CINC—Commander in chief; a four-star officer from any of the services, in command of a major DoD organization comprising forces from more than one service. Examples are CINCPAC, CINCLANT, and CINCSO-COM. In the chain of command, CINCs report directly to the Secretary of Defense.
Claymore mine—Antipersonnel mine used extensively in Vietnam. The ball-bearing-covered explosive is “shaped” so that it can be aimed toward the enemy.
closed-circuit scuba—Underwater breathing apparatus that emits no bubbles as the combat swimmer breathes. Designed for clandestine operations in enemy waters. The diver is a part of the system. The system uses a carbon-dioxide scrubber to keep the breathing medium pure oxygen. Two types of closed-circuit rigs have been used by the Teams since 1963: the American-manufactured Emerson and the German Draeger.
combat swimmer—Navy SEAL. The term is used to differentiate between standard Navy divers, who normally conduct noncombat missions, and members of a SEAL Team, whose mission involves swimming into combat.
compass board—Clear plastic board with a compass mounted in it, used to keep one’s bearings underwater. Watches and swimmer reels may be attached.
CTF-116—Commander, Task Force-116. The U.S. Navy organization whose mission included interdicting Vietcong operations in the riverine areas of the Mekong Delta and the Rung Sat Special Zone. SEALs, PBRs, and Seawolf light helo fire teams operating in those areas were under the command of CTF-116.
davit—Cranelike device installed on most Navy ships, used for stowing the ship’s boats and getting them in and out of the water.
DEFCON—Defense Condition. Denotes a graduated alert system used by the U.S. Military. DEFCON 5 is the normal, peacetime condition. DEFCON 1 is the highest state of alert, meaning war is imminent.
Desert One—The unsuccessful 1980 operation to free American Embassy personnel held hostage by the Iranians.
dry run—Very dangerous helo maneuver, making a strafing run without firing, in order to scare the enemy into keeping their heads down—usually attempted after the helo has used up its ammunition.
DZ—Drop zone. The area on which parachute jumpers land. For SEALs, it is often a spot in the ocean.
E & E—Escape and evasion. Used to describe specific training provided American military people who, by nature of their assignment, are more vulnerable to capture by the enemy. All combat aviators and SEALs receive some form of this training. SEALs have a primary role in establishing E & E networks designed to rescue downed aviators.
free-fire zone—In the Vietnam War, a geographic area in which U.S. forces were allowed to open fire without having first received fire. Normally, any area so designated was under the control of the enemy.
frogman—Analogous to “combat swimmer.” Originally, a term designating any member of an Underwater Demolition Team. Now often used by Team members to denote one of their own who is a good operator.
“Green Team” training—SEAL Team Six slang for the period of time every new member spends learning to do things that other SEAL teams don’t do.
gun target line—The line of bearing between the gun and the target. Naval guns, though very accurate on bearing (direction), are notoriously inaccurate on range (distance), so being near the GTL is risky.
Hagensen pack—Pack specifically designed to carry twenty pounds of explosives.
H-hour—Term used to describe the precise time to begin military operations.
H & I fire—Harassment and interdiction fire, usually done by ground-based artillery. An indiscriminate method of bothering the enemy. Used extensively in Vietnam to unsettle Vietcong and North Vietnamese Army units in their sanctuaries.
hot-refuel—Refueling without shutting down the engines. This is done only under combat conditions.
IBL—Inflatable Boat Large. An eleven-man rubber boat formerly used to transport UDT swimmers.
joint—Term that describes multiservice actions or organizations—e.g., “joint operations”; “joint commands.” Operation Urgent Fury was a joint operation in Grenada. SOCOM is a joint command.
Junk Force—South Vietnamese organization that operated wooden-hulled indigenous craft called junks. In the Mekong Delta, some junk force units fought hard and distinguished themselves.
K-Bar knife—Basic tool and last line of defense for SEAL swimmers. Used by frogmen (and U.S. Marines) since World War II. The K-Bar’s sturdy seven-inch steel blade has been used in combat and for more mundane purposes such as opening tin cans. Through the years, it has become a symbol of the SEALs and a highly treasured item for SEAL “wannabes.”
LANTCOM—Atlantic Command. Historically commanded by a Navy admiral or Marine general (CINCLANT), it’s responsible for all U.S. military operations in the Atlantic theater.
LANTFLT—U.S. Atlantic Fleet. The Navy organization charged with carrying out naval operations within a prescribed geographic area that includes the Atlantic Ocean. With the “CINC” preceding it, the acronym refers to the commander in chief of the Atlantic Fleet.
LCPL—Landing Craft Personnel Large. A thirty-six-foot steel-hulled boat formerly used by UDT to transport swimmers from their host ships to an amphibious landing beach.
Lizard Line—Long rope (the length can vary) used to keep a large number of SEALs together during submerged swims. Sometimes, double loops are woven into the line at staggered intervals so swim pairs can hang on as they swim.
LSSC—Light SEAL Support Craft. Vietnam-era boat.
LZ—Landing zone; short for “helicopter landing zone.” Area designated for landing helos. Usually describes an area free of obstructions but could be anywhere a helo can land.
MC-1—Military static-line parachute system. Jumpers attach their static lines to a cable inside the aircraft. When they jump, the static line deploys the parachute. The “round” canopy is modified to allow the jumper to turn into the wind before landing.
MT-1—Military free-fall parachute system used by SEALs and special forces. Highly maneuverable “square” canopy acts much like an aircraft wing, allowing jumpers more maneuverability and forward speed than the MC-1 system.
Mike Force—American Special Forces—commanded unit composed of Vietnamese or Cambodian troops; operated throughout South Vietnam.
MX-300/360 radio—Small handheld UHF or VHF radio used by SEALs for short-range communications. Manufactured by Motorola.
NAVAIRLANT—Naval Air Forces, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. With the letters “COM” preceding it, the acronym refers to the commander of the force.
NAVFORV—Naval Forces Vietnam. This organization, based in Saigon, commanded all naval forces operating within the prescribed military boundaries of Vietnam. With the letters “COM” preceding it, the acronym refers to the commander of the force.
NAVOPSUPGRU—Naval Operations Support Group. The forerunner of Naval Special Warfare Groups. Commanded UDTs, SEAL Teams, and Boat Support Units.
NAVPERS—Bureau of Naval Personnel, the organization responsible for assigning all Navy officers and enlisted.
NAVSPECWARCOM—Naval Special Warfare Command. The naval-component command of the U.S. Special Operations Command. Commanded by a rear admiral, NAVSPECWARCOM is responsible for the care and feeding of all naval special warfare forces.
NAVSPECWARGRU—Naval Special Warfare Group. Commanded by a SEAL captain, it’s the organization responsible to COMNAVSPECWAR-COM for the command and control of SEAL Teams.
northern gun line—Geographic area off the coast of northern South Vietnam, patrolled by U.S. Navy ships that provided gunfire support for Marines in the I Corps, as well as interdiction fire into Vietcong base areas.
NVD—Night Vision Device. Commonly called a “Starlight Scope,” it uses ambient light to provide nighttime images much as a telescope would during the day.
OIC—Officer in charge.
OPNAV—Acronym used to identify the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations.
P-3—Land-based antisubmarine-warfare aircraft, the four-engine P-3 Orion was a superb hun
ter of Soviet submarines.
PACFLT—U.S. Pacific Fleet. The Navy organization charged with carrying out naval operations within a prescribed geographic area that includes the Pacific Ocean. With the letters “CINC” preceding it, the acronym refers to the commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet.
PACOM—Pacific Command. Historically commanded by a Navy admiral (CINCPAC), it’s responsible for all U.S. military operations in the Pacific theater.
PBR—River patrol boat. Thirty-two-foot fiberglass boat widely employed on the rivers in Vietnam. Twin .50-caliber machine guns forward plus a single .50-caliber and M-60 machine gun (among other weapons) aft made this a formidable craft for river interdiction. SEALs often used PBRs as insertion craft.
PHIBLANT/PHIBPAC—Amphibious Force U.S. Atlantic/Pacific Fleet. With the letters “COM” preceding it, the acronym refers to the commander of the force.
platoon—Normally the largest operating entity in a SEAL Team. During Vietnam a SEAL platoon contained up to two officers and twelve enlisted men. Present SEAL platoons comprise two squads of one officer and seven enlisted.
point man—First person in a combat patrol. In a SEAL patrol the point man is responsible for ensuring that the patrol does not walk into an enemy ambush. He is also the first man to encounter any mines or booby traps. After the patrol leader, the point man bears the most responsibility for the safety of the patrol. During Vietnam, SEAL point men were some of the best in their platoon or squad.
Popular Force—Irregular South Vietnamese organization formed to protect villages from the Vietcong. Popular Force units seldom operated beyond their villages and hamlets.
PRC-25—Man-portable VHF radio. The basic field radio for SEALs in Vietnam.
OPAREA—Acronym for “operating [or “operations”] area.” Refers to an area in which military operations are conducted. “Area of operations” and “AO” are interchangeable terms.
rig—Term commonly used by SEALs to refer to scuba equipment. “How about taking the rig off my back?” one SEAL might say to another after coming out of the water.
rumor board—SEAL slang for intelligence maps. “Rumor board” was usually a more accurate description of the information found on them.
SATCOM—Man-portable satellite radio used by SEALs for long-range voice or data communications.
SEAL Team—Sea, Air, Land Team. Navy organization established in 1962 to conduct clandestine maritime special operations. In the beginning only two SEAL Teams were formed, one in the Atlantic Fleet and one in the Pacific Fleet. Now there are nine, assigned to the U.S. Special Operations Command.
Seawolves—Nickname given the Navy light attack helicopter squadron four, which often supported SEAL operations in the Mekong Delta.
SECDEF—Secretary of Defense.
SECNAV—Secretary of the Navy.
Secret Zone—During the Vietnam War, a term given to a geographic area considered to be completely under the control of the enemy. Anyone living there was considered to be enemy. In the Mekong Delta, the Secret Zones were mostly mangrove swamps. Originally, not much was known about these areas. SEALs changed that.
semi-closed-circuit scuba—Mixed-gas diving rig used by SEALs when the mission will call for exceeding the depth-time limits for a closed-circuit scuba, and clandestine approach to a target is not an overriding concern. Semi-closed-circuit scubas emit a small trail of bubbles each time the diver exhales. Otherwise, they operate much like a closed-circuit pure-oxygen rig.
slick—Military jargon for a helicopter that is not a gunship. Usually signifies a troop-carrying helo armed only with machine guns at each door.
SOCOM—Special Operations Command. Established by the U.S. Congress to command, control, and resource special operations forces from all the services. Commanded by a “CINC,” a four-star officer nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
SOP—Standard operating procedure. The “playbook” for a SEAL organization; a series of tactical maneuvers performed routinely. In a SEAL tactical briefing the patrol leader might say, “Patrol order of movement in accordance with SOP.”
Stoner machine gun—5.56-caliber machine gun used extensively by SEALs in Vietnam. Popular with SEALs because it used lighter ammunition than the standard M-60 light machine gun also used during that era.
swimmer reel—Deep-sea fishing reel containing a light nylon line; attached to the underside of a compass board, it is used to log distances underwater.
Team(s)—Term used by SEALs to refer to the SEAL community. One SEAL may ask another, “When did you come into the Teams?” or “What Team are you in now?”
UDT—Underwater Demolition Team. The forerunners of the SEAL Teams, UDTs were first formed during World War II to provide hydrographic reconnaissance for the amphibious forces in the Pacific campaign. In 1983 all UDTs became either SEAL or SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams; the latter operate wet submersible mini-submarines used by SEALs.
ZPU—Russian antiaircraft weapon. A 14.5mm heavy machine gun, the
ZPU-1 was the standard armament in a BTR-60PB.
ZU-23—Russian antiaircraft weapon. A 23mm cannon capable of being mounted in the cargo bed of a truck. The Grenadans had the two-barrel
ZU-23-2 model.
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
Though I have relied mostly on my recollections in writing this book, the works listed below refreshed my memory.
Bonds, Ray, ed. The Vietnam War: The Illustrated History of the Conflict in Southeast Asia. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1979.
Bosiljevac, T.L. SEALs: UDT/SEAL Operations in Vietnam. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 1990.
Emerson, Steven. Secret Warriors: Inside the Covert Military Operations of the Reagan Era. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1988.
Ezell, Edward Clinton. Small Arms of the World. 12th ed. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 1983.
Fall, Bernard B. Street Without Joy: Insurgency in Indochina, 1956-63. 3rd ed. Harrisburg, PA: The Stackpole Company, 1963.
Halberstadt, Hans. U.S. Navy SEALs. Osceola, WI: Motorbooks International, 1993.
Kelly, Orr. Never Fight Fair: Navy SEALs’ Stories of Combat. Novato, CA: Presidio Press, 1995.
Kelly, Orr. Brave Men Dark Waters: The Untold Story of the Navy SEALs. Novato, CA: Presidio Press, 1992.
Marcinko, Richard with John Weisman. Rogue Warrior. New York: Pocket Books, 1992.
Martin, David C. and John Wolcott. Best Laid Plans: The Inside Story of America’s War Against Terrorism. New York: Harper & Row, 1988.
Sheehan, Neil. A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam. New York: Random House, 1988.
Spector, Ronald. After Tet: The Bloodiest Year in Vietnam. New York: The Free Press, a division of Macmillan, Inc., 1993.
Stubblefield, Gary with Hans Halberstadt. Inside the U.S. Navy SEALs. Osceola, WI: Motorbooks International, 1995.
Waller, Douglas C. The Commandos: The Inside Story of America’s Secret Soldiers. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994.
INDEX
Abbas, Abu
Abrams, Creighton
Abrams, John
Achille Lauro mission
Acklin, Billy
Air Force, U.S.
Albrecht, Joe
Ambush missions
Bac Lieu
Bassac
Dung Island
Long Tuan
Nui Coto
Operation Bold Dragon
Phoenix program
Tan Dunh Island
Vinh Long
Anderson, Dick
AN PVS-2 night vision scope
Arab nationalism, See also Terrorism
Army, U.S.
IV Corps
Mike Force
Rangers
Special Forces
III Corps
Vietnam involvement
Assault Craft Unit 2 (ACU-2)
Auger stakes
Bac Lieu
Bailey, Larry
Barilyme
Barrett, Eve
rett
Barrett, Larry
Basic Underwater Demolition SEAT (BUDS) training See also Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs)
Bassac Mission
Bassac River
Baumgart, Satch
Ba Xuyen
Ba Xuyen Secret Zone
Bay of Pigs
Bell, Ron
Binh Dai Secret Zone
Binh Thuy:
arrival in
security of
Birtz, Pierre:
Mekong Delta
Tan Dinh
training
Bishop, Bill
Blais, Tom
Blackhawk helicopters
Boat Support Unit two
Boghammer boats
Bosch, Juan
Boston Whaler
Bounce dive
Bowen, E. C. (Ed)
Briggs, Edward S.
Bronze Star:
Gormly, Robert
BUDS See Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL
Bump, Charlie;
Mekong Delta
Rung Sat
Tan Dinh
training
Bush, George
Butcher, Paul
BZ message
Calypso Sticks
Cambodian border
Camp Lejeune
Camp Picket
Canada
Can Tho
Can Tho Air Field
Carbon dioxide
Caribbean, UDTs in See also Grenda; UDT-22
Caribbean Amphibious Ready Group
Carlson, Dudley
Castro, Fidel
Charlotte Amalie
Chau Doc
Chesapeake Bay
CH-46 helicopter
CIA
CINCLANT
CINCs (commanders in chief)
Claymore mines
Clements, Herb
Clinton, Bill
Cobra helicopter
Combat information center
Combat swimmersSee also SEALS; UDTs
Communist ideology
Combat Swimmer Page 30
