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A light, twin-engined attack aircraft, created by using a modified T-37 trainer aircraft, fitted with J-85 engines sans afterburners. Flown mainly by by the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF).
A-4 Skyhawk
A single-engined subsonic fighter-bomber operated by the USN and the USMC from carriers and land bases. Used in close support by the USMC and in interdiction by the USN.
A-6 Intruder
A twin-engined subsonic jet fighter-bomber operated by the U.S. Navy and USMC. It could operated in any weather, and often carried up to 22 500 lb. bombs.
A-7 Corsair II
A U. S. Navy single-engined subsonic fighter-bomber. Usually operated from aircraft carriers in the Gulf of Tonkin. Highly accurate bomber.
AIM-7 Sparrow
An air-to-air missile carried by fighters to destroy other aircraft. It relied on the launching aircraft's radar to help it find the target. It had greater range and a larger warhead than the smaller Sidewinder.
AIM-9 Sidewinder
An air-to-air missile carried on fighters to destroy other aircraft. It had an infra-red seeker head that allowed it to home on a target up to a couple of miles away.
Air Cav
Air Cavalry. Infantry unit that normally uses helicopters for mobility.
airburst
Munition detonation prior to contact with the target, thus providing a wider fragmentation pattern.
ALO
Air Liaison Officer - A USAF pilot, qualified as a fighter pilot and forward air controller, who is assigned to an Army brigade or higher to facilitate close air support.
Arc Light
A B-52 strike. Normally multiples of three aircraft carrying about 108 bombs each.
ARTY
Artillery.
ARVN
Army of the Rebublic of Vietnam. South Vietnam's army.
banana clip
AK-47 magazine. It is shaped like a banana.
BDA
Bomb damage assessment.
beehive round
An artillery round containing thousands of little darts, called fleshettes. Very effective against troops in the open.
Bronco
OV-10 observation aircraft. Used by USAF and USMC forward air controllers.
C-123 Provider
The C-123 was a USAF twin-engined piston transport that required a relatively modest runway, but delivered a hefty payload. Also used to spray defoliants such as Agent Orange.
C-130 Hercules
A USAF four-engined turboprop transport that required a modest runway, but delivered hefty payloads.
C-4
A putty-like explosive that has a multitude of uses in the field. Often used for removing trees from a landing zone or even burned in small quantities to heat rations.
C-7 Caribou
The C-7 Caribou was a USAF twin-engined piston transport capable of delivering cargo into very short landing strips.
C-rations
Also known as C-rats or C's. Canned rations carried by troops in the field.
CA
Combat assault. An assault by infantry from helicopters.
candystripe
A road depicted on a map. The maps used by infantry units depict roads that appear like a candy cane..
CBU
Cluster Bomb Unit. A type of ordnance dropped from jet fighter-bombers that separates into numerous small bomblets and covers a wide area. CBUs come in a wide variety of bomblets and fusings.
cherry
A brand-new replacement.
Cobra
AH-1G attack helicopter.
Crown
A USAF C-130 aircraft that functioned as an airborne command post for SAR efforts. It could also refuel the SAR helicopters on the way into and out of the objective.
DASC
Direct Air Support Center - an air headquarters that is responsible for allocating airstrike resources to support ground units. Requests may be pre-planned or immediate. The DASC is usually co-located with the ground corps headquarters.
DMZ
The Demilitarized Zone. A band of land separating North and South Vietnam. Theoretically, it was free of combatants.
DRV
Democratic Republic of Vietnam. North Vietnam.
Dust Off
term used for medical evacuation helicopters that extracted wounded personnel directly from the battlefield.
F-4
A twin-engined supersonic jet fighter flown by the USAF, USN and USMC. It was capable of carrying a relatively heavy bomb load, but was less than accurate. As an air to air fighter it performed well, though early models suffered for lack of an internal gun.
FAC
Forward Air Controller. A pilot, usually flying a light aircraft, who can locate targets and control airstikes on them,
FDC
Fire Direction Center. An artillery command post that receives requests for fire support and assigns a battery to perform the fire mission.
free fire zone
An area in which anything that moves is assumed to be hostile and may be attacked without securing permission prior to the attack.
freedom bird
The aircraft that takes an individual home at the end of his/her tour. It was usually a civilian contract aircraft.
H & I fire
Harrassment and interdiction fire. Typically, artillery fire at randon intervals during the night, designed to disrupt enemy movement along trail systems in the jungle. Targets may be known trail intersections or river crossings. It also kept friendly troops from sleeping.
Ho Chi Minh sandals
crude footwear made from scrapped tires.
Hook
Common term for the CH-47 Chinook helicopter
Hot LZ
A landing zone which is contested.
Hun
USAF F-100 fighter aircraft. Often used in close air support of U.S. and allied ground forces.
Jolly Green
Term used for USAF HH-3 and HH-53 rescue helicopters.
jungle boots
U. S. issued combat boots that had uppers mostly of green canvas-like synthetic material. By replacing leather with a synthetic material, the boots didn't rot as quickly. They also had a metal shank in the sole that offered some protection against sharp objects.
K-Bar
A fighting knife issued to U.S. ground troops.
KBA
Killed by air. Casualties inflicted by ordnance delivered by an aircraft.
KC-135
The KC-135 is a four-engined jet tanker. It provided air refueling fpr the entire air war, except for a miniscule percentage of refueling provided to SAR helicopters by C-130 aircraft. Without the KC-135, the air war against North Vietnam would have been almost inpossible.
klick
kilometer. Approximately .61 statute mile.
LAW
Light Anti-Tank Weapon.
lifer
A career soldier.
lima-lima
landline. A telephone, as opposed to a radio.
Lion
The USAF radar site located near Ubon Royal Thai Air Base.
LOH
OH-6 Light Observation Helicopter. Sometimes written as Loach. It was small, maneuverable and carried two pilots and three passengers.
LRRP
Long-Range Reconnaissance Patrol. A small team dropped covertly into enemy-infested areas to gather intelligence, snatch a prisoner, etc.
LRRPs rations
Freeze-dried rations issued to Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol troops. Universally considered superior to almost anything else that could be consumed in the field.
M-14
The infantry weapon that was replaced by the M-16. The M-14 was heavier, fired a heavier 7.62mm round, and was also produce in a sniper rifle variant.
M-16
The standard weapon of U. S. infantrymen. It fired 5.56mm round in auto or semi-auto mode.
M-79
A grenade launcher carried at the squad level that fired a variety of 40mm projectiles.
M113 APC
The M113 Armored Personnel Carrier is a tracked, gasoline-powered lightly armored personnel carrier that can transport 12 infantrymen. It has a machine gun on top for self-defense.
MACV
Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. The overall headquarters for U.S. Forces in Vietnam
MPC
Military payment certificates. Sometimes called script or funny money. Used in lieu of U.S. currency to thwart the black market. Periodically, it was all recalled from the troops in a 24 hour period and replaced with new and different MPC, thus rendering the old MPC worthless to the black marketeers.
NVA
North Vietnamese Army.
O-1 Bird Dog
A single-engined piston-driven observation aircraft used by forward air controllers. It carried either 4 or 8 white phosphorous rockets.
O-2A
A twin-engined piston-driven observation aircraft used by USAF forward air controllers. It usually carried 14 white phosphorous rockets and could also carry flares.
P-38
A flimsy can opener that came with C-rations. Some troops wore it around their necks on their dog tag chains.
Panama
The USAF radar site located atop Monkey Mountain near Da Nang Air Base in South Vietnam.
PSYOPS
psychological operations. Operations, such as leaflet drops, designed to influence the behavior of enemy or local population.
Sandy
A piston-driven A-1 fighter which directed and provided cover for SAR efforts. It carried lots of ordnance and could stay over the downed pilot along time.
sapper
soldier who attempts to infiltrate a fire base by night and cause damage before being discovered.
SAR
Search and rescue
short timers
personnel having 30 or less days remaining of their scheduled tour in Vietnam.
Skyspot
An airstrike performed by jet fighters, level bombing from medium altitudes, and guided by a ground radar site. Useful when weather precludes more accurate visual bombing.
slick
helicopter whose main function is to move people or cargo, rather than deliver ordnance or perform reconnaissance.
snakes and nape
a selection of ordnance for a fighter aircraft comprised of high-drag bombs and napalm
Spooky
callsign used by AC-47 gunships.
TACC
Tactical Air Support Center - the air headquarters for the entire tactical air support mission. Allocates air resources to the DASCs. Located in Saigon.
TAOR
Tactical Area of Responsibility. The geographical area for which a specific ground unit is responsible. That unit has control of all combat within their TAOR.
Tet
The Vietnamese lunar New Year. Usually occurs in late January.
Tet Offensive
A major offensive launched by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces during the tet holiday in 1968. More than a month was required to expel them from areas occupied during the attack. Communist losses were very heavy, and some Viet Cong units were never again effective.
Thud
The F-105 Thunderchief was always called the Thud by those who flew it. It was a single-engined jet fighter-bomber that carried the major load of strikes against North Vietnam.
TOC
Tactical Operations Center. Essentially a command post for a tactical unit. Often built underground or dug into the side of a hill.
TOT
Time on target. A term used to describe an attack by multiple batteries of artillery, timed so that all the rounds impact the target at the same instant.
USARV
United States Army, Vietnam. The headquarters for all U. S. Army personnel in Vietnam.
VNAF
The South Vietnamese Air Force.
Waterboy
The USAF radar site located near Dong Ha, South Vietnam.
White Mice
South Vietnamese police. Nicknamed for the white uniform, helmet and gloves.
willy peter
White phosphorus. Often used in the warheads of 2.75" aerial rockets. Used by forward air controllers to mark targets for fighters.
Yards
Montagnards. Mountain tribesmen who often assisted U.S. forces in special operations missions
