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Project Jenny KLIK - 1st Inf Di v Women in Vietnam RELATED-- To AFVN To Saigon To Vietnam Further Afield Index
Since 1957
(International)
November
October
Papa
Quebec
Romeo
Siera
Tango
Uniform
Victor
Whiskey
X-Ray
Yankee
Zulu
World War Two
until 1957
Nancy
Obeo
Peter
Queen
Roger
Sugar
Tare
Uncle
Victor
William
X-Ray
Yoke
Zebra
Letter
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
Y
W
X
Y
Z
Letter
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
World War Two
until 1957
Able
Baker
Charlie
Dog
Easy
Fox
George
How
Item
Jig
King
Love
Mike
Since 1957
(International)
Alpha
Bravo
Charlie
Delta
Echo
Gox Trot
Golf
Hotel
India
Juliet
Kilo
Lima
Mike
Piasters or Ps - South Vietnamese currency (slang was Ps).
Pierce Arrow - See: Operations.
Pig - Slang for the M-60 machine gun. Or, the domestic farm animal consumed by Vietnamese with rice and sauce.
PIRAZ - Positive Identification Radar Advisory Zone
Platoon (Plt) - A military unit compressed of approximately 45 personnel belonging to a company. Commanded by a
Lieutenant, a platoon is an organizational unit composed of two or more squads.
PLF - Parachute Landing Fall – the body position assumed by paratroopers just prior to landing on an LZ – Landing
Zone which is located in a DZ – Drop Zone.
Pleiku - A city in the midst of the Central Highlands geographic region. Also a major US Air Base.
Pogue - A derogatory name for rear echelon personnel.
Point (man)- The name for the first man on patrol in a squad (or unit).
POL - Petroleum, Oil, Lubricants
Poncho - A military issue garment used to keep military personnel (relatively) dry during rains in South East Asia. Green
and (supposedly) waterproof.
Poncho Liner – A nylon insert blanket either used with the military rain poncho or used independently as a blanket.
Poor man's subway system - VC/NVA tunnel system in Vietnam.
POP – Common term used as in to “launch” (pop) a flare or ambush.
Pop Art - The type of art that was popular during the early sixties. It could be seen in GIs quarters in the US and Vietnam
during the war (not liked by lifers). Andy Whorhall was one of the most famous Pop artists.
Poppy - A South East Asian plant from which heroin is made.
Pop Smoke – An expression or command to throw a smoke grenade to mark a target or used for identification. When used
for identification the inbound crew would call out the color of the smoke – the team on the ground
would verify the color.
POW - Prisoner Of War. The POWs who refused to talk to Jane Fonda were tortured when she visited Hanoi in 1972.
POW/MIA - Prisoner Of War/Missing In Action. February 23, 1973 - The first of several POW/MIAs were released (but not all).
Betty Olsen and Eleanor Vetti were female POWs (Red Cross workers) who were later killed. The vast
majority of POW/MIAs were pilots. The Air Force had the most POW/MIAs in Vietnam.
Powder room - The latrine for US women in Vietnam.
PRC-25 - (Prick 25) The portable FM radio used in Vietnam.
PRC-77 - (The Monster) A radio used in Vietnam with a secure frequency.
Profile - A medical excuse from duty.
Provinces - South Vietnam is divided in to these defined geographic areas.
PRU - Provincial Recon Units
PSDF – A South Vietnamese militia group called the “Peoples Self Defense Force.”
PSP - Pierced Steel Planking. Used for construction projects from airstrips to bridges to helicopter landing pads;
also used by soldiers for covering the top of entrenched fortifications – sand bags were laid on top
of the PSP.
Psychedelic Drugs - The class of drugs that (supposedly) expanded the mind.
PT - Physical Training
PT - Motor Patrol Boat, Torpedo
PT76 - Soviet amphibious tank.
PTF - Patrol Boat, Fast
PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Dysfunction). A psychological condition that occurs after a stressful
situation (e.g., war, accident, rape, robbery, etc.). PTSD is characterized by anxiety, depression, guilt,
sorrow (or grief), a sense of shame, death anxiety, panic, low self-esteem, rage, and/or any combination
of these. Treatment varies with the severity, and willingness of the person to seek help.
Pucker Factor – Assessment of the ‘fear factor’, as in the difficulty or risk involved in an upcoming mission.
Puff (The Magic Dragon) – Prototype AC-47 gun ship. The plane was equipped with rapid-fire machine guns. It received the
name Puff from the trail of flame that went from the plane to the ground when on a firing mission.
Pugil Stick Training – A training exercise using padded sticks used to prepare military personnel for bayonet fighting.
Punji Stick - A sharpened bamboo stick covered with human excrement designed and deployed by the VC as a booby trap -
designed to be stepped on.
PX - Postal Exchange.
PZ - Pickup Zone (helicopter).
-- P --
P-38 - A folding metal can opener that was approximately 1.5 inches long. The Marines called it the "John Wayne.”
PAB - Plastic Assault Boat. A 16 foot Boston Whaler with an outboard motor
Pacification - A MACV proposal to win over the local Vietnamese populace.
PACV - Patrol Air Cushion Vehicle
Papa San - Older Vietnamese male.
Paris Peace Accord – The document ended US involvement in Vietnam; signed by Richard Nixon, January 1973.
Paris, France - The European city where the (Vietnam) peace talks were held. The main contention at the beginning of the Paris
peace talks was the shape of the table.
Pathet Lao - Laotian Communist Guerrillas (Brothers to the North Vietnamese).
PAVN - People's Army of Vietnam (NVA).
PBR - Patrol Boat, River (was specifically designed for waters of Vietnam). Only 10 percent of the PBRs were removed
from service because of combat damage. Four-man crew with two diesel engines that powered water jet
pump drives that allowed the boats to turn and reverse directions with almost instant response. Two
different boats were used, the MK-1 and the MK-2 – armed with twin 50 caliber machine guns forward,
an M-30, 30 caliber machine and an M-18 40 mm grenade launcher amidships, and a 50 caliber MG
in the rear.
PBR – Pabst Blue Ribbon beer
PC - Patrol Craft (Submarine Chaser)
PCS - Permanent Change of Station
PCE - Patrol Escort
PCER - Rescue Escort
PCF - Fast Patrol Craft (Swiftboat)
Peace Candidates - The name of candidates for government offices who did not believe the US should be involved in the Vietnam
War during the sixties and seventies.
Pedicab - A common mode of transportation in Vietnam with room for two passengers riding in the front.
Pentagon Papers - A secret study requested by President Johnson. The US government disclosure fed fuel to the anti-war
sentiment in the US (as well as the world). The writers of this document discouraged US involvement
in Vietnam.
Pepper, Hot - A tasty vegetable often available from farmers and markets that amazed the unwary and made them cry (tear),
but livened up C-rations. The Thai-finger pepper is much, much, much hotter than any domestic
US pepper.
Peter Pilot - Helicopter co-pilot.
PF – Popular Forces (South Vietnamese)
PFC - Private First Class
PG - Patrol Gunboat
PGH - Patrol Gunboat, Hydrofoil
PGM - Motor Gunboat
Phased Departure - The governmental term for the US military troop withdrawal from Vietnam.
Pho - The Vietnamese breakfast beverage/soup made from water (broth), rice, pork, various vegetables (leeks, etc.),
and Nouc Mam sauce (or any combination of the above).
Phoenix - See: Operations.
Phonetic Alphabet - Used in communications (radio and land line)
An "Unofficial" Vietnam
Dictionary
Written by Paul Kasper
Edited by Bob Nelson
Dedicated to all Vietnam Veterans--"Especially those who didn't come home."