AA antiaircraft fire
ADC assistant division commander
AIT advanced individual training
AK-47 standard communist 7.62mm automatic rifle; a version with a folding metal stock was known as an AK-50
AO area of operations
ARA aerial rocket artillery
Arc Light bombing mission by B-52 Stratofortresses
arty artillery
ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam
ASP ammunition supply point
blivet rubberized bag used for transporting and storing fuel and water
CA combat assault
C&C command-and-control helicopter
CAR15 shortened, all-metal version of the M16 5.56mm automatic rifle
C4 plastic explosives
CG commanding general
Chinook nickname for the CH-47 transport helicopter
CO commanding officer
Cobra nickname for the AH-1G helicopter gunship
CP command post
CS tear gas
DEROS date eligible for return from overseas
DISCOM Division Support Command
div arty division artillery
DMZ demilitarized zone
DOW died of wounds
EOD explosive ordnance disposal
E1 pay grade for recruit private
E2 pay grade for private
E3 pay grade for private first class
E4 pay grade for corporal or specialist fourth class
E5 pay grade for sergeant or specialist fifth class
E6 pay grade for staff sergeant or specialist sixth class
E7 pay grade for sergeant first class
E8 pay grade for first sergeant or master sergeant
E9 pay grade for sergeant major or command sergeant major
FA field artillery
FAC forward air controller
FDC fire direction center
FO forward observer
FSB fire-support base
G1 personnel officer at division or corps level
G2 intelligence officer at division or corps level
G3 operations officer at division or corps level
G4 logistics officer at division or corps level
HE high explosive
HHC Headquarters & Headquarters Company
Huey nickname for the UH-1 helicopter
Intruder nickname for the A-4 all-weather jet fighterbomber
JP4 aviation fuel
KIA killed in action
klick kilometer
LAW light antitank weapon
LNO liaison officer
LOH light observation helicopter
LP listening post
LRRP long-range reconnaissance patrol
LZ landing zone
MA mechanical ambush
MACV Military Assistance Command Vietnam
MG machine gun
MIA missing in action
M16 standard U.S. 5.56mm automatic rifle
M60 standard U.S. 7.62mm light machine gun
M79 standard U.S. 40mm grenade launcher
M203 M16 rifle modified with 40mm grenade launcher under barrel
NCO noncommissioned officer (pay grades E4 to E9)
NDP night defensive position
NVA North Vietnamese Army
OCS Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia
OP observation post
ops operations
Phantom nickname for the F-4 jet fighter-bomber
PIO public information office
POL petroleum-oil-lubricant
PRC25 standard infantry radio
PSP pierced steel planking
R&R rest-and-recreation leave
REMF rear-echelon motherfucker
RIF reconnaissance in force
ROTC Reserve Officer Training Corps
RPG rocket-propelled grenade
RPD standard communist 7.62mm machine gun
RTO radiotelephone operator
shake ’n bake nickname for graduates of the Noncommissioned Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia
S1 personnel officer at battalion or brigade level
S2 intelligence officer at battalion or brigade level
S3 operations officer at battalion or brigade level
S4 logistics officer at battalion or brigade level
SOI signal operating instructions
SSI special signal intercept
TOC tactical operations center
USAF United States Air Force
USARV United States Army Vietnam
USMA United States Military Academy at West Point, New York
VC Viet Cong
WIA wounded in action
WP white phosphorus
XO executive officer