Vietnam Vocab

ARVN

The “Army of the Republic of Vietnam” was the main fighting force of the Republic of Vietnam, or South

Vietnam, during the Vietnam War.

2. NVA/VC

The “North Vietnamese Army” was the army that fought against the United States in the Vietnam War.

The “Viet Cong” was the guerilla force associated with the North Vietnamese Army.

3. DMZ

The “demilitarized zone” was the geographical area separating the territories of North and South Vietnam

in which both sides agreed to withdraw forces.

4. Point Man

The “point man” assumed the especially dangerous position at the front of a group of advancing troops. In

this role, they were often the first to encounter enemy, traps, and other hazards.

5. Radio Man

Tasked with an essential but dangerous job, the “radio man” served on the front lines making necessary

communications such as requests for support from other units, location and situation reports, and calls to

medical evacuation teams. This was an especially dangerous position because the enemy could easily

identify them by the radio antennae and would target them so they couldn’t call for support.

6. Sit-Rep

Short for situation report, a “sit-rep” was provided at regular intervals or when the circumstances

warranted updates between field units and supervisors. A “negative sit-rep” meant the unit had nothing to

report.

7. Tunnel Rat

A “tunnel rat” took on a special, unconventional role: to search through enemy tunnels and underground

bunkers in search of usable intelligence or materials, and destroy those tunnels and bunkers once they

had been searched. Tunnel rats were often small in stature which enabled them to navigate the close and

confined spaces. They risked encounters with booby traps, enemy forces, and other hazards.

8. LRRP (pronounced: lurp)

A “long-range reconnaissance patrol” was a small and specialized group of men that travelled deep into

enemy territory. While in place, these men would gather intelligence, rescue downed air crews, and

engage the enemy as needed.

9. KP

“Kitchen patrol” was a less-than-favorable duty given to junior service members, or sometimes, assigned

as a disciplinary measure for minor infractions. Also known as mess hall duty, a day on KP might have

looked like prepping food, washing dishes, or monitoring the dining area.

10. FNG

A “f%#@!$ new guy” was the newcomer to a unit, aircraft, or ship. He was nearly always the target ofrelentless teasing and ridicule.

11. LT/Butter Bar

A nickname prankishly given to the lowest ranking officer (the second lieutenant or ensign),

“butter bar”

gets its name from the uniform rank insignia, which has a yellow color like a single, solid stick of butter.

12. Ring Knocker

Officers who received their commission after attending a military academy were sometimes called Ring

Knockers, as some would often wear their Academy class rings and knock them on the table so others

would admire them for their awesomeness. This distinction and bond was enviable by some and

abhorred by others.

13. Brown-water Navy

Patrolling the inland waterways of North Vietnam, the “brown-water Navy” were successful in its mission

to stop the North Vietnam from using the South Vietnamese coast and rivers to move supplies and

weapons during the Vietnam War. A Navy service member engaged in patrolling these waterways was

sometimes called a “River Rat.

”

14. Blue-water Navy

Unlike the brown-water Navy, the blue-water Navy was comprised largely of ships unable to navigate in

the shallower waters. These ships would carry out off-shore bombardment, launch and recover aircraft,

and support brown-water and shore units often outside the territorial waters of Vietnam.

15. Bravo-Zulu (BZ)

“Bravo-Zulu,

” especially used by the Navy, originated from the Naval Flags for Bravo and Zulu. It sends a

congratulatory message to the receiver: Well Done!

16. FOB

The Forward Operating Base was a smaller base forward from the main bases. They generally had fewer

amenities and basic provisions.

17. FSB

The Fire Support Base was a temporary military outpost placed to increase artillery coverage into areas of

Vietnam that could not normally be hit from artillery placed on main bases, FOBs or ships.

18. Boonies

If a service member was trudging through the “boonies,

” they were travelling through the swampy or

forested areas of Vietnam. They usually were said to be “out in the boonies” away from operating bases

or any comforts like hot meals, clean water, showers or cots to sleep on.

19. Spider Hole

A “spider hole” was a foxhole dug in the ground just large enough for one troop to crouch into before

covering the top of the hole with a camouflaged cover and staking out, waiting for movement, and

observing enemy forces.

20. Bouncing Betty

Nickname given to the type of mine or explosive device that when tripped would launch into the air before

detonating.

21. Agent Orange

In order to provide defensible space near bases, FOBs, FSBs, and the river fronts, the United States used

herbicides to kill the forest and understory plants and grasses. The most widely used chemical was

nicknamed “Agent Orange” due to the color painted on the barrels it would come in. It was extremely

effective but has had long-term effects on our veterans, their children, and the Vietnamese people.22. Arc Light

Code name for B-52 bomber strikes. These operations shook the earth for ten miles away from the target

area. The B-52 often would drop 500 lb. bombs from 30,000’ altitude. The bombs would hit in a row up to

100 yards long, often referred to as “carpet bombing.

”

23. POW/MIA

Those Americans who were captured as prisoners were designated as Prisoners of War. At the

conclusion of the war, many of these prisoners and others who had gone missing would be classified as

Missing in Action. Today, 1,582 Americans are still considered MIA. The last of the POWs were returned

in 1973.

24. Hanoi Hilton

The “Hanoi Hilton” was a nickname given to the most widely known North Vietnamese prison for US

prisoners of war; the Vietnamese name was “Hỏa Lò Prison.

”

25. Ho Chi Minh Trail

The “Ho Chi Minh Trail” was a complex system of paths and trails throughout the Vietnam peninsula used

by North Vietnamese forces to transport soldiers, weapons, and supplies throughout North Vietnam and

even into South Vietnam territory. It took over a month for North Vietnamese forces to march to South

Vietnam on the trail.

26. Ruck/Rucksack

A lightweight backpack issued to infantry in Vietnam. Once filled with necessary resources such as water,

food, and clothes, weapons, ammo, and hand grenades,

“rucks” could weigh up to 85 lbs.

27. Tiger suits

Given that much of the Vietnam War was fought in dense jungles, it only made sense that camouflaged

uniforms adapted to the environment.

“Tiger suits” were specialized uniforms camouflaged to resemble

tiger stripes.

28. Boonie hat

To keep both rain and sun off a service member’s face, Vietnam service members often wore “boonie

hats” with wide brims and camouflaged patterns. These were soft and cloth, as opposed to steel-pot

helmets. Modern and fashionable versions of the boonie hat are called “bucket hats.

”

29. Beaucoup

“Beaucoup” (pronounced ‘bowkoo’) is a French term meaning ‘many,

’ ‘plenty’ or ‘too much.

’ It was

adapted by American and allied soldiers and used widely in Vietnam.

30. Boondoggle

Someone who uses this word is certainly not speaking highly of a military operation; a “boondoggle” was

used to describe an operation that is absurd or useless, or not completely thought out. It might also be a

questionable official reason or excuse to go someplace or do something that is needlessly decadent, like

having a mysterious “hydraulic leak” on an aircraft that caused the crew to spend an unexpected 5 days in

Hawaii waiting for maintenance.

31. Spooky

The AC-47, nicknamed “Spooky,

” was the Vietnam-era aircraft that proved fixed-wing planes (as opposed

to rotary-wing like helicopters) had a place in providing close air support in combat. The Spooky had a

big gun sticking out the side. The airplane would circle while the gun provided accurate and

overwhelming fire support to a unit on the ground or to attack a target.

32. HueyIf Vietnam is the helicopter war, the “Huey” was the helicopter. The Bell UH-1 Iroquois was the

multipurpose helicopter used by all service branches for all types of missions in Vietnam. It would

transport troops, materials, and casualties. It could provide reconnaissance and fire support. Some

Hueys were even used to spray Agent Orange and other defoliants. The sound of a Huey is synonymous

with the war.

33. Dustoff

A “Dustoff” unit put the Huey to use for medical purposes.

“Dustoff” or “Dusty” often was part of the

callsign for the medevac aircraft missions. Dustoff crews typically consisted of four people: two pilots, a

medic and a crew chief, who would receive requests from combat units requesting a medevac and

navigate toward them as quickly as possible to provide relief and transportation to the closest in-theater

hospital.

34. Birds

A “bird” was a service member’s way of saying “ aircraft,

” often referring to a helicopter or chopper.

35. REMF

This derogatory term referred to someone who service in rear areas away from the fighting and the

danger. Hence the term meaning “rear eschelon mother f%#@!$.

”

36. DAP

Vietnam service members often developed handshakes that went above and beyond the typical by

inclusion of snaps, slaps, shakes, and sometimes even a hug or a jump. The elaborate handshakes gave

troops a sense of unity and community, and are still used to this day.

37. Donut Dollie

A volunteer with the Red Cross, a “Donut Dollie” was a woman who volunteered to travel to Vietnam to

boost morale amongst soldiers by handing out donuts, facilitating games, or simply chit-chatting. They

were recognizable by the light blue dresses they wore, even while visiting forward base camps or “fire

bases.

”

38. Care package

Family, friends, and loved ones who wanted to show their gratitude for their service member oversees

could do so by sending a “care package:” a box of goodies that might include cookies, candy,

newspapers, coffee, or any other reminders of home.

39. Short-Timer’s Stick

It was not uncommon for service members to engage in rituals and superstitions when they became a

“short-timer”: someone with just a short period of service time left in their deployment before returning

home. One common ritual was making a “short-timer’s stick,

” or taking a long stick and notching in it for

each of his remaining days in Vietnam. By the time he could go home, the short-timer’s stick was just a

stub.

40. Freedom Bird

This Vietnam-era term has a meaning as uplifting as the name would imply; a “freedom bird” was the

aircraft that brought a service member home at the end of their tour of duty