I now have a good database of information on this from readers. The way
it’s shaping up is:
Army & USMC: Derb-style usage common until the early 1980s at least.
USAF: Same to mid or late 1980s at least.
NAVY: Never heard this usage.
An interesting pattern, especially in re the Navy. I guess that after a
long time at sea, one forgets what a lot of land-based features look like.
This draws down one’s stock of available metaphors.