Glossary

The following abbreviations or acronyms were frequently used in Vietnam:

AO
Area of Operation
APC
Armored Personnel Carrier
CHICOM
Chinese Communist.  Mostly used with the word grenade.
CMH
Congressional Medal of Honor
CSWC
Crew Served Weapon Captured
Charlie Charlie
Command and Control Helicopter
Dust Off
Medical Evacuation Helicopter
Gunship
Armed Helicopter with 40mm Rockets and Machine Guns
IWC
Individual Weapon Captured
KIA
Killed in Action
KBA
Killed by Artillery
KCS
Kit Carson Scout; a Vietnamese Trained Scout used with U.S. forces, usually a former Viet Cong.
LOH
Light Observation Helicopter
MAM
Military Aged Male
MF
Main Force
NVA
North Vietnamese Army
PETNA
An explosive substance
RPG
Rocket Propelled Grenade (anti-personnel and anti-armor)
RF
Regional Force
RD
Regional District Police
SAMPAN
A Vietnamese boat made of either wood or buffalo grass
SHADOW
Airforce C130 Gunship
SMOKEY
Airforce C130 Flare Ship
TOC
Tactical Operation Center
UNSEF
Unknown Sized Enemy Force
VC
Viet Cong
VCS
Viet Cong Suspect
VCMF
Viet Cong Main Force
VCLF
Viet Cong Local Force
VIP
Vietnamese Information Program (A program that provided incentives to the local population for turning in or providing information on enemy weapons, locations, or booby traps.)
VN
Vietnamese National Civilian
WIA
Wounded in Action

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