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.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknmOtnxf0S
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrye7TJwgX
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.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCMmCtsqYy
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGy71BPDwb
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.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTclCWqatK6
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ258JOE6IPU
ARVN: Army of the Republic of Vietnam, usually pronounced "arvin."1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnlYaMCKrn
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AWOL: Absent Without Leave.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvPaMr2XC9
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡloclkFRbQh
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.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4K90TAonJI
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwmlKwozDM
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.
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJiBxZrUlZ
BHQ: Battalion Headquarters.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUG2GB8eHDs
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Q2thvnxJF
Bird: girl/woman1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRZiO65VSB
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxs4kcIX0v
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.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPstaNvR5V
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQEX5fe6Mh
Chalk: The group of passengers for a single aircraft.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoD36kb95rB
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv43vhsqhVI
Charlie: The enemy, from VC = Viet Cong = Victor Charlie in radio phonetics.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8IkHKfHaN
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TtUVpi3xm
CO: Commanding Officer.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Ry7BBoZiL
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CP: Command Post1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpHxBeu5Ea
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CSM: Company Sergeant Major.
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Corps: The British army is composed of various corps e.g. infantry, artillery, transport, dental, etc. Everyone belongs to one of them.
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAthtxV1rv
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.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFbLxTCcAz
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGA0tPlY2t
DMZ: The so-called Demilitarized Zone between North and South Vietnam.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡid8nMbZ4lX
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaO0dmMfCl1
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.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHRfYWdQZr
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNHyDkWFP6
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.
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FN: Fabrique Nationale, the Belgian firm of arms makers.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHPAOxv367
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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."1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQOb1ZLl3N
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Qw0VO5XA4
GVN: Government of Vietnam, the Saigon regime.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRiqiADaWp
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJe9gubWt1X
Hutchi: Japanese (possibly Korean) word for house or shelter, corrupted to mean the soldier's tent in the field. American "hooch" or "hoochi."1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZqVl7RYKg
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHidU5gdHir
Huey: UH-1 Helicopter, became Huey.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRGSHfmCxv
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IO: Intelligence Officer.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyqkoewXTz
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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.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkxdhZ1d2T
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J: Jungle.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmeiHcp2sN
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KIA: Killed In Action.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKD0nvO8Ef
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Locstat: Location statement, present location.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAzhwWbPW6
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LO: Liaison Officer1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0nRMn7q2T
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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.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeP0s678A1F
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwPdKEYm4H
LZ: Landing Zone1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5xht7LtMx
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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.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUsLLnwnW1
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MASH: Mobile Army Surgical Hospital.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kylHKn4jX
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTlRG4Ards
Military Region: The National Liberation Front had divided Vietnam into these areas for their own administrative and operational purposes.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhcRgI5T9a
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsuxwttGKV
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.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1jtQQ0sz3
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssMqcP17uF
MP: Military Police.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2bFm0gtPr
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NCO: Non-Commissioned Officer, i.e., below the rank of 2nd lieutenant.
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NLF: National Liberation Front. No Communist Revolution is complete without this title.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTdiy7IQ13
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5PQCU85xv
NVA: North Vietnamese Army. Never admitted by Hanoi to be in South Vietnam, an assertion believed only by the very naive.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtzrFSgJLS
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKBoPb4Nzq
OC: Officer Commanding. A company has an OC, a battalion a CO, a division a COC---General Officer Commanding.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBRQEBaX46
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NHZ8xRyAo
Orders Group: A gathering for the purpose of passing on orders to subordinates.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCOVKHl4hl
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ZWIAMVKBt
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.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPGMX3QhYs
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFGoQtd6C5
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.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezA1tmeRwL
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZZ94P9e4O
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.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUiXiV3if0
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaMioCW0aK
PPS: Russian submachine gun of World War II vintage, firing a 7.62mm round.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJC92SdnqI
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHoViSwvClN
PX: Post Exchange = US Canteen.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxOaDf5HoU
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODD5jPRjGv
RATTV: Royal Army Training Team, Vietnam.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIskgxAZRWd
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfANJMkYf1M
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."1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfTraBF9lp
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArsCfk4LDN
RPD: Russian light machine gun for section or squad use. The initials stand for the Russian words, the D being for Degtyarev, the designer.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEeC9YNhnC
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9PwAvcOUos
RMO: Regional Medical Officer, the battalion doctor.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEnvBVn4Y0
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCjFh0TY6c
RSM: Regimental Sergeant Major, the senior noncommissioned officer in the unit, responsible to the CO for discipline.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZX9tEfCcQ
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEHNpDYCWe
RV: Rendezvous1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrjNKumNQv
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3d7eSRboyO
Slicks: Troop-carrying helicopters, as opposed to armed versions, the "gunships," called "pigs"1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMA8ASb6wkW
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRB9ifAI74k
Slope: U.S. term for Asian, similar to the British "wog."1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkWTqggwe9
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMe3JFnmwp
SLR: Self Loading Rifle; the British-modified Belgian FN, produced at Birmingham, firing the standard NATO 7.62mm round, pronounced "slur."1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6L7XK6OVQ
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnQitsnJ4l
Smoke: To shoot, kill1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNwFv7eJYn
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Tommy: A British soldier.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFVG0ubBAd
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTDZQzmwZL
Twenty mike mike: 20-millimeter cannon, from 20mm.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIA9yG0k8Te
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCevJpzsPOE
VC: Viet Cong, the Vietnamese for Vietnamese Communist.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzP7EQrDl4h
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCr3i8e6kdA
VNAF: Vietnamese Air Force.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDTVVc8PuM
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbO1demgrs
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.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq90Y1QabpH
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqJT7okzBo
Wog: British slang for an Asian: more fully "Westernized Oriental Gentleman." Plural is "wogs" and the land is sometimes referred to as "Woggeria."1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4PORb5mLF
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnX4YSgBS9C
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.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIq14OfJXh
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSPi32NtGT
WIA: Wounded in Action. 1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5kGrxZdAX
1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGTbC4pOMD
Yank(s): citizen(s) of the United States of America.1092Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMsugiDvJS
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