• Home
  • About
    • About Us
      • Chris Hobson
      • Dave Lovelady
    • About the Book
    • About the Data
    • About this Site
  • Sidelines
    • Background to the Wars in Southeast Asia
    • 1961 to 1964: Civil War in Laos/Early Operations in South Vietnam
    • 1965: Escalation of the War/Start of Rolling Thunder
    • 1966: Rolling Thunder Gets into its Stride
    • 1967: Rolling Thunder - The Peak Year
    • 1968: Tet, Khe Sanh, and the End of Rolling Thunder
    • 1969: Interdiction on the Ho Chi Minh Trail
    • 1970: The Year of Withdrawal
    • 1971: A Much Reduced Presence
    • 1972: The Spring Invasion/Linebacker Campaigns
    • 1973: Winding Up the War
  • Statistics
    • Loss Statistics
    • Losses Due to Air Base Attacks
    • Losses Due to Accidents on the Ground or Aboard Ship
    • US Air Force Loss Statistics
    • US Navy Loss Statistics
    • US Marine Corps Loss Statistics
  • Details
    • Order of Battle
    • Index of Names
    • Abbreviations and Glossary of Operations, Code Names, and Projects
    • Bibliography
  • Searching the Database
    • Hints on How to Search
    • Notes and Caveats
    • Search Forms
  • Photo Gallery
  • Contact Us

Abbreviations and Glossary of Operations, Code Names, and Projects

 

List of Abbreviations

Glossary of Operation Names, Code Names, and Project Names

 

ABBREVIATIONS

A1C          Airman First Class

A2C          Airman Second Class

AAA         Anti-aircraft Artillery

AB            Air Base

ABCCC    Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Centre

ABS          Air Base Squadron

ABW        Air Base Wing

ACCS       Airborne Command and Control Squadron

ACG         Air Commando Group

ACS          Air Commando Squadron

ACW         Air Commando Wing

AD            Air Division

AD1          Aviation Machinist’s Mate Petty Officer First Class

AD2          Aviation Machinist’s Mate Petty Officer Second Class

AD3          Aviation Machinist’s Mate Petty Officer Third Class

ADC         Aviation Machinist’s Mate Chief Petty Officer

ADF          Automatic Direction Finder

ADJ          Aviation Machinist’s Mate (Jet Engine Mechanic)

ADR         Aviation Machinist’s Mate (Reciprocating Engine Mechanic)

AE2          Aviation Electrician’s Mate Petty Officer Second Class

AEAN      Aviation Electrician’s Mate Airman

AEW         Airborne Early Warning

AEW&C   Airborne Early Warning and Control

AFB          Air Force Base

AFC          Air Force Cross

AM2         Aviation Metalsmith Petty Officer Second Class

AN            Airman (US Navy)

ANG         Air National Guard

APS          Aerial Port Squadron

ARM         Anti-radiation Missile

ARRG       Air Rescue and Recovery Group

ARRS        Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron

ARRW      Air Rescue and Recovery Wing

ARS          Air Refuelling Squadron

ARS          Air Rescue Squadron

ARVN       Army of the Republic of Vietnam

AS             Attack Squadron (USAF)

ASW         Anti-submarine Warfare

AT1           Aviation Electronics Technician Petty Officer First Class

AT2           Aviation Electronics Technician Petty Officer Second Class

AT3           Aviation Electronics Technician Petty Officer Third Class

ATN          Aviation Electronics Technician (Navigation)

AWADS    Adverse Weather Aerial Delivery System

AX            Aviation Anti-Submarine Warfare Technician Petty Officer

 

BARCAP   Barrier Combat Air Patrol

BDA          Bomb Damage Assessment

BMC         Chief Boatswain’s Mate

BS             Bombardment Squadron

BS(P)        Bombardment Squadron (Provisional)

BW           Bombardment Wing

BW(P)      Bombardment Wing (Provisional)

 

CAG         Commander Air Group

CAP          Combat Air Patrol

Capt          Captain

CBU         Cluster Bomb Units

CCK         Ching Chuan Kang AB

CCTS       Combat Crew Training Squadron

CCTW      Combat Crew Training Wing

Cdr           Commander

CDS          Container Delivery System

CIA           Central Intelligence Agency

CILH         Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii

CINCPAC Commander-in-Chief Pacific

CMSgt       Chief Master Sergeant

CO             Commanding Officer

COD          Carrier On-board Delivery

Col            Colonel

CSG          Combat Support Group

CVSG       Anti-submarine Carrier Air Group

CVW         Carrier Air Wing

 

Det           Detachment

DFC         Distinguished Flying Cross

DMZ        Demilitarized Zone

DOW       Died of Wounds

DPAA      Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

DPMO     Defense Prisoner of War Missing Personnel Office

 

ECM        Electronic Counter-measures

ELINT     Electronic Intelligence

Ens          Ensign

EWO       Electronic Warfare Officer

 

FAC        Forward Air Control or Controller

FCS         Fighter Commando Squadron

FG           Fighter Group

FIS          Fighter Interceptor Squadron

FIW         Fighter Interceptor Wing

FLIR        Forward-looking Infra-red

FS            Fighter Squadron

FTW        Flying Training Wing

FW          Fighter Wing

 

GCA        Ground Controlled Approach

GCI          Ground Controlled Interception

GRADS   Ground Radar Aerial Delivery System

 

H&MS     Marine Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron

HC           Navy Helicopter Combat Support Squadron

HU           Navy Helicopter Utility Squadron

 

IFF           Identification, Friend or Foe

 

JATO       Jet Assisted Take Off

JCS          Joint Chiefs of Staff

JPAC       Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command

JPRC        Joint Personnel Recovery Center

JTF          Joint Task Force

JTF-FA    Joint Task Force – Full Accounting

 

KIA          Killed in Action

KWF        Killed While Flying

 

LAPES     Low-altitude Parachute Extraction System

LGB         Laser-guided Bomb

LLTV       Low-light Level Television

LNRS       Limited Night Recovery System

LORAN   Long-range Aid to Navigation

LS            Landing Site

LSO         Landing Signal Officer

Lt             Lieutenant

Lt(jg)       Lieutenant (Junior Grade)

Lt Cdr      Lieutenant Commander

Lt Col      Lieutenant Colonel

LZ            Landing Zone

 

MAC        Military Airlift Command

MACVSOG          Military Assistance Command Vietnam, Studies and Observations Group

MAG        Marine Aircraft Group

MATS      Military Air Transport Service

MAW       Marine Aircraft Wing

MCAS      Marine Corps Air Station

MIA          Missing in Action

MiGCAP  MiG Combat Air Patrol

MSgt        Master Sergeant

MTU        Marine Task Unit

 

NAS         Naval Air Station

NFO         Naval Flight Officer

NKP         Nakhon Phanom RTAB

NORAD   North American Air Defense Command

NVA         North Vietnamese Army

 

OG           Operations Group

OL           Operating Location

 

PACAF    Pacific Air Force

PARC      Pacific Air Rescue Center

PCS          Permanent Change of Station

PJ             Pararescue Jumper

POL         Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants

POW        Prisoner of War

 

RAF         Royal Air Force

RDF         Radio Direction Finding

RESCAP  Rescue Combat Air Patrol

RHAW     Radar Homing and Warning

RIO          Radar Intercept Officer

RS            Reconnaissance Squadron

RTAB      Royal Thai Air Base

RVAH     Navy Heavy Reconnaissance Attack Squadron

RW          Reconnaissance Wing

 

SAC         Strategic Air Command

SAM        Surface-to-air Missile

SAR         Search and Rescue

SAS          Special Activities Squadron

SATS       Short Airfield for Tactical Support

SEA         Southeast Asia

SEAL       Sea, Air, Land (commando)

SEATO    Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation

SFC          Sergeant First Class (Army)

Sgt            Sergeant

SIGINT     Signals Intelligence

SMSgt       Senior Master Sergeant

SOS          Special Operations Squadron

SOW         Special Operations Wing

SRS           Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron

SRW         Strategic Reconnaissance Wing

SS             Security Squadron

SSgt          Staff Sergeant

STOL        Short Take Off and Landing

SW            Strategic Wing

 

TAC          Tactical Air Command

TAC(A)     Tactical Air Controller (Airborne)

TACG        Tactical Air Control Group

TARCAP   Target Combat Air Patrol

TAS           Tactical Airlift Squadron

TASG        Tactical Air Support Group

TASS         Tactical Air Support Squadron

TAW          Tactical Airlift Wing

TBG           Tactical Bombardment Group

TBS           Tactical Bombardment Squadron

TCG          Troop Carrier Group or Tactical Control Group

TCS          Troop Carrier Squadron

TCW         Troop Carrier Wing or Tactical Control Wing

TDY          Temporary Duty

TEWS       Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron

TF             Task Force

TFR          Terrain-following Radar

TFG          Tactical Fighter Group

TFS          Tactical Fighter Squadron

TFW         Tactical Fighter Wing

TG            Tactical Group

TRIM       Trails, Roads, Interdiction Multisensor

TRS          Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron

TRW        Tactical Reconnaissance Wing

TSgt         Technical Sergeant

 

USAAC    United States Army Air Corps

USAAF     United States Army Air Force

USAF        United States Air Force

USAFE     United States Air Force in Europe

USCG       United States Coast Guard

USMC       United States Marine Corps

USN          United States Navy

USS           United States Ship

 

VA             Navy Attack Squadron

VAL           Navy Light Attack Squadron

VC             Viet Cong

VF             Navy Fighter Squadron

VFP           Navy Light Photographic Squadron

VFR          Visual Flight Rules

VMA         Marine Attack Squadron

VMA(AW)  Marine All-weather Attack Squadron

VMCJ          Marine Composite Reconnaissance Squadron

VMF(AW)   Marine All-weather Fighter Squadron

VMFA          Marine Fighter Attack Squadron

VMGR         Marine Aerial Refueller Transport Squadron

VMO           Marine Observation Squadron

VNAF          Vietnamese Air Force (South Vietnam)

VP               Navy Patrol Squadron

VPAF          Vietnamese People’s Air Force (North Vietnam)

VQ              Navy Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron

VR              Navy Fleet Logistics Support Squadron

VRC           Navy Tactical Support Squadron

VSF           Navy Anti-submarine Fighter Squadron

VW            Navy Fleet Early Warning Squadron

 

WO1          Warrant Officer 1st Class

WSO          Weapons Systems Officer (navigator)

WWS         Wild Weasel Squadron

 

YM           Yeoman Petty Officer

 

1Lt             First Lieutenant

2Lt             Second Lieutenant

 

GLOSSARY OF OPERATION NAMES, CODE NAMES AND PROJECT NAMES

 

Able Mable

RF-101C photographic reconnaissance detachments based in Thailand and South Vietnam for operations over Laos

 

Arc Light

SAC tactical B-52 operations in Southeast Asia prior to Linebacker II

 

Barrel Roll

Air interdiction campaign in northern and central Laos in support of Royal Lao operations against Pathet Lao and NVA forces

 

Bat Cat

EC-121R ELINT aircraft

 

Bell Tone

USAF air defence detachment at Don Muang RTAB commencing 1961

 

Big Eye

USAF EC-121 airborne warning and control aircraft (later called College Eye)

 

Black Spot

Modified C-123K with sensors and weapons for night interdiction missions over the Ho Chi Minh trail

 

Blindbat

USAF C-130 flareship operations

 

Blue Tree

US photographic reconnaissance operations over North Vietnam

 

Brown Cradle

Electronic warfare modification package for EB-66 aircraft

 

Candlestick

C-123 and C-130 flareship operations

 

Carolina Moon

Operation by a special C-130 detachment to bomb the Thanh Hoa bridge by using a special shaped mine in May/June 1966

 

College Eye

USAF EC-121 airborne warning and control aircraft (renamed from Big Eye)

 

Combat Lancer

Initial deployment of the F-111A to Thailand in March 1968

 

Combat Skyspot

MSQ-77 radar-controlled bombing system and missions

 

Combat Talon

C-130 aircraft modified for use in Special Operations

 

Combat Tree

APX-80 IFF detection system

 

Commando Club

TPQ-81 and TACAN radar site at Lima Site 85 in northern Laos

 

Commando Hunt

Interdiction campaigns against infiltration routes on the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos

 

Commando Sabre

USAF F-100F fast FAC operations in high-threat areas

 

Constant Guard

Deployment of tactical aircraft to Southeast Asia in 1972 as a result of the North Vietnamese Spring Invasion

 

Covey

Radio call sign of FACs of the 20th TASS when operating over North Vietnam and Laos

 

Crown

Airborne rescue command post

 

Dixie Station

Position in South China Sea for US aircraft carrier operations over South Vietnam

 

Eagle Pull

Evacuation of US and other personnel from Phnom Penh in April 1975

 

Fan Song

Fire control radar for the SA-2 SAM system

 

Farm Gate

Initially Detachment 2A, 4400 CCTS but subsequently applied to other early air commando units in South Vietnam

 

Flaming Dart

US air raids on North Vietnam on 7 and 11 February 1965 in response to VC attacks on American bases in South Vietnam

 

Freedom Train

Limited air campaign against North Vietnam starting 5 April 1972 in response to the Spring Invasion

 

Frequent Wind

Evacuation of US and other personnel from Saigon in April 1975

 

Giant Dragon

SAC U-2 reconnaissance operations in Southeast Asia

 

Giant Scale

SR-71A reconnaissance operations in Southeast Asia

 

Glowing Heat

Deployment of SR-71A to and from Kadena AB from the USA

 

Green Python

RF-101C photographic reconnaissance detachment at Udorn RTAB

 

Habu

Nickname for the SR-71A, also used to describe SR-71A operational flights over Southeast Asia

 

Hawkeye

Experimental USAF RC-47 RDF operations

 

Hillsboro

USAF C-130 airborne command post operating over the Steel Tiger area

 

Hilo Hattie

Experimental USAF RDF, photographic and infra-red reconnaissance operations using an HC-54

 

Ho Chi Minh Trail

Network of roads, trails and tracks stretching from North Vietnam through Laos and Cambodia to South Vietnam and used for infiltration and resupply by the North Vietnamese

 

Homecoming

Repatriation of US POWs from Hanoi and South Vietnam in February and March 1973

 

Igloo White

Electronic surveillance system to detect movement on the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos

 

Iron Hand

Suppression of enemy air defence operations, particularly AAA and SAMs

 

Jolly Green (Giant)

Radio call sign and nickname for the USAF HH-3 and HH-53 SAR helicopters

 

Jungle Jim

Early code name for the Air Commando’s 4400th CTS based at Eglin AFB, Fla

 

King

USAF HC-130P airborne rescue command post (previously Crown)

 

Lima Site

Temporary landing site or radar site in Laos, used primarily by SAR forces, Ravens, Air America or Special Forces

 

Linebacker I

Air campaign against North Vietnam from April to October 1972

 

Linebacker II

Air campaign against North Vietnam in December 1972

 

Lucky Dragon

SAC U-2 reconnaissance operations in Southeast Asia

 

Market Time

USN air and surface vessel patrols along the coast of South Vietnam intended to interdict the resupply of VC units

 

Misty

Radio call sign of Commando Sabre F-100F fast FAC aircraft

 

Mule Train

Initial USAF C-123 detachment to South Vietnam in January 1962

 

Nail

Radio call sign of FACs of the 23rd TASS operating over South Vietnam and Laos

 

Niagara

USAF strike operations in support of the defence of Khe Sanh, January to March 1968

 

Night Owl

Radio call sign and operations by the 8th TFW using F-4s to conduct night FAC and interdiction operations over the Ho Chi Minh Trail

 

Patricia Lynn

USAF RB-57E reconnaissance aircraft and operations using advanced day and night infra-red sensors and cameras

 

Pave Aegis

Refit programme of AC-130 aircraft with a 105mm howitzer

 

Pave Eagle

Beech QU-22 electronic reconnaissance aircraft used to relay data collected by the Igloo White sensor system

 

Pave Nail

Night observation system used by some USAF OV-10As in 1972

 

Pave Pronto

AC-130A Gunship II programme

 

Pave Spectre

AC-130E Gunship II programme

 

Pave Way

Laser, electro-optical or infra-red guidance system for bombs

 

Pedro

Radio call sign and nickname of HH-43 base rescue helicopter

 

Phyllis Ann

USAF RC-47/EC-47 RDF operations

 

Pierce Arrow

USN retaliatory strike against North Vietnam on 5 August 1964 following the Gulf of Tonkin Incident

 

Pipe Stem

RF-101C photographic reconnaissance detachment at Tan Son Nhut in 1961

 

Prairie Fire

Clandestine cross-border ground reconnaissance into Laos and North Vietnam by US Special Forces for strike control and BDA purposes (renamed from Shining Brass)

 

Pocket Money

Aerial mining operations against North Vietnamese harbours commencing May 1972

 

Proud Deep

Protective reaction strikes against North Vietnam in December 1971 in response to build-up of SAMs near the DMZ

 

Ranch Hand

USAF C-123 defoliation and herbicide unit and its operations

 

Raven

USAF FAC pilots operating clandestinely in Laos as civilians

 

Red Crown

Early warning and air control ship stationed in the northern Gulf of Tonkin to provide support to air operations over North Vietnam

 

Rolling Thunder

US air campaign against North Vietnam between March 1965 and October 1968

 

Route Packages

Numbered geographical areas of North Vietnam designated by CINCPAC to facilitate Rolling Thunder bombing operations

 

Rustic

Radio call sign of FACs when operating over Cambodia

 

Sandy

Radio call sign of A-1 rescue escort operations

 

Senior Crown

USAF SR-71A high-altitude, high-speed reconnaissance aircraft programme

 

Shadow

Radio call sign and nickname for AC-119G gunship aircraft

 

Shining Brass

Clandestine cross-border ground reconnaissance into Laos and North Vietnam by US Special Forces for strike control and BDA purposes (renamed Prairie Fire)

 

Shufly

Early USMC helicopter detachment to South Vietnam

 

Skoshi Tiger

USAF operational test and evaluation programme for the F-5 in South Vietnam

 

Spad

Radio call sign and nickname for A-1 aircraft

 

Spectre

Radio call sign and nickname for AC-130 gunship aircraft

 

Spooky

Radio call sign and nickname for AC-47 gunship aircraft

 

Steel Tiger

Designated geographic area of southern Laos and interdiction operations on the Ho Chi Minh Trail in that area

 

Stinger

Radio call sign and nickname for AC-119K gunship aircraft

 

Tally Ho

Air interdiction operations in Route Package I of North Vietnam

 

Tiger Hound

Air interdiction operations in southeastern Laos as part of the Steel Tiger campaign

 

Trojan Horse

SAC U-2 reconnaissance operations

 

Tropic Moon III

B-57G fitted with LLTV and other sensors for night attacks on infiltration routes

 

Water Glass

F-102 air defence detachments in South Vietnam in 1962 and 1963

 

Water Pump

Detachment 6, 1st ACW deployed to Udorn to train Thai and Laotian pilots in 1964 and later applied to Detachment 1, 56th SOW at Udorn

 

Wild Weasel

USAF F-100F and F-105F aircraft and operations dedicated to locating and destroying SAM sites

 

Yankee Station

Position in Gulf of Tonkin for US aircraft carrier operations over North Vietnam and Laos

 

Yankee Team

Early US air reconnaissance operations in northern Laos

  • Prev
  • Next
© Chris Hobson and David Lovelady. All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
      • Chris Hobson
      • Dave Lovelady
    • About the Book
    • About the Data
    • About this Site
  • Sidelines
    • Background to the Wars in Southeast Asia
    • 1961 to 1964: Civil War in Laos/Early Operations in South Vietnam
    • 1965: Escalation of the War/Start of Rolling Thunder
    • 1966: Rolling Thunder Gets into its Stride
    • 1967: Rolling Thunder - The Peak Year
    • 1968: Tet, Khe Sanh, and the End of Rolling Thunder
    • 1969: Interdiction on the Ho Chi Minh Trail
    • 1970: The Year of Withdrawal
    • 1971: A Much Reduced Presence
    • 1972: The Spring Invasion/Linebacker Campaigns
    • 1973: Winding Up the War
  • Statistics
    • Loss Statistics
    • Losses Due to Air Base Attacks
    • Losses Due to Accidents on the Ground or Aboard Ship
    • US Air Force Loss Statistics
    • US Navy Loss Statistics
    • US Marine Corps Loss Statistics
  • Details
    • Order of Battle
    • Index of Names
    • Abbreviations and Glossary of Operations, Code Names, and Projects
    • Bibliography
  • Searching the Database
    • Hints on How to Search
    • Notes and Caveats
    • Search Forms
  • Photo Gallery
  • Contact Us
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.
I accept