| "Glossary 
		of Military Terms & Slang from the Vietnam War A-CGo to:
		Numbers,
		A,
		B,
		C, 
		D, 
		E,
		F, 
		G,
		H, 
		I,
		J,
		K,
		L,
		M,
		N,
		O,
		P,
		Q,
		R,
		S,
		T,
		U,
		V,
		W,
		X,
		Y,
		Z 
		Numbers 
			4-F classification given to those deemed unfit for 
			military service 50-cal .50 caliber machine gun 51-cal heavy machine gun used by the enemy 79 an M-79 grenade launcher 82 mm a mortar used by the enemy 105 a 105-mm howitzer 201 file 
			a U.S. Army personnel file  
			AAR after-action report AC aircraft commander actual the [Marine] unit commander. Used to distinguish 
			the commander from the radioman when the call sign is used. 
			ADSID air-delivered seismic intruder-detection device; 
			microphone and transmitter dropped into suspect areas Advance Guard Youth
			Vietnamese student social and sports organization 
			that evolved into a non-Communist nationalist movement by 1945.
			Advanced Individual Training
			specialized training taken after Basic Training, 
			also referred to as Advanced Infantry Training AFVN Armed Forced Vietnam Network radio station 
			Agency the Central Intelligence Agency AGL above level ground A-gunner 
			assistant gunner AHB assault helicopter battalion AID Agency for International Development Airborne 
			refers to soldiers who are qualified as 
			parachutists air cav air cavalry; helicopter-borne infantry; 
			helicopter gunship assault teams Airmobile 
			helicopter-borne infantry AIT advanced infantry training AK-47 Soviet-manufactured Kalashnikov semi-automatic 
			and fully automatic combat assault rifle, 7.62-mm; the basic weapon 
			of the Communist forces. Known as the Type 56 to the Chinese, it is 
			characterized by an explosive popping sound. AK-50 newer version of the AK-47. Some have a 
			permanently mounted "illegal" triangular bayonet, which leaves a 
			sucking wound that will not close. ALPHA military phonetic for the letter 'A' ammo dump 
			location where live or expended ammunition is 
			stored amtrack amphibious armored vehicle used to transport 
			troops and supplies, armed with a .30-caliber machine gun. The 
			Marines used them. angel track 
			an armored personnel carrier used as an aid 
			station AO area of operations AOD administrative officer on duty ao-dai traditional dress of Vietnamese women. A brightly 
			colored silk top worn over loose fitting silk trousers. APC armored personnel carrier. A track vehicle used 
			to transport Army troops or supplies, usually armed with a 
			.50-caliber machine gun. APL barracks ship APO Army post office located in San Francisco for 
			overseas mail to Vietnam. AR Army regulation ARA aerial rocket artillery. A Cobra AG-1H helicopter 
			with four XM-159C 19-rocket (2.75 inch) pods. arc light 
			code name for B-52 bombers strikes along the 
			Cambodian-Vietnamese border. These operations shook earth for ten 
			miles away from the target area. Article 15 
			section of the Uniform Military Code of Justice. 
			A form of non-judicial punishment. arty shorthand term for artillery Arvin soldier in the ARVN, or the ARVN itself 
			ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam; the South 
			Vietnamese Regular Army A-team basic ten man team of the U.S. Special Forces. 
			The A-teams often led irregular military units which were not 
			responsible to the Vietnamese military command. AWOL absent without leave; leaving a post or position 
			without official permission azimuth a bearing from North  
			B-40 rocket 
			a shoulder-held rocket-propelled grenade launcher
			B-52 U.S. Air Force high-altitude bomber; also, slang 
			for a can opener ba married woman; used as a title, like "Mrs."
			bac bac bastardized Vietnamese for "to shoot" 
			bac-si Vietnamese for doctor; also used to refer to 
			medic in the U.S. Army ballgame 
			an operation or a contact Ba Mu'o'i Ba 
			brand name of a Vietnamese beer band-aid 
			medic bandoliers 
			belts of machine gun ammunition BAR Browning automatic rifle. A .30-caliber 
			magazine-fed automatic rifle used by U.S. troops during World War II 
			and Korea. base camp 
			a resupply base for field units and a location 
			for headquarters of brigade or division size units, artillery 
			batteries and air fields. Also known as the rear area. Basic basic training bac si de 
			home-brewed rice whiskey basketball 
			an illumination-dropping aircraft mission, 
			capable of lighting approximately a square mile of terrain 
			battalion 
			a military unit composed of a headquarters and 
			two or more companies, batteries, or similar units battery an artillery unit equivalent to a company. Six 
			105mm or 155mm howitzers or two 8-inch or 175mm self-propelled 
			howitzers. battle-sight zeroing
			process of adjusting a weapon's sights and 
			windage to an individual soldier so the weapon, when fired, will hit 
			the object of aim. BCD bad conduct discharge BDA bomb damage assessment beans and dicks
			military C-ration hot dogs and beans beans and motherfuckers
			military C-ration lima beans and ham beaten zone 
			area where the majority of bullets will strike 
			when a machine gun is laid-in to cover a part of a defensive 
			perimeter or part of an ambush zone. beehive round 
			an explosive artillery shell which delivered 
			thousands of small projectiles, "like nails with fins," instead of 
			shrapnel. berm perimeter line of a fortification; usually raised 
			above surrounding area Big Boys: 
			artillery; slang for tanks Big Max maximum security section of Long Binh Stockade, 
			fashioned out of conex containers. There was one small hole in each 
			side for light and air; in the sun they grew quite hot. Prisoners 
			were allowed out twice a day to use the bathroom and exericise.
			Big Red One 
			nickname for the 1st Infantry Division 
			Binh Xuyenn: 
			the organized crime syndicate that controlled 
			much of the Vietnamese underworld and Saigon police until deposed by 
			Diem's forces in 1955. bird any aircraft, but usually refers to helicopters
			bird dog 
			forward air controller, usually in a small, 
			maneuverable single-engined prop airplane BK amputee 
			below-the-knee amputation of the leg blood trail 
			a trail of blood on the ground left by a fleeing 
			man who has been wounded blooker the M-79 grenade launcher. A 40-millimeter, 
			shotgunlike weapon that shoots spin-armed "balls" or small grenades. 
			Also known as a blooper. blooper the M-79 grenade launcher. A 40-millimeter, 
			shotgunlike weapon that shoots spin-armed "balls" or small grenades. 
			Also known as a blooker. blue feature 
			any water feature. So called because of the color 
			used to designate water on topographic maps. body bag 
			plastic bag used to transport dead bodies from 
			the field body count 
			the number of enemy killed, wounded, or captured 
			during an operation. The term was used by Washington and Saigon as a 
			means of measuring the progress of the war. boo-coo bastardized French, from beaucoup, meaning "much" 
			or "many". boom-boom 
			sex boondoggle 
			any military operation that hasn't been 
			completely thought out. An operation that is absurd or useless.
			boonie hat 
			soft hat worn by a boonierat in the boonies
			boonierat 
			a combat infantryman boonies infantry term for the field; jungles or swampy 
			areas far from the comforts of civilization boot a soldier just out of boot camp; inexperienced, 
			untested BOQ bachelor officer quarters; living quarters for 
			officers bouncing Betty
			antipersonnel mine with two charges: the first 
			propels the explosive charge upward, and the other is set to explode 
			at about waist level. bowl pipe used for smoking dope BRAVO military phonetic for the letter 'B' Bravo Army designation for the infantry man 
			breaking squelch
			disrupting the natural static of a radio by 
			depressing the transmit bar on another radio set to the same 
			frequency brigade a tactical and administrative military unit 
			composed of a headquarters and one or more battalions of infantry or 
			armor, with other supporting units. bro a black soldier; also, at times, boonierats from 
			the same unit bronco twin-engine observation aircraft equipped with 
			rockets and miniguns Bronze Star 
			U.S. military decoration awarded for heroic or 
			meritorious service no involving aerial flights brother a fellow black Marine; sometimes used as slang 
			for all black males brown bar 
			a lieutenant; denotes the single bar of the rank. 
			In the field, officers wore camouflage rank which was often brown or 
			black instead of brass. Brown Water Navy
			term applied to the U.S. Navy units assigned to 
			the inland boat patrols of the Mekong River delta. BS bullshit, as in chewing the fat, telling tall 
			tales, or telling lies buckle to fight. "Buckle for your dust" means to fight 
			furiously bummer bad luck, a real drag bush infantry term for the field bust caps 
			Marine Corps term for firing a rifle rapidly
			butter bar 
			see brown bar 
			 
			 Cao Dai  a religious and political sect formed in the 
			1920s by a group of South Vietnamese intellectuals, combining the 
			three major religions of Vietnam -- Buddhism, Confucianism, and 
			Christianity -- with the worship of Vietnamese and Western heroes. 
			With a strength of more that 1,500,000 followers, groups of Cao Dai 
			still waged a stubborn resistance war against the Communists 
			(especially in Tay Ninh Province) even after the U.S. troop 
			withdrawal. CAP civil action program. U.S. military personnel 
			working with Vietnamese civilians. capping
 shooting at
 CAR-15  a carbine rifle carbine
 a short-barreled, lightweight automatic or semiautomatic rifle
Caribousmall transport plane for moving men and material
			
			CavCavalry; the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile)
			 CC  company commander  CG  commanding general chaohello or goodby, depending upon the context
			 CHARLIE 
			military phonetic for the letter 'C" Charlie
 Viet Cong; the enemy
 Charlie-Charlie
 C&C
 Chas
 Viet Cong; the enemy
 cheap Charlie  GI who is frugal with his money while in a bar
			 cherry  slang term for youth and inexperience; a virgin
			 Chicom Chinese communist Chicom mine 
			Chinese mine; can be made of plastic  Chieu Hoi  the "open arms" program, promising clemency and 
			financial aid to Viet Cong and NVA soldiers and cadres who stopped 
			fighting and returned to South Vietnamese government authority 
			ChinookCH-47 cargo helicopter choi oiexclamation of surprise 
			chop chop  slang for food chopper
 helicopter
 chuck term used by black marines to identify white 
			individuals; often derogatory  Chuck the Viet Cong; the enemy 
			CIB
			combat infantry badge. And Army award for being 
			under enemy fire in a combat zone, worn on both fatigues and dress 
			uniforms. CIDGSouth Vietnamese Civilian Irregular Defense 
			Groups  CINCPACcommander in chief of all American forces in the 
			Pacific region  Civilian Irregular Defense Group  American financed, irregular South Vietnamese 
			military units which were led by members of Special Forces A-teams. 
			Members of these units were Vietnamese nationals, but were usually 
			members of ethnic minorities in the country.   clacker a small hand-held firing device for a claymore 
			mine claymorean antipersonnel mine carried by the infantry 
			which, when detonated, propelled small steel cubes in a 60-degree 
			fan-shaped pattern to a maximum distance of 100 meters clearance
 permission from both military and political authorities to engage 
			the enemy in a particular area
 cluster fuck  any attempted operations which went bad; 
			disorganized  clutch belt  cartridge belt worn by Marines 
			CMH 
			Congressional Medal of Honor. The highest U.S. 
			military decoration awarded for conspicuous gallantry at the risk of 
			life above and beyond the call of duty. Counmarried woman; used as a title, like "Miss"
			CO 
			commanding officer  Cobra 
			an AH-1G attack helicopter. Also known as a 
			gunship, armed with rockets and machine guns. Cochin-china: 
			the French name for its southern Vietnam colony, 
			encompassing the III Corps and Mekong Delta rice-producing lowlands, 
			which earlier was part of Cambodia. Co Cong female Viet Cong members Code of Conduct military rules for U.S. soldiers taken prisoner 
			by the enemy comicstopographic maps  commo 
			shorthand for "communications"  commo bunker  bunker containing vital communications equipment. 
			Usually included in the last redoubt of established defensive 
			positions. commo wire communications wire   company 
			a military unit usually consisting of a 
			headquarters and two or more platoons compound 
			a fortified military installation  concertina wire  coiled barbed wire used as an obstacle 
			connex container 
			corrugated metal packing crate, approximately six 
			feet in length  contact firing on or being fired upon by the enemy CONUScontinental United States  CORDS civil operations and revolutionary development 
			support. Created by civilian administration, MACV, and the CIA to 
			coordinate American pacification efforts. COSVNcentral office of South Vietnam. Communist 
			headquarters for military and political action in South Vietnam. counterinsurgencyantiguerrilla warfare  country team  the staff and personnel of an American embassy 
			assigned to a particular country  co van  advisor. American assigned to Vietnamese military 
			units or to political division within the country to help direct and 
			train Vietnamese military and civilian officials. 
			coxwain flat the area where the coxwain (driver) stands when 
			he steers a boat or ship  CP command post   CP pills  anti-malarial pills  CQ charge of quarters. An officer officially in 
			charge of a unit headquarters at night. C-rations 
			combat rations. Canned meals for use in the 
			field. Each usually consisted of a can of some basic course, a can 
			of fruit, a packet of some type of dessert, a packet of powdered 
			coca, a small pack of cigarettes, and two pieces of chewing gum.
			crispy critters burn victims CSa riot-control gas which burns the eyes and mucus 
			membranes 
			cumshaw  unofficial trading, begging, bartering, or 
			stealing from other branches of the service  cyclo motorized rickshaw  
			DA Department of the Army Dac Cong 
			Viet Cong special forces Dai Doan Ket 
			Party of Great Solidarity. Organized in 1954 to 
			unify the non-Communist nationalist organizations in South Vietnam 
			in the period before Ngo Dinh Diem came to full power. Headed by 
			Diem's brother, Ngo Dinh Nhu, this was the forerunner of the Can 
			Lao. daily-daily 
			daily anti-malarial pill dai uy Vietnamese for captain Dai Viet 
			formed in 1930 as a non-Communist revolutionary 
			and political organization throughout Vietnam. Though more 
			widespread and with a larger membership than Ho Chi Minh's Viet Minh 
			or Lao Dong Party, the Dai Viets were fragmented into regional 
			factions. The assassination of Truong Tu Anh, the Dai Viet leader, 
			in 1946 by Ho's agents further fragmented the Dai Viets. By the 
			mid-1960s the Dai Viets had evolved into two major parties that both 
			played key roles in opposing or supporting the various South 
			Vietnamese governments. Since 1975, there has been severe repression 
			against Dai Viet members, some of whom still carry on resistance to 
			the Communist government. dap handshake and greeting which may last up to ten 
			minutes and is characterized by the use of both hands and often 
			comprised of slaps and snaps of the fingers. Used by black soldiers, 
			highly ritualized and unit specific. DCI the Director of the CIA de-Americanization
			early term for Vietnamization DELTA military phonetic for the letter 'D' DEROS date of expected return from overseas. The day 
			all American soldiers in Vietnam were waiting for. det-cord 
			detonating cord used with explosives deuce-and-a-half
			two-and-a-half ton truck dew marijuana DH5 Viet Cong claymore mine DH10 Viet Cong claymore mine di go dicks derogatory expression referring to both male 
			genitalia and the enemy diddy-bopping 
			walking carelessly didi slang from the Vietnamese word di, meaning "to 
			leave" or "to go" didi mau 
			slang Vietnamese for "go quickly" dink derogatory term for an Asian dinky dau 
			to be crazy district team 
			American personnel assigned to act as advisors to 
			Vietnamese military and civilian officials at the district level.
			District Mobile Company
			the major Viet Cong fighting unit organized 
			within each district in Vietnam. The District Mobile Company was 
			assigned to carry out various assignments from direct offensive 
			operations to sabotage and terrorism. DMZ demilitarized zone. The dividing line between 
			North and South Vietnam established in 1954 at the Geneva 
			Convention. doc medic or corpsman dong unit of North Vietnamese money about equal to a 
			penny doo-mommie 
			English approximation of the Vietnamese du ma, 
			meaning literally "fuck mother" double veteran
			Having sex with a woman and then killing her made 
			one a double veteran. DP displaced person D-ring a D-shaped metal snap link used to hold gear 
			together DRO dining room orderly drops reduction in length of tour caused by overall 
			reduction and withdrawal of American forces from Vietnam. 
			DTs defensive targets dung lai! 
			stop! dust-off 
			medical evacuation by helicopter DX direct exchange. Also, to discard or dispose of, 
			or to kill someone.  
			eagle flights 
			large air assault of helicopters Early-Outs 
			a drop or reduction in time in service. A soldier 
			with 150 days or less remaining on his active duty commitment when 
			he DEROSed from Vietnam also ETSed from the army under the Early Out 
			program. ECHO military phonetic for the letter 'E' elephant grass
			tall, razor-edged tropical plant indigenous to 
			certain parts of Vietnam Eleven Bravo 
			the MOS of an infantryman EM enlisted man EOD explosive ordinance disposal. A team that disarms 
			explosive devices. E-tool entrenching tool. Folding shovel carried by 
			infantrymen. ETS date of departure for overseas duty station; 
			estimated time of separation from military service. evac'd evacuated expectants 
			casualties who are expected to die  
			F-4 Phantom jet fighter-bombers. Range: 1,000 miles. 
			Speed: 1400 mph. Payload: 16,000 lbs. The workhorse of the tactical 
			air support fleet. FAC forward air controller; a person who coordinates 
			air strikes fast mover 
			an F-4 fatigues 
			standard combat uniform, green in color 
			FB firebase FDC fire direction control center finger charge 
			explosive booby-trapping device which takes its 
			name from the size and shape's being approximately that of a man's 
			finger fire base 
			temporary artillery encampment used for fire 
			support of forward ground operations firefight 
			a battle, or exchange of small arms fire with the 
			enemy Fire Track 
			flame-thrower tank five radio call sign for the executive officer of a 
			unit flack jacket 
			heavy fiberglass-filled vest worn for protection 
			from shrapnel flaky to be in a state of mental disarray, 
			characterized by spaciness and various forms of unreasoning fear
			flare illumination projectile; hand-fired or shot from 
			artillery, mortars, or air flechette 
			a small dart-shaped projectile clustered in an 
			explosive warhead. A mine without great explosive power containing 
			small pieces of shrapnel intended to wound and kill. FNG fucking new guy FO forward observer. A person attached to a field 
			unit to coordinate the placement of direct or indirect fire from 
			ground, air, and naval forces. foo gas a mixture of explosives and napalm, usually set 
			in a fifty-gallon drum fours F-4s FOXTROT military phonetic for the letter 'F' frag fragmentation grenade; verb form of "fragging"
			fragging 
			the assassination of an officer by his own 
			troops, usually be a grenade freak radio frequency. Also, a junkie or a doper.
			Freedom Bird 
			the plane that took soldiers from Vietnam back to 
			the World free fire zone
			free strike zone free strike zone
			area where everyone was deemed hostile and a 
			legitimate target by U.S. forces French fort 
			a distinctive triangular structure built by the 
			hundreds by the French freq radio frequency friendly fire 
			accidental attacks on U.S. or allied soldiers by 
			other U.S. or allied soldiers FUBAR acronym for "Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition," 
			used to describe any disorganized operation fuck along with fucked and fuckin', the most commonly 
			used word in the GI vocabulary other than the article 'a' 
			fucked up 
			wounded or killed. Also, to get stoned, drunk, or 
			to be foolish or do something stupid. fugazi fucked up or screwed up FULRO United Front for the Struggle of Oppressed Races. 
			Resistance organization in the highlands of Vietnam made up of 
			Montagnards, Cham, and ethnic Khmer. FULRO is still conducting 
			resistance against Communist operations to subjugate the indigenous 
			tribal peoples. FUNCINPEC 
			National United Front for an Independent, 
			Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia. Prince Sihanouk's 
			non-Communist political and military organization which attempted to 
			drive the Vietnamese occupation forces out of Cambodia and 
			reestablish independence. In 1982 FUNCINPEC joined the Cambodian 
			Coalition Government and shared the seat at the United Nations.
			funny papers 
			topographic maps FWMAF Free World Military Assistance Forces. The 
			Allies.  
			G-3 division level tactical advisor; a staff officer.
			Garand the M-1 rifle ghosting 
			goldbricking or sandbagging; fucking off 
			GI government issue. Usually refers to an American 
			soldier. Glad bag 
			slang term for body bag GOLF military phonetic for the letter 'G' gook derogatory term for an Asian; derived from Korean 
			slang for "person" and passed down by Korean war veterans 
			Green Berets 
			U.S. Special Forces greens Army Class A uniform GR point 
			graves registration point. That place on a 
			military base where the identification, embalming and processing of 
			dead soldiers takes place as part of the operations of the 
			quartermaster. grids map broken into numbered thousand-meter squares
			grunt infantryman. Originally slang for a Marine 
			fighting in Vietnam but later applied to any solder fighting there; 
			a boonierat. GSW gunshot wound the Gun the M-60 gung ho enthusiastic (usually about military matters and 
			killing people) gunship armed helicopter GVN Government of South Vietnam  
			HALO high-altitude, low-opening jumping for insertion 
			of troops behind enemy lines. The jump is begun from 15,000 feet.
			hamlet a small rural village hammer and anvil
			an infantry tactic of surrounding an enemy base 
			area, then sending in other units to drive the enemy out of hiding.
			hand frag 
			a fragmentation grenade thrown by a soldier
			H&E high explosive H&I harassment and interdiction. Artillery 
			bombardments used to deny the enemy terrain which they might find 
			beneficial to their campaign; general rather than specific, 
			confirmed military targets; random artillery fire. hardstand 
			a pierced steel plate (PSP) platform over sand
			hard-stripe sergeant
			rank indicated by chevron insignia, equivalent to 
			an E5 or E6, but denoting some limited authority as well. Others of 
			the same rank without the stripes were little more than PFCs. 
			Heart a Purple Heart award for a wound; the wound 
			itself heat tabs 
			flammable tablet used to heat C-rations. Always 
			in short supply. Hercules 
			a C-130 HES Hamlet Evaluation System. An evaluation system 
			devised and run by Americans in Saigon which required monthly 
			computerized reports from all the DSAs in the country. HHC headquarters and headquarters company 
			higher-highers
			the honchos; the command or commanders 
			HM Navy hospital corpsman; a medic Hmong A dominant Laotian hill tribe, around sixty 
			percent of whom opposed the North Vietnamese and Pathet Lao, in 
			alliance with the Americans and Royal Lao government. After 1975 the 
			Communists stepped up repression against the Hmong, who refused to 
			be collectivized. Massive numbers of Hmong have been killed or 
			driven into Thailand. Hoa Hao a Buddhist sect of two million in the western 
			Mekong Delta, founded in the 1930s. Since the assassination of the 
			founder and prophet, Huynh Phu So, by Ho Chi Minh's forces, the Hoa 
			Hao have been fiercely anti-Communist. Ho Chi Minh slippers
			sandals made from tires. The soles are made from 
			the tread and the straps from inner tubes. Hoi-Chanh 
			Vietnamese Communist soldiers and cadre who 
			rallied to the South Vietnamese government under the Chieu Hoi 
			amnesty program. honey-dippers 
			people responsible for burning human excrement
			honky African American vernacular term for white 
			people. hooch a hut or simple dwelling, either military or 
			civilian. Also spelled hootch. hoochgirl 
			Vietnamese woman employed by American military as 
			maid or laundress hook a radio; a radio handset horn radio microphone hot area under fire HOTEL military phonetic for the letter 'H' hot LZ a landing zone under enemy fire howitzer 
			a short cannon used to fire shells at medium 
			velocity and with relatively high trajectories HQ headquarters Huey nickname for the UH-1 series helicopters 
			hump march or hike carrying a rucksack; to perform any 
			arduous task  
			I Corps the northernmost military region in South Vietnam
			II Corps 
			the Central Highlands military region in South 
			Vietnam III Corps 
			the densely populated, fertile military region 
			between Saigon and the Highlands IV Corps 
			the marshy Mekong Delta southernmost military 
			region IG Inspector General of the U.S. Army illum an illumination flare, usually fired by a mortar 
			or artillery weapon immersion foot
			condition resulting from feet being submerged in 
			water for a prolonged period of time, causing cracking and bleeding.
			in-country 
			Vietnam increments 
			removable charges attached to mortar fins. If 
			they become wet, the mortar round misfires and falls short. 
			INDIA military phonetic for the letter 'I' insert to be deployed into a tactical area by helicopter
			Iron Triangle 
			Viet Cong dominated area between the Thi-Tinh and 
			Saigon rivers, next to Cu Chi district  
			JAG judge advocate general, the legal department of 
			the Armed Services jet jockey 
			Air Force fighter pilot Jody the person who wins your lover or spouse away 
			while you are in the Nam. From the marching song or cadence count, "Ain't 
			no use in goin' home / Jody's got your girl and gone / sound 
			off...." john wayne 
			can opener. Also used as a verb to describe the 
			actions of someone who exposes himself to danger. For an example of 
			what some GIs though of John Wayne, see Robert Flynn's essay, "John 
			Wayne Must Die." JULIET military phonetic for the letter 'J' jungle boots 
			footwear that looks like a combination of combat 
			boot and canvas sneaker used by the U.S. military in a tropical 
			climate, where leather rots because of the dampness. The canvas 
			structure also speeds drying after crossing streams, rice paddies, 
			etc. jungle utilities
			lightweight tropical fatigues  
			k kilometer KBA killed by artillery K-bar combat knife KCS Kit Carson scout KIA killed in action killing zone 
			the area within an ambush where everyone is 
			either killed or wounded kill zone 
			the radius of a circle around an explosive device 
			within which it is predicted that 95 percent of all occupants will 
			be killed should the device explode KILO military phonetic for the letter 'K' Kit Carson scout
			former Viet Cong who act as guides for U.S. 
			military units khong xau 
			Vietnamese slang for "don't worry about it," 
			literally, "not bad" klick kilometer Kool-Aid 
			killed in action KP kitchen police; mess hall duty KPNFL Khmer People's National Liberation Front. The 
			major non-Communist Cambodian political and resistance organization 
			fighting against the Vietnamese occupation force. Formed in 1979 by 
			former prime minister Son Sann, the KPNFL is responsible for caring 
			for and protecting nearly two-thirds of the 250,000 Cambodian 
			refugees on the Thailand border from attacks by both the Khmer Rouge 
			and the Vietnamese. Also called the Sereika by Cambodians, the KPNLF 
			joined the resistance coalition government (CGOK) in 1982 and shared 
			Cambodia's seat at the United Nations.  
			L a type of ambush set-up, shaped like the letter 
			'L' lager a night defensive perimeter Lao Dong 
			the Vietnamese Workers Party LAAW a shoulder-fired, 66-millimeter rocket, similar 
			in effect to a 3.5-inch rocket, except that the launcher is made of 
			Fiberglass, and is disposable after one shot lay chilly 
			to freeze; to stop all motion LBJ Long Binh Stockade, a military stockade on Long 
			Binh post LCM a mechanized landing craft used in harbors and 
			inland waterways leg slightly contemptuous term used by 
			airborne-qualified troops when they are talking about regular 
			infantry lego infantry unit lien doi 
			company group. A Vietnamese military unit 
			consisting of three militia infantry companies lifer career military man. The term is often used in a 
			derogatory manner. LIMA military phonetic for the letter 'L' lima-lima 
			land line. Refers to telephone communications 
			between two points on the ground. litters stretchers to carry dead and wounded little people 
			the enemy lit-up fired upon; shot and killed or wounded 
			LLDB Luc Luong Dac Biet. The South Vietnamese Special 
			Forces. LMG light machine gun. The Soviet made RPD, a bi-pod 
			mounted, belt fed weapon similar to the American M-60 machine gun. 
			The RPD fires the same cartridge as the AK-47 and the SKS carbine.
			loach a LOH Log Bird 
			logistical (resupply) helicopter LP listening post. A two- or three-man position set 
			up at night outside the perimeter away from the main body of 
			troopers, which acted as an early warning system against attack. 
			Also, an amphibious landing platform used by infantry for storming 
			beaches from the sea. LRRP Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol. An elite team 
			usually composed of five to seven men who go deep into the jungle to 
			observe enemy activity without initiating contact. LSA small arms lubricant LST troop landing ship LT lieutenant lurps members of Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols
			LZ landing zone. Usually a small clearing secured 
			temporarily for the landing of resupply helicopters. Some become 
			more permanent and eventually become base camps.  
			M-1 World War II vintage American rifle M-14 Wood stock rifle used in early portion of Vietnam 
			conflict M-16 the standard U.S. military rifle used in Vietnam 
			from 1966 on. Successor to the M-14. M-60 the standard lightweight machine gun used by U.S. 
			forces in Vietnam M-79 a U.S. military hand-held grenade launcher 
			MA mechanical ambush. Euphemism for an American set 
			booby trap. MACV Military Assistance Command / Vietnam. The main 
			American military command unit that had responsibility for and 
			authority over all U.S. military activities in Vietnam. Based at Tan 
			Son Nhut. mad minute 
			a weapons free-fire practice and test session
			Main Force Battalion
			the primary Viet Cong fighting force within each 
			province of South Vietnam. These units were often large enough and 
			well enough equipped to participate in direct attacks on large 
			Vietnamese and American installations and units. mama san 
			pidgin used by American servicemen for any older 
			Vietnamese woman MARS Military Affiliate Radio Station. Used by 
			soldiers to call home via Signal Corps and ham radio equipment.
			Mas-Cal mass casualty MASH mobile Army surgical unit MAT mobile advisory team. Five-man teams of American 
			advisors who were assigned to live and work in the Vietnamese 
			villages. Mat Tran 
			the Vietnamese Liberation Front. marker round 
			the first round fired by mortars or artillery. 
			Used to adjust the following rounds onto the target. mechanized platoon
			a platoon operating with tanks and/or armored 
			personnel carriers Med Cap Medical Civil Action Program in which U.S. 
			medical personnel would go into the villages to minister to the 
			local populace. medivac medical evacuation from the field by helicopter
			mermite large insulated foot containers MFW multiple frag wounds MG machine gun MIA missing in action mighty mite 
			commercial air-blower used for injecting gas into 
			tunnels MIKE military phonetic for the letter 'M' mike-mike 
			shorthand for millimeter million-dollar wound
			a non-crippling wound serious enough to warrant 
			return to the U.S. Minigun electronically controlled, extremely rapidly 
			firing machine gun. Most often mounted on aircraft to be used 
			against targets on the ground. Mr. Charles 
			the Viet Cong; the enemy MI team military intelligence team Monday pills 
			anti-malarial pills taken once a week 
			the Monster 
			a PRC-77 Montagnard 
			a Vietnamese term for several tribes of mountain 
			people inhabiting the hills and mountains of central and northern 
			Vietnam. moose a Vietnamese mistress mortar a muzzle-loading cannon with a short tube in 
			relation to its caliber that throws projectiles with low muzzle 
			velocity at high angles. MOS military occupational specialty most ricky-tick
			immediately, if not sooner MP military police MPC military payment currency. The scrip U.S. 
			soldiers were paid in. MR IV Viet Cong military region surrounding and 
			including Saigon mule small, motorized platform originally designed to 
			carry a 106-millimeter recoilless rifle, but most often used for 
			transporting supplies and personnel.  
			Nam Vietnam napalm a jellied petroleum substance which burns 
			fiercely, and is used as a weapon against personnel. nape napalm NCO noncommissioned officer. Usually a squad leader 
			or platoon sergeant. NDP night defensive position net radio frequency setting, from "network." 
			New Socialist Man
			Orwellian concept adopted by the Communists. The 
			ideal collectivized citizen. Next the man who said he was the next to rotated home.
			nickel the number five NLF National Liberation Front no sweat 
			easy, simple NPD night perimeter defense number one 
			the best number ten 
			the worst number ten thousand
			a description of how bad things can be 
			Nung tribespeople of Chinese origin, from the 
			highlands of North Vietnam. Some who moved South worked with the 
			U.S. Special Forces. nuoc-mam 
			fermented fish sauce used by the Vietnamese as a 
			condiment NVA North Vietnamese Army  
			OCS officer candidate school OD olive drab, a camouflage color opcon operational control open sheaf 
			a term used in calling artillery, whereby the 
			artillery rounds were spread along an axis rather than concentrated 
			on a single point (as when it was desired to cover a treeline).
			
			OR: operating roomOSCAR military phonetic for the letter 'O' OSS Office of Strategic Services over the fence
			crossing into Cambodia or Laos  
			P slang for the Vietnamese piaster. One piaster was 
			worth one cent or less. P-38 a tiny collapsible can opener, also known as a 
			"john wayne" PAPA military phonetic for the letter 'P' papa san 
			pidgin used by U.S. servicemen for any older 
			Vietnamese man Papa Sierra 
			slang for platoon sergeant Pathet Lao 
			the Laotian Communists who, from their inception 
			have been under the control of the Vietnamese Communist Party.
			PBR river patrol boat. Navy designation for the fast, 
			heavily armed boats used for safeguarding the major canals and 
			rivers and their tributaries in South Vietnam. peanuts wounded in action perimeter 
			outer limits of a military position. The area 
			beyond the perimeter belongs to the enemy. PF Popular Forces. South Vietnamese National 
			Guard-type local military units PFC private first class Phoenix intelligence-based campaign to eliminate the Viet 
			Cong infrastructure PIO public information officer, or a person who works 
			for that office piss-tube 
			a vertical tube buried two-thirds in the ground 
			for urinating into platoon a subdivision of a company-sized military unit, 
			normally consisting of two or more squads or sections pogue derogatory term for military personnel employed 
			in rear echelon support capacities, usually used by Marines 
			point the forward man or element on a combat patrol
			poncho liner 
			nylon insert to the military rain poncho, used as 
			a blanket pop smoke 
			to ignite a smoke grenade to signal an aircraft
			pos slang for position, usually meaning a friendly 
			location post-traumatic stress disorder
			development of characteristic symptoms after the 
			experiencing of a psychologically traumatic event or events outside 
			the range of human experience usually considered to be normal. The 
			characteristic symptoms involve reexperiencing the traumatic event, 
			numbing of responsiveness to, or involvement with, the external 
			world, exaggerated startle response, difficulty in concentrating, 
			memory impairment, guilt feelings, and sleep difficulties. 
			POW prisoner of war PRC-25 Portable Radio Communications, Model 25. A 
			back-packed FM receiver-transmitter used for short-distance 
			communications. The range of the radio was 5-10 kilometers, 
			depending on the weather, unless attached to a special, nonportable 
			antenna which could extend the range to 20-30 kilometers. 
			PRC-77 a radio similar to the PRC-25, but with a 
			cryptographic scrambling / descrambling unit attached. Very heavy. 
			Transmission frequencies on the PRC-77 were called the secure net.
			prick 25 
			PRC-25 radio profile a prohibition from certain types of military duty 
			due to injury or disability Proo PRU province chief
			governor of a state-sized administrative te
			 
			QUAD-50s 
			a four-barrelled assembly of .50 caliber machine 
			guns Quantico 
			Marine training base in Virginia QUEBEC military phonetic for the letter 'Q'  
			RA Regular Army, prefix to serial number of 
			enlistees rabbits white American soldiers, according to black 
			vernacular rack bed or cot rallier defector from the Viet Cong R&R rest and recreation. A three to seven-day 
			vacation from the war for a soldier. Rangers elite commandos and infantry specially trained 
			for reconnaissance and combat missions RBF reconnaissance by fire react for one unit to come to the aid of another under 
			enemy fire recon reconnaissance. Going out into the jungle to 
			observe for the purpose of identifying enemy activity. Recondo School
			a training school in-country for LRRPs. The 
			largest was at Na Trang, where the training action was taken against 
			the 17th NVA Division. red alert 
			the most urgent form of warning. Signals an 
			imminent enemy attack. redball an enemy high speed trail or road red bird 
			a Cobra helicopter Red Legs 
			slang for Artillery. In the Civil War, Union 
			Artillery men had red stripes on their pants. reeducation camps
			political prisons and labor camps of varying 
			degrees of severity and size that comprised the Soviet-style gulag 
			system throughout Communist Vietnam regiment 
			a military unit usually consisting of a number of 
			battalions Regional Forces
			militia units organized within each district in 
			South Vietnam to engage in offensive operations against local Viet 
			Cong forces. RF units were better paid and equipped than PF units 
			and could be assigned duties anywhere within the home district.
			REMF rear-echelon motherfucker repo depo 
			replacement detachment RF/PF Regional and Popular Forces. The South Vietnamese 
			National Guard-type units. Regional Forces were company-size and 
			protected district areas. Popular Forces were platoon-size and 
			guarded their home villages. rice paddy racers
			rubber shower shoes used by GIs RIF reconnaissance in force. A heavy reconnaissance 
			patrol. Later, RIF came to mean reduction in force; an 
			administrative mechanism for retiring career soldiers prior to the 
			end of their twenty year term. ringknocker 
			graduate of a military academy. Refers to the 
			rink worn by graduates. rock'n'roll 
			firing a weapon on full automatic ROK soldier from the Republic of Korea ROMEO military phonetic for the letter 'R' Rome plow 
			mammoth bulldozer used to flatten dense jungle
			RON remain-overnight operation rotate to return to the U.S. at the end of a year's tour 
			in Vietnam ROTC Reserve Officer's Training Corps. Program offered 
			in many high schools and colleges, geared to prepare students to 
			become military officers. RPD a 7.62 mm Communist machine gun with a 100-round, 
			belt operated drum that fires the same round as the AK-47 
			RPG a rocket-propelled grenade. A Russian-made 
			portable antitank grenade launcher. RTO radio telephone operator. The man who carried his 
			unit's radio on his back in the field. ruck/rucksack 
			backpack issued to infantry in Vietnam 
			Ruff Puff 
			derogatory term used by Americans for RF/PF
			Rules of Engagement
			the specific regulations for the conduct of air 
			and surface battles by U.S. and allied forces during the Vietnam war
			rumor control 
			the most accurate source of information prior to 
			the actual occurrence of an event  
			S-1 Personnel S-2 Intelligence S-3 Operations S-4 Supply S-5 Civil Affairs saddle up 
			put on one's pack and get ready to march 
			salvo firing a battery in unison sampan a Vietnamese peasant's boat SAF small arms fire S&S Supply & Service; designation of a support unit
			sapper a Viet Cong or NVA commando, usually armed with 
			explosives satchel charges
			pack used by the enemy containing explosives that 
			is dropped or thrown and is generally more powerful than a grenade
			SeaBees Navy construction engineers SEAL highly trained Navy special warfare team members
			search and destroy
			an operation in which Americans searched an area 
			and destroyed anything which the enemy might find useful 
			SEATO Southeast Asia Treaty Organization seminar camp 
			the Laotian Communist version of the reeducation 
			camp for political prisoners Sereika (Khmer Serei)
			the non-Communist Cambodian resistance force
			Sgt. Rock 
			a combat-scarred World War II comic book 
			character SERTS Screaming Eagle Replacement Training School
			set a party SF Special Forces shake'n'bake 
			sergeant who attended NCO school and earned rank 
			after only a very short time in uniform shamming 
			goofing off or getting by with as little effort 
			as possible shaped charge 
			an explosive charge, the energy of which is 
			focused in one direction shit burning 
			the sanitization of latrines by kerosene 
			incineration of excrement short a term used by everyone in Vietnam to tell all 
			who would listen that his tour was almost over short-timer 
			soldier nearing the end of his tour in Vietnam
			short-timer's stick
			when a soldier had approximately two months 
			remaining on his tour in Vietnam, he might take a long stick and 
			notch it for each of his remaining days in-country. As each day 
			passed he would cut the stick off another notch until on his 
			rotation day he was left with only a small stub. shrapnel 
			pieces of metal sent flying by an explosion
			SIERRA military phonetic for the letter 'S' Silver Star 
			U.S. military decoration awarded for gallantry in 
			action sit-rep situation report six any Unit Commander, from the Company Commander on 
			up six-by a large flat-bed truck usually with wooden slat 
			sides enclosing the bed and sometimes a canvas top covering it. Used 
			for carrying men or anything else that would fit on it. skate a task that required little effort or pain; verb 
			form means to take it easy SKS Simonov 7.62 mm semi-automatic carbine 
			sky to leave sky crane 
			huge double-engine helicopter used for lifting 
			and transporting heavy equipment sky out to flee or leave suddenly slackman 
			the second man back on a patrol, directly behind 
			the point slant derogatory term for a Vietnamese person 
			slick a UH-1 helicopter used for transporting troops in 
			tactical air assault operations. The helicopter did not have 
			protruding armaments and was, therefore, "slick". slope derogatory term for an Asian person SMG submachine gun smoke grenade 
			a grenade that released brightly colored smoke. 
			Used for signaling. Snake a Cobra helicopter SOI Signal Operating Instructions. The booklet that 
			contained all of the call signals and radio frequencies of the units 
			in Vietnam. solacium payment
			standard amount paid by the U.S. government to 
			Vietnamese civilians when U.S. forces were deemed responsible for a 
			wrongful civilian death. For a detailed discussion of a Solacium 
			payment see Jim Lynch's artice, "Solacium 
			Payment." SOP standard operating procedure Sopwith Camels
			slang term for a light, fixed-wing reconnaissance 
			aircraft soul brother 
			a black soldier Spec-4 Specialist 4th Class. An Army rank immediately 
			above Private First Class. Most enlisted men who had completed their 
			individual training and had been on duty for a few months were 
			Spec-4s. Probably the most common rank in the Vietnam-era Army.
			Spec-5 Specialist 5th Class. Equivalent to a sergeant.
			spider hole 
			camouflaged enemy foxhole splib term originated by black marines to identify 
			other black soldiers. Supposedly meant to imply superior qualities.
			Spooky a large propeller-driven aircraft with a Minigun 
			mounted in the door. Capable of firing 6,000 rounds per minute. Also 
			used to refer to gunship helicopters with Miniguns. SP pack cellophane packet containing toiletries and 
			cigarettes which was sometimes given along with C-rations to 
			soldiers in the field. squad a small military unit consisting of less than ten 
			men staff sergeant
			a E-6, the second lowest noncommissioned officer 
			rank stand-down 
			an infantry unit's return from the boonies to the 
			base camp for refitting and training. Later, a unit being withdrawn 
			from Vietnam and redeployed to the U.S. Starlifter 
			a C-141, the largest military cargo transport 
			airplane in the Air Force inventory starlight scope
			an image intensifier using reflected light to 
			identify targets at night steel pot 
			the standard U.S. Army helmet. The steel pot was 
			the outer metal cover. strac smart, sharp, well prepared (from STRategic Air 
			Command) strategic hamlet program
			a controversial pacification and village 
			self-defense program implemented by the Diem government that 
			attempted to turn all sixteen thousand South Vietnamese hamlets into 
			fortified compounds. strobe hand held strobe light for marking landing zones 
			at night syrette collapsible tube of morphine attached to a 
			hypodermic needle. The contents of the tube were injected by 
			squeezing it like a toothpaste tube.  
			TA-50 individual soldier's standard issue of combat 
			clothing and equipment TAC tactical air strikes; fighter bombers 
			Tail-end Charlie
			last unit in a long column on the move 
			T&T through and through wound. One in which a bullet 
			or fragment has entered and exited the body. tanglefoot 
			single-strand barbed wire strung in a meshwork 
			pattern at about ankle height. A barrier designed to make it 
			difficult to cross the obstructed area by foot. Usually placed 
			around permanent defensive positions. TANGO military phonetic for the letter 'T' Tango boat 
			U.S. Navy designation for an armored landing 
			craft mounted with 50-caliber machine guns and a 40-caliber 
			anti-aircraft gun used for direct fire. TC tactical commander Tet January holiday, Buddhist lunar New Year. 
			Buddha's birthday. Tet Offensive 
			a major uprising of the National Liberation 
			Front, their sympathizers, and NVA characterized by a series of 
			coordinated attacks against military installations and provincial 
			capitals throughout Vietnam. It occurred during the lunar New Year 
			at the end of January, 1968. tee-tee pidgin for very small TFES territorial forces evaluation system. The 
			companion report of the HES. A computerized military evaluation 
			system devised by American authorities in Saigon and used by them to 
			assess the readiness of the militia forces. Each month advisors at 
			the district level had to fill out the long computer print-out 
			sheets and report on many different aspects of quantity and quality 
			in the militia forces. Like all computer programs, the quality of 
			this one's output was dependent upon the quality of the input.
			thermite 
			a mixture of powdered aluminum and metal oxide 
			which produces great heat for use in welding and incendiary bombs
			Three radio call signal for the operations officer
			three-quarter 
			a three-quarter ton truck tiger suits 
			camouflage fatigue uniforms tight good friends are close to ("tight" with) each 
			other TO tactical officer TO&E Table of Organization and Equipment TOC tactical operations center Top a top sergeant TOT time on target. Prearranged mortar or artillery 
			barrage, set to occur at a specific time in order to coordinate with 
			an infantry assault trach a tracheotomy. Making an opening into the 
			windpipe to facilitate breathing. tracer a round of ammunition chemically treated to glow 
			or give off smoke so that its flight can be followed. tracks any vehicles which move on tracks rather than 
			wheels triage the procedure for deciding the order in which to 
			treat casualties trip flare 
			a ground flare triggered by a trip wire used to 
			signal and illuminate the approach of an enemy at night. 
			Tropic Lighting
			the U.S. 25th Infantry Division turtles new replacements. They were called turtles 
			because it took so long for them to arrive. Two radio call signal of the intelligence officer.
			two-niner-two 
			the RC-292 ground plane antenna which was used to 
			extend the range of the MAT and the district team's PRC-25. 
			 
			unbloused 
			pants not tucked into boot tops UH-1H a Huey helicopter UNIFORM military phonetic for the letter 'U' US prefix to serial number of Army draftees 
			USAF United States Air Force USARV U.S. Army Republic of Vietnam. Command of 
			operations unit for all U.S. military forces in Vietnam, based in 
			Long Binh. USO United Service Organization. Provided 
			entertainment to the troops, and was intended to raise morale.
			USOM U.S. Operations Mission. Funded U.S. programs 
			during the early American involvement in Vietnam.  
			V a type of ambush set-up, shaped like the letter.
			VA Veterans Administration VC Viet Cong, the National Liberation Front 
			VCI Viet Cong infrastructure. It was the aim of the 
			Viet Cong to have a complete government in place when their victory 
			was finally won. Thus, where manpower allowed, Communist cadres were 
			secretly assigned positions as village chiefs, police officers, 
			postment, District-level officers, Province-level officers, and 
			National-level officers. The VCI were the "shadow government" of the 
			National Liberation Front and were awaiting the day they could step 
			forward and claim their offices. VFW Veterans of Foreign Wars. An American service 
			organization. VICTOR military phonetic for the letter 'V' Victor Charlie
			the Viet Cong; the enemy. Viet Cong 
			the Communist-led forces fighting the South 
			Vietnamese government. The political wing was known as the National 
			Liberation Front, and the military was called the People's 
			Liberation Armed Forces. Both the NLF and the PLAF were directed by 
			the People's Revolutionary Party (PRP), the southern branch of the 
			Vietnamese Communist Party, which received direction from Hanoi 
			through COSVN, which was located in III Corps on the Cambodian 
			border. After 1968, as negotiations began in Paris, the NLF 
			established the Provisional Revolutionary Government. Viet Minh 
			Viet Nam Doc Lap Dong Minh Hoi, or the Vietnamese 
			Allied Independence League. A political and resistance organization 
			established by Ho Chi Minh before the end of World War II, dominated 
			by the Communist Party. Though at first smaller and less famous than 
			the non-Communist nationalist movements, the Viet Minh siezed power 
			through superior organization skill, ruthless tactics, and popular 
			support. Vietnamese Popular Forces
			South Vietnamese local military forces. 
			Vietnamization
			U.S. policy initiated by President Richard Nixon 
			late in the war to turn over the fighting to the South Vietnamese 
			Army during the phased withdrawal of American troops. The term was 
			coined by Nixon's Secretary of Defense, Melvin Laird to replace the 
			policy of "de-Americanization" first enunciated by Nixon on June 8, 
			1969. ville Vietnamese hamlet or village VNAF South Vietnamese Air Force VNQDD Viet Nam Quoc Dan Dang, or Nationalist Party of 
			Vietnam. A non-Communist movement formed in 1926, based on the 
			doctrines of Sun Yat-sen. The VNQDD conducted the Yen Bai uprising 
			in 1930, which began the modern struggle for Vietnamese 
			independence. During World War II the VNQDD staged in southern China 
			and were instrumental in gaining Ho Chi Minh's release from a 
			Chinese prison to help with the resistance fight against the 
			Japanese. Ho later broke with the VNQDD. By 1950, having lost their 
			bases in southern China when Mao came to power, the VNQDD ceased to 
			exist as an effective organization. VSI very seriously ill. Army designation for those 
			troopers who may die without immediate and definitive medical care.
			VVA Vietnam Veterans of America. Veterans 
			organization not affiliated with the Veterans Administration. 
			VVAW Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Organization 
			formed by Vietnam veterans who gathered to protest American 
			involvement in Vietnam.  
			wake-up as in "13 and a wake-up" -- the last day of a 
			soldier's Vietnam tour. walking wounded
			wounded who are still able to walk without 
			assistance. Walter Wonderful
			Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C.
			wasted killed Water Taxi 
			small engine-powered boat with a sheltered 
			passenger compartment. These native craft plied the major canals and 
			rivers of Vietnam and provided a means of transportation from one 
			village to the next. web gear 
			canvas belt and shoulder straps for packing 
			equipment and ammunition on infantry operations. weed marijuana WHISKEY military phonetic for the letter 'W' white bird 
			a LOH white mice 
			derogatory name for South Vietnamese police. The 
			nickname came from their uniform white helmets and gloves. 
			white phosphorus
			a type of explosive round from artillery, 
			mortars, or rockets. Also a type of aerial bomb. The rounds exploded 
			with a huge puff of white smoke from the hotly burning phosphorus, 
			and were used as marking rounds or incendiary rounds. When white 
			phosphorus hit the skin of a living creature it continued to burn 
			until it had burned through the body. Water would not extinguish it.
			WIA wounded in action widow maker 
			a MA Willy Peter 
			white phosphorus wood line 
			a row of trees at the edge of a field or rice 
			paddy World, the 
			the United States WP white phosphorus  
			X a type of ambush set up, shaped like the letter
			xin loi a Vietnamese idiom meaning "sorry about that"
			XO executive officer; the second in command of a 
			military unit X-RAY military phonetic for the letter 'X'  
			YANKEE military phonetic for the letter 'Y' YD the grid 100,000 meters by 100,000 meters square 
			from the Universal Transmercator (UTM) Grid Zone 48Q. The UTM map of 
			the world dispenses with latitude and longitude in favor of a system 
			of metric coordinates (usually six digits) which enable the user of 
			the map to specify a location within 100 meters.  
			zipperhead 
			derogatory term used to describe Vietnamese
			Zippo raids 
			military operations which involved burning down 
			Vietnamese villages. Often Zippo cigarette lighters were used to 
			ignite the huts. zapped killed zit derogatory term for Vietnamese people 
			ZULU military phonetic for the letter 'Z' zulu a casualty report  
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