Glossary Of Vietnam Terminology
Glossary Of Vietnam Terminology
A
Agent Orange - Defoliant/herbicide containing 2,4,T Dioxin
AK47 - Soviet/Chicom 7.62mm assualt rifle
Albumen - a blood expander carried by medics to replace lost blood
AO - Area of Operations, your "neighborhood". Ours were Cochise-Green & Walker
APC - Armored Personnel Carrier, usually an M-113
APDS - Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot -The baddest antitank round on earth
ARA - Aerial Rocket Artillery - gunships
Arclight - Radio code for a 3 ship Cell B-52 Strike
ARVN - collection of non-hostile South Vietnamese with weapons
Ash and Trash - Administrative functions of HHC
AVLB - Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge (usually on an M-60 tank chassis)
AW - Automatic Weapons
B
B40 - armor defeating shaped charge projectile fired by RPG2 and RPG7
Bandaid Box - Radio code for the medic vehicle, usually an M-113 APC
Bandaid - Radio code for the medic
Baseball Grenade - Defensive Fragmentation hand grenade: explodes on impact
Base Camp Commando - See REMF
BDA - Bomb Damage Assessment - we counted the craters
Beaucoup - Many
Beehive Round - 90mm cannon round containing 8,500 darts or "flechettes" called "Green Can"
Bic - Vietnamese for "understand" "No bic" means "I don't understand"
Big Boy - Radio code for a tank
Black Can - 90mm Canister round containing 1,000 1/2x5/16 inch pellets
Blivet - huge rubber tire like container for water or diesel fuel: towed or airlifted
Blue Legs - Infantrymen
Blue Line - Radio code for a stream or river
BMFIC - Big Mother F_____ In Charge (Usually the Division Commander or ADC maneuver)
Boom Boom - sex with a prostitute
Boom Boom Girl - A prostitute
Box - Radio code for an M-113 APC
Broken Arrow - Radio code for a unit about to be overrun--diverts all Tactical air to support that unit
Bug Juice - Insect Repellent
C
C4 - Plastic Explosive in Claymores we used for heating coffee
C and C - Command and Control Ship, usually a Huey, sometimes a Loach
CAR-15 - Carbine version of M-16 with collapsable stock - Officers only
C Rations - Dog food left over from WWII and canned for GIs in Nam
Charlie - Viet Cong, from phonetic alphabet for VC, Victor Charlie
Charles - Formal reference to Charlie
Charm School - Initial training and orientation upon arrival in-country
Cherry Juice - Hydraulic fluid in tank turret traversing system
Cherry School - Initial training and orientation upon arrival in-country
Chieu Hoi - Literally "Open Arms" - RVN Amnesty program for NVA/VC
Chinook - a CH-47 cargo helicopter
CIB - Combat Infantryman Badge (a mark of honor among grunts, justifiably so)
CIDG - Civilian Irregular Defense Group. See ARVN, see also RF/PF
Claymore - antipersonnel mine (from Gaelic "claidheamh mor" pronounced like "Claymore" meaning Broad Sword)
Class Five - Ammo
Class One - Rations, usually hot
Class Six - Booze
Coax - the coaxially mounted M-73 7.62mm machine gun
Cockadau - derivative of Vietnamese slang, meaning "to kill"
Coke Girl - a Vietnamese woman who sold everything except boom boom to GIs
Concussion Bomb - A bomb containing kerosene that was devastating
Conex - Container, Explosive: used for housing in RVN
D
Daisy Cutter - a 15,000 pound BLU-82 bomb dropped by C130 to clear an LZ
Danger Close - an air strike or artillery mission within 100 meters of your location
Dee-Dee - To leave
Delta Tango - Designated Targets - Preselected artillery targets located in daylight for use at night
Detcord - Explosive that looks like rope- used to daisy-chain claymores
Dinky-dao - (pronounced "dinky dow") Crazy, Americanized Vietnamese
Donut Dolly - Women from the American Red Cross
Dragon Wagon - a tank transporter, also called Low Boy
Dumbo - A C-123 Provider of the USAF
Duster - an M42, an old M24 tank chassis with two 40mm AA guns in an open turret
Dustoff - Medical evacuation helicopter, usually a Huey
E
E&E - Escape and Evade
Elephant - Radio code for an M48-A3. Also the real thing: 'Nam was crawling with them
Elephant Grass - tall, sharp-edged grass found in the highlands of Vietnam
ELINT - Poor intelligence gathered electronically at great expense
EOD - Explosive Ordnance Disposal
ETS - Estimated Termination of Service - the day you got out of the Army
F
FAC - Forward Air Controller, usually flying around in an O-1 Birddog
Fast Mover - FAC radio code for an F100, F105, or F4C aircraft
Fifty - the .50 caliber M2HB machine gun
FNG - F______ New Guy, the term applied to everyone whose name you couldn't remember
FO - Forward Observer, an artilleryman, usually an officer
Frag - Offensive Fragmentation hand grenade: five second fuze
Friendlies - Other US or allied troops on the battlefield
Friendly Fire - Officially called "Misadventure" by the DOD. See Short Round
Fire Mission - radio request to the artillery to drop some HE on the bad guys
FSB - Fire Support Base: usually a battery (3 105mm howizters) of guns with a perimeter
FTA - Fun, Travel, Adventure, from Army recruiting ad
FTA - F___ The Army, the more common meaning
Funny Money - Military Payment Certificates, scrip issued in lieu of dollars
Funny Paper - Radio code for a topo map
G
Goofy Grape - Radio code for purple smoke
GP - General Purpose bomb. Can kill troops or bust bunkers
Green Can - 90mm cannon round containing 8,500 darts or "flechettes"
Grunts - Infantrymen
Guns - short for gunships
Gunship - Usually a UH1B Huey, later a UH1G Hueycobra
Gun Target Line - You don't want to be on it. See Short Round
Gun Truck - Cargo truck with added armor and machineguns for convoy escort
H
Hawk - Radio code for ambush team
Hawkeye - Use varied 1) a US sniper or 2) an O-1 aircraft with a starlight scope
HE - High Explosive
HEAT - High Explosive Anti-Tank - fin-stabilized armor defeating projectile
HEP - High Explosive Plastic (Composition B)
HHC - Headquarters and Headquarters Company
H & I - Harrassing and Interdicting artillery fire
Hoi Chanh - an enemy soldier who took advantage of the Chieu Hoi program
Hook - short for a CH-47 Chinook
Horn - the radio
Huey - A UH1D Helicopter, probably the image of Vietnam
I
IFFV - 1st Field Force Vietnam
II Corp - The AO for the 1/69 Armor, included Binh Dinh, Kontum, Pleiku provinces
Illum - Illumination rounds fired by artillery, M79, or dropped by aircraft
In-Country - on the ground in South Vietnam
Indian Country - Area controlled by Charles
IP - Initial Point - A reference point in the attack
J
Jody - "...Jody was there when you left, you're right"
JP-4 - Fuel for Hueys and fast movers
Jungle Boot - Special boots with stainless steel shank and holes to drain water out
Jungle Fatigues - tropical weight jacket and pants
Jungle Penetrator - bullet shaped device for extracting wounded in triple-canopy rain-forest
Jungle Rot - Any of a number of fungal infections caused by moisture in Vietnam
K
KHA - Killed Hostile Action
KIA - Killed In Action
Kit Carson Scout - North Vietnamese Regulars who defected and acted as scouts for US troops
Klick - a kilometer, 1,000 meters
L
La Dai - Come here!
Lager - Tanks or APCs circled in a defensive position, usually at night
LAW - Light Antitank Weapon - M-72 - Fired 66mm round from disposable launcher
LBE - Load Bearing Equipment, web gear, system for carrying canteen, ammo, pack, battle dressing
LBJ - Long Binh Jail, the Army Stockade in Long Binh
Leaf Killers - nickname for Dumbo pilots spraying Agent Orange defoliant
Lefty Lemon - Radio Code for Yellow Smoke
Legs - non-airborne infantrymen (see also straight legs)
Lima Delta - Line of Departure: point of no return in an attack
Lima Lima - LL - Land Line: a field phone
Lima Pappa - LP - Listening Post
Little People - radio code for ARVNs
Loach - Light Observation Helicopter, usually an OH-6 (Hughes 500C) but also OH-58 (Bell Jetranger)
Log - Logistics
Log Bird - resupply helicopter, usually a Huey, sometimes a Chinook
LOH - Light Observation Helicopter, usually a Hughes 500C but also Bell Jetranger
Louie Lime - Radio Code for Green Smoke
Low Boy - a tank transporter, also called Dragon Wagon
LRRP - Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol - 5 man team dropped into indian country
LRRP Rations - freeze dried food developed for LRRPs tasted better than "C" Rations
LZ - Landing Zone (note that some were Fire Support Bases and had names)
M
M-2HB - Caliber 50 machine gun (HB = Heavy Barrel)
M-3A1 - Caliber 45 submachine gun (M-3 was older variant)
M-17 - Protective mask worn by non-vehicle crewmen
M-26A1 - Fragmentation hand grenade (offensive)
M-16A1 - Later, better model of the famous automatic rifle
M-16E1 - Early model M-16 which jammed frequently
M-18A1 - Claymore antipersonnel weapon
M-33 - Fragmentation hand grenade (defensive) aka "baseball grenade"
M-41 - Korean war vintage Walker Bulldog light tank (ARVNs only)
M-42 - Duster (twin 40mm Bofors antiaircraft cannon on M-41 chassis)
M-48A3 - Main Battle Tank used in Vietnam because of its thick hull
M-49 - Trip flare
M-52A2 - 5-ton tractor, as in tractor-trailer
M-60 - in Vietnam, the 7.62mm squad machine gun of the infantry
M-72 - LAW (Light Antitank Weapon) 66mm rocket in disposable launcher
M-79 - 40mm grenade launcher, aka "Thumper"
M-88 - Tracked recovery vehicle (used by armor and Maintenance units)
M-101 - Split trail 105mm Howitzer (traditional Artillery units)
M-102 - Closed trail 105mm Howitzer (Airborne and Air Cav units)
M-106 - Selp-propelled 4.2 inch mortor track (modified M-113)
M-107 - Self-propelled 175mm gun
M-109 - Self-propelled 155mm howizter
M-110 - Self-propelled 8" howizter
M-113 - Armored Pesonnel Carrier fitted with Chrysler 209HP gasoline engine
M-113A1 - M-113 fitted with General Motors 215HP Diesel engine
M-114 - Tracked, armored, scout vehicle fitted with Chrysler gasoline engine
M-114A1 - M-114 fitted with General Motors Diesel engine
M-132 - "Zippo" track mechanized flamethrower (based on M-113A1 chassis)
M-151 - Jeep (truck, cargo, 4x4)
M-548 - Tracked cargo vehicle
M-577 - Tracked command vehicle, modified M-113 (used by all maneuver Bns)
M-578 - Tracked recovery vehicle (used by infantry and artillery)
M-728 - Combat Engineer Vehicle (CEV) M-60 Chassis w/ 165mm demolition gun
Mac the FAC - The Forward Air Controller, usually flying around in an O-1 Birddog
MACV - Military Assistance Command Vietnam
Mad Minute - Random firing of all perimeter defensive weapons to discourage infiltration
MEDCAP - Medical Civil Action Program - Our Medics treated Vietnamese villagers
MFIC - Mother F_____ In Charge
Mighty Mite - Small portable blower used for filling tunnels with CS (tear agent) powder
Mike Mike - Millimeter
Mil - unit of circular and vertical/horizontal measurement in tank gunnery. 6,400 in a circle
MOGAS - Short for MOtor vehicle GASoline - military grade gasoline
Montegnard Bar - A Hersey Tropical Bar
MPC - Military Payment Certificates, scrip issued in lieu of dollars
MRRF - Mobile Road Reaction Force
N
Napalm - Thickened gasoline. Resembles Jell-O in bombs, maple syrup in a Zippo-track
NCOIC - Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge
NDP - Night Defensive Position
Nickel - radio code for a junior NCO
No Bic - I don't understand
Number One - The Best
Number 10 - The worst
O
OIC - Officer In Charge
One Four - The platoon Sergeant
One Six - The platoon leader
One Six Alpha - The platoon leader's gunner, the Assistant tank commander
Oscar Pappa - Observation Post
Oscar Track - Call sign for Company HQs or Bn S-3
P
P-38 - Can opener that came with C-Rations
Penny - Radio code for an enlisted man
PFT - Portable Flame Thrower
Piaster - Vietnamese Money (in fall 1968 100 piasters was 1 US Dollar)
POL - Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants
Poncho Liner - lightweight, camouflage blanket for use at night in Central Highlands. Very useful
Pop Smoke - to ignite a smoke grenade for identification and wind direction for Hueys
PRC-25 - AN/PRC-25 man portable FM radio set
PRC-77 - AN/PRC-77 man portable secure FM radio set
Prick 25 - Slang for the AN/PRC-25 man portable FM radio set
Punji Stake - sharpened bamboo stick booby trap smeared with excrement to cause infection
Push - radio frequency (because you PUSHed a button to select one)
Q
Quad-50 - Four Caliber 50 machine guns (M2HB) mounted on a gun truck for convoy defense
Quick Reaction Force - Helicopter-borne infantry with gunships able to react to enemy attacks
Q-Service - Quarterly service of vehicles
R
Range Card - We never used them, but said we did
Red Ball - Radio code for a hard surface road
Red Haze - Radio code for ammonia sensing people-sniffer in aircraft
Red Legs - Artillerymen, aka Cannon-Cockers
Rootin Tootin Raspberry - Radio Code for Red Smoke
REMF - Rear Echelon Mother F_____
Remington Raider - term invented by "Stretch" Grohman: see Smith Corona Commando
RF/PF - Ruff Puffs Regional Forces/Popular Forces, usually without weapons (see ARVN)
Rock N' Roll - an M-16 on automatic
Rome Plow - A Caterpillar D7E bulldozer used for defoliation missions
Round Eye - Caucasian, usually a female
RPD - (Ruchnoi Pulyemet Degtyarova) Soviet made squad machinegun, 7.62mm
RPG2 - Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher, Soviet made
RPG7 - Later model Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher, Soviet made
RTO - Radio Telephone Operator
Rucksack - also ruck: packs carried by grunts
Ruff Puffs - Regional Forces/Popular Forces, usually without weapons (see ARVN)
S
SA - Small Arms
Sabot - Dutch word for "wooden shoe" cladding around an APDS round
Sandy - A1-E1 Skyraider providing fire supression on a SAR mission
SAR - Search And Rescue mission - looking for downed pilots
Sappers - NVA/VC whose job it was to blow things up
Search and Avoid - Typical ARVN mission
Short - Very little time left in-country
Short Round - an artillery round that falls short of the target on the Gun Target Line
Sinh Loi - Sorry about that!
Sitrep - Situation Report, made hourly to next higher headquarters
Six - Radio call-sign of a unit commander (Company, Battalion)
Six One Higher - Radio code for your boss if you're a Six
SKS - Soviet/Chicom 7.62mm carbine
Skypilot - Chaplain
Sky Soldier - paratrooper of the 173rd Airborne
Slick - a UH1D with no seats (slick floor) used for carrying troops
Sling Load - load carried beneath a helicopter on a cable
Smith-Corona Commando - (term invented by "Stretch" Grohman) See REMF
Snake - slang for AH-1 Hueycobra attack helcopter
SOI - Signal Operating Instructions: codes for radio communications
Spad - A1-E1 Skyraider providing tactical air support
SP - Start Point. Beginning of a road march
Spectre - Radio code for the AC-130 Gunship, which we called Spooky
Spooky - Radio code for the AC-47 Gunship the REMFs and Saigon reporters called "Puff"
SP Pak - Sundry Pak
SRAP - Short Range Ambush Platoon
Starlight Scope - AN/PVS-2 Image Intensification Device, turned night into day
Super-quick - 105mm howitzer round fuze for immediate detonation
T
TA-312 - Hand-cranked field phone
TAOR - Tactical Area Of Responsibility
Tango Charlie - Radio code for Tank Commander (also Track Commander)
Tea Party - radio code for an ambush
Tee Tee - very lttle
Thumper - an M-79 grenade launcher, so called because it made a hollow "thump" when fired
TOC - Tactical Operations Center: a huge bunker where the old man lives with his staff
Tracks - the collection of track blocks on a tracked vehicle (REMFs say treads)
U
UCMJ - Uniform Code of Military Justice
Uncle Ho - Ho Chi Minh
USARPAC - United States Army Pacific
USARV - United States Army Vietnam
URC-10 - AN/URC-10 Survivial Radio used by LRRPs
UTM - Universal Transverse Mercator - grid system on topo maps
V
Viet Cong - Literally, Vietnamese Communist. The Former Viet Minh were co-opted by communist sympathizers
Viet Minh - Literally, Vietnamese Nationalist: movement started by Ho Chi Minh to get French out of Indochina
Voting Machine - Nickname for ARVN tanks because they only came out during a coup d'etat
VTR - Vehicle, Tracked, Recovery (the tow track for tanks), Usually an M-88
W
Web Gear - canvas belt and shoulder straps used for packing equipment and ammunition on infantry operations
Whispering Death - Charles' name for a B-52 strike. He couldn't hear or see them
WHA - Wounded Hostile Action
WIA - Wounded In Action
Willie Pete - White Phosphorous round or grenade (evil stuff)
X
XM-177E2 - CAR-15, short-barrel, collapsable-stock version of M-16 rifle
XM-203 - 40mm grenade launcher attachment for M-16 rifle
XO - eXecutive Officer, the second in command of a unit.
Y
Yankee Station - Tonkin Gulf Area of South China Sea patrolled by US Navy
Yards - derivative of Montagnards
Z
Zippo Track - An M-113 APC converted to a mechanized flame-thrower M132A2
Zulu Time - Greenwich Mean Time (now UTC) about twelve hours later than our time zone in 'Nam
End of Glossary
__________________
|