Agent Orange | A toxic chemical herbicide used (abused) on a wide scale and designed to defoliate vegetation/jungle and to deprive VC/NVA soldiers of natural cover.
Air America | Name given to a pseudo - civilian airline company which was actually operated by the CIA.
AK-47 | Also called an AK. It was the standard infantry weapon used to VC/NVA soldiers, a 7.62 mm. assault rifle originally produced by Kalashnikov Company in the Soviet Union and made a signature sound and fired green tracers.
Amerasians | Name for children borne to Vietnamese women and American servicemen,
AO | Area of Operations.
Ao dai | Attractive long dress worn by Vietnamese women.
APC | Armored personnel carrier.
Arc Light | Saturation or blanket bombing by B-52 s (carrying up to 58,000 lbs. of conventional bombs) and when done at night, a burst of light stretched across the horizon...like an arc light. It was an unforgettable/memorable sight to see.
Arty | Abbreviation for artillery and the most common artillery piece was the 105 mm howitzer which fired a 33 lb. round 11,500 meters. The most accurate artillery piece was the 8-inch howitzer which fired a 205 lb. projectile 11,500 meters.
ARVN | Army of the Republic of Vietnam; the South Vietnamese army.
Beaucoup | Pronounced "Boo Coo" by the Vietnamese. A French word and a common Vietnamese expression. It means many.
Beehive | Rounds (shells) filled with small metal flechettes (darts) which was a very deadly direct fire anti-personnel weapon.
Berm | Fortification, a sandbagged or earthen wall/parapet to protect soldiers, structure, artillery piece.
Bird | A helicopter, which was also called a slick or chopper; some 4869 helicopters were lost in the Vietnam War, which many called a helicopter war. A "bird dog" was a small, fixed-wing observation aircraft.
Black PJs | Lightweight dark clothes worn by Vietnamese peasants including the Vietcong.
Body Count | Casualty count ... with few front lines or territorial objectives, the numbers of enemy killed became one measure of U.S. military success, e.g., the famous quote, "We had to destroy the town to save it."
Boonies | Out in the field, jungle or countryside of South Vietnam, also called "Indian Country."
Boot | Slang for a newly arrived soldier and a soldier just out of boot camp; untested soldier, also called a "cherry," "newbie" or "greenie."
Bouncing Betty | An anti-personnel land mine designed to spring an explosive 60 mm mortar round upwards to waist level before detonation.
Boxie | Pronounced "Bac-Si." Vietnamese word for doctor and U.S. military physicians were commonly called this too.
Bro | A comrade, friend, a soul brother or black soldier.
Bronco | OV-10 propeller aircraft equipped with mini-gun(s)/rockets and used by aerial observers (AO s) who were called "Red Barons."
Brown Bar | A second lieutenant, also the word "Butterbar" was slang for a second lieutenant.
Bug Juice | Mosquito repellent.
Bush | In the field or in a non-permanent military position or, in the soldier s language: "in the grass up to your ass"
C-4 | Plastic explosive, although intended for detonating purposes, it was sometimes used to heat c-rations.
Claymore | Small anti-personnel mine used on defensive perimeters. C-4 explosive when ignited blasted hundreds of metal pellets/balls.
CAP | Civil Action Program, whereby individual units/soldiers helped the South Vietnamese build/rebuild public facilities, such as roads, schools, orphanages, medical clinics. There also was a Medical Civil Action Program (MEDCAP), which provided South Vietnamese villagers with U.S. medical care.
Cammies | Camouflaged jungle fatigues, also cammo was an abbreviation for camouflage.
Charlie | The nickname for the VC, or Vietcong - a Vietnamese Communist and enemy soldier.
Chieu Hoi | Means "open arms" in Vietnamese and referred to a leaflet and rehabilitation program encouraging enemy soldiers to surrender/defect.
Chop Chop | Chinese for fast or to hurry up and not to be confused with a "chopper," which is a helicopter.
Co | Vietnamese for a girl or unmarried woman.
Cobra | Name for the frequently seen snake, but also for a heavily armed attack helicopter.
Concertina Wire | Rolls of barbed wire rolled out and stretched along your perimeter to prevent/ slow a ground attack by VC/NVA soldiers.
Conex | Large 2-door corrugated metal container used for shipping or storage which sometimes was sandbagged at fire bases to act as a bunker.
Counterpart | A South Vietnamese soldier of equal rank with whom you might work with or train.
Cowboy | A gambler and mistrusted individual or one who viewed the war as a passport for valor and was more interested in self-aggrandizement (medals) than the welfare of the troops.
C-rats or chow | (Also known as Cs) Standard U.S. Government field meal inside a cardboard container which contained cans of rations (c-rats), and yes, packets of coffee and cigarettes. There were some colorful unprintable expressions describing them.
Cush | Expression for easy, i.e., he had a cush job.
Cyclo | Name for pedicab or bicycle rickshaw.
Dear John Letter | A letter that you hoped you would never receive; namely, one from your sweetheart back home saying good-bye and that she was going with someone else.
DEROS | The sweetest word in Nam and referred to date of expected return from overseas service or when a soldier s tour of duty was over. Not to be confused with ETS which referred to your estimated time of separation from military service.
Di Di Mau | Vietnamese expression for hurry up or fast, or "Let s get out of here."
Dinky-dao | Vietnamese expression for crazy and not to be confused for the American word "dinks," a slang expression for the enemy.
DMZ | A demilitarized zone, as a result of the Geneva Accords of 1954, was established and it divided North and South Vietnam along the 17th parallel and, in the words of the soldiers, There ain‛t any D in DMZ."
Donut Dollie | Expression for Red Cross or USO ladies who always had a friendly smile and fresh snacks for a soldier. A less affectionate expression for them was "Pastry Pig."
Draft | A five letter word which is not an acronym. In the 1960 s, it was one of the most terrifying of words, but also a real motivator for many Americans to attend college and graduate school(s), and/or live abroad. During the Vietnam War, approximately 1.8 million men were drafted into the U.S. Army.
Dust off | Slang for medical evacuation of wounded soldiers by helicopter.
E-Tool | Standard military issue entrenching tool, a small shovel.
EVAC | Short for medical evacuation (Medevac) and was usually by helicopter.
FIGMO | Expression meaning, "F- it, got my orders."
Firebaseor FB | A temporary artillery base set up in hostile territory and which supported the infantry operating in the area of operations (AO).
Firefly | A helicopter with a powerful spot or search light.
Flak Jacket | Heavy but necessary fibre filled vest worn for protection from shrapnel wounds or low velocity bullets, but when flying in helicopters, you sat on it (bullets shoot upwards too).
Flechette | Anti-personnel rounds containing darts and usually fired from a 79 grenade launcher or field artillery; deadly effective against a direct attack by enemy soldiers.
FNG | "Fu new guy," or new boot in the unit. Because the tour of duty was for one year, there was a constant departure of experienced soldiers and arrival of new recruits.
Foo Gas | 55 gallon drums of napalm. Set in defensive berms around base camps or artillery positions and were ignited by claymore mines or white phosphorus grenades.
Frag | A fragmentation hand grenade, but a fragging also referred to a soldier s killing of a superior with a hand grenade.
Freak | Stood for a radio frequency but also referred to a soldier who abused narcotics and smoked marijuana.
Free Fire Zones | Areas with no restrictions on firing. Areas designated by the South Vietnamese military as being under enemy control which permitted indiscriminate use of artillery and air power (i.e., Con Thien, DMZ, A Shau Valley, along the Laotian border, etc).
Freedom Bird | Name given to the contract commercial jet airliner that flew in new soldiers/Marines and winged back to the world (U.S.) with those who just completed their tour.
Friendlies | Locals who supported the South Vietnamese government.
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