Home Contact AFVN Past Contacts AFVN Roster POWS: The Honored Taps: Those Departed AFVN Organization AFVN Reunions
AFVN History AFVN Photos & Stories AFVN Group Conversations Audio Archives Video Archives AFVN Guest Book
Project Jenny KLIK - 1st Inf Di v Women in Vietnam RELATED-- To AFVN To Saigon To Vietnam Further Afield Index
-- C --
C-Day - Conversion Day, The date MPC was exchanged for a new version (making the old version useless)
C-Ration - Combat Ration. Three meals comprised one C-ration. One ration is the food required for one man for one day.
There were twelve C-rations in a case in Vietnam. The C-1 (C-Ration) had fruit in it in Vietnam. Ham &
lima beans was the least favored C-ration meal in Vietnam. Was like a bad-tasting paste.
C-4 - A plastic explosive preferred by soldiers, it is highly stable, lightweight, and only exploded by detonators. Used
to heat C-rations when heat-tabs weren't available.
CA - Combat Assault.
CA - Heavy Cruiser
CaCa Dau – A slang Vietnamese expression meaning to “to kill you.”
CAG - Guided Missile Heavy Cruiser
Calley, Lt. William - Ordered the killing of 200-500 civilians at My Lai.
Cam Ranh Bay - A supply depot, and the place where largest U.S. Air Force base (12th Tactical Fighter Wing & 483rd Tactical
Airlift Wing) and hospital was located. Several other units were also based there such as Special Ops
squadrons.
Cambodia - Was (reportedly) invaded by the US and South Vietnamese troops, May 1970. 81 US military personnel were
reported killed in Cambodia or Laos during the Vietnam War.
Cammies - Camouflaged jungle fatigues.
Cane-pressure mine - Named for the exertion of air on its detonator. The VC/NVA mine was placed in the trees to destroy
incoming helicopters dropping off personnel and supplies.
CAP - Combined Action program
CAPT - Captain (Navy 0-6)
CAR – The predecessor of the M-16 rifle – a Carbine, the CAR-15.
Cargomaster - C-133 aircraft; a large cargo plane
Caribou - C-V-2A or B (Army) C-7A or B( Air Force) pilots were known as Bou (Boo) drivers.
CAS – Close air support.
Casualties – It has been estimated by the Vietnamese government in recent years that over two-million civilian casualties
were killed during the 10 years of the war. North Vietnamese military losses were given as one-million
killed.
Casualty Staging Areas – Primarily US military hospitals in Vietnam. Wounded soldiers were usually air lifted to the nearest
hospital where their condition was “triaged” and the determination was made on the spot for their
next level and location for continuing care.
CBU – Cluster Bomb Unit – a bomb that breaks apart while being deployed and fragments into many bomblets.
C.C. - Company Commander.
C&C – Command and control.
CCB - Command and Communications Boat. Converted LCM-6 landing craft similar to the Monitor but with radio
equipment in the well deck. They were used to relay radio traffic from the MRF base to units in the field.
CCB - Command Communication (Control) Boat
CD - Costal Division
CDS - Container Delivery System. The manner in which supplies were dropped from aircraft.
CDR - Commander (Navy O-5)
CEC - Civil Engineer Corps
Cedar Falls - See: Operations.
Central Highlands, The - The highlands of South Vietnam are a prominent geographic region with elevations ranging from
100 meters to over 1000 meters.
CG – Command General
CGN - Guided Missile Cruiser (nuclear-powered)
CH-47 - Chinook helicopter: nickname" flying banana" or "Hook" or “Shit Hook.”
CH-54 - Skycrane helicopter.
Charlie - The enemy, the Viet Cong.
Charlie Four - C4 plastic explosive.
CHC - Chaplain Corps
Cherry - A new person in a unit without combat experience.
Chicken Plate – Early body armor worn over the upper half of the body. Initially used by soldiers on tracked vehicles and by
door gunners on helicopters. Many choose to sit on the armor plate.
Chi Lai - Known as Surf City in South Vietnam (also an in-county R & R center).
Chicago Eight - The eight people arrested, and tried for disrupting the Democrat's 1968 Convention.
Chicom - Chinese Communist.
Chieu Hoi - “Open arms” in Vietnamese. A program to encourage defectors from Viet Cong and NVA in 1969-70 in South
Vietnam. About 80,000 took advantage of this program. These were called Chieu Hois.
China Beach - Located near Da Nang. An in-country R&R center in the Northern part of South Vietnam.
Chinook - CH-47 troop/cargo helicopter. Nicknamed – “Shit Hook” by US forces.
Choi Oi – A Vietnamese expression literally meaning “holy mackerel! - what the heck?”
Church Key – A bottle opener.
CIA - Central Intelligence Agency
CIB – Combat Infantry Badge. A US Army award given to infantrymen awarded to infantrymen and Special Forces
Soldiers in the rank of Colonel and below, who personally fought in active ground combat while
assigned as members of either an infantry, Ranger or Special Forces unit, of brigade size or smaller,
any time after 6 December 1941.
CIA - Central Intelligence Agency - sponsored an airline “Air-America” in Southeast Asia.
CID - Criminal Investigation Division.
CIDG - Civilian Irregular Defense Group. Militia forces trained by US Special Forces.
CINCPAC - Commander-in-Chief, Pacific
CINCPACAF - Commaneer-in-Chief, Pacific Air Force
CINCPACFLT - Commander-In Chief, US Pacific Fleet
Citadel, The - A rectangular-shaped structure in Hue surrounded by walls - home to early Vietnamese royalty.
Clacker - See: Klacker. A firing device (exploder) for triggering claymore mines and other electrically initiated demolitions.
Claymore Mine – A fan-shaped anti-personnel mine that uses C-4 explosive to project shrapnel in a fan-shaped pattern of
fragments.
CLG - Guided Missle Light Cruiser
Cluster Bombs – A single bomb that consists of several smaller bombs/bomblets contained in a single casing.
CM - Construction Mechanic
CMB – Combat Medic Badge
CNO - Chief of Naval Operations
C.O. (CO) - Commanding Officer; Conscientious Objector.
Coal, Anthracite (hard) - Vietnam's most abundant mineral.
Cobra - AH-1G attack helicopter first introduced in Vietnam in October 1967. Nicknamed by some as the “Snake” or
“Shark.” It carried 2.75-inch rockets (HI/WP/Smoke), and it mounted a 40mm traversing gun under the
aircraft nose. They were painted with eyes and a shark mouth reminiscent of Flying Tiger airplanes of
WWII. The paint job was purely for psychological impact.
Combat Master Piece - .38-caliber (six inch barrel) pistol used by military, especially USAF Security Police personnel. A four-inch
barrel version was issued to pilots for a sidearm. The 45 cal (M1911A1) was also issued to security
personnel).
Combat Hornet - C-119 (Also Flying Boxcar), manufactured by Fairchild.
Combat Pay - $50 to $65 (per month) given to the U.S. military serving in Vietnam.
Combat Photographer – Each of the US military services had dedicated photographers who accompanied soldiers and units in
all phases of the war. Their pictures appeared around the world.
Comics - Topographic maps.
Commo Check - Communications check on the radio.
Communes - People with similar ideas living in groups.
COMNAVFORV - Commander, US Naval Forces, Vietnam
Company - A military unit of 250 men usually commanded by a captain and consisting of two or more platoons depending
upon it’s assigned mission. In the artillery a company is called a battery – Called, in the cavalry, a troop.
CONUSMACV - Commander, US Military Assistance Command, Vietnam
Con Thien - Near the DMZ. Termed the Hill of Angels during the Vietnam War by the Marines.
Cong Khi – A monkey.
Cong Moui – A mosquito.
Concertina Wire - Razor wire used as part of the perimeter defense around most secured areas in Vietnam.
Contact - Engagement with the enemy.
CONUS – The continental United States – the “world” in GI slang.
Cook Off – A term used to describe a weapon that fired too many rounds and built up sufficient heat that it fired
rounds/shells without the trigger being pulled.
Cooper-Church Amendment - (passed on December 12, 1969) prohibited US military from entering Laos.
CORDS – Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support.
Corps - South Vietnam was divided into four military sections (Corps): designated I, II, III, and IV. Also, two or more
military divisions. Also a term used to describe specialized military services: Medical Corps, Signal Corps,
Transportation Corps, Finance Corps, etc.
Cost – The Vietnam war cost US taxpayers approximately 150 billion dollars.
CP - Command Post.
CQ - Charge of Quarters.
Cronauer, Adrian - US Air Force Disc Jockey who became famous with his "Good Morning Vietnam" morning radio program
opener.
Crusader - US Navy F-8. Used as a reconnaissance plane due to its speed and maneuverability.
CS - Riot control (tear) gas
CSC - Coastal Surveillance Center
CTF - Commander, Task Force
CTG - Commander, Task Group
CTU - Commander, Task Unit
Cut and Slash - A day hiking through elephant grass and bamboo would do this to a person and their clothing.
CV - Aircraft Carrier
CVA - Attack Aircraft Carrier
CVAN - Attack Aircraft Carrier (nuclear-powered)
CVS - Antisubmarine Warfare Support Aircraft Carrier
CVSQ - Carrier, Antisubmarine Warfare Air Group
Cyclo – (Sic-low) Three-wheeled peddle driven bicycle with the passenger seat in front.
An "Unofficial" Vietnam
Dictionary
Written by Paul Kasper
Edited by Bob Nelson
Dedicated to all Vietnam Veterans--"Especially those who didn't come home."