NOTICE:
MANY
WORDS USED WITHIN THIS POST ARE CONSIDERED OFFENSIVE…READER
BEWARE
Jack Benny
plus 10: Mr. Benny always claimed to be 39 years
old. Pilots, when wanting to
adjust a radio frequency may reference JB and a number. i.e.
Jack Benny up 10.5
would reference frequency 49.5…same would apply for down plus
a number to
subtract.
50 foot
roll of flight line: Non-existent item that
chopper groups usually send
new recruits to look for .
Ao
dai (“owzeye”):
the native costume of
Vietnamese women. It has a mandarin collar and is very
AO: Acronym
for Area of
Operations – terrain assigned to specific units – their
responsibility to
locate and kill enemy soldiers within that area.
APC –
Armored Personnel Carrier
– tracked vehicle used by mechanized units for squad sized
patrols. When
mechanized units (tanks / APC’s) worked together, they refered
to APC’s as
Fords and
tanks as Buicks.
Arc-Light: Code name for B52 strike missions – used
as close air support
against enemy base camps, troop concentrations and supplies.
Releasing
their bombs from high in the stratosphere,
the B-52s could neither be seen
nor heard from the ground. B-52s were instrumental in nearly
wiping out enemy
concentrations besieging Khe
Sanh in
1968 and An Loc and Kontum in
1972.
Aussie: Australian Soldier and
Baby San – GI
reference to village
children (male and female)
Ba
muoi lam (“baa-mooee-lahm):
Vietnamese for
the number 35. Means the same as “butterfly;” a playboy.
Barbecue:
Armored Cav units
requesting Napalm on a locuation
Base
Beaucoup: from
the French. In
Betel
nut (“beetle
nut”): the
leaves or root of the betel palm, which are mildly narcotic
and are chewed by
many Vietnamese, especially aged women, to relieve the pain of
diseased gums.
The cumulative effect of years of betel nut chewing is to
totally blacken the
teeth.
Blooper: M79 Grenade Launcher. also referred as Thumper
BOHICA:
Acronym meaning –
Bend Over Here It Comes Again
Bong Son
Bomber – Giant sized marijuana cigarette
Boom-boom:
Slang for having sex
Boom-Boom
Girl:
Prostitute
Bouncing Betty Mines: The German S-mine
(Schrapnellmine in
German) is the best-known version of a class of mines
known as bounding
mines. When triggered, these mines launch into the air and
then detonate at
about waist height.
BREAK
STARCH: Reference to dressing with a new set
of dry cleaned or heavily
starched fatigues.
Broken
arrow: Universal
code meaning that a
ground unit or camp is being overrun and to send all available
assets.
Also referred as a serviceman who tried to be a straight
arrow and
failed. (See straight arrow.)
BUFFS:
Big Ugly Flying Fat
Fuckers – ref. B52 bombers. Also referred as
“Dumptrucks” in northern
I-Corps.
Buicks: Used primarily in the infantry support
role, the M48A3 tank was
BULLET
CATCHER– A safety device for mini guns that were
removed before flight.
Slang for the front seater in a Cobra.
Bush: field,
jungle, boonies,
Indian country – any combination of these
words describes hostile areas
outside of firebases and basecamps
Butter Bar:
Slang reference for
a Second Lieutenant – also called LT
(ell-tee)
Butterfly: playboy.
Buy
the farm: to
be killed. Sometimes “buy
the six-by-three farm.”
Bravo-Zulu
(BZ):
Well Done!
Can you dig
it : Used to emphasise the fact that one has heard a
piece of information, and
whole-heartedly agrees with it.
Canh
Sat (“cahn
zaht”): White
mice. (which see.)
CAN KUK OR
CON KUK – Civilian ID card
CANON
COCKERS: Reference to artillery crews
Care
package: box of goodies sent to soldiers by their
family or friends – usually
containing cookies, candy, condiments to flavor c-rations,
home newspapers,
coffee, gum and any other treats that can be thought of.
Infantry
soldiers in the field do not receive these because of the
added weight and are
stored at the firebase supply upon their return.
Chao
co (ong)
(em) (pronounced
“chow
coh (ohm) (em)”): Vietnamese for hello or good-bye, Miss (Sir)
(to a
child, animal or very close friend).
Cheap
charlie: anyone,
especially a
Chieu
Hoi (“chew
hoyee”): the
Vietnamese-administered “Open Arms” program for defecting
enemy soldiers. (See
“Hoi Chanh.”)
Cherry: designation
for new
replacement from the states. Also referred as FNG (fucking
new guy), fresh
meat and new
citizens
Chop-chop: food,
or eat – used primarily
by Vietnamese. Some troops used the words to ‘hurry
up”.
CIDG: Civilian
Irregular Defense
Group. Friendly indigenous forces, usually organized and led
by Army Special
Forces teams
Cluster
Fuck:
Nothing is going right, congested or bunched up.
Coka: Vietnamese
pronunciation
of “Coke.”
Coup
qualified: very
old Viet hands, and only
those who served in
Cowboy: a
Vietnamese ruffian –
usually riding a motor bike and swiping jewelry from those
they pass by.
Crow’s
foot: a
four-pointed booby trap
device which, when thrown, will land with one point up.
C’s: “C”
rations.
Typical package shown below
Cyclo: three-wheeled
motorized
conveyance with a seat on the front.
DAP: greetings involving hand contact, dap is
best known as a complicated
routine of shakes, slaps, snaps, and other contact that must
be known
completely by both parties involved. Dap greeting sometimes
include a hug.
Day
off: see
“khong lau.”
Dep
lam (“dep
lahm”):
Vietnamese for “too pretty (or handsome).”
Dep
qua (“dep
whah”):
Vietnamese for “pretty.”
Dep
trai (“dep
cheye”): Vietnamese for
“handsome.”
DEROS: Acronym
used in
Di
di (mau) (“dee-dee
(maow)”): Vietnamese for
“go away (fast) or “haul ass”
Dien
cai dao (“dee-in-kee-daow”):
Vietnamese
for “crazy in the head.”
Diddy-bop:
term used to
criticize the way a person or group is walking, (i.e.
shuffling to a
tune, not paying attention, too carefree), swagger
Diggers:
Australian infantry
soldiers
Dinky Dau: Slang
for crazy or
completely nuts
Disneyland
Far
East: Hq
building of the
U.S. Military Assistance Comd
DMZ:
Demilitarized zone –
Neutral area separating
Don’t mean
nothin‘: Coined
by
G.I.’s in
Donut
Dollies: Young women from the Red Cross who are
stationed in many of the rear
areas and manage service clubs for the troops. Their
jobs were to
motivate and eDon’t mean nuthin: Coined by G.I.’s in
Dung
lai (pronouneed
“zoong
lye”): Vietnamese for “halt” or “stop.”
Duster: a
25-ton tank armed with twin
40mm cannon.
Dustoff: the medevac helicopter system. These
brave pilots often placed
themselves at risk by landing during a firefight with the
enemy to pick up
wounded soldiers. Also used as an acronym – Duty
Uniform Services To
Others Friend & Foe
ETS: Acronym
used by the military
to determine the date ending a soldiers term of service “End
Time of Service”
Lizard: The Tokay
Gecko is the second
largest Gecko species, attaining lengths of about 11–20 inches
(28–51 cm)
for males, and 7–19 inches (18–48 cm) for females, with
weights of only
150–400 grams (5.3–14.1 oz). They are distinctive in
appearance, with a
bluish or grayish body, sporting spots ranging from light
yellow to bright red.
The male is more brightly colored than the female. They have
large eyes with a
vertical slit pupil. Eyes are brown to greenish brown and can
be orange or
yellow. Their mating call during the night sounds like…faaa-cue repeated
every 15 seconds or
so.
FAC: forward
air
controller. A light plane pilot who directs air strikes and
artillery fire
from the air.
Fallopian
tubing for inside the turrets of tanks: Prank used
by tankers to send Cherries
on a wild goose chase
Fast Mover – Slang
for a Jet
Fighter. Aptly named due to the rapidity of a Jet Fighter’s
movement.
FIGMO: acronym
for “Finally I
got my orders.” Especially in “figmo chart,” a shortimer’s
calendar, usually a
drawing of an undraped female form, with numbered sections
which are filled in,
one each day, as the shorttimer keeps track of days to go.
Fini: from
the French.
Vietnamese meanings include through, finished, depart (as in,
“When you fini
First Light – The
time of nautical
twilight when the sun is 12 degrees below the horizon.
Flower
seeker: a
term used,
especially in the Vietnamese press, to describe a man in
search of a
prostitute.
FNG:
Fucking New
Guy)designation for new replacement from the states.
Also referred as Cherry, fresh
meat and
new citizens
Foo Gas: (sometimes
contracted
to fougasse and
may be
spelled foo gas) is a type of mine which
uses an explosive charge to
project burning liquid onto a target
Frag: fragmentation grenade. Also refers
to the murder of fellow
soldiers in retaliation for an action or order that resulted
in somebody
getting hurt or killed. This usually happened by tossing
a live grenade
into a latrine or barracks occupied by the individual.
Freedom bird: a
jet aircraft which flies returning servicemen to the
FSA: forward
support area (or
activity); one-stop service base established by logistical
units near an
operation or forward base camp.
FSB: Acronym
for Fire
Support Base. A fire support base was originally a
temporary firing base
for artillery, although many evolved into more permanent
bases. Their main
components varied by size: a typical FSB usually had a battery
of six 105
millimeter or 155mm howitzers,
a platoon of engineers permanently
on station for
construction and maintenance projects, at least two landing
pads for
helicopters (a smaller VIP pad and at least one resupply pad),
a Tactical
Operations Center(TOC),
an aid
station staffed
with medics,
a
communications bunker, and a company of infantry serving
as the defense garrison.
Large FSBs might also have two artillery batteries, and an
infantry battalion. Under
the original concept of
the artillery fire support base, a six-gun battery set up with
one howitzer in
the center to fire illumination rounds during night attacks
and serve as the
base’s main registration gun. The other five howitzers were
arranged around it
in a “star” pattern. Smaller FSBs tended to vary greatly
from this layout,
with two to four howitzers of various calibers (usually 105mm
and 155mm at
battalion level) located in dispersed and fortified firing
positions. These smaller bases arranged their guns in
square or triangle
patterns when possible. As the war
continued, firebases evolved into
small forts with all the defensive measures those required.
FUBAR:
Acronym for Fucked Up
Beyond Any Recognition
Fugazi –
Completely out of whack,
****ed up, screwy. This term originated during the Vietnam War
and experienced
limited use by civilians.
Get Your
Shit Together – usually said to new guys, meaning to
shape up and learn everything
possible to stay alive.
Grunt: noun,
an
infantryman, also called “Ground pounders”
Gooks: Derogatory term referencing VC or NVA
soldiers. Also
called: “Chuck“, “Charlie”,
“Dinks” and
“Slopes”
Gooks in
the wire: Alarm for Enemy soldiers trying to
infiltrate a basecamp or
firebase.
Greased:
killed also referred as zapped
and bought
the farm
Gunship: armed
helicopter with the
primary mission of fire support.
Guppy: a
stake-and-platform
trailer of the type pulled by a five-ton tractor. (See
“dolphin.”)
Hard Truck / Gun Truck: provides support to
convoys traveling through
known hostile territory
Headman: the
boss man of a
local community. His word is usually law.
Hero:
Reference to those
having served in
Ho
Chi Minh
sandals: sandals
made
from worn-out truck tires. Also referred to as “Ho Chi
Minh Road Sticks”
Ho Chi Minh trail: the complex of jungle paths through
Hog / Pig: M60 Machine Gun primarily used by
Americans. Uses 7.62 x 51
NATO rounds which are longer and similar to the enemy’s
Russian made AK-47
(7.62 x 39) these rounds are not interchangeable and can
not be fired
from the opposing weapon.
Hoi Chanh (pronounced “hoyee cahn”): a returnee. An
enemy soldier who
voluntarily gave himself up. Many are employed by the
Vietnamese government or
the U.S. Army. Referred to as “Kit
Carson Scout” by
infantry units.
Howard
Jobnson’s: any
of a multitude of pushcart
vendors selling food in the street.
Humping: Walking from one
location to another while carrying
full rucksacks and supplies -routes can be through dense
jungle, along paths or
trails, through streams and rice paddies and sometimes uphill
/ downhill on
very steep slopes. To march; to carry; to be burdened
with.
I Heard
that:
Phrase used to show agreement to a statement made by someone
else. i.e.
“The grass is green”, response, “I heard that”.
Idiot
stick: 1,
a rifle 2. the curved yoke
used by Vietnaese, usually old women or children, to carry two
rice baskets,
water buckets or what have you, one hung from each end of the
yoke.
Sometimes referred to as a “Dummy
stick“.
Incoming! (always exclamatory): “Hit the dirt!”
Warning for aerial
barrage (mortars, artillery, rockets, etc.) from enemy
soldiers.
Incountry: in
I shit you
not:
a saying to mean “I am very serious”
Jody: make
believe person
who is said to be romancing your wife or girlfriend while you
are training or
stationed oversees.
Khong
lau: (pronounced
“kohng
laow”): Vietnamese for “nevah hoppen.”
KIWIS:
New Zealander Soldier
and
Lai
day: (pronounced
“lye dye”):
Vietnamese for “come here.”
Lam
on: (pronounced
“lahm oon”): Vietnamese
for “please.”
LBFM:
Has to do with
indigenous females and the sexual favor they provide (use your
imagination on
this one)…SF guys don’t want to spill the beans.
LBJ: 1. Long
Binh Jail; the USARV
Stockade, 2. Camp Long Binh Junction, home of the 90th
Replacement Bn, through
which most individual replacements are processed.
Left Handed
Monkey Wrench – A non-existent tool. Often
the object of fruitless
searches undertaken by recruits at the behest of more
experienced
servicemembers.
Legs or
Straight Legs – None Airborne Personnel.
Lifers:
Career soldiers
Loach: The
nimble
little Hughes OH-6 Cayuse served extensively with US Army
forces in
the Vietnam War
LP
(Listening Post): location outside of the perimeter primarily used
by the infantry at night
as an early warning device
LT:
pronounced ell-tee
which was short for lieutenant…most infantry officers accepted
this title out
in the bush.
LRRP:
Mad Minute: Order given for all
bunkers to shoot across their
front for one minute…used to test fire weapons and also enemy
harassment.
Out in the field, the leader may order the troops on
line and have them
shoot into a suspicious area they plan to enter – called
Recon By Fire
MA Deuce: Browning M2 .50 cal. machine gun
Malayan gate: a
booby trap device which depends on a ful-crum for action and
usually employs
spikes as the killing device. Devised by Malay communists
during their
unsuccessful 10 year fight against the British.
Mama San – GI
reference to all older
Vietnamese women
Marvin the
Arvin:
Stereotyped soldier in the South Vietnamese Army (ARVN)
Mau
len (pronounced
“maow
len”): Vietnamese for fast, or speed. As in, “Let’s mau len it
up a bit,
Papasan.”
Meat
Factory: Any Hospital
Meat
Wagon – Slang for an ambulance, or any other medical
emergency vehicle
Medevac: short
for medical
evacuation.
Mike Boat: landing
craft,
mechanized (LCM8) used to carry troops.
Military
General Orders (11):
1.
To take charge
of this post and all government property in view.
2. To walk my post in a military manner, keeping always on the
alert, and
observing everything that takes place within sight or hearing.
3. To report all violations of orders I am instructed to
enforce.
4. To repeat all calls from posts more distant from the guard
house than my
own.
5. To quit my post only when properly relieved.
6. To receive, obey, and pass on to the sentry who relieves me
all orders from
the commanding officer, field officer of the day, officer of
the day, and
officers and petty officers of the watch.
7. To talk to no one except in line of duty.
8. To give the alarm in case of fire or disorder.
9. To call the petty officer of the watch in any case not
covered by
instructions.
10. To salute all officers and all colors and standards not
cased.
11. To be especially watchful at night, and during the time
for challenging, to
challenge all persons on or near my post, and to allow no one
to pass without
proper authority.
Mine
Magnet: Any armored vehicle (APC, tank, etc.)
Monopoly Money:
MPC – Military Payment Certificates used by the military in
M.U.L.E. : Multi Utility Light Equipment – small
motorized cart used to carry
equipment and supplies within firebases
No Sweat: A
task that is easy
or simple — usually said in response to being asked to perform
it, to mean you
will do it and it won’t be difficult.
No Bic:
Vietnamese response
that they don’t speak or understand English
Numbah-one
GI: serviceman
who spends a good
deal of money onthe Vietnamese economy.
Numbah-ten
GI: serviceman
who spends little
money on the Vietnamese economy, or one who refuses to make a
proposed
purchase.
Numbah-ten
thousand: Absolutely
the
worst of the lot
Nuoc
mam (“noouk
mom”):. the
Vietnamese national dish; fermented fish sauce.
Old Boots /
Old Timers: Those soldiers who have been in country
for a while – others look to
them for advice and direction due to their experience
OK SAHLEM:
Village kids begging
for menthol cigarettes from GI’s.
OP
(Observation Post): location outside of the
perimeter used by infantry
personnel during the daytime as an early warning device
Papa San – GI
reference to all older
Vietnamese men
Pedicab: a
foot-powered cyclo.
Plastic: type
of explosives
favored by sappers. As in, “I was in the middle of a steak at
the Hoa Lu BEQ
when they found 200 pounds of plastic behind the bar, so I
stuck my fork in my
steak and di-di-maued.” (which see)
Plenty
cheap
charlie: one
who wastes even less money than an ordinary cheap charlie.
Prairie
Fire:
the code word used by MACVSOG to identify recon ops into
Laos (previously
known as Shining Brass) and it was also used by helicopter
pilots flying in
support of SOG’s Recon A team was in imminent danger of
being overrun, or
was compromised and on the run – the exfil of SOG-assets in an
emergency.
P’s: piasters;
basic
Vietnamese monetary unit. $1 equals 118 piasters, as this is
written.
PSP: Perferated Steel Planking
– standardized, perforated steel
matting material originally developed by the
Puff: originally
“Puff the Magic
Dragon”; a C-47 armed with miniguns or other rapid fire
weapons. It is
said that if firing while flying over a football field, a
bullet will hit every
square foot of the field. Also called “Spooky”.
When Puff makes a
run during the night, the string of tracers is constant and
sometimes looking
like an imaginary Pee stream. Some soldiers had
referenced a Puff
attack as “Bringing Pee” on the enemy!
Punji stick: sharpened
stake,
usually bamboo, planted in the ground with the point sticking
up. Often
used in booby traps and often employed with the point smeared
with feces as a
poisoning element.
Quan
Canh (pronounced
“kwuhn
kein”): Vietnamese military police.
RA: Acronym for
Regular Army
(those who joined voluntarily)
Rats: an
“in” term used by
some
REAL
LIFE: (always
capitalized):
civilian life. As in, “What do you do in Real Life, Jonesie?”
Redball: 1.
the system used in
Re-Up Bird:
Blue Eared Barbet –
bird whose song sounds like “Re UP” to those soldiers in the
jungle.
REFRAD:
Acronym for Released
From Active Duty
REMF:
Acronym for Rear
Echelon Military Force…derogatory designation is Rear Echelon
Mother Fucker
REVETMENT:
Parking locations
for aircraft at a military installation.
Usually enclosed by a
barrier of sorts on three sides to prevent damage to
aircraft
from enemy projectiles (mortar, bullets, rockets) that
land nearby.
RF/PF: Acronym
for
Regional Forces/Popular Forces.
Rice
wine: an
alcoholic drink, very
inexpensive, made from rice. Usually tastes like kerosene.
Rog: (pronounced
“rahj”):
short for “Roger,” the radio term for “I read (understand)
your transmission.”
Also, in the expression, “That’s a Rog, Baby” (That’s right).
Roger That
/Roger-Roger: Term
used by Army aviators indicating that the transmission was
received and
understood.
ROK / ROCK:
Marines from
Round
eye: Caucasian
woman.
RPG: Rocket Propelled Grenade. Weapon of
choice by VC / NVA for
attacks on armor and against sandbagged bunkers.
Ruff-Puffs: Derogatory
term used
by Americans to the RF/PF troops. South Vietnamese
Regional Forces were
roughly akin to militias. Recruited locally, they fell
into two broad
groups – Regional Forces and Popular Forces. During the
early 60’s the
Regional Forces manned the country-wide output system and
defended critical
points, such as bridges and ferries. There were some
9,000 such
positions, half of them in the Mekong Delta region. In
1964, the Regional
Forces were integrated into the Army of the Republic of
Vietnam (ARVN) and
placed under the command of the Joint General Staff.
Saigon
warrior: drugstore
soldier, especially
one who serves or has served in
Same-Same: I
first heard it
during the Vietnam War in the 60s. It’s still used quite
extensively
throughout
How
do you feel? Same same yesterday.
What’s
the difference between these two beers? Same same.
All
Vietnamese same same… black hair, brown eyes.
Shake ‘n
Bake:
Soldiers who earn sergeant stripes after specialized
training prior to
arrival in
Shaming: Goofing
off or getting
by with the least amount of effort.
Shit on a
Shingle: Slang
for a piece of toast with chipped beef and gravy
Shit burning: day-long ritual at
firebases where filled
half-barrels are pulled out from the enclosures and replaced
with empties.
A soldier or Vietnamese is assigned to burn all the
waste with a mixture
of kerosene and diesel fuel – continuously stirring the
contents during the 10
hr. process.
So
mot (“sah
maht”):
Vietnamese for “numbah one,” the best.
So
mudi (sah
mooee”):
Vietnamese for “numbah 10,” the worst.
Sapper: a
soldier, especially an enemy
soldier, whose job is to blow things up.
Shithook: Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter
Siesta:
SHORT: Term
signifying that
the individual’s tour of duty is almost completed – usually
less than 100 days.
Short timers carry notched walking sticks, colorful
calenders…most
compare the last 30 days in country with their Cherry days and
become extremely
paranoid and not wanting to take risks anymore.
Sit-Rep:
Short for Situation
Report. Field units and firebase bunkers are normally
contacted on an
hourly basis by the company / battalion radio operator.
If nothing is
going on, we normally answered – negative sit-rep. If we
were in hostile
territory, a negative response is interpreted as breaking
squelch twice in a
row on the radio.
Slick: transport
helicopter.
SNAFU –
Situation Normal All
Fucked Up
Steam and
Cream: Steam room or massage parlors operated by
prostitutes…pay for happy
endings
STIF: acronym
for “Saigon
Tea Is Fini,” a now-defunct organization formed to combat
increases in the
price of Saigon Tea. Members would fill a bar which had raised
its prices and
sit sipping beer without buying Tea. Their “drink-ins” met
with limited
success.
Straight
arrow: serviceman
who remains
faithful to his wife or Stateside girl friend throughout his
TARFU:
acronym for Things
Are Really Fucked Up
Tarmac:
Material used for
surfacing roads or other outdoor areas, consisting of crushed
rock mixed with
tar. It is often used to describe the apron or runway of
an airport.
Picture below shows the
The
country
store: any
one of thousands of village shops catering to
The
‘
The
Pill: any
one of several
types of tablets taken weekly by all servicemen in
There It Is
– Saying
that meant ‘you got that right’ or are in agreement with
something said by
others
The
WORLD (always
capitalized):
the
Thunder
Road:
Highway 1 – main north / south highway (note black
outline on map)
Ti
ti (“tee-tee”):
Vietnamese for “small.”
Toe
Poppers:
Toi
khong biet (“toy
kohng bee-ech”):
Vietnamese for “I don’t know” or “I don’t understand.”
Toi
yen em
(nhieu lam) (“toy you em (nyoo lahm)”: Vietnamese for
“I love you (too much).”
Tomorrow: never
make a date for
“tomorrow” with a Vietnamese girl. “‘Tomorrow’ nevah come in
Tracks: Vehicle
with tracks
that carry howitzer or other large guns (see
picture of APC).
Troi
oi (“choyee
oyee”): an emphatic
expression in Vietnamese which can mean just about anything
the user wants it
to mean. Troi duc oi (choyee duck oyee) is the same expression
more
emphatically stated.
Tunnel Rat
or “Rat”: A soldier trained to enter
enemy enclosed spaces like
tunnel systems to search them and eliminate and/or capture any
occupants.
Tube of
Super Torque: Non existent article – newbies are sent
to locate this item within
chopper groups
Two-Stepper:
Bamboo pit viper –
said to kill a person within two steps after being bitten.
Un-Ass: To
move immediately
or leave one’s current position.
Upcountry: any
place north of
the Saigon-Long Binh-Bien Hoa area.
US: –
Acronym
meaning Unwilling Service (referring to Draftees)
U.S.Army:
Acronym for U
Sonsabitches Are Ruining My Youth
USELESS: homonym
pun on USIS,
the United States Information Service.
“V”: V-100
Armored Car made by
Cadillac and used as convoy escort
White mice: the
Canh Sat; the Vietnamese national police force. Its members
wear white shirts.
White
space: the
most prevalent element on
the front pages of the best Vietnamese newspapers when
censorship is in effect,
which is usually.
Wickham
trolley: an
armored railroad locomotive
of the type developed by the British during the Malayan
rebellion.
Willie Pete
/ Wilson Pickett: White phosphorous
Xau
lam (“saow
lahm”):
Vietnamese for “numbah ten thousand” (indescribably bad.).
Xin
loi (“sin
loyee”): Vietnamese for “Sorry
’bout that.”
Yard: short
for Montagnard,
a French word meaning; “mountaineer.” Member of any one of a
number of
semi-nomadic, aboriginal tribes which live in the mountains of
You Bam Bam –
Another Vietnamese
saying used to tell GI’s they were “Crazy”, similar to “Dinky
Dau”.
Zap: to
kill or seriously
wound.
Zippo:
Brand of lighter most
commonly carried during the war. Soldiers engraved them
to show their
personality
Zoomie: jet
jockey.
Aboard:
on base; with us.
Actual:
radio talk for unit
commander.
Ain’t no
big thing in the PI: Phrase used by Navy –
It’s not a big deal to be in
the Phillapines.
All
hands:
everyone…all y’all
Amtrack:
amphibious tractor; landing
craft.
As
you were!:
resume what you were doing;
correction.
Assholes
and
elbows:
in a hurry; quickly.
Ba
mui ba (“33“):
vietnamese beer.
Rumored to be spiked with formaldehyde
Bac
si (viet.): doctor,
used for corpsman.
Bam: broad
ass marine; derogatory name
for woman marine.
Barracks
cover:
garrison (frame) cap.
Be
Advised: Warning given prior to making an important
statement
BCD: bad
conduct discharge.
Belay: stop;
quit.
Billet:
assignment or job;
place of residence.
Blouse: n.
jacket; v. tuck in, secure.
Blousing
bands:
elastic bands used to
secure utility trouser cuffs.
Blues: dress
blues.
BLT: Acronym
for Battalion Landing Team.
Boondocks
(boonies):
rugged isolated backcountry.
Boondockers:
low-topped work boots issued to
reservists.
Boot:
recruit.
Brain
housing
group:
your gourd, mind, brain, or head.
Brass:
officers.
Brig: jail.
Brig
rat: jail
inmate.
Brig
chaser: mp
assigned to escort
prisoners.
Brother: black
marine (also splib).
Brothers-in-Arm:
All Veterans united
– having a special bond between them
Brown
side-out:
desert camouflage
pattern.
Bulkhead:
wall.
By-the-numbers: in
sequence.
Cannon
cockers:
artillerymen.
Carry
on!:
resume what you were doing;
as you were.
Casual
company:
unit of marines awaiting
reassignment.
CC:
corrective custody; jail, the brig.
Chuck: derogatory
term that Black
soldiers used to refer to white soldiers.
CG:
Commanding General.
Chieu
hoi
(viet.): freedom;
safe conduct pass;
program whereby VC who surrendered were assured safe conduct.
Chit: written
authorization or receipt.
Chow:
food.
Chow
hall:
mess hall.
Click: one
notch of adjustment on a rifle.
Cinderella
liberty: time off
which ends at
midnight.
Co
(viet.): girl,
woman.
Colors: n.
the flag; v.
ceremony of raising or lowering the flag.
Con
biet?
(viet) do you
understand?
C-rats: c
rations, canned
field rations.
Com
rats: commuted
rations; in lieu pay for
meals eaten off base.
Corpsman: Medical
specialist attached to
the Marines (Green Side) or Regular Navy Corpsman (Blue Side)
Cover: hat.
Cover
ass: take
precautions to avoid blame.
The
Crotch:
derogatory term for
marine corps.
Cruise:
period of enlistment;
tour of duty.
Deck:
floor.
Deuce-and-a-half: 2 1/2
ton truck
Di-di
(viet.): leave,
go, move out.
Di-di
mau
(viet.):
emphatic of di-di.
Diddy
bag: cloth,
drawstring bag for small
items.
Dinky-dau
(viet):
crazy.
Disneyland
East:
Term used to reference the
Dog-and-pony-show:
special presentation put on
for visiting dignitaries.
Double
time:
quickly; at a run.
Dry
fire:
practice.
Dry
run:
practice.
Du-dit
(viet):
fuck you!
Eighth
&
eye:
headquarters marine corps.
Entrenching
tool
(e-tool):
small folding field shovel
Every
swinging
dick:
all hands, everyone.
Eye
fuck:
scrutinize; inspect
closely.
Fartsack:
mattress cover or
flight suit.
Field
day: general
cleanup of barracks.
Field
scarf:
necktie.
Field
strip:
disassemble; take apart.
Fire
in the
hole!:
warning that
explosives are about to be detonated.
First
shirt
(also top):
first sergeant.
Float
phase:
sea deployment of a marine
unit.
FMF: Fleet Marine
Force.
Four-by: light
truck.
Front
leaning
rest position:
pushup position (“the position”).
Galley:
kitchen.
Gang
way!: stand
back! move away!
Gedunk – Refers to
snack foods, such
as candy and chips, as well as the place they’re sold.
Associated with the
Navy, and can be used in the phrase “gedunk sailor” as a
pejorative remark for
inexperienced sailors.
Gear:
equipment.
GIcan:
garbage can.
Gizmo: gadget;
anything that defies
description.
Gourd:
head; where you hang
your cover.
Green
side-out:
woodland pattern
camouflage.
Grab
a hat: leave.
Grinder: parade
ground.
Guidon:
pennant bearing unit
designation.
Gung
ho:
lit. work together; (from
chinese) highly motivated.
Gungy:
gung ho.
Gunny: gunnery
sergeant (E7)
Grabass
(organized
grabass):
play; sports, frivolous activity.
Green
machine: marine
corps.
Gyrene:
Short for G.I.
Marine
Ham: hairy
assed marine; male marine.
Ham
and mothers: “ham and
motherfuckers;” generally
detested c-ration meal posing as ham and
Hatch: door.
Hard
charger:
motivated marine.
Head: toilet.
High-and-tight:
standard marine
haircut; shaved sides and short on top.
Hooch
(jap.):
any kind of shelter,
residence.
Honcho
(jap.):
boss; man in charge.
House
mouse:
drill instructor’s
go-fer.
Huss: a favor;
a break e.g., “gimme a
huss;” archaic name for hu34d helicopter.
Irish
pennant: string
dangling from clothing
indicating unkempt appearance.
IDS:
Acronym for “In Da
Shit”.
ITR: infantry
training regiment.
Jarhead:
slang for marine.
Jesus Nut:
Main connector which
holds rotor in place
Jibs:
teeth, esp. front incisors,
e.g., “i’ll bust your jibs.”
Jing
(also
jing-wa, jap.): change; money.
Joe
shit the
ragman:
bad
example, un-squared-away marine, boyfriend of rosy
rottencrotch.
Junk-on-the-bunk:
complete clothing and
equipment inspection (also things-on-the-springs) laid out on
the rack.
K-bar:
marine-issue fighting
knife.
Klick:
kilometer – 6/10th of a mile.
On a topographical map, each outlined grid is considered
1km x 1km
Ladder
(or
ladderway):
stairs.
Lai
day (viet.):
come
here!
Leave:
authorized absence of
more than 24 hours.
Lock
and load:
arm and ready your
weapon; get ready!
Make
a hole!: stand
back! gang way!
Maggie’s
drawers:
red disc used on the rifle range to signify missing the
target.
MOS:
assigned job
specialty.
Mustang
(mustanger):
enlisted man who becomes an officer.
Non-qual: marine
who fails to fire a
qualifying score at the rifle range.
Office
hours: summary
court marshal, official
inquiry or reprimand.
Office
pogue:
desk-bound marine.
Ontos: armored
tracked vehicle mounting
six 106 mm recoilless rifles
Outstanding!:
exceptional; well
done!
Overhead:
ceiling.
Over
the hill: absent
without authorization.
Over
the hump:
more than halfway
through enlistment.
Passageway:
corridor; hallway.
Piece: rifle.
Piss
cutter:
envelope-shaped overseas cap.
Piss-and-punk:
bread and water
punishment.
Piss
tube:
field urinal; rocket
launcher (bazooka), which resembles one.
Pogue: lazy
individual, also office
worker.
Pogey
bait: candy,
sweets.
Police
call:
time allocated to
clean up an area.
Police
up:
clean up.
Poop
(also dope,
scoop):
information.
Pop-flare:
hand held and
launched aerial illumination flare. The cap is removed
and placed over
the opposite end…hold center of flare with left hand and point
it upward, then
using the heel of your right palm, come up and hit the
bottom…a firing pin will
engage the explosive and send the flare into the air.
PT: physical
training; exercise.
Quarters: living
space.
Rack: bed,
bunk.
Rappel: descend
from cliff or helicopter by
rope.
Recon
(also
force recon):
force reconnaissance marine.
Romp
‘n’ stomp: to
drill, march.
Round:
bullet or artillery
or mortar shell.
Rubber
lady:
inflatable air mattress.
Salt:
experience; an old-timer marine.
Salty:
smart-mouthed;
opinionated.
Scoshi
(or
scosh’):
small, short, a little bit.
Scuttlebutt:
rumors; a drinking
fountain.
Seabag:
duffle bag.
Sea
duty:
billeted aboard a
ship.
Sea
going
bellhop:
derog. for marine, from marines assigned to the bridge of a
vessel.
Sea
story: a lie or
an exaggeration.
Sea
lawyer:
self-appointed
expert.
Secure: tie down
or make fast; also to
recycle or dispose of; to put something in its proper place;
to desist.
Seven-eighty-two
gear:
field equipment; canvas web gear.
Shit
bird: Navy speak
“crow” on Petty Officer
sleeve insignia
Shit
bird: messy or
undisciplined; a fuck up.
Shit
can: (v) to
dispose of; (n) garbage can.
Short
round:
ordnance, which is landing short of
the intended target.
Short
time: a very
brief love affair.
Shorttimer:
marine nearing the
end of an enlistment period.
Sick
bay:
clinic or hospital.
Six-by
(six-by-six): standard three-axle truck.
Six-six-and-a-kick: the
ultimate general court marshal
punishment consisting of six months forfeiture of pay, six
months hard labor,
and a dishonorable discharge.
Skipper:
captain; commanding
officer.
Skivvies:
underwear.
Skivvie
honcho: a
lothario; a ladies man.
Skivvie
house:
brothel.
SLICK
SLEEVE: Navy personnel on active duty that has
not served 4 yrs. in the
service and hasn’t earned a hash mark for his sleeve.
Slopchute:
diner; restaurant.
Smoking
lamp:
authority to smoke
when it is lit.
Snap
in:
practice, esp. on the rifle range.
Snipe: Navy
term given to someone who
worked in an engine room aboard ship.
Snoopin’
and
poopin’:
reconnoitering.
Snot
locker:
nose.
Sound
off!:
assertively voice.
Sorry
’bout
that!:
assertion of mock apology.
Spud
locker:
pantry.
Squad
bay:
barracks.
Squared
away: neat,
orderly, organized.
Squid:
(derog.) sailor.
Stack
arms!: command
given to place 3 rifles in
a pyramid.
Stacking
swivel:
appendage near muzzle
of rifle allowing stacked arms; neck.
Stand
by!: prepare.
Standby:
waiting status.
Starchies: starched
utilities.
Stroke
book: porno
magazine.
Survey: dispose
of; recycle.
Swab:
mop.
Swabbie:
sailor.
Ti
ti (viet.) (pron.
tee-tee): little,
small.
Top: sergeant
major.
Topside:
upstairs; on deck.
Trops:
khaki tropical summer
dress uniform.
Turn
to:
begin work.
UA:
unauthorized absence.
UD:
undesirable discharge.
USMC:
Acronym Uncle Sam’s
Misguided Children
Utilities:
olive drab field
uniform.
Willie
peter /
Wilson Pickett: white phosphorus. Units in the
field request marking rounds
which explode in the air at a set of coordinates – when
shooting an azimuth
with a compass and estimating the distance (using sight and
sound -counting the
seconds before hearing the explosion) their location can be
verified on a grid
map.
The
word:
confirmed official information;
the straight scoop.
Zero-dark-thirty:
pre-dawn; early.
Compiled
1990 by Nicholas Del Cioppo, all rights reserved
I was a
machine gunner (infantry, mos 0311) in
Semper Fi,
Nicholas Del Cioppo
nick@quiknet.com
Large
caliber, crew
served firearms (cannon), launching projectiles (usually
explosive) against
distant targets. Typical field artillery weapons include
howitzers (short
barreled), guns (long barreled), mortars (high angle firing).
Arty
weapons were
grouped by caliber and type into “batteries” of 3-6 weapons.
Howitzers had
calibers of 105mm, 155mm, and 8inch. Guns were 175mm. Mortars
were 4.2inch
caliber. Smaller mortars (81mm) and ‘direct- fire’ weapons
(106mm recoilless,
tanks and ‘Dusters’) were classed as Infantry weapons and not
included in the Field
Artillery.
Each
battery
included the necessary gun-crew for aiming (FDC), firing,
handling ammo and
maintaining the weapons. Gun-crew members were slanged as
‘gun-bunnies’,
‘lanyard-pullers’, ‘cannon-cockers’, and ‘ammo-humpers’.
Batteries
were
grouped into Battalions, supporting a particular AO within the
Division.
Batteries included weapons of a single caliber, thus an Arty
battalion might
consist of several 105mm batteries, a couple each of 155mm and
4.2inch
batteries and one or two 8inch batteries, totaling about 60
cannon supported by
about 600 personnel.
Each
Arty battalion
reported to a Division level unit (DivArty) for tactical and
strategic
coordination within the Division AO. The main task of the Arty
in
Fire
missions in
Vietnam might be routine, such as marking rounds, nighttime
defensive target
zeroing (DTs), or harassment and interdiction missions
(H&Is). The highest
priority was given to the ‘Contact Fire Mission’ in support of
an infantry unit
in actual contact with the enemy.
When
the FO called
for a fire mission, he also radioed the target’s map
coordinates, which the
Bn-FDC plotted against his last known position. For routine
missions the
coordinates were encoded or “Shackled” to prevent any tip-off
of the troops’
location. Contact coordinates were sent “in the clear” since
the enemy troops
knew where the friendlies were anyway. In addition, the FO
called for a
particular shell/fuse combination to best engage his target,
and a
fire-pattern.
Should
he want to
shoot within about 70 meters of his own location, he was
advised that the
rounds would land “Danger Close”. The Bn-FDC also assigned a
particular battery
to fire and confirmed that their take-down of the target
coords, shell, fuse
and fire pattern were correct. The Bn-FDC gave clearance for
the battery to
fire and advised any aircraft near the Gun-Target (GT) line to
avoid the target
area as well as the direct line from the battery to the
target.
In
the battery FDC,
the target coords were plotted and the Deflection (azimuth)
and Quadrant
Elevation (vertical barrel angle) were calculated using the
range to target and
recommended powder charge. The latest MET (meteorological)
message was
consulted to adjust the aim point for temperature, humidity,
wind speed and
direction.
When
the FDC had
determined the powder charge to use, the gun crews went into
action, pulling
the proper shell/fuse combo, ‘cutting’ the proper powder
charge, and setting
the fuses if the fuse was a VT or Time fuse. When the guns
were ready to fire
the crew signaled the FDC, and the FDC ordered “
Knowing
the
time-of-flight, 10 seconds before the rounds were due to
impact, the battery
FDC called “…SPLASH!” signaling the FO to watch for the
explosion in order to
adjust the impact point on subsequent volleys.
Typical
firing
patterns might be “One Round”, followed by “Battery One” if
the initial impact
was on target. In contact situations the pattern was often”
Battery One, Fire
For Effect” at the outset to bring large amounts of ordinance
onto the enemy
quickly. “Battery One” means that the 6 cannon fire one round
in unison, while
“Fire For Effect” means that the battery will fire
continuously at it’s maximum
sustained rate, adjusting on the fly, until the FO calls
“Cease Fire”.
Special
missions
included “Zone And Sweep” patterns or “Time On Target” tactics
for preparing an
LZ prior to insertion of assault forces, usually by
helicopter.
Zone
And Sweep
directed the battery to fire a Battery One pattern on the
target and also one
kill radius beyond, below, left and right of the target,
expending 30 rounds,
patterning an “X” on the target and surrounding area. Typical
kill radius was
30 meters for a 105mm or 4.2inch round, 50 meters for a 155mm
and 80 meters for
an 8inch round.
“Time
On Target” (TOT)
was a surprise tactic for devastating a particular target area
almost
instantaneously. Suspected “hot” LZ’s were often prep’d with a
TOT mission
while the assault forces hovered or circled overhead at
altitude. Troops were
then inserted into the ‘sanitized’ LZ before the smoke
cleared.
TOT
missions
involved timing the firing of multiple batteries so that all
fire on the same
location, with the firing times adjusted to cause the rounds
to all impact at
the same time. A typical TOT might involve 4 batteries (24
guns), of different
calibers; some firing rounds fused for ground burst, some for
airburst. The
effect is that a particular jungle clearing might be quiet and
peaceful one
second and in the next second be totally enveloped and
saturated with explosions
in the air and on the ground. Bombardment may cease after the
initial volley or
be maintained in Fire For Effect mode, creating a sustained
saturation of the
area with detonations.
Artillery
missions
also included the firing of parachute flares (Illumination or
‘Illum’) to
provide light at night, Marking Round missions to provide an
airburst over a
designated map location in order to allow the infantry to take
a compass
reading and verify their own map location. Harassment and
Interdiction missions
entailed firing on known enemy trails, hangouts, etc at random
times to keep
the enemy off balance. Precision fire missions usually
involved one gun firing
to destroy a single small target, such as a bunker, abandoned
vehicle, or any
object to be denied to the enemy. The 8inch howitzer was
usually employed for
precision missions, being the most precise and accurate weapon
in the arty
arsenal.
ARTILLERY TERMS:
AMF: Adios
Mother Fucker
ARTY: ‘Artillery’.
AIRBURST:
Explosion in the air, used
with Shell-HE to increase the anti-personnel effect of
shrapnel thrown off by
the explosion, or with Shell-SMOKE to provide a visible
‘marking round’ in the
air above a designated point.
BATTERY-ONE: a
method of fire wherein
the cannon of a battery fire each volley in unison.
BREECH KEY: non-existent
article –
newbies to artillery units are sent out to look for this
BEEHIVE: An
anti-personnel,
direct-fire shell carrying several thousand small steel darts
or ‘fleshettes’.
Each fleshette is about one inch long and has the appearance
of a 1″ finishing
nail with the nail head stamped into the form of 4 fins,
similar to an arrow. A
typical 105mm BEEHIVE has 6000 darts, 3000 of which are loaded
pointing
forward, 3000 pointing backward. The shell is fired directly
at advancing enemy
formations similar to an aimed shotgun. At about 50 meters
from the muzzle, the
round ejects the darts toward the enemy with a medium hard
ejecting charge. The
forward-loaded darts spread into a 45-degree fan traveling
forward, while the
rear facing darts are forced by their fins to flip around in
flight. As the
darts flip, they loop away from the GT line, forming a fan of
about 60 degrees.
Thus 6000 darts fly in a 60-degree fan at about 2000 feet per
second toward the
enemy. The effect on troops in the open is devastating. Enemy
troops about 100
meters from the firing cannon may be pierced by 10-20 darts,
those closer may
receive 100 or more penetrating stab wounds similar to those
inflicted by an
ice pick.
Biscuit
Bitches: Derogatory term referencing Donut Dollies
C-4:
Plastic explosive
CHECK-FIRE: a signal
for the artillery
to immediately halt firing.
DARMA: Defense
Against Rocket
Mortar Attack. Artillery tactic to fire against enemy rocket
or mortar
positions during an enemy attack. Coordinated with Q4 Counter
Mortar Radar when
available and operational.
DELTA-TANGO:
Defensive target,
designated by an FO for quick attention if his unit comes
under attack. Usually
called into Bn-FDC/battery as the infantry established its NDP
(Night Defensive
Perimeter).
DAISY
CUTTER: shell or bomb fitted with a fuse extension to
provide detonation 1-6 feet
above ground, minimizing the cratering effect and maximizing
the blast effect.
Used with large bombs (2000 lb) and 6-foot daisy cutter fuses
to create an
instant clearing in dense jungle for an LZ.
DANGER
CLOSE:
Calling in artillery support exceptionally close to
friendly lines.
FAC: Forward
Air Controller, a
Forward Observer in an aircraft.
FAG: Acronym
for field
artillery guy
FDC: Fire
Direction Control.
The arty unit, which at battery level, calculated the
adjustments of the cannon
to cause the shells to impact on target. At Battalion level,
the FDC operated
from the TOC (
FIRECRACKER: A
155mm or 8inch shell
carrying a large number of golfball sized bomblets, which it
ejects at altitude
over the target area. Upon ejection each bomblet opens canted
‘umbrella-like’
fins and floats spinning to earth. The fluttering, spinning
fall has the
appearance of a butterfly in flight. Upon impact a spring on
the bottom of the
bomblet reacts, throwing the bomblet back into the air and
starting a time
delay mechanism. When the bomblet rises back to about 6 feet
above the ground
the delay expires and the bomblet detonates with energy
slightly less than an
M26 frag grenade. The effect is that of a low altitude TOT,
delivered by one
shell. The bomblets exploding in quick succession has the
sound, at a distance,
of a string of firecrackers.
FIRE-FOR-EFFECT: the
continuous firing of a
battery’s cannon, sustained until a ‘cease-fire’ or
‘check-fire’ is called.
FO: Forward
Observer, traveled
with the infantry and coordinated arty missions, or an
airborne FAC.
FOD:
Foreign Object Damage
FUZE:
Mechanism, which causes an
arty projectile to detonate (explode). Various fuses
were available in
FUZE-QUICK:
Point-detonating nose-fuse,
explodes within .002 seconds after impact, aka:
‘instantaneous’. The
‘standard’, most often fired artillery fuse.
FUZE-DELAY:
Point-detonating
nose-fuse, explodes about .010-.015 seconds after impact,
allowing the shell to
penetrate the target and detonate inside it. Used to attack
‘below-ground’
targets such as bunkers and tunnels.
FUZE-TIME:
Nose-fuse, detonates after
a pre-set time delay; used to obtain an airburst, but will
also detonate on
impact. Used in
FUSE-VT:
GT-LINE: the
direct line on a map
from the firing battery to the target. Most ground units
avoided travel on the
GT-Line since the most common ‘mistake’ of an arty projectile
in flight was the
“Short-Round” which fell short of the target, invariably on
the GT-Line.
GUN: an
artillery cannon with a
long barrel. The 175mm gun (M107-SP) was self-propelled,
weighed 62,100 lbs and
could fire 1 round every two minutes to a range of 32,700
meters (20.3 miles).
A long-range weapon, it could only fire 400 rounds before its
barrel had to be
replaced, as opposed to the howitzers, which could fire
5000-7000 rounds
between barrel refitting.
H&I:
Harassment and
Interdiction – artillery fire into random areas prior to
shutting down for the
night
HAND CRANK: Used
to raise
artillery tube when hydraulics fail
HANG A
LIGHT:
Call for artillery to fire a flare round overhead
HIGH ANGLE
FIRE:
artillery trajectory wherein the shell travels higher than its
distance down
range. Used for firing over intervening mountains, etc,
inherently less
accurate than low angle fire (standard) due to shell
ballistics and wind
effects.
HOWITZER: an
artillery cannon capable
of both High-angle and Low-Angle fire. The 105mm howitzer was
the most commonly
deployed type in Vietnam, weighed about 5,000 lbs, and could
fire a shell
11,500 meters (7 miles) at a rate of 3 rounds per minute. The
155mm howitzer
was either a 2-wheeled, towed cannon (M114) or a tracked, self
propelled weapon
(M109-SP), weighed 12,700lbs (M114) or 52,460lbs (M109-SP) and
could fire its
shells 14,600 meters (9 miles), at 1 round per minute. The
8Inch howitzer was a
self-propelled cannon weighing 58,500lbs and could fire 16,800
meters (10.4
miles), at 1 round every 2 minutes.
JOE:
Name for rounds within
the artillery group
Lanyard
grease: Prank used to send Cherries on a wild
goose chase
MORTAR: crew
served, muzzle
loading, high angle cannon. 4.2 Inch mortars fired projectiles
similar to the
105mm howitzer, HE, WP, Illum, etc. Used primarily for fire
missions at ranges
too short for howitzers (2-3 Km).
MUZZLE
BLAST: A muzzle flash is the visible
light of a muzzle blast, which expels high
temperature, high
pressure gases from the muzzle
of a firearm.
The blast and flash are caused by the
combustion products of the gunpowder,
and any
remaining unburned powder, mixing with the ambient air.
NAILS:
Hardened steel
flechette darts used in 105 mm howitzers antipersonal beehive
rounds.
Also used in 40 ,, grenade launcher and 2.75 FFAR
Rockets fired from
helicopter gunships. Also referred as “Satan’s
toothpicks” or
“Pins”
PDQ:
Acronym for “on the
double: or “in a hurry”
RIKKI-TIK: To
do quickly…”move
out rikki-tik”
ROUND: Before
firing, the assembly
of shell projectile, powder charge, and case (105mm), ready to
be fired. After
firing, refers to the projectile only.
SHELL: The
projectile, which
carries a ‘payload’ to the target; fitted with a fuse on its
nose to trigger
its explosion. Payloads included high explosive, white
phosphorus, illumination
flares; smoke mixture, ‘butterfly’ bomblets, or anti-personnel
fleshettes.
SHELL-HE: Shell
carrying High
Explosive. Explodes on the target causing damage by blast
effect and by high
velocity fragments (shrapnel). Typically the explosive was
cyclonite (RDX),
comprising about one half the weight of the shell.
SHELL-WP: Shell
carrying white
phosphorus. Explodes and scatters burning pieces of phosphorus
over the target
to cause fire damage, or may be used for the screening effect
of the dense
white smoke produced by burning phosphorus.
SHELL-SMOKE: Carried
a grey smoke
mixture; used almost exclusively as a marking round with an
airburst fuse.
Produced a ball of smoke on detonation.
SHELL-ILLUM: Shell
carrying a parachute
flare for lighting up an area at night. ILLUM always burst at
altitude with a
‘soft’ ejection charge igniting and pushing the flare out of
the rear of the
shell body. The flare fell slowly on its parachute, providing
illumination,
while the shell body traveled downrange and the base plate of
the shell fell
somewhat backward along the flight path. Firing ILLUM required
the FDC to
predict all three-impact points in order to prevent injury to
friendlies due to
falling metal.
SHORT ROUND:
artillery round which
falls short of its target.
“SHOT!” radio
signal from battery
to FO that his shells are in flight.
SHRAPNEL:
high velocity metal
fragments thrown off by an exploding shell. The Beehive round
which projected
steel darts superseded the older shrapnel or ‘canister’ shell,
which ejected
steel balls toward the enemy, in
SLICK
SLEEVES: Bare armed privateer
SOFTEN UP
AN LZ: Artillery fire on a potentially dangerous
LZ prior to troops
arriving by helicopter
“SPLASH!” radio
signal from battery to
FO that his shells will impact in 10 seconds.
TREEBURST:
Explosion above ground,
usually unintentional, due to a shell striking and detonating
on trees or other
above-ground-level objects.
TS CARD:
Tough Shit Card –
issued within artillery units and used when somebody begins
complaining
VOLLEY: the
firing of each cannon
in a battery.
WALKING
BARRAGE: firing between friendlies and the enemy to
provide protection while moving
the impact point toward the enemy in order to drive him back.
Aviation
related terms used in Vietnam – donated by John
William Murphy
Others
I heard, and
used, during my 22 year Air Force career (1974-1996)…
SIERRA
HOTEL:
sh*t hot
FAIRFORCE: Air
Force females
CHAIRBORNE: Air
Force personnel in
general
DILLIGAF: ‘do I
look like I give a
f*ck?”
HUNDRED
FEET OF FLIGHT LINE: for the new guys to go get
BLINKER
FLUID: for the new guys to go get
ECHO
CHECK:
for the new guys to holler into turbo fan engines and wait to
hear a sound
CHECK
YOUR 6: watching out for the other guy or recon
behind/around you
WINCHESTER: radio
frequency on aircraft
UHF radio: channel 30.30
BAD
CHICKEN DINNER: bad conduct discharge
DWEEB:
awkward/weird new guy
LAWN
DART:
fighters, i.e., F-16, F-15
TRASH
HAULER: cargo aircraft, C-130, C-141, C-5
ZUIT
SUIT:
flight suit
KNUCKLE
DRAGGER: aircraft mechanic
SPARKY: aircraft
electrician
HMFIC: Head
Mother F**ker In
Charge
PUSH-PUSH: Middle
East Arab slang for
girly magazines or if you wanted a girl
FRUIT
SALAD:
Rows of ribbons on the dress uniform
A-S-H
RECEIVER: ash tray
O-EFF-EFF
POSITION: turning electronic equipment ‘off’
FLINGWING:
helicopter
MOUNTAIN
MAGNET: unreliable aircraft