise—haven’t always adhered to these guidelines, resulting in some downright absurd names. While the reasoning behind these peculiar choices is rarely made public, their oddity continues to provide a touch of humor. Below are some of the most unforgettable examples.

Operation Dracula

Operation Dracula was a strategic initiative by the Allied South East Asia Command to retake Rangoon, Burma’s capital, towards the end of WWII. As part of the Burma Campaign, British and Indian forces launched a combined air and naval assault to reclaim the area from Japanese control, which had been established in 1942. Initially conceived in 1944 as an extension of Plan Z, the operation was temporarily halted—possibly due to logistical challenges—but resumed in 1945. As monsoon rains approached, the British and Indian troops advanced on Rangoon, only to discover the Japanese had already withdrawn. The city was subsequently occupied by the Indian 26th Division without resistance.

Operation Power Geyser

This mission was a counterterrorism operation deploying 13,000 highly classified commandos to ensure security during the 2005 U.S. presidential inauguration of George W. Bush. Equipped with advanced weaponry, these elite forces discreetly positioned themselves around the White House and Capitol during the ceremony. Interestingly, the name “Power Geyser” is inspired by a move from the Fatal Fury video game series, where Terry Bogard unleashes a ground-shaking punch that creates an explosive energy field, sending foes flying.

Operation All-American Tiger

Tigers are impressive on their own, but imagine an American tiger—better yet, an all-American one. This name was given to a November 2003 Iraq War mission aimed at searching and clearing farms and villages near the Euphrates River in Al-Qaim, northern Iraq, to capture key insurgent leaders. The operation led to the detention of 12 individuals, including several on the U.S. “Most Wanted” list. Not too shabby.

While it’s tempting to speculate about the name’s origin, it’s actually straightforward. It combines the 82nd Airborne Division’s nickname—“All-American”—with the “Tiger” squadron of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, both of which spearheaded the mission’s initial phase. Notably, the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 82nd, played a key role. This unit is famously nicknamed “The Devils in Baggy Pants,” a title taken from the diary of a frustrated Wehrmacht officer during WWII.

Operation Beastmaster

Despite its name suggesting an ’80s vibe, Operation Beastmaster took place in 2006, targeting three neighborhoods in Baghdad’s Ghazaliya suburb, known as “IED Alley East.” While U.S. troops didn’t wield scimitars or communicate telepathically with animals like in the movie, they collaborated effectively with the Iraqi Army. The operation led to the discovery of seven weapon stashes and materials for making roadside bombs. Additionally, a high-value target was captured, proving the mission’s success.

Operation Mincemeat

The British military cleverly executed this oddly named mission without Churchill’s objection. Operation Mincemeat revolved around a decoy corpse—a possible (albeit gruesome) hint at the name’s inspiration. As Allied forces prepared to invade Sicily in 1943 during World War II, they aimed to mislead the Germans into believing their target was Greece and Sardinia. To achieve this, they used the body of Glyndwr Michael, a Welsh laborer who had died from rat poison, attaching fabricated top-secret documents outlining a fake attack plan on Greece and Sardinia, along with a photo of a fictitious girlfriend. The body was then floated near Spain, where a Nazi agent would find it. The ruse succeeded flawlessly. The idea originated from a memo titled “#28: A Suggestion (not a very nice one),” which proposed luring German U-Boats into minefields.

If this sounds like a plot from a vintage detective novel, there’s a good reason. The concept was conceived by Ian Fleming, who later wrote the James Bond series, during his tenure as an assistant to the head of British naval intelligence. Fleming admitted he drew inspiration from a spy novel he had read, which featured a dead body carrying forged documents.

Operation Viking Snatch

Operation Viking Snatch, launched in September 2007, aimed to curb weapons smuggling during the Iraq War. The name likely references a snatch strap, a tow rope used to extract stuck vehicles from sand or mud, with Viking Offroad being a manufacturer of such equipment. Thus, a Viking snatch strap. However, it’s safe to assume the codename’s double meaning was intentional and knowingly chosen.

Operation Beaver Cage

If the previous name seemed crude, this one might top it. Operation Beaver Cage was a U.S. Marine helicopter assault targeting a Vietcong base in the densely populated Que Son Valley, south of Da Nang. Conducted from late April to mid-May 1967, the operation resulted in the capture of 66 Vietcong soldiers and was deemed successful. The origin of the name remains unclear, though it’s worth noting that beavers, native to North America and Eurasia, are not found in Vietnam’s wildlife.

Operation Safe Neighborhood

While it sounds like a community safety initiative, this operation—along with its counterpart, Operation Safe Market—was a 2007 campaign to enhance security in residential neighborhoods, marketplaces, and high-traffic areas for Iraqi civilians during the Iraq War. The focus was on preventing car bombings and reducing sectarian violence. Though not a cryptic codename, it carries a certain charm.

Operation Grizzly Forced Entry

The “forced entry” aspect is self-explanatory: In summer 2004, U.S. troops conducted a counterinsurgency raid in Iraq under this codename, storming private residences to locate and apprehend high-value targets. These individuals were suspected of orchestrating attacks against coalition forces, with the operation centered in Najaf, a city south of Baghdad. The “grizzly” part, however, remains ambiguous, though it might reflect the Americans’ self-perception of their ferocity.

Operation Magneto

Nearly two decades before the superpowered mutant of the same name manipulated magnetic fields in the 1963 debut of X-Men, Allied forces used this term during WWII to describe a 1945 conference involving Winston Churchill, Josef Stalin, and FDR. Though not a traditional military operation, the three leaders convened in Yalta, USSR, in February 1945 to strategize Germany’s unconditional surrender and the division of post-war territories. Operation Magneto, along with Operation Cricket, the preparatory meeting held days earlier, were collectively referred to as Operation Argonaut.

Operation Toenails

In the summer of 1943, Allied forces launched an invasion of New Georgia, part of the Solomon Islands, under the codename Operation Toenails. The origin of the name remains a historical mystery. This mission marked the first major Allied offensive in the Solomon Islands since securing Guadalcanal the previous February. It paved the way for the capture of the remaining Solomons, culminating in Bougainville. The invasion was part of Operation Cartwheel, a broader strategy aimed at isolating and targeting the Japanese base at Rabaul on New Britain Island.

Operation Chattanooga Choo-Choo

The objective of this 1944 mission was to systematically target and destroy German railways. It appears someone thought, “We’re bombing trains, so let’s pick a train-themed name that avoids the word train or railway in any language.” The result was a clever nod to the classic song, leaving the Nazis clueless about what a ‘choo-choo’ might be. The operation succeeded, causing significant damage to the railways and exacerbating Germany’s labor shortage as they scrambled for repair workers. Glenn Miller would undoubtedly have approved.

Operation Frequent Wind

Taking place in late April 1975, Operation Frequent Wind marked the final stage of evacuating American civilians and vulnerable Vietnamese individuals from Saigon before its fall. As the North Vietnamese Army advanced, hours after the mission concluded, their tanks breached the gates of the Independence Palace, leading to the surrender of President Duong Van Minh, who had held office for just two days. This event signaled the end of the Vietnam War. The codename likely references the operation’s reliance on helicopters, which were used extensively—81 helicopters evacuated 7000 people to offshore carriers over two days, setting a record for the largest helicopter evacuation in history.

Operation Lion Cub

On December 21 and 24, 2004, Operation Lion Cub undertook two significant tasks: delivering a convoy of toys to the Iraqi villages of Wynott, Al Alam, and Al Owja, and distributing them to local children. The name may pay homage to Iraq’s ancient symbol, the Lion of Babylon. Family Readiness Groups in the U.S. and Germany had gathered the toys over several months as part of a Christmas initiative, and the operation was met with overwhelming gratitude from the children and their families.

Operation Gimlet Victory

Details about Operation Gimlet Victory are scarce, but it occurred in 2004 during the Iraq War. Several other U.S. counterinsurgency missions, such as Operation Gimlet Crusader and Operation Gimlet Silent Sniper, were conducted in Kirkuk that same year, suggesting this operation was either the triumphant conclusion or closely linked to them. The name likely refers to the tool called a gimlet rather than the cocktail, though it evokes the relief of finishing a long workweek and heading to happy hour.