▁V - Dis c ▁ ▁issued ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁cred its ▁the ▁origin ▁of ▁Sound ▁Off ▁( The ▁D uck worth ▁Ch ant ) ▁to ▁Private ▁Will ie ▁Lee ▁D uck worth ▁of ▁Sand ers ville , ▁Georgia , ▁an ▁African ▁American ▁soldier ▁serving ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army . ▁ ▁This ▁original ▁cad ence ▁was ▁recorded ▁as ▁" Sound ▁Off ": ▁Sound - off ; ▁ 1 ▁- ▁ 2 ; ▁Sound - off ; ▁ 3 ▁- ▁ 4 ; ▁Cad ence ▁count ; ▁ 1 ▁- ▁ 2 ▁- ▁ 3 ▁- ▁ 4 ; ▁ 1 ▁- ▁ 2 ▁— ▁ 3 ▁- ▁ 4 . ▁ ▁This ▁cad ence , ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" D uck worth ▁Ch ant ," ▁still ▁exists ▁with ▁variations ▁in ▁the ▁different ▁branches ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁military . ▁D uck worth ' s ▁simple ▁chant ▁was ▁elabor ated ▁on ▁by ▁Army ▁dr ill ▁ser ge ants ▁and ▁their ▁tra ine es , ▁and ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁creating ▁elaborate ▁march ing ▁ch ants ▁spread ▁to ▁the ▁Air ▁Force , ▁Marine ▁Corps , ▁and ▁Navy . ▁ ▁A ▁musical ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁chant ▁was ▁recorded ▁by ▁V aug hn ▁Mon roe ▁and ▁His ▁Orchestra ▁( V oc .: ▁V aug hn ▁Mon roe ▁& ▁Ch orus ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ) ▁on ▁March ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁It ▁was ▁released ▁by ▁R CA ▁Victor ▁Records ▁as ▁catalog ▁number ▁ 2 0 - 4 1