• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 1002 0

the BSM and a case of posttraumatic stress disorder, which did not begin to heal until the night he had a nightmare, woke up to his wife's screams, and upon releasing her gave in to her demand that he finally talk about it, she being optimistic and hardheaded about saving the marriage. He is still a pessimist but now has his associate degree, wears five stripes in the reserves, is the father of two, and is a plant layout engineer living in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Sergeant Rush (HHT/2-11) is now married with children, and a first sergeant in the National Guard, living in Kittanning, Pennsylvania. Specialist Fourth Class Thompson (G/2-11) was discharged with the ARCOM and worked as a crane operator before marrying. He has a child and, earning a commission, this time in the Air Force, he is now a captain in the security police branch. Lieutenant Colonel Griffin (CO, 3-11) retired as a colonel to take over the family business, but then died of a heart ailment. Major Driskill (XO and S-3, 3-11) is now a colonel. Captain Speedy (CO, K/3-11) served two combat tours, won two SS, BSMv, five BSM, AM, ARCOMv, and PH, and married with children is now a colonel. Captain Miles (CO, HHC and L/3-11) won three BSMv, two BSM, AM, ARCOMv, and two PH for his two tours, retired as a captain after twenty years of enlisted and commissioned service, and is now a corporate manager with a defense contractor. He is the father of four sons (two of whom are in the service) and lives with his wife in Springfield, Virginia. Captain Wallace (CO, M/3-11) won the BSMv. ARCOMv, and PH in Cambodia. Married after his tour, he has two children and is presently a colonel. Specialist Fourth Class Gross (1/3-11) is now married, with three children, and is a high-school teacher in Alliance, Ohio.

Abbreviations include MH (Medal of Honor), DSC (Distinguished Service Cross), DSM (Distinguished Service Medal), SS (Silver Star), LM (Legion of Merit), DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross), SM (Soldier's Medal), BSM (Bronze Star Medal, with “v” for valor) AM (Air Medal, with “v” for valor), ARCOM (Army Commendation Medal, with ' V for valor), and PH (Purple Heart).

Glossary

DEROS Date of Estimated Return Overseas

DISCOM Division Support Command

DMZ Demilitarized Zone, dividing line between North and South Vietnam on the 17th parallel

Duster nickname for M-42 combat vehicle mounted with two 40mm cannons

EOD Explosive Ordnance Disposal

E-tool Entrenching tool, military term for shovel

FA Field Artillery

FAC Forward Air Controller

FDC Fire Direction Center

FFV Field Force Vietnam

Flak jacket Sleeveless armored vest designed to stop shrapnel

FNG Fucking New Guy

FO Forward Observer

FSB Fire Support Base

H & I Harassment and Interdiction artillery fire

HHC Headquarters and Headquarters Company

HHT Headquarters and Headquarters Troop

Huey nickname for the UHI series of helicopter

KIA Killed In Action

Kiowa nickname for the OH58 helicopter

Kit Carson Scout or Tiger Scout Communist soldier who defected to the allies and volunteered to serve with U.S. units as a scout/interpreter

Laager assembly positions of armor units

LAW Light Antitank Weapon

LIB Light Infantry Brigade

Loach nickname for OH6 helicopter

LOC Line of Communication

LP Listening Post

LZ Landing Zone

MACV Military Assistance Command, Vietnam

Mad Minute practice of placing heavy fire around a defensive position, usually at night, without warning or apparent reason, to dissuade enemy troops from approaching

Mechanical Mule four-wheeled light weapons carrier

MIA Missing In Action

Minigun Gatling guns capable of firing 6,000 rounds per minute

MPC Military Pay Currency

NVA North Vietnamese Army

OD Olive Drab

OP Observation Post

Opcon Operational Control

Patton M-48 tank

Phantom F4 jet

Pony nickname for an APC

PSP Pierced Steel Planking

PZ Pick-up Zone

Quad-fifty truck mounted with four .50 caliber machine guns

Redleg nickname for artillery

REMF Rear Echelon Mother Fucker

RIF Reconnaissance in Force

Rome Plow engineer bulldozer capable of knocking down trees

RPD communist