[yarddog]

You know something interesting? I have the official Army history of the battalion and in it, the army always, 100% of the time, spells pontoons as pontons. They always spell it that way but no body else does. I have never seen it spelled any other way but the U.S. Army Signal Corps seems to think that “ponton” is the right way.

They must use that word a thousand times in the history and never deviate from that spelling.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Glad you saw past my typo.....

Pontons, huh? That is a strange spelling, and even more strange that they ALL and ALWAYS spell it that way.

[HiJinx]

Ponton is the correct word, we tend to think of the adjectival form, as in Pontoon Boat. World English Dictionary pontoon 1 (pɒnˈtuːn) — n 1. a. a watertight float or vessel used where buoyancy is required in water, as in supporting a bridge, in salvage work, or where a temporary or mobile structure is required in military operations b. ( as modifier ): a pontoon bridge 2. nautical a float, often inflatable, for raising a vessel in the water [C17: from French ponton, from Latin pontō punt, floating bridge, from pōns bridge]