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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

The Navy Department Library

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  • Aviation
  • Boats-Ships--Submarine
Document Type
Wars & Conflicts
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Location of Archival Materials

Glossary of Abbreviations and Terms

ACTOV        Accelerated Turnover to the Vietnamese

ACTOVLOG     Accelerated Turnover to the Vietnamese, Logistics

AD           Destroyer Tender

AE           Ammunition Ship

AF           Store Ship

AFDL      Small Auxiliary Floating Drydock (non-self-propelled)

AFS          Combat Store Ship

AGC          Amphibious Force Flagship

AGS          Surveying Ship

AGSS         Auxiliary Submarine

AH           Hospital Ship

AK           Cargo Ship

AKA          Attack Cargo Ship

AKD          Cargo Ship, Dock

AKL          Light Cargo Ship

AKR          Vehicle Cargo Ship

AKS          Stores Issue Ship

AKV          Aircraft Ferry

AN           Antonov Transport

AN           Net Laying Ship

AO           Oiler

AOE          Fast Combat Support Ship

AOG          Gasoline Tanker

APA          Attack Transport

APB          Self-propelled Barracks Ship

APD          High-speed Transport

APL          Barracks Craft (non-self-propelled)

APSS         Transport Submarine

AR           Repair Ship

ARG          Amphibious Ready Group

ARG          Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ship

ARL          Landing Craft Repair Ship

ARS          Salvage Ship

ARVH         Aircraft Repair Ship (Helicopter)

ARVN         Army of Vietnam

ASPB         Assault Support Patrol Boat

ASW          Antisubmarine Warfare

ATC          Armored Transport Craft

ATF          Fleet Ocean Tug

AV           Seaplane Tender

BB           Battleship

CA           Heavy Cruiser

CAG          Guided Missile Heavy Cruiser

CAPT         Captain

CD           Coastal Division

CDR          Commander

CEC          Civil Engineer Corps

CGN          Guided Missile Cruiser (nuclear-powered)

CHC          Chaplain Corps

CIA          Central Intelligence Agency

CIDG         Civilian Irregular Defense Group

CINCPAC      Commander in Chief, Pacific

CINCPACAF    Commander in Chief, Pacific Air Force

CINCPACFLT   Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet

CLG          Guided Missile Light Cruiser

CM           Construction Mechanic

CNO          Chief of Naval Operations

COMNAVFORV   Commander U.S. Naval Forces, Vietnam

COMUSMACV    Commander U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam

CTF          Commander Task Force

CTG          Commander Task Group

CTU          Commander Task Unit

CV           Aircraft Carrier

CVA          Attack Aircraft Carrier

CVAN         Attack Aircraft Carrier (nuclear-powered)

CVS          Antisubmarine Warfare Support Aircraft Carrier

CVSQ         Carrier Antisubmarine Warfare Air Group

D            Australian Destroyer

DAO          Defense Attache Office

DC           Dental Corps

DD           Destroyer

DDG          Guided Missile Destroyer

DDR          Radar Picket Destroyer

DE           Destroyer Escort

DER          Radar Picket Escort Ship

DLG          Guided Missile Frigate

DMZ          Demilitarized Zone

ENS          Ensign

EOD          Explosive Ordance Disposal

FOB          Forward Operating Base

HAL          Helicopter Attack Light Squadron

HM           Helicopter Squadron

HMH          Marine Heavy Lift Helicopter Squadron

HMM          Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron

HMR          Marine Transport Helicopter Squadron

HQ           Vietnamese Navy (derived from the Vietnamese Hai Quan)

HSAS         Headquarters Support Activity, Saigon

IFS          Inshore Fire Support Ship

IUWU         Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit

JCS          Joint Chiefs of Staff

JGS          Joint General Staff

LARC         Lighter, Amphibious Resupply Cargo

LCC          Amphibious Command Ship

LCDR            Lieutenant Commander

LCM          Landing Craft, Mechanized

LCM(M)       Landing Craft, Mechanized (Minesweeper)

LCPL         Landing Craft, Personnel, Large

LCU          Landing Craft, Utility

LCVP         Landing Craft, Vehicle and Personnel

LDNN         South Vietnamese Naval Commandos (derived from the the Vietnamese

                Lien Doi Nguoi Nhia)

LKA          Amphibious Cargo Ship

LPD          Amphibious Transport Dock

LPH          Amphibious Assault Ship

LPSS         Amphibious Transport Submarine

LSD          Landing Ship, Dock

LSIL         Landing Ship, Infantry, Large

LSM          Landing Ship, Medium

LSMR         Landing Ship, Medium, Rocket

LSSL         Landing Support Ship, Large

LST          Landing Ship, Tank

LT           Lieutenant

LTJG         Lieutenant (junior grade)

LVT          Landing Vehicle, Tracked

MAAG         Military Assistance Advisory Group

MACV         Military Assistance Command, Vietnam

MAJ          Major

MiG          Russian-made Fighter Aircraft

MLMS         Minesweeping Launch

MRF          Mobile Riverine Force

MSB          Minesweeping Boat

MSC          Military Sealift Command

MSF          Minesweeper, Fleet

MSO          Minesweeper, Ocean

MSS          Minesweeper, Special

MSTS         Military Sea Transportation Service

NAG          Naval Advisory Group

NAVFORV      Naval Forces, Vietnam

NC           Nurse Corps

NHC          Naval Historical Center

NILO         Naval Intelligence Liaison Officer

NMCB         Naval Mobile Construction Battalion

NSA          Naval Support Activity

NVA          North Vietnamese Army

PACV         Patrol Air Cushion Vehicle

PBR          River Patrol Boat

PC           Submarine Chaser

PCE          Escort

PCER         Rescue Escort

PCF          Fast Patrol Craft

PG           Patrol Gunboat

PGH          Patrol Gunboat Hydrofoil

PGM          Motor Gunboat

PIRAZ        Positive Identification Radar Advisory Zone

POL          Petroleum, Oil, Lubricants

POW          Prisoner of War

PT           Motor Torpedo Boat

PTF          Fast Patrol Boat

RAG          River Assault Group

RAID         Riverine Assault Interdiction Division

RCVSQ        Readiness Carrier Antisubmarine Warfare Air Group

RCVW         Readiness Attack Carrier Air Wing 

RID          River Interdicton Division

RPC          River Patrol Craft

RPG          River Patrol Group

RPG          Rocket Propelled Grenade

R&R          Rest and Recuperation 

RVAH         Reconnaissance Attack Squadron

RVN          Republic of Vietnam

RVNAF        Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces

SAM          Surface to Air Missile

SAR          Search and Rescue

SC           Submarine Chaser 

SC           Supply Corps

SCATTOR      Small Craft Assets, Training, and Turnover of Resources

Seabee       Naval Construction Battalion Personnel

SEAL         Naval Commando

SEALORDS     Southeast Asia, Lake, Ocean, River, Delta Strategy

SEATO        Southeast Asia Treaty Organization

SERVPAC      Service Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet

SLF          Special Landing Force

SS           Steamship

SS           Submarine

STAB         SEAL Team Assault Boat

STAB         Strike Team Assault Boat

STAT         Seabee Technical Assistance Team

STCAN/FOM    French-designed River Patrol Craft

T            Prefix for USNS

UDT          Underwater Demolition Team

USA          U.S. Army

USAF         U.S. Air Force

USCG         U.S. Coast Guard

USMC         U.S. Marine Corps

USN          U.S. Navy

USNR         U.S. Naval Reserve

USNS         U.S. Naval Ship

VA           Attack Squadron

VAH          Heavy Attack Squadron

VAL          Light Attack Squadron

VAP          Heavy Photographic Squadron

VAQ          Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron

VAW          Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron

VC           Viet Cong

VF           Fighter Squadron

VFP          Light Photographic Squadron

VFR          Refrigerated Covered Lighter (self-propelled)

VMA          Marine Attack Squadron

VMF          Marine Fighter Squadron

VNAF         Vietnamese Air Force

VNN          Vietnamese Navy

VP           Patrol Squadron

VQ           Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron

VR           Air Transport Squadron

VRC          Air Transport Squadron

VSF          Antisubmarine Fighter Squadron

WPB          82-Foot Coast Guard Cutter

WHEC         Coast Guard High Endurance Cutter

YC           Open Lighter

YFRN         Refrigerated Covered Lighter (non self-propelled)

YFU          Harbor Utility Craft (self-propelled)

YMS          Auxiliary Motor Minesweeper

YOG          Gasoline Barge (self-propelled)

YRBM         Repair, Berthing, and Messing Barge (non-self-propelled)

YTB          Large Harbor Tug

YTL          Small Harbor Tug


26 October 1997

Published: Mon May 12 15:49:39 EDT 2014