Bill Downey was a U.S. Marine at Montford Point, Camp Lejeune, N.C., in 1942. He recalled this conversation in "Uncle Sam Must Be Losing the War" (1982):
        

“‘Maggie’s Drawers….That’s when a guy misses the whole target and kicks up a cloud of dust on the ground out front.’ The [firing-line] coach…went to the wall to show us a bamboo pole with a red flag on the end.
        “‘This is Maggie’s Drawers….

        “‘Ain’t you ever heard of them old, red flannel drawers that Maggie wore?’ He was surprised at our lack of knowledge about funny Marine stories….

        “Then he offered to fill us in on one of his favorite Marine Corps drinking songs:

        Them old red flannel drawers Maggie wore,
        Them old red flannel drawers Maggie wore, Oh, Maggie wore;
        They was baggy at the knees…
        And the crotch was filled with cheese.
                Oh, them old red flannel drawers Maggie wore.
        
        “The coach was funnier than the song. He had a terrible voice which changed key on every line. Satch told him he didn’t think it was an appropriate song since his wife’s name was Maggie.

        “He ain’t talkin’ ‘bout your wife, man,” one of the guys said to Satch. ‘He’s just talkin’ ‘bout her drawers.’”