“From Eagle Dust-Off, Warrant Officer Robert Thatchman.
“Warrant Officer Brian E. Vaughn.”
Zarnochuk paused for a long minute. The theater area was silent. Zarnochuk pivoted about-face and stepped to the back of the stage.
The GreenMan came forward again. He called out, “This is the last roll call for these men. From here forward, those men who have not answered roll call, Sergeant Major, I direct you to strike their names from the battalion roster.”
The theater was silent.
“Hey, Jax, El Paso.” Cherry nudged El Paso. “How come they didn’t call out Egan? or Doc? or the L-T?”
No one answered. Cherry turned to Thomaston. The new company commander looked at him coldly and said, “Haven’t you heard? They listed them as MIAs.”
“Well fuck,” Cherry smiled. He was happy they were not listed among the known dead. In me, he thought. He laughed. “Fuck it. Don’t mean …”
Thomaston cut him off. “Don’t say it, Soldier.”
GLOSSARY
AC: Also A/C. Aircraft Commander.
AGL: Above Ground Level.
AHB: Assault Helicopter Battalion.
Airmobile: Helicopter-borne. Those who jump from helicopters without parachutes.
Airborne: Parachutist. Those who jump from airplanes with parachutes.
AIT: Advanced Individual Training.
AK-47: Also known as Kalashnikov AK-47. The most widely used
assault rifle in the world. A Soviet produced semiautomatic or automatic 7.62mm assault rifle. Known as the Type 56 to Chinese forces. Characterized by an explosive popping sound.
ALPHA: The military phonetic for the letter A.
AO: Area of Operation. In rear areas this may connote a sleeping area or bunk. “MY AO …” See TAOR.
ARA: Aerial Rocket Artillery. A Cobra AG-1H helicopter with four XM-159C 19-rocket (2.75 inch rocket) pods.
Arty: Artillery.
ARVN: (Ar’—vin) Army of the Republic of Vietnam. Also a South Vietnamese soldier as in Marvin the ARVN.
AWOL: Absent without leave.
azimuth: A bearing from North.
B-40: A communist bloc rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Also the rounds fired—B-40 rockets.
B-52: A can opener (church key type). Also a heavy American bomber.
ballgame: An operation or a contact.
band-aid: A medic.
basketball ship: An illumination-dropping (flare) helicopter.
battle-sight zeroing: The process of adjusting a weapon’s sights and windage to an individual soldier so the weapon, when fired, will hit the object of aim.
Battery: An artillery unit the equivalent of a company. Six 105mm or 155mm howitzers or two 8-inch or 175mm self-propelled howitzers.
BDA: Bomb Damage Assessment.
beaucoup: French for many. Boonierats usually pronounced this word boo-coo. Many thought it was Vietnamese.
berm: The perimeter line of a fortification—usually raised above surrounding area.
bird: A helicopter.
bird dog: A FAC or forward air controller, usually in a small, maneuverable single-engined prop airplane.
blue feature: Any water feature, so called because of the color used to designate water on topographic maps.
boo-coo: Beaucoup.
boonie hat: A soft hat worn by a boonierat in the boonies.
boonierat: An infantryman.
boonies: The field, the bush, the jungle. Any place the infantry operates that is not a firebase, basecamp or ville. From boondock.
bowl: A pipe used for smoking dope.
BRAVO: The military phonetic for the letter B. Also Company A’s call for medic.
breaking squelch: Disrupting the natural static of a radio by depressing the transmit bar on another radio set on the same frequency.
Bro: Also Brother. A black soldier or soul brother. Also, at times, boonierats from the same unit.
BS: Bullshit. Also, BSing; Bullshitting, as in chewing the fat, telling tall tales, or telling lies.
C-4: A powerful plastic explosive.
C-123: A small cargo airplane, The Caribou.
C-130: A medium cargo airplane, The Hercules.
C-141: A large cargo airplane, The Starlifter.
CA: Combat Assault.
CAR-15: A carbine rifle.
CC: Company Commander.
C & C: Command and Control (helicopter).
CG: Commanding General.
CH-47: A Chinook.
CH-54: The largest of all American helicopters, strictly for cargo, The Flying Crane or Skycrane.
CHARLIE: The military phonetic for the letter C. Also, the Viet Cong.
Charlie-Charlie: C & C.
Charlie Four: C-4.
Charlie Foxtrot: Similar to FUBAR or SNAFU, Cluster Fuck.
cheap Charlie: A GI who is frugal with his money while in a bar.
cherry: A new troop.
Chi-Com: Also Chicom. Chinese communist. Used in conjunction with an object this denoted manufactured in Red China. Used alone Chicom usually meant a Chinese manufactured hand grenade.
Chieu Hoi: Vietnamese for Open Arms. An amnesty program to encourage enemy soldiers to rally to the GVN.
Chinook: A large twin-rotor cargo helicopter, CH-47, often referred to as a Shit-hook because of the discomfort caused by the rotor wash to anyone in the vicinity of its landing. Wind velocity at the tip of the rotors reportedly is 130 mph.
Chuck: or Chas The enemy.
clacker: A small hand-held firing device for a claymore mine.
Claymores: Anti-personnel mines with one-pound charge of C-4 behind 600 small steel balls.
CO: Commanding Officer.
Cobra: An assault helicopter. AG-1H.
comics: Topographic maps.
commo: Communication.
CONEX: Container Exchange. Corrugated metal packing crate of large dimension, often used as shelter atop firebases.
COSVN: Communist Office of South Vietnam. Thought to be located in the Parrot’s Beak area of Cambodia, it was never found.
CP: Command Post.
CQ: Charge of Quarters.
C-rats: Combat rations. After two weeks they all taste the same.
Cs: C-rats.
DA: Department of the Army.
daily-daily: Anti-malaria pills taken daily.
dap: A soul handshake and greeting which may last up to ten minutes and is characterized by the use of both hands and often comprised of slaps and snaps of the fingers. Highly ritualized and unit specific.
dee-dee: Also dee-dee mau (Vietnamese, didi—to run). Get the hell out of here.
DELTA: The military phonetic for the letter D.
DEROS: (Dee-ros) Date Estimate Return from Overseas. The day a soldier is scheduled to go home or the act of going home.
dew: Marijuana.
dicks: A derogatory expression meaning or referring to the enemy.
dime: The number ten.
dime-nickel: A 105 mm howitzer.
dinks: A derogatory expression meaning or referring to the enemy.
DMZ: Demilitarized Zone (a word game).
DRO: Dining Room Orderly.
drops: Reduction in length of tour caused by overall reduction and withdrawal of American forces from Vietnam.
DTs: Defensive Targets. Also known as Delta Tangos.
Dust-Off: Medical evacuation by helicopter.
DX: Direct exchange. Also, to discard or dispose of, to kill some-one.
E-l: Private One. The lowest army pay grade.
E-2: Private Two. The E stands for enlisted. Pay grades run from E-l to E-l 1.
Early-Outs: A drop, or a reduction in time in service. A soldier with 150 days or less remaining on his active duty commitment when he DEROSed from Vietnam also ETSed from the army under the Early Out Program.
ECHO: The military phonetic for the letter E.
Eleven Bravo: Also 11-B, the MOS of an infantryman.
EM: Enlisted Man.
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br /> ET or E-T: An Entrenching Tool, a small collapsible shovel, pick and mattock combined in one instrument.
ETS: Estimated Termination of Service. The scheduled date of getting out of the army.
F-4s: Phantom Jet fighter-bombers. Range—1000 miles. Speed—1400 mph. Pay load—16,000 lbs. The workhorse of the tactical air support fleet. Often called a fast mover.
FAC: Forward Air Controller. See BIRD DOG.
fast mover: An F-4.
FB: Firebase.
FDC: Fire Direction Control. (Artillery)
firebase: An artillery firing position, usually atop a hill or ridge, which would be secured by infantry and supplied by helicopter. They could be established very rapidly and were often in existence for only a brief period of time although many were permanent all-weather bases.
FO: Forward Observer.
FOXTROT: The military phonetic for the letter F.
Frag: A fragmentation hand grenade.
fragging: Using a FRAG to wound or kill a person, usually a LIFER.
freak: Frequency, radio. Also a junkie or pothead.
freq: Frequency.
fuck: Along with Fucked and Fuckin—the most commonly used word in a GI’s vocabulary other than the article a.
fucked up: To be wounded or killed. Also, to get high on marijuana or other drugs. Also, to get drunk. Also, to be foolish or do something stupid.
funny papers: or comics. Topographic maps.
FWMAF: Free World Military Assistance Forces. The allies.
ghosting: Goldbricking or sandbagging.
GOLF: Military phonetic for the letter G.
gooks: An NVA soldier. Also, any Oriental human being.
grunt: A BOONIERAT.
gunship: Early in the war this meant any extra-heavily armed helicopter used primarily to support infantry troops. Later, it referred to a Cobra AH-1H equipped with a particular configuration of rockets, 40mm cannons and mini-guns.
hardstand: A pierced steel plate (PSP) platform over sand.
HE: High Explosive. (Artillery)
heat tabs: An inflammable tablet used to heat C-RATS. Always in short supply.
H & I: Harassment and Interdiction. (Artillery)
HHC: Headquarters and Headquarters Company.
Higher-Higher: The honchos. The command or commanders.
hook: A radio; a radio handset.
hootch: A billet, sometimes a bunker, sometimes an office building.
horn: A radio handset.
HOTEL: The military phonetic for the letter H.
Hueys: UH-1 helicopters of various series. This Utility helicopter was the primary troop insertion/ extraction aircraft for the 101st. Also used as Dust-Off birds and C & C birds. Called Slicks.
Hump: To patrol carrying a rucksack; to walk; to perform any arduous task.
I Corps: (The Roman numeral I here is pronounced ‘eye’.) The northernmost military region of South Vietnam.
IG: Inspector General.
INDIA: The military phonetic for the letter I.
insert: To be deployed into a tactical area by helicopter.
Jody: The person who wins your lover while you are in the Nam. From the marching song, or cadence count, “Ain’t no use in goin’ home/Jody’s got your girl an’ gone/sound off.…”
JULIET: The military phonetic for the letter J.
k: In lower case, pronounced kay; a kilometer.
KBA: Killed By Artillery.
KBH: Killed By Helicopter.
KCS: Kit Carson Scout, a Vietnamese working with an American infantry unit as an interpreter and scout under the Luc Long 66 Program.
KIA: Killed In Action.
KILO: The military phonetic for the letter K.
klick: A kilometer.
LAW: Light Anti-tank Weapon. A 66mm rocket in a collapsible, discardable firing tube. Effective against bunkers.
LEMA: The military phonetic for the letter L.
lifers: Career military personnel, derogatory.
little people: The enemy.
lit-up: Fired upon.
LMG: Light Machine Gun—the Soviet made RPD, a bi-pod mounted, belt fed weapon similar to the American M-60 machine gun. The RPD fires the same cartridge as the AK-47 and the SKS carbine.
Log Bird: Logistical (resupply) helicopter.
LOH: Light Observation Helicopter.
LP: Listening Post.
LRRP: Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol.
LSA: Lubricant, Small Arms.
LZ: Landing Zone.
M-16: A gas-operated, air cooled automatic/semi-automatic assault weapon weighing 7.6 pounds with a 20-round magazine. Maximum range 2350m. Maximum effective range 460m. Automatic firing rate 650-700 rounds/ minute, sustained automatic firing rate 100-200 rounds/ minute.
M-60: The standard American light machine gun. A gas-operated, air cooled, belt fed, automatic weapon. Often referred to by boonierats as THE GUN.
M-79: An American single-shot 40mm grenade launcher. Called the thumper.
MA: Mechanical Ambush. A euphemism for an American-set booby trap.
mad minute: A weapons free-fire practice and test session.
MARS: Military Affiliate Radio Station. Used by soldiers to call home via Signal Corps and ham radio equipment.
MEDCAP: Medical Civilian Assistance Program.
Medevac: Medical evacuation by helicopter.
mermite: Large insulated food containers.
MIA: Missing In Action.
MIKE: The military phonetic for the letter M.
mike-mike: Millimeter.
Mini-Gun: An electric Galling gun, 7.62mm. Capable of firing 6000 rounds/ min.
Monday pills: Anti-malaria pills taken once a week on Mondays.
Monster, the: A PRC-77. See below.
MOS: Military Occupational Speciality. Job title code.
MFC: Military Payment Certificates; GI play money.
Nam: Vietnam.
NCO: Non-Commissioned Officer.
NDP: Night Defensive Position.
net: Radio frequency setting, from network.
nickel: The number five.
no sweat: Easy. Can do.
NOVEMBER: The military phonetic for the letter N.
numba one: The best.
numba ten: The worst. Often said by bar girls to CHEAP CHARLIES.
numba ten thousand: An exaggeration of how bad things can be.
NVA: North Vietnamese Army. Also, a North Vietnamese soldier.
OD: Olive drab.
Oh-Deuce: Nickname of the 7th Battalion, 402d Infantry.
OP: Observation Post.
opcon: Operational Control.
opposition: The enemy.
OSCAR: The military phonetic for the letter O.
P-38: A tiny collapsible can opener.
PAPA: The military phonetic for the letter P.
PIO: Public Information Office or Officer or a person who works for such office.
piss-tube: A vertical tube buried in the ground for urinating into.
point: or pointman. The first man of a patrol.
PRC-25: or Prick-25. The standard infantry radio used in Vietnam. Carried by RTOs, the radio was heavy and considered an ass-kicker.
PRC-77: A radio similar to the PRC-25 but with a kryptographic scrambling/ descrambling unit attached. Sometimes called the Monster, it was a ‘real ass-kicker.’ Transmission frequencies on the PRC-77 were called the secure net.
PSP: Perforated Steel Plate.
PsyOps: Psychological Operations.
PZ: Pick-up Zone.
QUAD 50s: A four-barrelled assembly of .50 caliber machine guns.
QUEBEC: The military phonetic for the letter Q.
RBF: Recon By Fire.
redball: An enemy high speed trail or road.
red bird: A Cobra helicopter.
REMF: (rim-ph) Rear Echelon Mother Fucker.
RIF: Recon in force, a heavy reconnaissance patrol. Later, Reduction in force, an administrative mechanism for retiring career s
oldiers prior to the end of their 20 year term.
rock’n’roll: Firing a weapon on full automatic.
ROK: Republic of Korea.
ROMEO: The military phonetic for the letter R.
RPD: A light machine gun. See LMG.
RPG: Rocket Propelled Grenade. See B-40.
R&R: Rest and Relaxation.
RTO: Radio-Telephone Operator.
ruck, rucksack: Backpack issued to infantry in Vietnam.
rumor control: The most accurate source of information prior to the actual occurrence of an event.
RVN: Republic of Vietnam (South).
S & S: Supply & Service, designation of a support unit.
S-l: Personnel.
S-2: Intelligence.
S-3: Operations.
S-4: Supply.
S-5: Civil Affairs.
SAF: Small Arms Fire.
sappers: Enemy demolition/ assault teams.
SEATO: Southeast Asia Treaty Organization.
secure net: See PRC-77.
SERTS: Screaming Eagle Replacement Training School.
set: A party.
Shake ’n’ Bake: Sergeant who attended NCO school and earned rank after only a very short time in uniform.
shit-hook: A CH-47.
SIERRA: The military phonetic for the letter S.
sit-rep: Situation report.
SKS: A Simonov 7.62mm semi-automatic carbine.
sky: To leave. Also, sky up.
Skycrane: A CH-54.
slackman: The second man back on a patrol, directly behind the point.
Slicks: Hueys.
Snakes: Cobras.
soul brother: A black soldier.
stand-down: An infantry unit’s return from the boonies to base camp for refitting and training. Later, a unit being withdrawn from Vietnam and redeployed to the US
steel pot: A GI helmet.
Tac Air: Tactical air (Air Force) support. Fighter-bombers.
TANGO: The military phonetic for the letter T.
TAOR: Tactical Area of Operational Responsibility.
tee-tee: Very small or little.
Tet: Vietnamese Lunar New Year Holiday. As a result of NVA/VC offensives during 1968, the term took on a special military significance.
three-quarter: A three-quarter-ton truck.
TOC: Tactical Operations Center.
TO&E: Table of Organization and Equipment.
201 FILE: A US Army personnel file.
UH-1H: A Huey slick.
UNIFORM: The military phonetic for the letter U.
USAF: United States Air Force.
USARV: United States Army, Vietnam.
VC: Viet Cong.
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