Here is an interesting anecdote from Dr Samuel Feiler, the regimental dental officer, of the 506th PIR. When he was told the challenges and passwords for D-Day, which were, Flash Replied by Thunder and Welcome, this one used because the germans would say "Velcom". When Feiler asked Capt Shettle, the officer giving the codes out, "Captain Shettle vat do i do". Shettle Responded "...when you land, don't open your mouth. Take along some extra crickets...". It was noted that when Feiler got onto his plane he had crickets strapped all over him. Just in case he lost his. The problem was that Feiler was a German Jew who had escaped in 1938 and was now going back into action. The US army had obviously forgotten about the few Germans in their ranks when issueing the passwords.

Taken From D-Day by Stephen Ambrose.

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Thoughts on Military History
Cornish Scale Modellers
Ross' Military Modelling and Art

The Finns used often the famous ä and ö with passwords that the Russians could not pronounce. The sad thing is that some of the Karelian people that spoke fluent Finnish were Russian or on their side, so it did not always work, if the enemy knew the pass word.

But anyway, quite often it worked and one of my favourites is the ice bear ( Jääkarhu )...

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The same happened in Holland with a word that sounds like 'shukk' with the K being a sorta half coughing, half gagging sound that Germans couldent pronounce.

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There's no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.