by C. X. Moreau
LESBOS: Slang term for Lebanese used by Marines. Not meant to be a pejorative.
LP: Listening Post. A post manned at night, usually by a small unit such as a fireteam, for the purpose of detecting enemy movement or actions.
LZ: Landing Zone. An area designated for the landing and takeoff of helicopters.
M-16: Standard issue assault rifle of the USMC.
M-60: Light machine gun carried by Marine units.
M-203: 40mm grenade launcher that attaches to the forearm of M-16 rifles. Each fireteam in a Marine rifle squad has one designated grenadier armed with an M-203.
MAU: Marine Amphibious Unit. A task-oriented unit composed of a Battalion Landing Team and other units. Various MAUs were deployed to Lebanon from September 1982 to February 1984 to include the 24th, 22nd, 32nd, and 31st. The MAU acts as higher headquarters for the BLT during deployments. Headquarters for the 24th MAU during October of 1983 was in a one-story building immediately north of the BLT headquarters building.
MEA: Middle East Airlines. Civilian airline that operates from BIA.
MM: Millimeter. Such as a 40 millimeter grenade launcher.
MEDEVAC: Medical Evacuation. Personnel wounded or killed in action would be medevaced. Usually done by helicopter.
MNF: Multi-National Force. The organization composed of USMC, French, Italian, and later British military units that was sent to Beirut in 1982 to evacuate the PLO and later returned to keep the peace.
MOS: Military Occupational Specialty. One’s job within the USMC. Any Marine infantryman has an MOS within the “03” field, 03 being the designation for infantry. Intelligence MOSs are designated by 02, Logistics by 04, etc.
MOTOR-T: Motor Transport. The unit and Marines assigned to operate, service, and repair a Marine unit’s vehicles.
MRE: Meal Ready to Eat. A complete meal packaged and easily transported, served to Marines in the field. MREs replaced C-rations during the 1980s.
MSR: Main Supply Route. Designates the principal artery used by a military organization to supply its units.
MSSG: MAU Service Support Group. A USMC unit that provides support in the form of engineering units and other essential services to MAUs and BLTs ashore and afloat.
MED: Slang for Mediterranean Sea.
MOSSAD: The Israeli Intelligence agency.
NAVY ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL: An award given to Marines for superior performance of their duties.
NEW JERSEY, USS: One of the Iowa class battleships constructed during World War II. Its armament includes 16-inch naval rifles that were used in support of Marine units ashore.
NEW RIVER: A salt estuary that runs through Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
NIS: Naval Investigative Service. Investigative agency of the USN charged with investigating serious crimes.
NJP: Nonjudicial Punishment. Also commonly called “Office Hours,” this is the lowest form of court-martial. Once a Marine enters a plea of guilty to a low level infraction of the UCMJ or other regulations a company grade officer may determine punishment by using this system. No jury or trial is afforded the guilty party.
OCS: Officer Candidate School. One of the schools attended by officer candidates. Located at Marine Corps Developmental and Educational Center, Quantico, Virginia.
OFFICER OF THE DAY: OD, also OOD. The officer assigned to guard and other functions by unit commanders in every Marine unit.
OGER LIBAN: A Lebanese construction company operating in Beirut and making extensive repairs to the facilities at the BIA during 1983-1984.
OLD MAN: Slang for commanding officer. Also “CO.”
OP: Observation Post, an outpost manned during daylight hours usually by a small unit such as a fireteam. The purpose of an OP is to detect enemy movement.
PANHARDS: A light, mobile armored vehicle. Used by various forces in Beirut, including the LAF.
PARRIS ISLAND: The oldest training center for Marines, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, is located on Parris Island, South Carolina.
PLO: Palestinian Liberation Organization. Name given to a collection of smaller civil entities and military organizations and nominally headed by Yasir Arafat. Prior to the June 1982 invasion of Lebanon by the IDF, the PLO had numerous offices and military organizations in Beirut and at other points in Lebanon.
POS: Position. Location of an individual or unit.
PRC-68: A small handheld radio used by Marines for communication between members of a squad or other small unit.
PRC-77: A large man-portable radio used for communication between Marine units.
REACT: The reactionary force. Normally held in reserve, this force is used at the discretion of a commanding officer to relieve units in jeopardy.
RPG: Rocket Propelled Grenade. A Soviet-manufactured shoulder-fired weapon similar to a bazooka designed for anti-armor and antipersonnel missions.
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT: Marine units operating in Beirut and those on standby offshore were issued specific Rules of Engagement to which they were required to adhere while in Lebanon. These rules, in addition to standing General Orders, governed the conduct of units and individuals ashore. Individual Marines of all ranks were expected to know and understand these rules without fail.
SABRA: An area of Beirut, north of BIA, inhabited by large numbers of displaced Palestinians. It was therefore known as the Sabra refugee camp, although most of the structures there were permanent in nature by the time of the USMC deployments.
SEMPER FIDELIS: Latin motto of the USMC, “Always Faithful.”
SHATILLA REFUGEE CAMP: An area of Beirut, located north of the BIA, and home to many of the Palestinian refugee families. Despite its being called a refugee “camp” the area had been inhabited for so many years by the Palestinians that most of its residents lived in permanent structures.
SHATILLA WOOD: An area of Beirut, located north of the BIA, that was the home for numerous Palestinians refugee families. Located next to Shatilla Refugee Camp and sometimes considered to be a part of it.
SHELTER HALF: A canvas covering that is standard issue to Marines. When buttoned to another shelter half carried by a fellow Marine it forms a small, two-man tent used for shelter by both Marines.
SHIITE: One of the many sects or branches of Islam, the religion founded by the prophet Mohammed.
Many of the Shiite residents of Beirut lived in the southern sections of the city, well within the USMC area of operation. Despite being the most numerous segment of the Lebanese population the Lebanese Shiites are among Lebanon’s poorest citizens and during 1982-1984 did not have political representation representative of their share of the population.
SHIT BIRDS: Derogatory term for Marines who do not perform their duties with skill or enthusiasm. Slackers.
SHIT CAN: Term used to describe a garbage can. Can also be used to designate something that is to be thrown away.
SIT REP: Situation Report. An abbreviated report following a predesignated format. Normally relayed via radio.
SIX-BY: The large utility transport truck used by the USMC.
SOP: Standard Operating Procedure.
SQUADBAY: The large open barracks used to house Marines ashore. Squadbay specifically refers to the area where the Marines sleep, and store their personal and military gear.
SUNNI: A sect of Islam, the religion founded by the prophet Mohammed. The Sunnis were among the more influential Muslim citizens of Lebanon. During the period 1982-1984 it was widely believed that the Sunnis were second in both political power and wealth only to the Lebanese Christians.
TARAWA: One of the Gilbert Islands in the central Pacific. Tarawa was the scene of a fierce battle between U.S. Marines and Japanese forces during November 1943.
TOKAROV PISTOL: A Soviet-manufactured pistol with an action similar to that of the Browning pistol.
TOW: A crew served antitank missile. TOW gunners launch their weapons from fiberglass tubes then sight the weapon with an optical system while it is in flight. The launcher can be mounted on a variety of
vehicles or be free-standing on the ground. TOW missiles are also used in the anti-armor role by helicopter gunships such as the Cobra.
TRIPOLI: A city in modern Libya, it was once located in the Barbary States. A small force of U.S. Marines captured it in response to depredations on American shipping made by the Barbary States during the early part of the nineteenth century.
UCMJ: The Uniform Code of Military Justice. The set of laws and regulations governing all members of the United States military.
VAL PACK: A canvas or nylon carrying case used by officers and Staff NCOs to transport personal belongings, uniform articles, etc.
VC: Viet Cong.
VILLE: Slang for village, town, or city.
XO: Executive Officer. The second in command of a unit.
ZEROS: Slang for Officers. Officer pay grades are designated 0-1 (Second Lieutenant) through 0-6 (Colonel). Hence enlisted Marines sometimes call them “Zeros.”