AK-47–Communist 7.62-mm semi-automatic and fully automatic assault rifle
AK-50–The newest version of the AK-47. Some have a permanently mounted “illegal” triangular bayonet, which leaves a sucking wound that will not close.
AOD–Administrative officer on duty
APC–Armored personnel carrier
AR–Army regulation
ARVN–Army Republic of Vietnam
Bandoliers–Belts of machine-gun ammunition
Boonies–The countryside
Bouncing Betty–A mine with two charges: one to propel the explosive charge upward and the other set to explode at about waist level.
Bravo–Army designation for infantry man
Burr Holes–Surgical holes drilled through the skull so that the brain and its surrounding vessels can be operated on.
CA–Combat assault. Term applied to taking troopers into a hot landing zone.
Chopper–Helicopter
Cobra–Heavily armed assault helicopter
CP–Command post
Dust Off–Medical evacuation mission by helicopter. The term refers to the great amount of dust thrown up by the rotors as the med-evacs come in to land.
Enucleation–Surgical removal of the eye
ENT–Ear, nose, and throat
Fire Base–An artillery battery set up to give fire support to surrounding units
FO–Forward observer
Grunt–Originally slang for a marine fighting in Vietnam, but later applied to any soldier fighting there.
H and E–High explosive
Horn–Radio microphone
ICU–Intensive-care unit
Intubate–To thread a hollow tube down into the windpipe to facilitate breathing.
IV–Intravenous injection
KIA–Killed in action
LOH–(pronounced loach) Light observation helicopter
LRRP–Long-range reconnaissance patrol. Now called LRP (long-range patrol). Initially four- or five-man teams that would go out for recon; now ten- to twenty-man ambush patrols.
LZ–Landing zone
M-16–American 5.56-mm infantry rifle
M-60–American 7.62-machine gun
MACV–Military Assistance Command Vietnam
Med Cap–Medical civil assistance program for Vietnamese civilians
MOS–Military occupational specialty
NCO–Noncommissioned officer
Nephrectomy–Surgical removal of a kidney
NPD–Night perimeter defense
NVA–North Vietnamese Army
OR–Operating room
Point–The lead man on a patrol
RPD–A 7.62-mm Communist machine gun with a 100-round, beltoperated drum that fires the same round as the AK-47.
RPG–A Communist self-propelled rocket.
SI–Seriously ill
Slick–Helicopter for transporting troops
TAC–Tactical air strikes
Thorazine–A tranquilizer
Titers–Amount of anti-body in a serum
TOC–Tactical operation center, usually battalion level and above
Track–Any vehicle that moves on treads instead of wheels
Triage–The sorting out of patients according to the criticalness of their needs, i.e., those who need immediate surgery versus those who need only minimal care.
USARV–United States Army Republic of Vietnam
VC–Viet Cong
Vena Cava–The large vein draining blood back to the heart, the superior vena cava draining the whole upper half of the body, and the interior vena cava draining the lower extremities and trunk.
Ventricular Shunts–Tubes, surgically placed, which drain excessive fluid from the ventricles of the brain.
VSI–Very seriously ill. Army designation for those troopers who may die without immediate and definitive medical care.