AAA: antiaircraft artillery.
AC: aircraft commander.
ACAV: armored cavalry assault vehicle.
A DUFFLE BAG DRAG AND A BOWL OF CORN FLAKES:
the final meal at Ton Son Nhut Air Force Base prior to boarding
the Big bird for the flight back to the land of the big PX.
AF: Air Force.
AFB: Air Force base.
AFT: from AFTer...directional--in, at, toward, or close to the back or stern of a vessel or tail of an airplane.
AHC: assault helicopter company. (Hueys and gunships)
AID: Agency for International Development.
AIDS-TO-NAVIGATION: refers to all elements relating to functions of maritime navigation such as buoys, range markers,
wreck markers, lights and lighthouses, including
maintenance.
AIRBORNE: (Abn) paratrooper or parachutist-qualified.
AIRBURST: explosion of a munition in the air.
AIRMOBILE: people or material delivered by helicopter.
AIR CAV: air cavalry, referring to helicopter-borne infantry.
AIT: Advanced Individual Training, the period following Basic Training, specialized training given each soldier based on his MOS (Military Occupational Specialty), ie MOS 11B10, 11B20 received Infantry training, 13E20 received artillery training.
AK-47: (also AK or Kalishnikov) rifle.
The AK-47 was the basic infantry weapon of the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and the Vietcong (VC). Originally manufactured by the Soviet Union, most the these "Assault rifles" used in the war were made in the People's Republic of China, which was the major supplier of armaments to NVA and VC forces.
ALCE - Airlift Control Element - A regional Tactical Airlift Command Post Sand Box "ALCE" - The "ALCE" at Cam Ranh Bay Rocket Alley "ALCE" - The "ALCE" at Bien Hoa.
ALPHA-ALPHA: Automatic Ambush, a combination of claymore mines configured to detonate simultaneously when triggered by a trip-wire/battery mechanism.
ALPHA BOAT - Assault Support Patrol Boat (ASPB). A light, fast
shallow draft boat designed specifically to provide close support to riverine infantry. Armament consisted of machine guns (M-60 and .50 cal.), plus whatever the boat crew could scrounge. M-79s and LAWs were common.
ALPHA BRAVO: slang expression for ambush, taken from the initials AB.
AMERICAL: 23rd Infantry Division.
AMF: literally, "Adios, Mother Fu*ker."
AMMO: ammunition
A-O: area of operations.
AO DAI: traditional slit skirt and trousers worn by Vietnamese women.
APC: an armored personnel carrier.
AP ROUND: armor piercing round.
ARA: aerial rocket artillery.
ARCOMS: Army Commendation Medals
ARTICLE 15: summary disciplinary judgement of a soldier by his commander, may result in fines or confinement in the stockade.
ARTY: artillery.
ARVN: Army of the Republic of Vietnam (Army of South Vietnam).
ASAP: (A-sap) as soon as possible; a request for extreme urgency in a military assignment.
ASHC: assault support helicopter company.
A TEAMS: 12-man Green Beret units.
ATFV OR ATFG: Australian Task Force, Vietnam.
AWOL: absent without official leave. Far more serious and harder to prove, than "UA:" unauthorized absence.
B-40 ROCKET: a shoulder-held RPG launcher.
BAC SI: Vietnamese tern for Medical Corpsman/Doctor.
BA-MA-BA: term for "33" Vietnamese beer ("Tiger Piss.") More properly, "BA-MOI-BA" (Vietnamese for "33"). Ba Moi being 30 and Ba being three. Moi counts 10s
BAHT: Thai unit of currency.
BANANA CLIP: banana shaped magazine, standard on the AK-47 assault rifle.
BAR: Browning Automatic Rifle, .30 cal, heavy, shoulder fired weapon, used in WWII and Korea. The M-14 sought to combine the firepower BAR with portablilty of the M-1. The M-60 machinegun replaced both the BAR and the Browning light machinegun.
BASE CAMP: a semipermanent field headquarters and center for a given unit usually within that unit's tactical areas responsibility. A unit may operate in or away from its base camp. Base camps usually contain all or part of a given unit's support elements.
BATTALION: (Bn) a battalion is an organizational institution in the Army and Marine Corps. Commanded by a lieutenant colonel, an infantry battalion usually has around 900 people and an artillery battalion about 500 people. During the Vietnam War, American battalions were usually much smaller than that.
BEEHIVE: a direct-fire artillery round which incorporated steel darts (fleshettes), used as a primary base defense munition against ground attack.
BERM, BERM LINE: hedgerow or foliated built-up area which divided rice paddies; also, a rise in the ground such as dikes or a dirt parapet around fortifications.
BIC (biet): Vietnamese term for "understand".
BIG RED ONE (BRO): nickname for the 1st Infantry Division, based on the red numeral "1" on the division shoulder patch. "If your gonna be one, be a Big Red One!!"
BIG SHOTGUN: a 106mm recoilless rifle using antipersonnel canister ammunition.
BINGO: Air Force term for the point in a flight in which there's only enough fuel remaining to return to base.
BINJO MARU: name given to the White River.
BIPOD: two-legged, supportive stand on the front of many weapons.
BIRD: any aircraft, usually helicopters.
BIRD DOG: O-1 Aircraft.
BLADDER: a heavy-duty, rubberized collapsible petroleum drum ranging from 2,000 to 50,000 gallons.
BLADDER BAG: collapsible canteen.
BLIVET: a heavy rubber bladder in which fuel was transported in an aircraft.
BLUELEG: infantryman, aka "grunt".
BLUE LINE: a river on a map.
BOAT PEOPLE: refugees fleeing Vietnam by boat after 1975.
BO DOI: a uniformed NVA soldier.
BODY BAGS: plastic bags used for retrieval of bodies on the battlefield.
BOHICA: short for "Bend Over, Here It Comes Again." Usually describing another undesirable assignment.
BOK-BOK: fight/fighting.
BOOBY TRAP: an explosive charge hidden in a harmless object which explodes on contact.
BOOKOO: (beaucoup) Vietnamese/French term for "many," or "lots of..."
BOOM BOOM: "short time" with a prostitute, typically cost $3-$5.
BOONDOCKS, BOONIES, BRUSH, BUSH: expressions for the jungle, or any remote area away from a base camp or city; sometimes used to refer to any area in Vietnam.
BOQ: bachelor officer's quarters.
BOU: a C-7A Caribou aircraft.
BOUNCING BETTY: explosive that propells upward about four feet into the air and then detonates.
BOW: front of the ship or boat.
BREAK SQUELCH: to send a "click-hiss" signal on a radio by depressing the push-to-talk button without speaking, used by LLRPs and others when actually speaking into the microphone might reveal your position.
BRING SMOKE: to direct intense artillery fire or air force ordnance on an enemy position.
BRONCO: OV-10 Aircraft
BUF: a B-52 aircraft (mnemonic for Big Ugly F**ker).
BUFF: slang for B-52 ( D model). Stands for big ugly fat f***er.
BUSHMASTERS: any elite unit skilled in jungle operations.
BUTTER BAR: 2nd Lieutenant, based on the insignia - a single gold bar.
BVR: Beyond Visual Range. (Air Force).
BX: base exchange.
C-4: a very stable plastic explosive carried by infantry soldiers. "C-4" replaced sterno as the heating fuel of choice. Soldiers in the field could obtain "C-4" on a resupply mission whereas sterno required a trip to the PX which, of course, was not necessarily possible.
CACA DAU: Vietnamese Phrase for "I'll kill you."
CAL: caliber
CAMMIES: camouflage uniforms. Some Coastguardsmen wore any of the various types and styles used in Vietnam.
CAR: rifle, predecessor to the M-16, the Carbine, CAR-15.
CAS: Close Air Support, missions flown in support of infantry forces in contact with NVA or VC hostiles.
CAV: nickname for air cavalry.also refered to armored cavalry using M113 APCs, and other light armored vehicles.
C & C: command and control.
CG: Coast Guard.
CG: commanding general.
CHARGE: an amount of explosive, powder, etc required to perform a task.
CHARLIE, CHARLES, CHUCK: Vietcong--short for the phonetic representation Victor Charlie.
CHECK IT OUT: a slang as ubiquitous as "okay" during the late sixties, meaning to have a close look at something or someone. The saying was prominently featured in Andrew Lloyd Webber's MISS SAIGON.
CHERRY: a new troop replacement.
CHICKEN PLATE: chest protector (body armor) worn by helicopter gunners.
CHICOM: (Cheye-com); a term describing a Chinese Communist or weapons manufactured in China.
CHIEU HOI: (Choo Hoy); "Open arms." Program under which GVN offered amnesty to VC defectors.
CHINOOK: the CH-47 cargo helicopter; also called "Sh*thook" or "Hook."
CHOGIE, CUT A CHOGIE: to move out quickly. Term brought to Vietnam by soldiers who had served in Korea.
CHOI OI: Vietnamese term, exclamation like "Good heavens" or "What the hell!"
CHOKE: peanut butter.
CHOPPER: helicopter.
CHURCH KEY: bottle opener.
CIA: Central Intelligence Agency or simply "The Agency" or "The Company."
CIB: Combat Infantry Badge for actual time in combat.
The CIB was awarded only to combat veterans holding an infantry MOS and several award levels based on number of tours in a combat zone.
CIC: Combat Information Center. Also, Communications and Information Center, but not aboard ship.
CIC: Commander-in-Chief. (President of the United States)
CIDG: (Sidgee) Civilian Irregular Defense Group.
CINCPAC: Commander in Chief, Pacific.
CLACKER: firing device ('exploder') for triggering claymore mines and other electrically initiated demolitions.
CMB: Combat Medic Badge. (Hope to get an image of it soon.)
CO: commanding officer.
COASTIES: nickname used to identify the United States Coast Guard servicemen and women.
COBRA: the AH-1G "attack helicopter." Nicknamed by some the "Shark" or "Snake."
COMIC BOOKS (FUNNY BOOKS): military maps.
COMM (COMMO): communications.
COMPANY: a company is an organizational institution commanded by a captain and consisting of two or more platoons. It varies widely in size according to its mission. An artillery company is called a battery, and a cavalry company is called a troop.
CONTACT: condition of being in contact with the enemy, a firefight, also "in the shit."
CONUS: continental United States.
COOK-OFF: a situation where an automatic weapon has fired so many rounds that the heat has built up enough in the weapon to set off the remaining rounds without using the trigger mech. This was common in the 50 cal., and the only way to stop it was to rip the belt.
CORK: a drug used in the field with small teams to prevent defecation.
CORK: burnt cork was used for facial camouflage.
CORPS: two or more divisions, responsible for the defense of a Military Region. There were four corps operating in Vietnam during the war:
III Marine Amphibious Force,
The XXIV Corps,
I Field Force Vietnam, and
II Field Force Vietnam.
CP: command post.
CRACKER BOX: field ambulance.
CREW CHIEF: Huey crewmember who maintains the aircraft.
CRID: (Crid) Republic of Korea Capitol Infantry Division. Americans called it the "Tiger" Division.
CROSSCHECK: everyone checks everyone else for things that are loose, make noise, light up, smell bad, etc.
CS: Composite Service. Also, riot control gas agent, such as a CS-grenade, used widely to clear out enemy tunnel works. Also, a type of tear gas.
C's: C-rations, C-rats, Charlie rats, or combat rations--canned meals used in military operations. The term "Charlie" was both the phonetic alphabetization of the "C" in C-rations and signified the enemy or enemy activity.
CT-O: communications technician--Operation Branch.
CYA: cover your ass.
CYCLO: a three-wheel passenger vehicle powered by a human on a bicycle.
DAP: a stylized, ritualized manner of shaking hands, started by African-American troops.
DAPSONE: small pill taken periodically by U.S. troops, ostensibly to prevent malaria but actually to prevent leprosy.
DASH: Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter (DASH), a remote-controlled airborne miniature helicopter used to track and detect submarines at a distance.
DD: destroyer. Variations: DDG--destroyer with guided missiles; etc.
DEEP SERIOUS/DEEP SHIT: the worst possible position, such as being nearly overrun.
DEROS: date eligible for return from overseas; the date a person's tour in Vietnam was estimated to end.
DET CORD: detonating cord.
DEUCE: two.
DEUCE AND A HALF: 2.5 ton truck.
DEUCE GEAR: Marine term for the web gear issued to troops, named for the gear's Requisition Form 782, "Seven-Eighty-Deuce."
DI DI MAU: move quickly. Also shortened to just "Di Di."
DINKY DAU: Vietnamese term for "crazy" or "You're crazy."
DIME NICKEL: a 105mm howitzer.
DIRTY THIRTY: pilots who C47 out of Than San Nhut as copilots to Viet Pilots.
DI WEE: captain.
DMZ: demilitarized zone.
DOC: affectionate title for enlisted medical aidman.
DOC: what the grunts would call medics.
DOD: Department of Defense.
DOI MOI: renovation.
DONUT DOLLY: American Red Cross Volunteer--female. Also seen as "Doughnut Dolly(ies)." Namesake of World War I counterpart; helped the morale of the troops.
DOPE: Marine term for the adjustments made to weapon sights. Also a term for marijuana and other illicit drugs.
DOUBTFULS: indigenous personnel who cannot be categorized as either Vietcong or civil offenders. It also can mean suspect personnel spotted from ground or aircraft.
(THE) DRAG: squad behind the main maneuver element to ensure rear safety.
DRUM: holds ammunition until ready to mount on the weapon and "feed" the ammo.
DU MI AMI: the F-word with maternal overtones.
DUNG LAI: Vietnamese for "STOP!" or "HALT!"
DUSTER: the M-42. It was an automatic twin 40mm "ack-ack" set up on a tank body. It was used for firebase and convoy security.
DUSTER: these were WWII tracked vehicles brought to RVN. They were medium size and sported two 40mm pom-poms plus one M60 Machine Gun, plus a crew of about 4 to 5 with individual weapons. They were used for convoy security and perimeter security for artillery bases each night.
DUSTOFF: a nickname for a medical evacuation helicopter or mission.Also, see "Medevac."
E & E: escape and evasion.
ECM: electronic countermeasures, such as jamming, deception, and detection.
EGG BEATER: affectionate name for Huey or any helicopter.
ELD: USCG Explosive Loading Detachment. There were four ELDs assigned to the Army in VN. They supervised the off loading of all the ammo in VN.
ELECTRIC STRAWBERRY: a nickname for the 25th Infantry Division because of the division's shoulder patch representation of "Tropic Lightning."
ELEPHANT GRASS: tall, sharp-edged grass found in the highlands of Vietnam.
ELINT: electronic intelligence.
EM: enlisted man.
ENSIGN: entry level officer rank in the Navy and Coast Guard.
EOD: explosive ordnance disposal.
ET: electronics technicians.
ETS: date of departure from overseas duty station.
EVAC: see "Medevac."
EXFIL: exfiltrate, exfiltration--sneak out/pick up/extract personnel; point of exit from an AO.
EXTRACTION: voluntary or involuntary withdrawal by air of troops from any operational area via helicopter.
FAG: field artillery guy.
FANTAIL: the stern or aft open area of a ship, also called the afterdeck.
FAST MOVER: jet; usually the F-4.
FAT ALBERT: a C-5A aircraft.
FATIGUES: standard combat uniform, green in color.
FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation.
FEATHER: a propeller adjusted in pitch so that it will neither pull nor push air (if it must be shut down, the prop will be "feathered" so as not to 'windmill').
FEET WET: expression used by pilots to indicate they were over water (South China Sea or Gulf of Thailand).
FIELD OF FIRE: area that a weapon or group of weapons can cover effectively with fire from a given position.
FIGHTING HOLE: a foxhole with sandbag protection and sometimes an elevated roof of sheetmetal, reinforced with sandbags. Sized for one or two troops, fighting holes might be dispersed around a company or battery area for defensive use during a ground attack.
FIGMO: state of blissful abandon, achieved after receiving orders out of Vietnam. Literally "Fu*kit, I Got My Orders."
FINI FLIGHT: an Air Force pilot's last mission in Vietnam.
FIRE BASE or FB: (sometimes called a fire support base) temporary artillery firing position often secured by infantry.
FIRECRACKER: artillery round incorporating many small bomblets which are ejected over a target area and explode in 'bouncing-betty' fashion almost simultaneously, the name comes from the fast popping sound (best heard at a distance).
FIREFIGHT: exchange of small arms fire between opposing units.
FIRE FOR EFFECT: when all ordnance was aimed at the enemy in continual firing.
FIRE MISSION: an artillery mission.
FIRST SHIRT: 1st Sgt.
FLACK JACKET: heavy fiberglass-filled vest worn for protection from shrapnel.
FLARE: illumination projectile.
FLYING COW: C-123 or C-130 aircraft equipped with a rubberized collapsible drum and 350-GPM (gallons per minute) pumps. Also called "Bladder Bird" or "Cow."
FNG: most common name for newly arrived person in Vietnam. It was literally translated as a "Fu*kin' new guy."
FO: forward observer; calls fire missions to artillery and sometimes Air and Naval gunfire.
FORWARD: directional--in, at, toward, or near the bow or front of the ship or boat.
FRAG: the common term for any grenade.
FREE FIRE ZONE: any area in which permission was not required prior to firing on targets.
FREEDOM BIRD: any aircraft that took you back to the "world" (U.S.A.). The aircraft on which you left Vietnam.
FREQ: radio frequency.
FRIENDLIES: U.S. troops, allies, or anyone not on the other side.
FRIENDLY AIR ASSETS: U.S. air support.
FRIENDLY FIRE: "Friendly Fire" was a euphemism used during the war in Vietnam to describe air, artillery or small-arms fire from American forces mistakenly directed at American positions.
FTA: Free the Army. Actually, "Fu*k the Army," a derogatory phrase used by frustrated soldiers. Often publically re-interpreted to "Fire The Artillery."
"FTA" also referred to the "First Team Academy" where 1st Cav assignees spent their first few days getting outfitted, learning the ropes, and such Cav things as rapelling, etc.
FUBAR: short for "Fu*ked Up Beyond All Repair" or "Recognition." To describe impossible situations, equipment, or persons as in, "It is (or they are) totally Fubar!"
FUSE: cord filled with pyrotechnic composition, burned at a precise rate after ignition.
FUZE: triggering mechanism attached to the nose of an artillery shell or bomb.
GA MUG: thank you.
GHOST BOATS: what command called the four LSMRs in country.
G.I.: government issue.
GMG1: Gunner's Mate Guns Class Petty Officer or just GMGFirst Class, which is the same as an E-6 in any service.
GOMERS: North Vietnamese.
G.P STRAP: general purpose strap that came off your rucksack. Many uses, but used mainly to replace the sling on an M-16.
GPM: gallons per minute.
GQ: general quarters--battle stations where military personnel are assigned to go ASAP when alarm sounds.
GREASE GUN: M2-A1 sub-machinegun, .45cal automatic weapon.
GREEN BERETS: members of the Special Forces of the U.S. Army. They were awarded the green beret headgear as a mark of distinction.Also referred to as Green Beanies. (See Special Forces.)
GREEN TRACERS: color left by the ammunition fired from enemy AAA or AK-47s whereby you could track/trace its path.
GREEN-EYE: Starlight scope. Light amplifying telescope, used to see at night.
GRUNT: a popular nickname for an infantryman in Vietnam; supposedly derived from the sound one made from lifting up his rucksack. Also Ground Pounder or Crunchie.
GSW-TTH: casualty report term meaning 'gunshot wound, thru and thru.'
GUERRILLA: soldiers of a resistance movement who are organized on a military or paramilitary basis.
GUERRILLA WARFARE: military operations conducted in enemy-held or hostile territory by irregular, predominantly indigenous forces.
GUNG HO: very enthusiastic and committed. Chinese term for "All together."
GUNSHIP: an armed helicopter or adapted fixed-wing aircraft.
GUN TRUCKS: the deuce-and-a-halfs that would accompany convoys. They were usually fitted with a .50 and one or two M60s, plus individual weapons for usually a crew of four to five.
GVN: Government of South Vietnam.
HAI VAN PASS: a particularly treacherous pass through the mountians south of Phu Bai, just before coming into Da Nang.
HAM N'MOTHERFU*KERS: C-Ration 'Ham and Lima Beans,' a well hated meal among soldiers.
HAM N'CHOKERS: see HAM N'MOTHERFU*KERS.
HANOI HILTON: nickname American prisoners of war used to describe the Hoa Loa Prison in Hanoi.
HAWSERS: heavy line used in mooring a ship; often 4 or 6 inches in diameter or more. These lines are *never* referred to as "rope."
HE: high explosive.
HEAT: High Explosive, Anti Tank.
HEAT TABS: fuel pellets used for heating C-Rations.
HILLSBORO: an AF "command and control" aircraft.
HOOTCH: house or living quarters or a native hut.
HORN: radio, "Get the CO on the horn..."
HOSE (DOWN): massive automatic weapons fire, as from a minigun, Spooky or other high firepower gunship. Basecamp perimeters suspected of being infiltrated by sappers would be 'hosed down' by gunships and 'mad minutes'.
HOT: dangerous, such as Hot LZ (where aircraft are receiving enemy fire) Also see Red.
HOT HOIST: extraction of a soldier by helicopter, using its hoist due to the triple canopy, while under fire.
HQ: headquarters.
HUMP: to slog around on foot.
HUN: an F-100 aircraft.
I CORPS: northernmost military region in South Vietnam.
II CORPS: Central Highlands military region in South Vietnam.
III CORPS: military region between Saigon and the Highlands.
IV CORPS: the southernmost military region in South Vietnam, located in the Mekong Delta.
I&I: intoxication and intercourse. This term was used in lieu of R&R.
ILLUM: illumination. Flares dropped by aircraft and fired from the ground by hand, artillery or mortars.
INCOMING: receiving enemy mortar or rocket fire.
IN COUNTRY: Vietnam.
INSERTION/INSERTED: secret helicopter placement of combat troops in an operational area.
INTEL: intelligence.
IN THE FIELD: any forward combat area or any area outside of a town or base camp.
IP: instructor pilot.
IRREGULARS: armed individuals and groups not members of the regular armed forces, police, or other internal security forces.
IVY (IV) DIVISION: nickname of the 4th Infantry Division. (Patch has 4 ivy leaves.)
JESUS NUT: main rotor retaining nut that holds the main rotor onto the rest of the helicopter!!!! If it came off, only Jesus could help you.
JINK: Air Force term for turning hard to avoid enemy fire or detection.
JOLLY GREEN GIANT: heavily armed air force C-47 aircraft supporting troops or an air force HH-53 heavy rescue helicopter.
JUSPAO: Joint United States Public Affairs Office.
KAK WHEEL: carried on a thick string around an RTOs neck to encrypt map coordinates.
K-BAR: combat knife with a six-inch blade and hard leather handle, used mostly by the Marine Corps.
KHMER ROUGE: "Red Khmers." The forces of the Cambodian Communist Party.
KHONG BIET: Vietnamese for "I don't know" or "I don't understand."
KIA: Killed In Action.
KLICK, K: short for kilometer (.62 miles).
KOON SA: the wacky weed.
KP: kitchen police.
LAI DAI: "Bring to me" or "Come to me."
LA VAY: beer.
LAW: (Law) M72 Light Antitank Weapon. A shoulder-fired, 66mm rocket with a one-time disposable fiberglass launcher.
LAY CHILLY: lie motionless.
LBGB: little bitty gook boat (small watercraft, usually one or two people, sometimes made from reeds).
LBJ RANCH: (L-B-J) the Long Binh Stockade. The last word was changed to make a pun on the initials of President Lyndon Baines Johnson.
LC: Library of Congress.
LEANING SH*THOUSE: nickname of the 1st Log (logistics)(patch).
LEATHERNECK: term for MARINE..(Marines wore a Leather neckband 1798-1880 for protection of the neck during sword combat.)
LIFER: career soldier.
LIGHT UP: to fire on the enemy.
LIMA-LIMA: low level, as in aircraft altitude GCI - Ground-Controlled Intercept.
LOACH OR LOH: light observation helicopter, notably the OH-6A.
LO DUN: land mines. Referred to as such by tiger scouts.
LONELY HEARTS: nickname of 24 Corp (patch).
LONG GREEN LINE: column of infantry advancing through jungle terrain.
LONG KNIFE: call sign of the Army Air Cav Hueys - also "Long Knives" as a generic term for the Air Cav.
LP: Listening Position. A 3-man post placed outside the barbwire surrounding a fire base. Each would lay out claymore mines; they would have 1 radio and take turns during the night listening and looking. They were the early warning for the troops inside the parimeter.
LRP OR LRRP: (Lurp) long-range reconnaissance patrol.
LSMR 536: meaning toilet boat.
LURPS: long-range reconnaissance patrol members. Also, an experimental lightweight food packet consisting of a dehydrated meal and named after the soldiers it was most often issued to.
LZ: landing zone.
LZ CUT: performed from C-130 aircraft usually by rolling a large bomb out the rear which was attached to a 6' fuse. The bomb blew horizontally, not creating a crater but making an instant LZ.
M-1: World War II vintage American rifle/carbine.The 8 shot,.30 caliber "M-1" was superceded by the M-14 and subsequently by the 18 shot.223 M-16.
M11: large, anti-malaria pill (Chloroquine). Taken every Monday, produced persistant diarrhea.
M-14: .30 cal, select-fire rifle used in early portion of Vietnam War.
M-16: nicknamed the widow-maker, the standard American rifle used in Vietnam after 1966.
M-60: American-made 7.62mm (.308 cal) machine gun.
M-79: single-barreled, break-action grenade launcher, which fired 40mm projectiles, nicknamed the "Blooper."aka "Thumper" or "Thumpgun"
MAC-SOG: Military Assistance Command Studies and Observation Group.
MACV: (Mac-vee) Military Assistance Command, Vietnam.
MAD MINUTE: concentrated fire of all weapons for a brief period of time at maximum rate; also called "Mike-mike".
MAGS: magazines where ammunition kept/stored until placed in a weapon.
MAMA-SAN: mature Vietnamese woman.
MASH: Mobile Army Surgical Hospital.
MAT: Mobile Advisory Team. Usually a six-member team of two U.S. Army officers, three enlisted men, and an interpreter responsible for training territorial forces (RF and PF).
MECH: mechanized infantry.
MEDCAP: (Med-cap) Medical Civil Action Program.
MEDEVAC: medical evacuation by helicopter; also called an "evac" or "Dustoff".
MET MESSAGE: weather conditions report sent from a meteorological unit.
MIA: Missing In Action.
MIC: microphone.
MIG: (MiG) Soviet fighter plane.
MIHN OI: sweetheart.
MIKE: minute. Such as, "Move out in two-zero Mikes..." (20 minutes).
MIKE-MIKE: millimeters, as in "..a 60 Mike Mike" (60mm mortar).
MIKE FORCE, MSF: Special Forces Mobile Strike Force; composed of indigenous personnel and used as a reaction or reinforcing unit.
MINI-POUNDER: small radar transmitter used to mark locations on the ground for radar-carrying aircraft.
MPC: military payment currency; used instead of U.S. dollars.
MRF - the Mobile Riverine Force, 2nd Brigade 9th Infantry Division and River Assault Flotilla 1.
MULE: small 4-wheeled cargo vehicle.
NAILS: a type of warhead attached to a 2.75-inch, spin-stabilized, folding-fin, aerial rocket. Called flechettes, this round was used against personnel targets. It was usually launched from helicopter gunships. The number of nails in a round escapes me, but it is around several hundred.
NAPALM/NAPE: An incendiary used in Vietnam by French and Americans both as defoliant and antipersonnel weapon. Consisted of a flammable organic solvent, usually gasoline, gelled by soap. Delivered by bombs or flamethrower, napalm clung to the surfaces it touched, holding the burning solvent in place on the target.
NAV: navigator or radar navigator in an aircraft.
NCO: noncommissioned officer.
NEWBIE: any person with less time in Vietnam than the speaker.
NGFS: Naval GunFire Support (with 5" to 16" shells).
NGO: non-governmental organizaton.
NIPA PALM: very sharp-edged palms that grew in very dense concentrations. Edges much like sawgrass. Nasty stuff.
NKP: Nhakon Phanom Air Base, Thailand. Major comm and electronic warfare base.
NLF: National Liberation Front, officially the National Front for the Liberation of the South.
NOOK: water.
NOOKDAU: ice.
NO SWEAT: can do...easily done or accomplished.
NON LA: conical hat, part of traditional Vietnamese costume.
NSA: Naval Support Activity.
NSD: Naval Supply Depot, aka: NAVSUPDEP.
NUC or NOUC: water.
NUMBER ONE: good.
NUMBER TEN: bad.
NUMBER TEN-THOUSAND: VERY bad.
NUOC MAM: fermented fish sauce, called "armpit sauce" by many.
NVA: North Vietnamese Army,or referring to a soldier in same.
105: 105mm howitzer or F-105 Thunderchief fighter-bomber ("Thud").
122mm, 140mm, ETC.: large-caliber enemy rockets.
O2: Cessna Skymaster, also known as push-me-pull-you. FAC aircraft. Twin engine, one fore and one aft of cabin section.
O3: Really 03--an infantryman. This is based on the 03 series of MOS. The pay grade 03 is Captain (US Marine Corps/US Army/US Air Force); or as a Lt. (US Navy/US Coast Guard). The grunt MOS is often referred to as "Oh-3"--at least in the Corps.
OCS: Officer's Candidate School.
OSS: Office of Strategic Services. Created in 1942, the OSS was an intelligence-gathering operation which became a forerunner of the CIA.
OD: olive drab color, standard "Army Green" color. Also, Officer of the Day.
ONE O DEUCE: refers to a 105mm howitzer. Many do not know the 105mm is actually 102mm.
OUC-DA-LOI: Vietnamese for Australian.
OUT-COUNTRY: the Southeast Asian conflict outside South Vietnam (i.e., Laos and North Vietnam, sometimes Thailand, Cambodia, and China)
P-38: can opener for canned C-rations.
PAPA-SAN: an elderly Vietnamese man.
PAVN: (Pavin) People's Army of Vietnam; also known as the NVA.
PETER PILOT: co-pilot, the less-experienced pilot in a Huey.
PF: Popular Forces.
PH: Purple Heart
PLATOON: approximately 45 men belonging to a company.
Commanded by a lieutenant, a platoon is an organizational unit composed of two or more squads. A sergeant is usually second in command.
POINT MAN: lead soldier in a unit cutting a path through dense vegetation if needed and constantly exposed to the danger of tripping booby traps or being the first in contact with the enemy.
PONCHO LINER: nylon insert to the military rain poncho, used as a blanket.
POP: generically, to 'trigger' or 'initiate', as in "...pop a flare."
POPEYE: expression used by a pilot to indicate that he was flying in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC); i.e., in the clouds.
POP SMOKE: to mark a target, team sight (location), or Landing Zone (LZ) with a smoke grenade.
PORT: on the left of the ship or boat when facing forward.
POW: Prisoner of War.
PRC-25: nicknamed Prick. lightweight infantry field radio.
PRC-77: radio, similar to PRC-25 but incorporated an encryption feature for secure communication.
PROJOS: Howitzer projectile - term used by pilots transporting same.
P's: piasters, the Vietnamese monetary unit.
PTSD: post-traumatic stress disorder.
PUCKER FACTOR: assessment of the 'fear factor,' as in the difficulty/risk in an upcoming mission.
PUFF (the Magic Dragon): AC-47 aircraft fitted with side-firing miniguns and flares.
PUSH: refering to a radio frequency, ie 'PUSH 71.675' meaning a frequency of 71.675 megahertz.
PX: post exchange.
QC: Qua^n Ca~nh. Vietnamese equivalent of an American MP.
QUAD 50s: A World War II vintage, anti-aircraft weapon used in Vietnam as an anti-personnel weapon. It consisted of four electric selenoid fired 50 cal. machine guns mounted in a movable turret, sometimes put on the back of a deuce and a half. It was used for firebase and convoy security.
RC: radio control, as in radio control models.
RECON: reconnaissance.
REDLEG: or cannon-cocker: Artilleryman.
RED LZ: landing zone under hostile fire. Also see Hot.
REMF: Rear Echelon Mother Fu*ker. Nickname given to men serving in the rear by front-line soldiers. Could also be RAMF attributed to the U.S. Marine Corps: Rear Area Mother Fu*ker.
RF/PF: Regional and Popular Forces of South Vietnam; also known as "Ruff-Puffs".
ROCK 'N' ROLL: to put a M16A1 rifle on full automatic fire.
ROKs: Republic of Korea ground troops.
ROME PLOW: large bulldozer fitted with a large blade, used to clear jungle and undergrowth in order to make friendly operations easier in that area.
RONONE: USCG Squadron One.
RONTHREE or RON3: larger Coast Guard vessels assigned off-shore patrol work.
ROUND EYE: slang term used by American soldiers to describe another American or an individual of European descent.
RPD: enemy weapon; light machine gun.
RPG: Russian-manufactured antitank grenade launcher; also, rocket-propelled grenade.
RPG SCREEN: chain link fence erected around a valuable position to protect it from RPG attack by causing the enemy rocket to explode on the fence and not on the protected bunker, etc.
R & R: rest-and-recreation vacation taken during a one-year duty tour in Vietnam. Out-of-country R & R was at Bangkok, Hawaii, Tokyo, Australia, Hong Kong, Manila, Penang, Taipei, Kuala Lampur or Singapore.
In-country R & R locations were at Vung Tau, Cam Rahn Bay or China Beach.
ROCKn'ROLL: firing of weapons on full automatic.
RTO: radio telephone operator who carried the PRC-25.
RUCK, RUCKSACK: backpack issued to infantry in Vietnam.
RVN: Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam).
7.62 MINIS: the AK-47; refers to the caliber bullet the AK used.
SAME-SAME: same as....
SANDY: the navigational name of the northeastern-most corner of the Saigon Flight Information Region (FIR), of which flight past assured the crew of combat pay and combat income tax exemption.
SAPPERS: North Vietnamese Army or Vietcong demolition commandos.
SAR: search and rescue.
SKY PILOT: another name for the Chaplain.
SEA: Southeast Asia.
SEABEES: Naval construction engineers. Derived from C.B.--Navy construction battalion.
SEAL: Navy special-warfare force members.
SEARCH AND CLEAR: offensive military operations to sweep through areas to locate and attack the enemy.
SEARCH AND DESTROY: offensive operations designed to find and destroy enemy forces rather than establish permanent government control; also, called "Zippo missions."
SEMPER FI: short for "Semper Fidelis," Latin for "Always Faithful."
SERETTE: little disposable needle with morphine.
SEVENTEENTH PARALLEL: temporary division line between North and South Vietnam established by the Geneva Accords of 1954.
SFTG: Special Forces Training Group.
SHACKLE: encrypt, a method of encoding sensitive information, such as unit locations, in order to be able to send the information by radio.
SHAKE'nBAKE: an officer straight out of OCS (Officer Candidate School) without any combat experience.
SHELL: artillery projectile.
SH*T: a catchall multipurpose term, ie, a firefight was 'in the sh*t', a bad situation was 'deep shit', to be well prepared and alert was to have your 'sh*t wired tight.'
SH*THOOK: slang for a Chinook Helicopter.
SHORT ORBIT: aircraft circling to land; small, close orbit by aircraft overhead.
SHORT, SHORT-TIME, SHORT-TIMER: individual with little time remaining in Vietnam.
An expression which indicated you were close to your Fini Flight and the Freedom Bird. In your last couple of weeks, you were so "short" you were invisible.
SHOTGUN/SHOTGUNNER: armed guard on or in a vehicle who watches for enemy activity and returns fire if attacked. Also a door gunner on a helicopter.
SIN LOI, MINOI: too bad, honey. (see "XIN LOI.")
SIN LOY: see "XIN LOI."
SIT-REP: situation report.
SIX: from aviation jargon: "my 6 o'clock"--directly behind me; hence, my back--cover my back or rear of operation.
SKATE: goof off.
SKYRAIDER: Douglas A1-H aircraft, single propeller aircraft used for Close Air Support (CAS).
SKY PILOT: Navy Chaplain.
SLACK MAN: second man in a patrol, behind the POINTMAN.
SLEEPER: an undercover agent or a mole.
SLICK: helicopter used to lift troops or cargo with only protective armaments systems.Also, see Huey Slick.
SLOPE: a derogatory term used to refer to any Asian.
SLOW MOVER: propeller driven AF fighter aircraft.
SNAFU: Situation Normal All Fu*ked Up
SNAKE: Snake-Eye bombs used for close air support, as in "Snake N' Nape" (bombs and napalm).
SNAKE: in reference to the AH-1G Cobra.
SNEAKY PETES: U.S. Army Special Forces or Rangers.
SNOOP 'N' POOP: Marine search and destroy offensive mission.
SOG: Studies and Observations Group.Also, Special Operations Group.
SORTIE: one aircraft making one takeoff and landing to conduct the mission for which it was scheduled.
SOS: "Sh*t On A Shingle." Creamed meat on toast.
SPC-(4,6,...): Specialist Rank, having no command function.
SPECIAL FORCES OR SF: U.S. Army soldiers; also called "Green Berets," trained in techniques of guerrilla warfare.
SQUAD: a squad is a basic organizational institution in the United States Army and Marine Corps. A sergeant usually commands the squad, and the squad is composed of two teams of four men each. A tank and its crew is considered the squad for an armored unit, as is the howitzer or gun and its crew in an artillery unit.
STAND-DOWN: period of rest and refitting in which all operational activity, except for security, is stopped.
STAY BEHIND (LEAVE BEHIND): ambush tactic wherein a small group is left behind after a unit breaks camp in order to ambush enemy sweeping thru the 'deserted' area.
STANSIONS: stabilizing devices.
STARBOARD: on the right when facing forward.
STARLIGHT: night-vision telescope, used by snipers and basecamp defense troops to see in the dark.
STERN: back of a ship or boat.
STOL: short takeoff and landing. C-123 and C-130 aircraft were noted for using little runway when not over-loaded.
STRAP HANGER: comes from the Airborne--someone who is not a part/regular member of the organization/team but is along for the ride.
SWIFT BOAT: U.S. Navy patrol boat, designated PCF (patrol craft fast), part of operation Market Time, used to patrol coastal waters and rivers of Vietnam.
STAND-DOWN: period of rest and refitting in which all operational activity, except for security, is stopped.
STAY BEHIND (LEAVE BEHIND): ambush tactic wherein a small group is left behind after a unit breaks camp in order to ambush enemy sweeping thru the 'deserted' area.
STANSIONS: stabilizing devices.
STARBOARD: on the right when facing forward.
STARLIGHT: night-vision telescope, used by snipers and basecamp defense troops to see in the dark.
STERILIZED: restore a site to its original condition before moving out of it, particularly if there was a more than remote possiblility of enemy troops coming across where American troops had been.
STERN: back of a ship or boat.
STOL: short takeoff and landing. C-123 and C-130 aircraft were noted for using little runway when not over-loaded.
STRAP HANGER: comes from the Airborne--someone who is not a part/regular member of the organization/team but is along for the ride.
SWIFT BOAT: U.S. Navy patrol boat, designated PCF (patrol craft fast), part of operation Market Time, used to patrol coastal waters and rivers of Vietnam.
TAILBOOM: the back 1/3 of a Huey.
TALLY-HO: or just "Tally" - acknowlegement by a pilot that he had visually acquired another aircraft or ground target which had been called to his attention.
TEE-TEE: Vietnamese term for "A little bit."
TET: Vietnamese Lunar New Year holiday period.Also refers to the nationwide NVA-VC offensive that began during Tet, 1968.
THE ROCK: Guam.
THUD: F-105 aircraft.
THUNDER ROAD: Highway 13, from Saigon to Loc Ninh, known for many mines, ambushes, etc.
THUMPER (THUMPGUN): M-79 grenade launcher.
TIGER BALM: a foul-smelling oil used by many Vietnamese to ward off evil spirits.
TOC: Tactical Operations Center.
TOMMY-GUN: .45cal, Thompson sub-machinegun, fully automatic shoulder fired weapon.
TONKIN: northern section of Vietnam.
TONKIN GULF YACHT CLUB: the U.S. Navy in operations offshore of both North and South Vietnam.
TOT: 'Time On Target,' multi-battery artillery tactic to provide massive destruction instantaneously.
TRI-BORDER: in SEA, the area where Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos meet.
TRIP-WIRE: thin wire used by both sides strung across an area someone may walk through.Usually attached to a mine, flare, or booby trap.
TRIPLE CANOPY: thick jungle, plants growing at 3 levels - ground level, intermediate, and high levels.
TRUNG WEE: sergeant.
UA: unauthorized absence. (See "AWOL")
USAF: United States Air Force.
USAID: U.S. Agency for International Development.
USARPAC: United States Army, Pacific.
USARV: United States Army, Vietnam.
USCG: Unites States Coast Guard.
USMC: United States Marine Corps.
USN: United States Navy.
USO: United Service Organization.
VC, CONG: Vietcong.
VILLE (VILL): ostensibly "village" but used to refer to any group of hooches.
VN: Vietnam.
VNAF: Vietnamese Air Force.
VT: Variable Time artillery fuze, incorporated a small radar transceiver, used to obtain a reliable 20 meter airburst.
VVA: Vietnam Veterans of America.
WAKEY: the last day in country before going home.
WALLABEE: an Australian Caribou aircraft.
WART HOG: A-10 aircraft. So slanged due to its 'ugly' appearance.
WATCHER: enemy.
WEB GEAR: canvas belt and shoulder straps used for packing equipment and ammunition on infantry operations.
WESPAC: Navy and Coast Guard terms for Western Pacific operations, which extended to the Asian Pacific. A WESPAC tour, then, was a tour of duty in the Western Pacific, generally synonomous with service in/around Vietnam.
WHITE MICE: South Vietnamese police. The nickname came from their uniform white helmets and gloves.
WIA: Wounded In Action.
WILLIE PETER/WILLIE PETE/WHISKEY PAPA/W-P:
popular nicknames for white phosphorus mortar or artillery rounds or grenades. Also, rockets used by FACs to mark placement for bomb runs.
WO: Warrant Officer.
WOBBLY ONE: Warrant Officer, Grade W1.
WOC: Warrant Officer Candidate.
(THE) WORLD: the United States
Any place outside of Vietnam.
WWI: World War I.
WWII: World War II.
XIN LOI or XOINE LOI: pronounced by GIs as "Sin Loy," meaning 'too bad,' 'tough sh*t,' 'sorry bout that.' The literal translation is "excuse me."
M-203: fired the 40mm shells, fit on the M-16.
YARDS: Montagnard soldiers.
ZIPPO: flamethrower.Also refers to the popular cigarette lighter of that brandname.
ZIPPO BOATS: LCMs with flame throwers.
ZIPPO MISSION: search and destroy mission.
ZONE AND SWEEP: artillery tactic/fire pattern to cover a target with an "X" pattern of fire.
ZULU: casualty report, also the phonetic pronunciation of the letter 'Z.'
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