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GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ACRONYMS
It is important for readers
and students to build up the knowledge of terms, abbreviations, acronyms and
slang used by veterans and those who write about the Vietnam War and the Viet
Nam experience. Some of the slang has been introduce to civilian use by returning
veterans but much of it is special to the period and the people who where
there. The reader is advised that this glossary contains obscene language.
A1
Vintage WWII propeller driven aircraft that was the workhorse of air
support for ground troops in Southeast Asia. It was configured in a variety
of systems from the A1A to A1G. It could carry a tremendous payload and linger
over a target far longer than the jet supporting aircraft. (see Skyraider)
AAA
Anti Aircraft Artillery also “Triple A.” The FWF in South Viet Nam
had little to worry regarding enemy air attacks but the VC and the NVA employed
everything the could to prevent helicopters and fix-winged aircraft from operating
against them, from the bolt-action M91 Mosin-Nagant rifle to SA-7 shoulder-fired
heat-seeking missiles.
ABF Attack by fire: to place direct of indirect fire on
a given target
ACAV Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle: The M113 and M114 armored
troop carrier
ACofS Assistant Chief of Staff
AFVN Armed Forces Vietnam Network
AFRTS
Armed Forces Radio and Television Services: The unit that provided
radio and television services in-country.
AG Adjutant General
Agent Orange A defoliant/herbicide containing trace amounts of toxic contaminants called dioxins. It derived its name from the Orange band on the 55-gallon drums in which it was stored. A one-to-one mixture of n-butyl esters of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T). It was used against broad-leave vegetation. It contained 1.77 to 40 ppm of dioxins (TCDD) amounts. Lesser known but still employed defoliants and their dioxin contents were:
Agent Blue 32.8 to 45 ppm Narrow Leaf
Agent Pink 65.6 ppm Any vegetation
Agent White 65.6 ppm Broad leaf
Agent Silver 1 to 70 ppm Fungicide
AHC Assault Helicopter Company
AID Agency for International Development
Aid pouch a
web pouch carried on the load-bearing gear that contained a sterile gauze
bandage for use by the individual soldier when injured or wounded.
Aid Bag
Waterproof triple-tiered bag used by the combat medics to carry bandages,
medical supplies and instruments.
Air Burst
Munitions that, through a time or barometric fuze explodes before hitting
the ground.
Aid Kit
a small bag, bigger than a pouch but smaller than a bag for carrying
necessary survival medical items e.g. Merthiolate, morphine syrette, etc.
AIK Assistance In Kind – to mean money
or goods
Aircraft Anything that flies – fixed or rotary-wing
Air America CIA proprietary airline
used throughout Southeast Asia for clandestine operations
Airburst
Munitions using a timer or barometric pressure device to cause it to
explode at a certain height. (used for AAA and artillery against dug-in personnel.
Airborne (ABN) Classification of an individual or unit that is required to be on “jump status.” A paratrooper. Jump qualified personnel. Personnel and equipment dropped by parachute. 2. Flying above the surface of the earth
Airmobile
Personnel and equipment inserted by helicopter: designation of a unit
whose primary mode of transporting personnel and equipment is with helicopters.
AIT Advanced Individual Training: the training following Basic Training that awards each soldier his/her Military Occupational Specialty (MOS)
AK-47 Automat Kalashnikov 1947: the 7.62x39mm Soviet assault rifle. It weighs 11.5 pounds and carries a 30-round steel magazine. The weapon was copied from the Germans’ prototype MP-44 assault rifle seized by the Soviets at the end of WWII. The Chicom copy was designated Type 56 assault rifle and had a permanent triangular bayonet pinned to a swivel on the underside of the barrel.
ALC
Area Logistic Command
ALCE
Airlift Control Element – regional Tactical Airlift Command
Alpha Bravo
Phonetic for Ambush
All American
82nd Airborne Division
All Hands
Everybody (Navy/Marine)
Ambush a
surprise attack by an armed group on another for the purpose of defeating
the ambushed. The principal tactic used by guerrillas to attain superiority
over a larger enemy. Stealth and surprise are paramount for its success.
AMERICAL
23RD Infantry Division
Angry Ten slang
for the AN/GRE-10 AM radio, a WWII vintage long range radio used extensively
by the Special Forces for contacting higher headquarter from areas of operations
in Morse Code.
Ankle biter
the enemy’s answer to the steel boot inserts to prevent penetration
of the punji stake through the bottom of a boot. The bamboo or steel barbs
where driven into a board with a hinge, placed in a pit and camouflaged using
the same tactics as a regular punji booby-trap. When an unwary soldier stepped
into the trap his weight would press down on the middle of the hinged board
making the two sides come together violently piercing the ankle of the victim.
AN/TPQ-10
Ground-based aircraft radar guidance system
ANZAC
Australia-New Zealand Assistance Command
AO Area of Operation
AP Armor Piercing
APC Armored Personnel Carrier or Accelerated
Pacification Campaign
ARA Aerial Rocket Artillery: helicopter mounted rockets
AR-15 Lightweight
assault rifle in 5.56mm (.203 caliber) designed by Eugene Stoner and first
built by Armalite Co. in 1956, later manufactured by Colt Industries it developed
into the XM16E1, then the standard issue M16A1 battle rifle.
Arc Light B-52 Bombing mission
ARCOM Army Commendation
Medal:
Armed Dau Trang armed communist revolutionary cadre team first
developed by Ho Chi Minh and Vo Nguyen Giap to initiate first phase guerrilla
warfare and subvert local authority. These organizations later coalesced into
the Viet Minh in 1945 and where reactivated in South Viet Nam in 1954.
ARTY Artillery
As you were!
Correction or resume what you are doing.
ASA Army Security
Agency
ASAP As Soon As
Possible
ASH Assault
Support Helicopter
Ash & Trash term similar to “milk
run” or “pigs & rice,” used by a/c crews to describe non-combat sorties.
It didn’t mean you weren’t going to get shot at, just that you were not flying
into combat – usually into a base camp.
Asian Viper A poisonous pit viper,
it grows to 5 feet in length and is found just about everywhere in Viet Nam.
It is sluggish in movement but needs little or no provocation to attack. The
bite is very painful and results in bleeding, swelling and discoloration lasting
several days. In severe cases, there is intense thirst, nausea, projectile
vomiting, general hemorrhage; respiratory failure; death.
ASP Ammunition
Supply Point
ASPB Assault Support
Patrol Boat
ASRT Air Support
Radar Team
ATC Air Traffic
Controller
A Team The basic 12-man
Special Forces unit
ATSB Advanced
Tactical Support Base
Article 15 a summary disciplinary judgment applied to a soldier by his commander. It is an action less severe than a court martial; usually company punishment (latrine detail, etc.) but could go as high as monetary fines and confinement in the stockade. Its name is derived from its number in the UCMJ.
Article 31 Parallels the “Miranda” rights in the military service and, just as in civilian arrests, it must be read to the detainee before any questions are asked.
Article 32 Investigation Military
investigation to determine if there is probable cause to bring charges against
a member of the armed forces
ARVN Army of the Republic of Viet Nam
Atropine Syrette A
single, self-contained dose of nerve gas antitoxin. The needle is sharp enough
to pierce through a soldier’s protective gear and into the thigh muscle.
AW
Automatic Weapon – any weapon which is fed from the action of gasses
or recoil and automatically feeds the next cartridge into the chamber ready
to fire using one pull of the trigger.
AWOL Absent Without Authorized Leave: being absent from your place of duty without permission
Azimuth A compass bearing – Lensatic compasses are marked with 3600 (degrees) in increments of 1 degree beginning with North which is represented by 0 degrees clockwise and 360 degrees counter-clockwise. Thus 900 represents due East, 1800 due South, and 1700 due West.
B = Bravo
B-40 See RPG
B-52 Stratofortress Heavy strategic
bomber capable of carrying large loads of nuclear, conventional (dumb) or
radar-guided bombs.
Bamboo Vietnamese
Tre: giant grass with jointed, hollow stems, yellow-green or nearly
black; some striped with white or yellow. This plant can grow 40-50 feet and
up to 6 inches in diameter.
Banana Clip An
elongated 30-round magazine – the label was originally used for the extended
magazine issued for the .30 caliber M2 carbine – it has now come to mean any
extended magazine.
Bandoleer a
cloth, web or leather carrier for extra ammunition or extra loaded magazines
that a combatant carries slung over one shoulder. M16A1 ammunition came inserted
in bandoleers for issue to combat troops both in 10-round stripper clips or
previously loaded magazines.
BAR
Browning automatic rifle – designed by Robert Browning in 1914 it saw
limited service during WWI. Issued to the ARVN and self-defense forces in
South Viet Nam. With the bipod and steel shoulder brace, it weighed 18 pounds,
and each magazine carrying 20 .30-06 caliber rounds weighed 2.2 pounds. The
web gear made especially for this weapon held twelve 20-round magazines.
Base Camp Operational
field headquarters for a military unit, usually located inside that unit’s
Area of Operation. It normally housed the unit’s support elements.
Battalion (Bn.) Organization
within the Army/Marine Corps usually comprised of 3 line (combat) companies,
1 headquarters company + support element commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel
(0-5). An Army infantry battalion TO&E calls for approximately 900 people,
an artillery battalion about 500.
Bazooka Generic
WWII name applied to any of a series of individual rocket launchers and included
the WWII M20, 3.5” rocket launcher, the disposable M72, 66mm LAW and the Soviet
family of RPGs.
BC Body Count: the toll of enemy killed
in a given operation
BCD Bad Conduct Discharge
BDA Bomb Damage Assessment (after an Arc Light mission)
Beaver
The U-6A a single engine fixed wing medium utility aircraft flown by
US Army pilots
Beehive An
artillery round filled with hundreds of 2” stamped metal darts called fleshettes
used for direct fire defense against an assaulting enemy too close for indirect
fire.
Belay
Stop, quit (Navy and Marines)
Bennies Special
comfort items not found in the normal military supply chain e.g. coca-cola,
beer, watermelons, ice cream, etc.
BGen
Brigadier General [one star] (US Army, Marines, Air Force)
Billet
Assignment or job (Navy/Marines/) Place of residence (Army/Air Force)
Big nose(s) a
derogatory term used by Asians to describe occidentals, particularly Americans.
Big Red One
1st Infantry Division
Big Shotgun
a 106mm recoilless rifle using antipersonnel canister rounds
Bingo
flyer’s term for that point in the flight where the aircraft has only
enough fuel remaining to return to base.
Bipod
A two-legged support stand either affixed to or attached to the front
of the barrel of small arms: BAR, M14, M16A1, M60s, etc.
Bird (a) (the) an
aircraft, any aircraft
Bird Dog The
0-1 (USAF) or L-19 (Army) single engine fixed wing aircraft seating two people
used for reconnaissance and forward air control.
Blackbird C-130
fitted out for Special Operations – particularly the Fulton Recovery
System used
for air-to-ground extraction.
Black Box Special
electronic warfare equipment used in connection with ground sensors to detect
enemy movements on the Ho Chi Minh trail
Blackhorse 1.
Support base northeast of Saigon. 2. One of the names used for coding numbers
to be transmitted on the radio
Black Panthers 2/47th
Mechanize Infantry Battalion of the 9th Infantry Division also:
a radical African-American group organized in the early 1960s
Bladder Bag 1-gallon
collapsible canteen.
Blasting Cap a
small highly sensitive heat or electrically initiated device causing an explosion
that activates a larger, less sensitive explosive
Blivet
A collapsible hard rubber container for carrying POL – also used to
describe an article or equipment that did not fit back into the container
it came in “two pounds of shit in a one-pound bag”
Blouse
to tuck the pants into your boots also a fatigue shirt in the
Navy or Marines
Blousing Bands
Elastic bands used to secure fatigue or utility trousers
Blues
Dress uniform
Blue line
a river on a map
Body Bag a
hard plastic bag issued by the Quartermaster Corps Graves Registration to
transport the remains of the dead.
BOHICA!
Bend Over, Here it Comes, Again!
Boom-Boom
sexual intercourse – slang
Boondocks (Boonies) Rugged
isolated backcountry or jungle terrain
Boonie Rat
a field soldier, a grunt, an infantryman
BOQ
Batchelor Officer’s Quarters
Bouncing Betty an
anti-personnel mine designed to explode after one takes his foot off
the mine. It then detonates a propellant charge that sent the mine approximately
3 feet into the air, exploding at the victim’s waist level causing severe
injuries or death.
Brass
Officers
Break squelch used
when radio silence is in effect, to acknowledge a communication –the push-to-talk
switch is pressed momentarily causing a clicking/hissing sound on the receiving
speaker.
Brig
Jail (Navy and Marines)
Bring Smoke
to direct all available firepower at a given enemy position
Broken Arrow code
word used by artillery forward observers to alert all elements monitoring
their radio that a unit was in danger of being overrun by the enemy – It gave
priority of all artillery and air assets to that unit.
Bronco
0V-10 Twin Engine Turboprop Aircraft used for reconnaissance and Forward
Air Control. Also called “Push me – pull me” because of its twin propellers.
Browning Hi-Power Belgium manufactured
Model 35, 9mm semiautomatic pistol used by MAC-SOG reconnaissance teams. It
was primarily preferred because it was fed with a 15-round magazine.
BSZ Border Surveillance Zone – Area contiguous to RVN borders
BUFF B-52 Bomber (Big Ugly Friendly F* * ker)
Bug Juice
Mosquito repellent
Bulkhead
Wall (Navy and Marine)
Bushmaster
highly skilled in jungle operations
Butter bar
Second (2nd) Lieutenant
Buy (bought)
the farm to die or be killed
By-the-numbers
In proper sequence
BX Base Exchange (sundries store in
a military base)
C-3
Composition–3: the forerunner of C-4 (see below). While also stable
and malleable, it was saturated with nitro-glycerin and if the handler did
not use gloves it stained the hands yellow and a severe headache ensued. Old
demolitionist knew to place a small amount under the tongue before handling
the explosive to prevent the migraine. It was still in use during the late
1950s and early 60s by the ARVN.
C-4
Composition–4: a very powerful plastic explosive compound that is highly
stable, lightweight, and malleable. It can only be exploded using detonation
cord or blasting caps. Since it burns so hot, field soldiers used a 1” ball
to heat up C-rations or water when Heat tablets where not available.
C’s (C-Rats) C-Rations
– canned combat meals for field use – three meals constituted one ration.
Shipped 12 meals to a box, each meal contained a “main course” a can of crackers
and peanut butter or pound cake, and a fruit or nut-roll or the ever-popular
fruitcake. A plastic packet supplied: a matchbook; a spoon (some new one came
with a “spork”; a roll of toilet paper (enough for one sitting); a pack of
5 cigarettes; powered cocoa, instant coffee, sugar and powered cream. The
chocolate ring that came with the crackers was laced with vitamin A, which
gave it a strange taste. See Ham and Motherf * * * * * rs.
CA Civic Action or Civil Affairs
Cannon Cocker
Artilleryman
Cargomaster
The C-133 aircraft in its many configurations
Carry-coat Buoyant
Ammunition carriers designed as jackets for use in operations by the SEALs.
There were three designs: Type I – Rifleman; Type II – Grenadier; and, Type
III – Radioman, each with special pockets to hold ammunition and field items,
e.g. compass, flashlight, etc.
Cammies Camouflaged
jungle uniforms – just about everybody had their own pattern in Viet Nam
Cane Pressure Mine Chicom manufactured
mine used by the VC/NVA that started to appear hung on trees at likely helicopter
landing zones in the Central Highlands of South Viet Nam around 1968. The
mine was activated by a detonator set off by downward air pressure generated
by a landing helicopter
Canteen issued
water jug with a 1qt. capacity. Originally made of aluminum – later issue
where made of hard plastic that initially had a message embossed on the side
that said, “Do not hold over a fire to heat water. Some people still did.
Canteen Cup
issued with the canteen – continued to be made of light weight aluminum
Canteen Cover
issued to carry the canteen and cup.
Capt. (Cpt.) Captain
(US Army/Marines/Air Force: company grade officer) (US Navy/Coast Guard (Field
Grade officer equivalent to Colonel)
Carry On!
Resume what you were doing – see “As you were.”
Car-15 Shortened version
of the M16A1 rifle. Also misnamed “Colt Commando.” The original military designation
was XM177E2.
CARE Co-operative for American Relief
Everywhere. The worldwide Catholic relief organization
Caribou (‘boos) DeHavilland
twin-engine cargo airplane initially assigned to the US Army as the CV-2 and
later (1966) turned over to the US Air Force (designated C-7A)
CAS
Close air support – aircraft flying in support of ground troops in
contact
Casualty Staging Area a dispensary,
clinic, mobile hospital or temporary area where the wounded are taken to be
given first aid, stabilized (triaged) and sent forward to the more extensive
medical care.
CBU
Cluster Bomb Units – smaller high explosive bombs delivered in a large
container that opened above enemy troops or armor and exploded over a wide
area
C&C Command and Control
CCC Command and Control Central (MACV-SOG)
CCN Command and Control North (MACV-SOG)
CCS Command and Control South (MACV-SOG)
C-Day
Conversion day – the date MPCs where exchanged for a new version (making
the old version obsolete. See MPC
CDC
Container Delivery System: a method of air delivery of pre-packaged
supplies for troops in the field. Each container had critical items e.g.,
ammunition, water, medical supplies, radio batteries or radios, etc. and each
classification was numbered so all the unit in the field had to request was
the number, quantity and give the location of the drop zone.
CDEC Combined
Document Exploitation Center: a detachment under the CICV – Received all
daily document seizures from field units, by 1969 the CMIC could scan a set
of captured documents, identify those important to a particular Allied unit,
translate it when necessary and have it back to the field unit within 24-36
hours.
CESE Civil Engineering Support Equipment
CG Commanding General
Check it out!
Look at that!
CH-46 Boeing Sea Knight medium cargo helicopter the workhorse
for the Marines
CH-53 Sikorsky Sea Stallion heavy cargo helicopter
Chest Pouch pouches
carried by the VC/NVA to house ammunition and accoutrements. The one for the
AK-47 housed three 30-round magazines and cleaning gear. The one for the SKS
allowed the wearer to carry 10 rounds of ammunition in 10-round stripper clips.
CHICOM
Chinese Communist
Chicken Plate early
body armor discarded by grunts and used to sit on by mechanized troops and
pilots to protect themselves from rounds fired up into their crafts.
Chinook
CH-47 Heavy Cargo Helicopter: One
of these was equipped with a 20 mm cannon on each side and an automatic grenade
launcher under the nose. It destroyed itself when one of the pins holding
one of the 20 mm cannons came off causing the gun to point straight up. Before
the gunner could stop firing the bullets had destroyed the front propeller
blades.
Cherry new to the unit: no experience in combat. See FNG
Cherry jump first
parachute jump with one’s assigned airborne unit after completing jump school
Choke
Peanut Butter
Chow Food (Chinese)
Chow Hall
Dining room – mess hall
CIA Central Intelligence Agency
CIB
Combat Infantryman’s Badge – awarded to infantrymen for sustained combat
service [normally not less than six months.]
CICV Combined Intelligence Center, Viet Nam
CIDG Civilian Irregular Defense Group
CINCPAC
Commander in Chief, Pacific
CINCSAC
Commander in Chief, Strategic Air Command
Clacker (also Klacker) a hand-operated
spring-loaded firing device which when pressed produced an electrical charge
to detonate the Claymore Mine or other electrically detonated devices. “One
Claymore Mine came in every box of clackers.”
Claymore M18A1:
a slightly curved antipersonnel mine – contains 700 double-0 size pellets
in front of one pound of C-4 that, when detonated, has a forward lethal zone
of 50 meters in an arc of 60 degrees.
CLC Central Logistics Command
Clip See mag. or magazine
Cluster Bomb One-pound
baseball-sized bomblets with varying configurations some were time delayed,
some high explosive, some with thermite for burning.
CMB
Combat Medical Badge – equivalent to CIB. Presented to medical personnel
participating in ground combat
CMD
Capital Military District – the security area around Saigon
CMEC
Combined Materiel Exploitation Center – all new enemy weapons and equipment
were turned over to this unit for assessment of its efficiency and utility
on the battlefield. New weapons models, variations or devices were forwarded
to the Department of Defense for further testing and evaluation.
CMIC
Combined Military Intelligence Center
CN
Tear gas
C.O.
1. Commanding Officer. 2. C.O. Conscientious Objector: Classification
used by the draft board to classify those who, according to their religious
believes, would not serve in the armed forces.
Cobra (Asiatic) a
reptile native to both North and South Viet Nam, it can grow to 7’ in length.
Usually lives in holes between the roots of large trees. Not aggressive and
will avoid humans. Most active at night, it is sometimes found on trails and
road getting warm. Venom is highly toxic; a nerve poison which can be fatal
in 2 to 24 hours depending on amount injected and victim’s state of health.
Code
Any method of transposition or substitution used to deny the enemy
information: a simple numbers substitution code is to find any 10-digit word
that does not repeat any letter e.g. blackhorse or champion, substitute the
numerals 1-0 for the letters and transmit the letters. The receiving station
must know what word you are using. See SOI
COFRAM
Controlled Fragmentation Munitions
Col.
Colonel
Collins Single Sideband
Radio Model 32S-3 used extensively by Special Forces communications personnel.
It could transmit in Morse code or voice and was usually packed in a civilian-style
set of suitcases.
Colors The flag – national colors – the stars and stripes
Colt Commando
First version of the shortened M16 rifle for use by Special Forces
(see CAR-15.)
Combat Pay Additional pay awarded
to In-country servicemen and women. It ranged from $50 to $65.00 depending
on rank
Company A
military unit of approximately 250 officers and enlisted men commanded by
a Captain (0-3) consisting of three or more platoons. In the artillery a like
organization is called a battery, in the cavalry it is called a troop.
Combat jump a
jump made into a hostile area or for the purpose of engaging the enemy. Only
five (5) officially recognized combat jump where made in South
Viet Nam during the Vietnam War.
173rd
Abn Bde 2/27/67 C-130 845 jumpers
War Zone C III CTZ
5th
SFG: 4/2/67 C-123
39/314 “ Bunard III CTZ
5th
SFG: 5/13/67 C-130
20/374 “ Nui Gai
IV CTZ
5th
SFG 9/5/67 C-130
25/355 “ Bu Prang
II CTZ
5th
SFG 11/17/68 C-130
25/495 “ 7 Mts. Region
IV CTZ
Elements of
or attached to the 173rd where:
HHC 173rd Abn Bde (minus)
2nd Bn, 503rd Inf. (Airborne)
Battery A, 3rd Bn, 319th
Arty
Figures for
jumpers are approximate. Figures to the right of the slash represent CIDG
Mike Force; figures to the left represent USASF or Pathfinder personnel. Participants
are authorized to wear a small bronze star on their jump wings.
Comics/Comic book Map
(also, funny papers)
COMINT
communications intelligence
COMUSMACV
Commander, United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam
Comm.
Communications
Commo Check
Communications Check on the radio
Concertina Wire barbwire
used for defenses and restricting movements. The wire came in rolls dropped
by supply aircraft. It was once estimated that the warring factions in South
Viet Nam had installed enough barbwire In-country to make a three-foot high
fence encircling the planet.
CONARC
Continental Army Command
Contact
engagement (combat) with the enemy – of any size or under any condition
Cook-off a round that is fired spontaneously because excessive firing has heated up the chamber of the weapon
CORDS Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support (later Civil Operations and Rural Development Support)’
Corduroy Road a road constructed over swampy or muddy terrain using logs and vegetation
Cork name for the drug Lomotil, used by members of LRRPs, SF and SEAL teams causing constipation and the need to defecate while operations.
Corps 1. Military unit comprising several divisions and its support elements commanded by a Lieutenant General (0-9.) 2. The US Marine Corps 3. In Viet Nam the designation of each military region: I Corps (Northern) II Corps (Central Highland) III Corps (Middle) IV Corps (South) 4. Term used to describe specialized military services: Medical Corps; Finance Corps; Signal Corps; Transportation Corps.
COSVN Central Office for South Vietnam:
The politico-military leadership of the southern opposition that ostensibly
was made up of both communist and anti-communist nationalist guerrillas. It
was not a place. It was an activity.
Counter Mortar Radar the AN/MPQ-4 radar set. This radar could pick
up the in-coming round fired from an enemy mortar, artillery tube or rocket
launcher and, almost instantly compute backwards to the firing location. This
information was relayed to the Counter Mortar Battery, a unit prepared to
immediately execute a fire mission on the given coordinates.
Cover 1. Anything that will protect from
hostile action: It applies to anything that can offer protection from direct
or indirect fire. 2. Navy/Marine for
hat
Coxswain the
person, generally a Boastwain’s Mate, in charge of steering and/or directing
the crew of a boat. A boat is defined as any craft smaller than a ship.
CP Command Post
CPDC Central Pacification and Development Council
C.Q.
Charge of Quarters: The NCO left in charge of a headquarters after
it shuts down operations for the day.
Cracker Box a
field ambulance
Crew Chief Enlisted
man in charge of the aircraft: in helicopters (s)he is in charge of maintenance.
In fixed-wing a/c (s)he may be the loadmaster.
CRIMP Consolidated Republic of Viet Nam Armed Forces Improvement & Modernization Program
CRIP Civilian Reconnaissance Intelligence Platoon
Crosscheck used
before going out of a friendly perimeter to conduct operations to insure no
one is carrying that makes noise, not camouflaged, lights up, etc.
Crusader
F-8 jet aircraft used by the US Navy – mainly employed as reconnaissance
CS Teargas
CSCC Combat Support Coordinating Center
CSP
Combat Security Police – Air Force “infantry” equipped and trained
to act as a reaction force for airfield protection. These units where created
as a result of the communist 1968 Tet Offensive in South Viet Nam.
CTC Central Training Command
CTZ Corps Tactical Zone
Cutting and
slashing the time spent
opening a trail through elephant grass and bamboo.
CYA Cover Your Ass: anything done to make sure you
don’t take the blame.
Cyclo
three wheeled taxi holding two or three people and driven by a person
peddling in back. A very common form of transportation used in Southeast Asia.
D = Delta
DA Department of the Army
DAO Defense Attaché Office
Daisy Chain The
linking of two or more antipersonnel mine (Claymore) by detonating cord to
explode simultaneously.
Daisy Cutter a
10-15,000 pound high explosive bomb that will clear a ground area of approximately
300 meters when detonated. It will create an “instant” landing zone. There
are no bombers in our inventory to haul these behemoths and they are dropped
from a cargo aircraft or a flying crane.
Dapzone
Medication issued to US forces once a week to prevent leprosy
DCO Deputy Commanding Officer
DD Form 4
Enlistment contract with the US Armed Forces
DD Form 214 Formal
record of military service – provided at discharge or release from active
duty – lists time of active service, promotions, highest rank held while active,
schools attended and awards and decorations received.
DD Form 1049
Military Personnel
Transfer Request Form
Dead Zone/Space
area(s) not covered by effective or interlocking weapons fire.
De Oppresso
Liber “To Free the Oppressed” US
Army Special Forces Motto
Deck Floor (Navy/Marine)
Decompression Time
spent between leaving the battle area and being returned to the United States.
Not enough time was spent in this very needed process (recommended time and
again by the military psychologist). Most combat troops went directly from
the field to the “States” within one or two days without transition that many
times caused adjustment problems for the individual.
Defoliant A chemical which when sprayed or dusted on living vege