Vietnam Glossary Terms

[thedrifter]

ABOARD: on base; with us.
ACTUAL: radio talk for unit commander.
ALL HANDS: everyone.
AMTRACK: amphibious tractor; landing craft.
AO DAI (Viet.): formal attire worn by Vietnamese women.
AS YOU WERE!: resume what you were doing; correction.
*******S AND ELBOWS: in a hurry; quickly.
BA MUI BA ("33"): Vietnamese beer.
BAC SI (Viet.): Doctor, used for Corpsman.
BAM: Broad Ass Marine; derogatory name for Woman Marine.
BARRACKS COVER: garrison (frame) cap.
BATTLE PIN: necktie clip.
BCD: Bad Conduct Discharge.
BELAY: stop; quit.
BILLET: assignment or job; place of residence.
BIRD: aircraft. BLOUSE: n. jacket; v. tuck in, secure.
BLOUSING BANDS: elastic bands used to secure utility trouser cuffs.
BLUES: Dress Blues.
BLT: Battalion Landing Team.
BOONDOCKS (BOONIES): rugged isolated back country.
BOONDOCKERS: low-topped work boots issued to reservists.
BOOT: recruit.
BOO-COO: (Fr. beaucoup) much, many.
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).
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: black Marine's term for white Marine.
CG: Commanding General.
CHIEU HOI (Viet.): freedom; safe conduct pass; program whereby VC who surrendered were assured safe conduct.
CHIMPO: see choda.
CHIT: written authorization or receipt.
CHODA: same as chimpo.
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: Navy medic serving with Marines.
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.
DIDDY BOP: swagger; affected walk.
DINK: Vietnamese.
DINKY-DAU (Viet): crazy.
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): **** you!
EIGHTH & EYE: Headquarters Marine Corps.
ENTRENCHING TOOL (E-TOOL): small folding field shovel.
EVERY SWINGING DICK: All hands, everyone.
EYE ****: scrutinize; inspect closely.
FARTSACK: mattress cover.
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: sweets or a store that sells sweets.
GEAR: equipment.
GI CAN: garbage can.
GIZMO: gadget; anything that defies discription.
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.
GRABASS (ORGANIZED GRABASS): play; sports, frivolous activity.
GREEN MACHINE: Marine Corps.
HAM: Hairy Assed Marine; male Marine.
HAM AND MOTHERS: "Ham and Mother****ers;" generally detested C-ration meal posing as ham and lima beans.
HATCH: door.
HARD CHARGER: motivated Marine.
HEAD: toilet.
HIGH-AND-TIGHT: standard Marine haircut; shaved sides and short on top.
HOLLYWOOD MARINE: San Diego MCRD graduate.
HOOCH (Jap.): any kind of shelter, residence.
HONCHO (Jap.): boss; man in charge.
HOUSE MOUSE: Drill Instructor's go-fer.
HUMP: to march; to carry; to be burdened with.
HUSS: a favor; a break e.g., "gimme a huss;" archaic name for HU34D helicopter.
INCOMING!: hostile fire being received!
IRISH PENNANT: string dangling from clothing indicating unkempt appearance.
ITR: Infantry Training Regiment.
JARHEAD: Marine.
JIBS: teeth, esp. front incisors, e.g., "I'll bust your jibs."
JING (also jing-wa, Jap.): change; money.
JOE **** 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.
LADDER (or ladderway): stairs.
LAI DAY (Viet.): come here!
LEAVE: authorized absence of more than 24 hours.
LIBERTY: authorized absence of less 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 marshall, official inquiry or reprimand.
OFFICE POGUE: desk-bound Marine.
ONTOS: armored tracked vehicle mounting six 106 mm recoiless 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.
**** CUTTER: envelope-shaped overseas cap.
****-AND-PUNK: bread and water punishment.
**** 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 aireal illumination flare.
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: billited 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.
**** BIRD: messy or undisciplined; a **** up.
**** CAN: (v) to dispose of; (n) garbage can.
SHORT: nearing the end of a tour of duty or enlistment.
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 marshall 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.
SLOPCHUTE: diner; restaurant.
SMOKING LAMP: authority to smoke when it is lit.
SNAP IN: practice, esp. on the rifle range.
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: Undesireable Discharge.
UTILITIES: olive drab field uniform.
WILLIE PETER: white phosphorus.
THE WORD: confirmed official information; the straight scoop.
ZERO-DARK-THIRTY: pre-dawn; early.

Sempers,

Roger


http://www.summersnet-ent.com/mytribute/vietnammedal.jpg

[thedrifter]

ace: an aviator who has been credited with at least five aerial kills
airedale: aviation personnel
amtrac: an amphibious tracked vehicle
ao dai: traditional dress of Vietnamese women; two-piece dress, the bottom being loose fitting pants of silk or satin, and the top being of the same material, full-length that splits on the side from the bottom to waist; pronounced ow z-eye
******* to bellybutton: a tight formation; e.g., "I want this section to go into that LZ ******* to bellybutton."
*******s and elbows: get busy; do it fast; e.g., "When we hit the ground, get clear of the LZ fast. I want to see nothing but *******s and elbows."
autorotate: a helicopter landing without engine power, using the frictional forces on the "pinwheeling" blades to allow the pilot to "glide" to a landing; this type of landing is usually executed only in emergency situations - needless to say, the pucker factor is ten
ARVN: Army of the Republic of Vietnam, pronounced arvin
aye aye: affirmative

bac si: Vietnamese for "doctor"; often referring to any person with medical knowledge or healing powers, such as Navy Corpsmen; pronounced bawk see
BAM: Broad Ass Marine; a Woman Marine
bandolier: a cloth material carrying case or pouch containing small arms ammuntion
benjo: toilet; from the Japanese sanitation facility, i.e., benjo ditch
BLT: battalion landing team
boom boom: sexual intercourse
boondockers: above-the-ankle boots issued to Marines when leggings were still being worn; later issued mainly to aviation personnel
boot: any Marine with less time in Marine Corps than you
bulkhead: wall
by your leave: request to proceed

cannon cocker: artilleryman
CAP: combat air patrol
CAS: close air support
C3, C4: composite 3, composite 4; plastic very high explosives
Charlie: Viet Cong guerrilla
choi oi: Vietnamese expression that defies transliteration; roughly, "oh my, what the hell, you must be ****ting me"; pronounced choy oy
cinderella liberty: leave that ends at midnight
CMC: Commandant of the Marine Corps, the top Marine, sits on the right hand of God
CO: commanding officer
com-shaw: to trade, barter, or obtain by devious means; a respected activity among Marines who must steal or borrow war items from the other more materially endowed sister services; term passed down from the China Marines of Tientsin
concertina: an entanglement of barbed wire
cover: hat
CP: command post
Crotch, the: the Marine Corps
CRT: Combat Recovery Team
cyclo-boy: xichlo or pedicab driver
cyclo-girl: prostitute pimped off by a cyclo-boy

deck: ground; floor
det cord: detonation cord
di di: Vietnamese to go fast
dien cai dau: mispronounced by Marines as dinky dow, meaning crazy
DMZ: demilitarized zone, in the case of Vietnam, an area that divides North and South Vietnam; the 17th parallel
Doc: a medical person; navy corpsman or flight surgeon
doggie: a U.S. Army soldier
Dogpatch: a group of Vietnamese villages that was situated between the Marine compound and Hill 327
dope: increments of windage and elevation on a rifle's adjustable sight
duty, the: the duty NCO, usually a junior corporal who is charged with checking everyone's liberty card and making sure the living quarters are squared away
DZ: drop zone, a place where cargo and/or personnel are dropped

eagle flight: n., a heliborne tactic that uses a decoy (usually a helicopter or light aircraft) to draw enemy fire, then, once the source of the fire is pinpointed, slicks will deposit their load of troops who will assault the suspected enemy position

FAC: forward air controller
field day: house-keeping chores
final protective fire: the area that will be covered by friendly machinegun fire if the enemy penetrates the defensive perimeter
fini: corruption of the French finis - meaning the end; to die or be killed
fire team: the most basic Marine infantry unit; consists of a fire team leader (usually a lance corporal), an automatic rifleman (armed with an M-14 with an automatic fire selector), an assistant automatic rifleman (who humps the extra ammunition for the AR man), and a rifleman (who goes out and draws the fire so that everyone else can see if the coast is clear); there are three fire teams to a Marine rifle squad
fire watch medal: Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, awarded for each three years of honorable enlisted service
first sleeve, first shirt: first sergeant
fly boy: anyone in the U.S. Air Force
flying peon: a naval aviation pilot, acronym - NAP; a pilot of enlisted rank; in 1964 the Marine Corps was the only branch of the service that still had enlisted pilots, numbering less than forty
FMF: Fleet Marine Force
FMFPac: Fleet Marine Force, Pacific; the highest command HMM-365 reported to during its operational tour of duty in Vietnam; Lieutenant General Victor H. Krulak
FO: forward observer, aerial or artilllery
frag: n., a fragmentation grenade; v., to neutralize a target with a fragmentation grenade
frag order: an operation plan or addition to an operation plan

gedunk: store selling food and drinks
gook: Asian people
grease gun: .45 caliber M3 submachinegun
Grinder, the: large parade field in the center of Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, where Marine drill instructors drilled and drilled and drilled their boot charges; sometimes referred to as The Big Grinder
ground pounder: infantryman
grunt: infantryman
gung ho: Chinese for "work together", brought to the U.S. Marine Corps before WWII by Lieutenant Colonel Evans Carlson, 2nd Raider Battalion, from his experiences with the Communist Chinese 8th Route Army; later denigrated to imply excessive enthusiasm for anything military
gunga din: water carrying trailer
gunjo-san: pidgin Japanese for anyone who wears glasses
gunner: warrant officer
gunny: gunnery sergeant
GV-1: Navy/Marine Corps designation for an aerial refueling aircraft manufactured by Lockheed; later redesignated KC-130F Hercules

H&I fire: harassment and interdiction fire; sporadic shots or bombardment at random targets
H&HS: Marine headquarters and headquarters squadron
H&MS: Marine headquarters and maintenance squadron; pronounced "hams"
HAC: helicopter aircraft commander; pilot in charge of the operation of the helicopter
hamlet: a Vietnamese settlement; part of a town or village
Hanoi Hannah: a female North Vietnamese radio propagandist; she used to announce that HMM-365 would be wiped out about every month of our tour and sometimes even when we were not in Vietnam but out at sea on the USS Princeton
hash marks: service stripes worn on Marine jacket lower sleeves to indicate years of military service, each hash mark representing four years
hatch: door
HAWK: homing all the way killer - an anti-aircraft missile deployed by 1st LAAM Battalion to protect DaNang Airbase from North Vietnamese air attack
head: toilet
HMH: Marine heavy helicopter squadron
HMM: Marine medium helicopter squadron
HMX: Marine medium helicopter squadron, executive; the President's helicopter unit

hoa binh: Vietnamese for "peace"; pronounced wah bin
Hoa Ky: Vietnamese for "America"; roughly, "land of peace"; pronounced wah key; sometimes the Vietnamese "Hue Ky" is used to describe America, which roughly means "flag with many flowers", in reference to the stars on the American flag, which looked to them like flowers; pronounced way key
Hollywood Marine: a Marine who underwent boot camp at San Diego Marine Recruit Depot, California
hooch: anything that can be used as a domicile, e.g., barracks, tent, poncho
hop: an aerial trip or portion of a flight
housewife: sewing kit
hump: hike

I Corps: the military and political subdivision of South Vietnam that included the five northernmost provinces; pronounced eye core
incoming: something bad coming your way, like small arms fire or mortars fired by the enemy at you
interlocking fire: covering an area with small arms fire so that the fire from two or more pieces overlap
Irish pennant: a thread or a piece of garment that hangs loose from a Marine's uniform

John Wayne: a person who fancies himself to be a hero; usually a non-combatant
junk on the bunk: an inspection wherein all of a Marine's clothing and equipment are laid on his rack (bunk) for inspection

k-bar: a Bowie-style fighting knife preferred by Marines for close quarter combat
KIA: killed in action

LAAM Bn: light anti-aircraft missile battalion
lifer: a career military person
line company: an infantry company
LP: listening post
LPH: landing platform helicopter; a navy ship that carries helicopters from which the aircraft operates; also carries segments of a battalion landing team
LTA: Marine Corps Air Facility, Santa Ana, California, as it was referred to by those stationed there; referring to the huge hangar facilities that are there that housed the lighter-than-air (LTA) dirigibles and baloons used by the U.S. Navy during earlier days
LZ: landing zone, a place where an aircraft can touch down to pickup or deposit cargo and/or personnel

[thedrifter]

MABS: Marine Air Base Squadron
MACV: Military Assistance Command, Vietnam; the highest U.S. military command in Vietnam, based at Saigon
MAF: Marine Amphibious Force
MAG: Marine Aircraft Group, composed of operational squadrons and headquarters and service units; e.g., MAG-16, based at MCAF Futema, Okinawa
Maggie's drawers: a complete miss at a target; a red flagged waved by the Marines who are pulling butts to taunt the shooter who missed his target completely
MAW: Marine Aicraft Wing, composed of operational aircraft groups and headquarters and service units; e.g., First Marine Aircraft Wing, Reinforced, based at Iwakuni, Japan
MCAF: Marine Corps Air Facility; e.g., MCAF Futema, Okinawa
MCAS: Marine Corps Air Station; e.g., MCAS El Toro, California
MCB: Marine Corps Base; e.g., MCB Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
MCRD: Marine Corps Recruit Depot; e.g., MCRD Parris Island, South Carolina
med evac: medical evacuation of casualties from the battle scene, usually by helicopter
MLR: main line of resistance; the area where the most defensive firepower is concentrated
MSR: main supply route; the route between the hooch and the PX
mustang: a Marine officer who had prior service in the enlisted ranks
MWSG: Marine Wing Service Group

nei-san: pidgin Japanese for girl or young woman
number one: the best
number ten: the worst
Nung: Vietnamese ethnic minority of Sino ethno-lineage from whose ranks fighters were recruited to perform mercenary work against the Viet Cong, but not necessarily for the South Vietnamese government
nuoc mam: fermented fish sauce applied liberally by the Vietnamese on everything they eat; awful smelling stuff
NVA: North Vietnamese Army

office hours: non-judicial punishment meted out at the discretion of the commanding officer or first sergeant; rulings and punishments are arbitrary and at the discretion of whoever is presiding
Old Corps: any period of Marine Corps history that old salts say they served in; during my term of enlistment (1961-1966) the Old Corps meant the period of time before the Ribbon Creek/McKeon Incident at Parris Island Marine Recruit Depot, April 8, 1956
1/1: First Battalion of the First Marine Regiment, referred to as One One; battalions in the Marine Corps are referred to by the number of their battalion and then to their parent regiment; e.g., 3/9 - Third Battalion, Ninth Marines, or three nine
Ontos: a lightly armored anti-tank tracked vehicle mounting six 106 millimeter recoiless rifles
OP: outpost

PAVN: People's Army of Vietnam, what the NVA was called before it was called that
pee: piaster, the South Vietnamese monetary unit; also called dong; in 1964, the official rate of exchange was 72 piasters to one U.S. dollar, or 134 piasters to one U.S. dollar in the black market; pl., pees
peon: an enlisted man, usually of lower rank
P.I.: Parris Island, South Carolina; hell on earth
pis cutter: garrison cap
pogey bait: candy, sweets
pogey rope: French fourragere worn by the 5th and 6th Marines, awarded to those two regiments by the French government for gallantry during World War One
port: left, left side; window
PRC-10: a back-packable radio transceiver; pronounced prick ten
pucker factor: degree of contraction of one's anus which is relative to the degree of danger one perceives himself to be in; rated one to ten (the tightest)
punji: sharpened bamboo stakes intended to injure or kill the hapless G.I. who falls or steps on one

R and R: rest and recuperation; a short leave from the war zone to an area where one might find sex, alcohol, sex, clean living quarters, sex, recreation, and sex.
rack: n., bunk; bed
recon: v., to make a reconnaissance; check things out; n., a reconnaissance unit
right seat: the place where the helicopter aircraft commander (HAC) sits; the HAC
Rock, the: Okinawa
round eye: a Caucasian, usually refering to a white woman

S-1: administrative section of a battalion/squadron or lower echelon
S-2: intelligence section
S-3: operations and training section
S-4: supply and logistics section
saddle up: put on packs and prepare to move out
Saigon tea: the drink the American G.I.s buy their female bar companions to get the girls to sit with them, usually non-alcoholic
salt: n., a Marine who has been through several enlistments, who has been in combat, who served in the "Old Corps"
salty: adj., describing a person or object that has been around since Christ was a corporal
same-same: the same as
sandbagger: a slacker, someone who is not pulling his own weight; someone who is doing as little as possible
SAR: search and rescue; also the name of the Combat Recovery Team (CRT) prior to October 1964
scuttlebutt: rumor
782 gear: Marine Corps issue field equipment consisting of packs, webgear, shelter half, tent poles, canteen and cover, entrenching tool, cartridge belt, magazine pouches, first aid kit, etc.; named for the form number that had to be filled out to draw the issue
ship over: to re-enlist
****: combat; as when the **** hits the fan (when combat is most intense)
**** can: n., trash can; v., to throw away
short round: an artillery shell or mortar round that falls short of its intended target
short time: a one shot sexual intercourse, lasting between thirty seconds to thirty minutes, depending on the condition of the Marine
short timer: someone who had very little time left to serve in Vietnam or in the military service
Shu-Fly: the code name for U.S. Marine helicopter operations in Vietnam between 1961 and 1965
sick bay: naval medical clinic
sitrep: situation report; a report issued by a unit at regular intervals, or when requested, to report on its activities and findings, or lack of such.
skipper: commanding officer
skivvies: underwear
skivvy house: house of prostitution
slick: a passenger carrying helicopter
slop chute: store having food, drinks, and games
smoke: smoke grenade
smoke your zone: what the pilot of the helicopter or the forward air observer tells personnel on the ground to do in order to mark their position
smoking lamp: referring to a space of time when cigar/cigarette smoking is permitted; e.g. - "The smoking lamp is lit for one cigarette and one cigarette only." or "The smoking lamp is out until we are airborne."
snoop and poop: to perform a reconnaissance
SOP: standard operating procedure
sorry 'bout that: expression used when something goes awry, such as when one throws a grenade at the wrong people
south: South Vietnam; usually going down south - meaning that one is going to Vietnam
souvenir: adopted by the Vietnamese to mean give, such as in - "Hey G.I., you number one. You souvenir me baby, okay?"
squid: sailor
stacking swivel: neck, as in "if you don't get your **** together I'll grab you by your stacking swivel and choke the living **** out of you"
starboard: right side
stinger: a UH-34D helicopter armed with rockets and machineguns; a helicopter gunship
straight arrow: a Marine who remained faithful to their spouse
strategic hamlet: a fortified Vietnamese hamlet
strike: n., assault, usually launched from helicopters
survey: v., to place that item in surplus, or to ****can it
swabby: same same sailor

TAD: temporary additional duty
TAOR: tactical area of responsibility
Tet: Vietnamese lunar new year, usually falling during the end of January or beginning of February
thump gunner: grenadier armed with the M-79 grenade launcher
tiger flight: n., a heliborne tactic that uses a helicopter or light aircraft as decoy to draw fire, then, once fire is received, will engage the enemy position with aerial weapons or will land right on the suspected enemy positions and deposit troops who will close with the enemy and destroy him
top: master sergeant
Tourane: the French name for the city of DaNang before 1954
troop and stomp: close order drill
twidget: an aviation electrician

VC: Viet Cong
ville: city, town, or any cluster of huts
VMA: Marine attack squadron; literally, heavier-than-air Marine aircraft attack squadron
VMCJ: Marine composite reconnaissance squadron
VMF: Marine fighter squadron
VMF(AW): Marine fighter squadron, all-weather
VMGR: Marine aerial refueling and transport squadron
VMO: Marine observation squadron
VNAF: Vietnamese Air Force, pronounced Vee Naff

WIA: wounded in action
willy peter: white phosphorus ordnance, small arms bullet, grenade, shell, or bomb
WM: a woman Marine; a BAM

xich-lo: pronounced sick low, the Vietnamese pedicab that was the primary non-pedestrian mode of transportation in the ville
xin loi: pronounced sin loy, meaning "sorry", like in "No money, no honey. Xin loi, G.I."
XO: executive officer

Yankee Mike: the phonetical for YM, the tail code for all HMM-365 aircraft

zap: to kill
zip, zipperhead: Vietnamese
zippo: a cigarette lighter; named for a cigarette lighter manufacturer, ZIPPO Lighters
zulu time: Greenwich Mean Time

Sempers

Roger

[USMC0311]

"zippo" as in above In the nam was "Flame Thrower"
nuther one iz LRRP, =long range recon patrols
Any U mudsuckers, bushwackers, arty, tracks, comm, and wingers got sum I'd be interested. I know the jargon had origination and musta change over sum 10 years in Vietnam.
LOL maybe sum ain't too cool for the friggin liberals though.. wonder when we gonna ALL flip'em off. I know I Do :yes:

Semper Fi,