Glossary

A1C
Airman First Class. For army types this was E4. Now called Senior Airman.
AB
Air Base
AFB
Air Force Base
ARVN
Army of Vietnam
DASC
Direct Air Support Center: IE. "II DASC" II Corps DASC.
FAC
Forward Air Controller
KBA
Killed By Air
KWM2A
Single sideband high frequency radio transceiver. Used for communication between the advisory teams and II DASC. These were "ham" equipment taken from the "MARS" radio stations stateside.
MACV
Military Assistance Command Vietnam
MARS
Military Affiliate Radio Station
NCOIC
Non Commisioned Officer In Charge
Newbie
Just arrived in Vietnam. Didn't have survival skills yet.
PRC-25
VHF (Very High Frequency) FM (Frequency Modulated) backpack radio. Used by all field forces in South Vietnam.
PRC-41
UHF (Ultra High Frequency) AM (Amplitude Modulated) backpack radio. Used by Marines and Air Force ground based FACs to communicated with aircraft. These radios operated on aircraft assigned UHF frequencies.
RVN
Republic of Vietnam
SSB
Single Sideband: Reduced bandwidth radio transmission.
SSGT
Staff Sergeant
TACP
Tactical Air Control Party: Generally attached to ground combat unit. Provided ground based control of air strikes and communication liason with DASC and unit.
TASS
Tactical Air Support Squadron: Squadron which provided aerial reconnaisance and airborne air strike control functions.
TCS
Tactical Control Squadron: Radar Squadron which provided flight following and strike control functions.
TCMS
Tactical Control Maintenance Squadron: Squadron which provided ground based Tactical Air Control Parties. Provided all support functions for TACP and assigned power generator units.
TDY
Temporary Duty
VNAF
Vietnam Air Force