Originally posted by wtlwdwgn In the Air Force they were called B-52s.
I've also heard them called submarines.
I always thought grinders were toasted subs like chicken parmesan, meatball, etc.
Now that you mention it, I vaguely recall "submarine sandwich" or just "submarine" as a name for such a sandwich. At some time when I went up to visit with my in laws, they decided to get "grinders" which left me baffled. When they described one, I think I remarked something along the lines of "Oh, a hero sandwich." I was corrected. "It's called a 'grinder.'" There is also the very different style of sandwich that I knew as a "Dagwood," but I think that term has gone out of fashion along with the comic strip in which it originated.