x
The following are included as explanatory remarks, not exact definitions, for the reader who may not be familiar with the terms.
ACV: Armoured Command Vehicle.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLta6HnfE3
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWJ0uzGXdY
Ao-dai: The Vietnamese national dress, a close-fitting top and bodice, with long flowing panels from the waist, under which long pants or trousers are worn. Pronounced "ow zhy," by the Northerners and "ow why' by the Southerners.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22FuRK1Taw
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0JK4GWdmT
Arc of fire: Each weapon is positioned to fire over a certain piece of ground, which has left and right boundaries. If this is planted on a map, the area would be represented as an arc of the extremities of the boundaries. There are primary (main) and secondary arcs of fire.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyIVaba5C4
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCwwsl1Q7w
ARVN: Army of the Republic of Vietnam, usually pronounced "arvin."1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30QbUAOMWO
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsnWBRgeEp
AWOL: Absent Without Leave.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYfhTyy3ZyA
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChhFPC4myC
Back-up: With reference to meals, coming back for a second serving.
Base-bludging: Bludging in a base or rear area. Anyone who is farther back from the enemy than oneself is a base-bludger. They rarely, if ever, go forward of the wire.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNNyRtwWcH
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBh6OhBqVf
Base-up! Make camp.
Basic Webbing: Generally the minimum harness that a soldier can wear and carry to enable him to perform his basic fighting functions: waist belt, shoulder harness, ammunition pouches, water bottles, bayonet, entrenching tool, and whatever else the unit deems necessary. On this "basic" webbing the thoughtful army can build big and little packs, bedding, radios, and so on.
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRCGrGd7RG
BHQ: Battalion Headquarters.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc2IgCnswmO
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dXnZxarVN
Bird: girl/woman1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEjpjRlaEC
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsoVztb7zq
Brass-up: To shoot, be shot at, as in "they brassed up two Charlies," and "they got brassed up by a machine gun."
CHQ: Company Headquarters.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFkFV6wJV5
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9QiBpv1oFx
Chalk: The group of passengers for a single aircraft.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNggkRep83
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hCUAAycaS
Charlie: The enemy, from VC = Viet Cong = Victor Charlie in radio phonetics.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRRtw3GUAt
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOd9Pno6aL
CO: Commanding Officer.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6O6xHG6mW
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSTUWwh7ZW
CP: Command Post1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qiX4u4aah
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNTro0U2O8
CSM: Company Sergeant Major.
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDampDAeyp
Corps: The British army is composed of various corps e.g. infantry, artillery, transport, dental, etc. Everyone belongs to one of them.
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmoOL6fbpx
III Corps Conference: South Vietnam was divided into four Corps Tactical Zones (CTZ): I, II, III, and IV. These were a means of dividing the country into areas of responsibility in which the various units operated, and had nothing to do with the infantry, artillery, etc., kind of corps. The III Corps HQ was almost adjacent to the airbase and the Conference was attended by a British representative.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHGKNr0w0E
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprdmDRgImX
DMZ: The so-called Demilitarized Zone between North and South Vietnam.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNfkgwkx2s
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyZX3My2Xo
Dust-off: Radio callsign for a medical evacuation helicopter, the crews of which were renowned and revered for their efforts to lift wounded out of battle and back to the medical facilities despite bad weather and enemy gunfire. Spoken usage included: "We require Dust-off for six," and "Nigel got Dusted-off to Saigon," i.e., Nigel was evacuated to Saigon by helicopter.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8Q8vwZXbY
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAFegqzUWq
FAC: Forward Air Controller: a pilot who flies a small (Cessna) aircraft into the battle area to locate, mark, and guide the fighters or bombers onto the targets. A high degree of skill and courage was needed.
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnHLTJgmPO
FN: Fabrique Nationale, the Belgian firm of arms makers.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDzKYmDW1u
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhrDepSwyV
Forward of the wire: Outside the barbed-wire perimeter of the unit or base, i.e., out where the enemy may be met. See "basebludger" and "pogo."1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTY9oa1bHTV
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4y3LLxlrKl
GVN: Government of Vietnam, the Saigon regime.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARnhaRItpO
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44Tvh3iTMu
Hutchi: Japanese (possibly Korean) word for house or shelter, corrupted to mean the soldier's tent in the field. American "hooch" or "hoochi."1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwR8zC76AZe
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM34uYWOAG4
Huey: UH-1 Helicopter, became Huey.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfKGQvp3k3
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pw625rmW7
IO: Intelligence Officer.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkP5Co5x9j
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtsSnUD2Ix
Iron Triangle: A jungle area, roughly shaped like a triangle, about 30 miles west of Saigon, used by the Viet Cong as a base area.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBv8QC8WEU
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZ1RnGpy8O
J: Jungle.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2K1t9sBcR
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTYQ1GDrcF
KIA: Killed In Action.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptz7S3o24W
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTKAErXSEBF
Locstat: Location statement, present location.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIBZ45F0vh
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9yxi6fGjz
LO: Liaison Officer1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP31UeOZHAd
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElCJ4ocLYy
Local Force: The Viet Cong National Liberation Front organized their fighting forces on several levels. At the bottom was the village guerilla, then units organized to operate in their home area----but larger than the usual village squad, and given tasks of a more demanding military nature, naturally enough these were called local force units. Above them were regional units and finally the main force.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIR1XItEYR1
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtGmygDCwd
LZ: Landing Zone1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsck4pmv7U
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33D6CdbA2d
Main Force: Units of soldiers who have graduated from the village guerillas, local and regional force units, are full-time members of the armed forces, and are now regular troops who can be given military tasks such as those given to regular units of the NATO armies.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELrtS0MIRP
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmrBjWQmgy
MASH: Mobile Army Surgical Hospital.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpDNqmIfcY
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIkH5rR0WH
Military Region: The National Liberation Front had divided Vietnam into these areas for their own administrative and operational purposes.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxK0QG8VvFz
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59utsDqPy7
MPC: Military Payment Certificate. "Play money" or "Monopoly money" issued by the military authorities in an attempt to halt the flow of dollars into the black market, etc. It is only good in the military system such as canteens, messes, etc. The type or pattern of MPC would be changed at very short notice, and all unchanged old MPC would then be so much paper. There are said to be people throughout Asia with boxes of old MPC, hoping for the day when the particular pattern is again issued, and they will get rich.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VHrVCjKO5
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8tbT9SdAH
MP: Military Police.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yF1Z1SqY6
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sCUPkPEls
NCO: Non-Commissioned Officer, i.e., below the rank of 2nd lieutenant.
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXljWc3gDo
NLF: National Liberation Front. No Communist Revolution is complete without this title.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ZfnkE8JED
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwV7asJ4Pij
NVA: North Vietnamese Army. Never admitted by Hanoi to be in South Vietnam, an assertion believed only by the very naive.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63hPf5u8nt
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvCiGTXVIf
OC: Officer Commanding. A company has an OC, a battalion a CO, a division a COC---General Officer Commanding.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRT8EtXpIJ
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡen0EVRC3pX
Orders Group: A gathering for the purpose of passing on orders to subordinates.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmcPH6Rv56
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxDPA0SFj5
Political Officer: The communist forces, being the armed effort of the political organization, are always subject to strict political control, which is achieved by placing a political infrastructure paralleling that of the military command, at all levels from company on up. The political officer has the final word in disagreements between the military and political. Called commissars in earlier times, they are a very important and effective means of ensuring control, motivation, and explanation of policy to the soldiers.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGRR9dFWfH
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJ905QqlMs
Pepper-pot: A tactic for advancing under fire where one or two soldiers at a time leap up, run forward a few paces, go down, roll away, and fire on the enemy while their comrades are doing likewise. The enemy is presented with fleeting targets all across his front, making it very hard for him to take on an accurate shot. Like many other things, it requires practice and teamwork.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAq39Cr4Vw
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6rii2ycsnL
Pogo: See Basebludging. Pogos are the same, but worse. They supposedly spend their time bouncing aimlessly around the rear areas on a pogo-stick and are thus of no use to the fighting troops, i.e., anyone closer to, or likely to be closer to, the enemy.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqum97HahIS
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Gn1xtDMKk
PPS: Russian submachine gun of World War II vintage, firing a 7.62mm round.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4pYCzJsl5
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6Tr5NIHfB
PX: Post Exchange = US Canteen.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkg8QrzFnti
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gaolFLymg
RATTV: Royal Army Training Team, Vietnam.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhGllAkKUU
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qMLsGEOGb
Regional Force: Along with a similar organization called the popular force, were part-time troops of the Saigon Regime, used for guard and other light military duties, which could include operations to search for the VC, normally operating in their home locations or areas. Abbreviated in RF/PE so immediately were called "ruffpuffs."1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKk8IbQ3cLp
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KQsTqLa4f
RPD: Russian light machine gun for section or squad use. The initials stand for the Russian words, the D being for Degtyarev, the designer.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLiNUDY6v6r
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBhlhBfryA
RMO: Regional Medical Officer, the battalion doctor.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlHcrdBnqb
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAc6dggJRdh
RSM: Regimental Sergeant Major, the senior noncommissioned officer in the unit, responsible to the CO for discipline.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMlTZ95fWN
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuCCLfBZiK
RV: Rendezvous1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8iuwv30vG
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGI2SZDs70S
Slicks: Troop-carrying helicopters, as opposed to armed versions, the "gunships," called "pigs"1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzRa0vtk6y
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGVXANLFQw
Slope: U.S. term for Asian, similar to the British "wog."1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRaRmod9AX
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡombyZAgZX9
SLR: Self Loading Rifle; the British-modified Belgian FN, produced at Birmingham, firing the standard NATO 7.62mm round, pronounced "slur."1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3B0xGqq0U
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFI0brlTObT
Smoke: To shoot, kill1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSbTJvuZNn
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vOpA8jASV
Tommy: A British soldier.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwlBKU2dON
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxhGsKyK80
Twenty mike mike: 20-millimeter cannon, from 20mm.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTWj4qKXfQ
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmopMXenF6L
VC: Viet Cong, the Vietnamese for Vietnamese Communist.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOtmAOe1tq5
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJP4AbvlSGl
VNAF: Vietnamese Air Force.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bmnaBXSa9
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzP4VgfhKz9
War Zone D: A term dating from the 1950s war against the French, for a large expanse of jungle about forty miles northeast of Saigon, in which the VC had base camps, training areas, etc., and which was rarely entered by government forces prior to 1965; also called D-Zone or Zone D. Zone C was farther to the southwest, and others were to the north.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRyjmLl1LY
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYc6c1by7ZO
Wog: British slang for an Asian: more fully "Westernized Oriental Gentleman." Plural is "wogs" and the land is sometimes referred to as "Woggeria."1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IvI5PfAY4
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrER4HhOEy
Watch your front!: Do not stare down your shirt buttons and trouser fly, but pay attention to the area of ground before you, your arc of fire.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡol8htnrUYN
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOP8XK3ApbN
WIA: Wounded in Action. 1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3z5VP7k6pq
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq52p7nbtaM
Yank(s): citizen(s) of the United States of America.1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ndb92W61s
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nOdwJLFiF
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGaHmFtOkp
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gqyWUYRBK
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2rVf04dtc
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6y25NDYAS
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGQiq97Zbt
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcemkVYLCdy
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvSrRDmc1I
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzz7sDVapl
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvm07YZNA7
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjQ05G1jUH
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotkZBc6IKK
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMgupZRheh
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEl2ul0YPuq
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DWgUVRZnJ
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1NNr8iqvh
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡui3LrTznOG
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiu3q3S6My6
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfC3v0pZRF
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwAqIN4Yd2
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ046qX1JMLl
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNFIIaZl02
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFQKwKH7dd
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxVX1mFNqO
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3rlJSBIO8
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PKthseLxm
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl8BjSrYsyQ
1042Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UvmjwRXve
