'16, M-16 - standard military rifle

122 - enemy weapon, 122 mm rocket

123, C-123 - two engine cargo aircraft

130, C-130 - four engine cargo aircraft

20, 20 mm - mini-canon used on aircraft

.22 - 22 caliber weapon - light pistol

203, M-203 - 40 mm grenade launcher mounted under a rifle barrel

.45 - 45 caliber pistol

4.2 - "four deuce", 4.2 inch mortar

.50 - 50 caliber machine gun

.51 - enemy weapon, 51 caliber machine gun

'60, M-60 - 7.62 mm machine gun

7.62 mini - 7.62 mm mini-gun

80 - 80 mm mortar

AA - anti-aircraft

AK, AK-47 - enemy weapon, standard Warsaw Pact rifle

AO - acronym, Area of Operations

Arclight - B-52 strike

ARvn - acronym, Army of the Republic of Viet Nam

BDA - acronym, Bomb Damage Assessment

Berm - a defensive wall of earth

Bird - an aircraft, usually a helicopter

Black Bird - USAF aircraft for special operations, named for  black paint job

Bouncing betty - type of mine blown into the air before detonation to increase casualties

Browning - a 9 mm pistol

Bru - a tribe of Montagnards, q.v.

Bunker - a protective shelter

C & C - Command and Control, see "Special Project"

CAR, CAR-15 - rifle, carbine version of the M-16

CCC, CCN, CCS - acronyms for military units, see "Special Project"

Civvies - civilian attire

Claymore - a directional mine

Cobra - a military helicopter used as a gun platform

Conex - metal military container, large.

Cork - a drug to prevent defecation, used in the field with small teams

Cover one's six - watch the rear

Covey - the name of the USAF detachment that flew our radio coverage

Crud, the - various fungi and rashes common to soldiers in warm climates

DEROS - acronym, Date of Expected Return from Overseas

Didi - Vietnamese, flee or leave rapidly

E & E - acronym, Escape and Evasion

Exfil - exfiltration, point of exit from AO

FAC - acronym, Forward Air Controller

Fast mover - a jet, usually an F-4

Firebase - a remote artillery position, usually quite isolated

Fire fan - the field of fire of a larger gun or mortar

First shirt - military slang for First Sergeant, usually the highest enlisted grade in a company

FNG - acronym, Fucking New Guy

Grease - slang, to kill

Hillsboro - an air force command and control aircraft

Hootch - see "Hootch"

HQ - acronym, HeadQuarters

IA - acronym, Immediate Action

IG - acronym, Inspector General

Insert - insertion, point of entrance into AO

Intel - intelligence information

Jarai - a tribe of Montagnards, q.v.

K, klick - a kilometer, the U.S. military uses the metric system

Khaki - a sandish color, used in uniforms

KIA - acronym, Killed In Action

LTC - rank, Lieutenant Colonel

LZ - acronym, Landing Zone, a site for a helicopter to land

LZ watcher - an enemy soldier assigned to guard and report on activities on an LZ

Medivac - medical evacuation, of injured personnel

Mess, messhall - a military dining facility

MIA - acronym, Missing In Action

Mike Force - an allied reaction team, usually larger than a company

Mini-pounder - small radar transmitter user to mark locations on the ground for radar-carrying aircraft

Montagnard - one of the indigenous hill people of Southeast Asia

Moonbeam - nighttime name of Hillsboro, q.v.

MOS - acronym, Military Occupational Specialty - one's job title

MPC - acronym, Military Payment Certificate, used in lieu of cash

MSG - rank, Master Sergeant

NCO - acronym, Non-Commissioned Officer

NVA - acronym, North Vietnamese Army

O-2 - a light observation aircraft

O2 and benedryl - oxygen and a strong antihistamine, for hangovers

OAS - acronym, Organization of American States

OFM(cap) - Catholic religious order, Order of Friars Minor (Capuchin)

OP - acronym, Observation Post

Otter - light observation aircraft, an O-1

P, piaster - monetary units of Rvn

PH - acronym, Purple Heart, awarded for wounds received in action

Phantom - air force fighter aircraft, the F-4

Point, point man - the soldier who walks first in formation and scouts the area ahead

POW - acronym, Prisoner Of War

Reckless - slang, a recoilless rifle, small artillery piece

RON - acronym, Remain OverNight, a nighttime position

RPD - enemy weapon, light squad machine gun

RT - acronym, Recon Team

RTO - acronym, Radio-Telephone Operator, the soldier who carries the radio

Rvn - acronym, Republic of Viet Nam

SEA - acronym, SouthEast Asia

SF - acronym, Special Forces

SFC - rank, Sergeant First Class

SFTG - acronym, Special Forces Training Group

SKS - enemy weapon, bolt action rifle

Slick - troop transport helicopter, UH-1

Slow mover - propeller driven air force fighter aircraft

Snake - slang, a Cobra helicopter

SOG - acronym, Special Operations Group, see "Special Project"

SOP - acronym, Standing Operating Procedures

SSG - rank, Staff Sergeant

Stabo rig - special web gear allowing the wearer to be picked up by the harness

Straphang - operate with a team other than one's own

Tail - the soldier who walks last in formation and covers the rear

TOC - acronym, Tactical Operations Center

TO&E, TOE - acronym, Table of Organization and Equipment, the way a military unit is organized

Tracer - military round that leaves a visible trail as it travels

Tri-border - that area of SEA around the point where Viet Nam, Cambodia and Laos meet

V Corps - "Five Corps", see "Special Project"

Ville - slang, village, particularly a Montagnard village

Watcher - see LZ watcher

White mouse - derogatory term for the national police of Rvn

WP, willie pete - a white phosphorus round or grenade

'Yard - slang, Montagnard, q.v.

Zero week - an unassigned first week before the commencement of a school, frequently spent on details