DA: Department of the Army.
DAC CONG: Viet Cong special forces
DAI DOAN KET: Party of Great Solidarity. Organized in 1954 to unify the non-Communist nationalist organizations in South Vietnam in the period before Ngo Dinh Diem came to full power. Headed by Diem's brother, Ngo Dinh Nhu, this was the forerunner of the Can Lao.
DAI UY: Vietnamese for captain
DAI VET: Formed in 1930 as a non-Communist revolutionary and political organization throughout Vietnam. Though more widespread and with a larger membership than Ho Chi Minh's Viet Minh or Lao Dong Party, the Dai Viets were fragmented into regional factions. The assassination of Truong Tu Anh, the Dai Viet leader, in 1946 by Ho's agents further fragmented the Dai Viets. By the mid-1960s the Dai Viets had evolved into two major parties that both played key roles in opposing or supporting the various South Vietnamese governments. Since 1975, there has been severe repression against Dai Viet members, some of whom still carry on resistance to the Communist government.
DAILY DAILY: Daily anti-malarial pill.
DAPSONE: Small pill taken periodically by U.S. troops, ostensibly to prevent malaria but actually to prevent leprosy.
DASC: Direct Air Support Center. (Location of Communication, Intelligence, Coordination of Combat Air Strike Requests). Each Corps in RVN had a DASC.
DASH: Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter (DASH), a remote-controlled airborne miniature helicopter used to track and detect submarines at a distance.
DCI: The Director of the CIA
DD: Destroyer. Variations: DDG--destroyer with guided missiles; etc.
DE-AMERICANIZATION: Early term for Vietnamization
DEEP SERIOUS/DEEP SHIT: The worst possible position, such as being nearly overrun.
DELTA: Military phonetic for the letter "D"
DENT CAP: Dental Civilian Action Program. U.S.Militaty dental personnel went into the villages and tended to the dental problems and hygiene of the locals.
DEROS: Date Eligible for Return from Overseas; the date a person's tour in Vietnam was estimated to end. Date Established Return (from) Overseas Service.
DET CORD: Detonating cord. An 'instantaneous fuse' in the form of a long thin flexible tube loaded with explosive (PETN). Used to obtain the simultaneous explosion from widely spaced
DEUCE: Two.
DEUCE AND A HALF: 2.5 ton truck.
DEW: Marijuana
DH5: Viet Cong claymore mine.
DH10: Viet Cong claymore mine.
D.I.E.: "Draft-induced enlistment." It was the Army's term for guys who "volunteered" only because they were about to be drafted.
DI DI MAU: Slang from the Vietnamese word di, meaning "to leave" or "to go". Move quickly. Also shortened to just "Di Di."
DI WEE: Captain.
DICKS: Derogatory expression referring to both male genitalia and the enemy.
DIDDY BOPP OR DIDDYBOPPING: Walking carelessly.
DIME NICKEL: A 105mm howitzer.
DINK: Derogatory term for an Asian.
DINKY DAU: Vietnamese term for "crazy" or "You're crazy."
DIRTY THIRTY: Pilots who flew C-47's out of Tan San Nhut as copilots to Viet Pilots.
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS - The Nation's second highest medal for valor
DISTRICT MOBILE COMPANY: The major Viet Cong fighting unit organized within each district in Vietnam. The District Mobile Company was assigned to carry out various assignments from direct offensive operations to sabotage and terrorism.
DISTRICT TEAM: American personnel assigned to act as advisors to Vietnamese military and civilian officials at the district level.
DIV: Division. A division is a nearly universal military organization consisting of approximately 20,000 troops commanded by a major general.
DMZ: Demilitarized Zone. The dividing line between North and South Vietnam established in 1954 at the Geneva Convention.
DOC: Affectionate title for enlisted medical aid man.
DOD: Department of Defense.
DOI MOI: Renovation.
DONG: Vietnamese money. Slang for Piaster. 50 Piasters, 50 dong, One piaster was equivilent to about 1 penny.
DONUT DOLLY: American Red Cross Volunteer--female. Also seen as "Doughnut Dolly(ies)." Namesake of World War I counterpart; helped the morale of the troops.
DOO MOMMIE: English approximation of the Vietnamese du ma, meaning literally "fuck mother"
DOPE: Marine term for the adjustments made to weapon sights. Also a term for marijuana and other illicit drugs.
DOUBTFULS: Indigenous personnel who cannot be categorized as either Viet Cong or civil offenders. It also can mean suspect personnel spotted from ground or aircraft.
DP: Displaced person.
DRESS BLUES: The formal light weight uniform of the U.S. Air Force.
DRESS GREENS: The formal light weight uniform of the U.S. Army.
DRESS WHITES: The formal light weight uniform for the Navy and Coast Guard.
D-RING: A D-shaped metal snap link used to hold gear together, also used in repelling from chopers.
DRO: Dining room orderly.
DROPS: Reduction in length of tour caused by overall reduction and withdrawal of American forces from Vietnam.
DRUM: Holds ammunition until ready to mount on the weapon and "feed" the ammo.
DTs: Defensive targets.
DU: The F-word.
DUFFLEBAG: The oblong, unwieldy bag in which troops stored all their gear. Also, an artillery term for motion/sound/seismic sensors placed along suspected enemy trails or areas. Dufflebag sensors contained small radio transmitters which sent a signal to an intelligence unit when triggered. Once triggered, the artillery fired on the "dufflebag" target to intercept or interdict the enemy.
DUNG LAI: Vietnamese for "STOP!" or "HALT!"
DUSTER: The M-42. It was an automatic twin 40mm "ack-ack" set up on a tank body. It was used for firebase and convoy security.
DUSTER: These were WWII tracked vehicles brought to RVN. They were medium size and sported two 40mm pom-poms plus one M60 Machine Gun, plus a crew of about 4 to 5 with individual weapons. They were used for convoy security and perimeter security for artillery bases each night.
DUSTOFF: A nickname for a medical evacuation helicopter or mission. Also, see "Medevac." "I need a Dustoff" became an all-too-familiar call on the airwaves of Vietnam. Dustoff missions were medical evacuation missions using helicopters. While the term has been used to apply to all medical evacuation missions, GIs reserved the term for missions flown to pick up wounded soldiers in the field, often under fire. When a soldier was hit, the call went out for a Dustoff, and any helicopter in the area without a higher priority mission could respond. Many of the early helicopters used in Vietnam did not fare well in Dustoff missions due to their lack of maneuverability and relatively slow speed, combined with a small door. The UH-1D/H "Iroquois" helicopters, Nicknamed "Huey" or "Huey's) excelled in this role, with its wide doors and ability to get in and out quickly. Still, flying Dustoffs took courage on the part of the crew, as ground fire was the rule rather than the exception. The rewards, however, were great. Dustoffs allowed wounded soldiers to be brought to medical facilities much more quickly than in any other war, usually in a matter of minutes, and saved many lives.
DX: Direct exchange. Also, to discard or dispose of, or to kill someone.
