Skip to main content
Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

The Navy Department Library

Related Content
Topic
Document Type
Wars & Conflicts
  • Vietnam Conflict 1962-1975
File Formats
Location of Archival Materials

Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Code Words

Relating to the Tonkin Gulf Incidents of 2 and 4 August 1964

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Note: There are no abbreviations for the letters H, Q, W, X, Y, and Z.

AAC - anti-aicraft gun
AO - oiler or fuel oil tanker
ASAP - as soon as possible
ASW - anti-submarine warfare

B-57 - British-designed US twin-engine jet bomber
BM3 - Boatswain's Mate Third Class
BUSHIPS - US Navy Bureau of Ships

CA - heavy cruiser
CAL - caliber
CAP - combat air patrol
CDR - Commander
CH COM - Chinese Communist (People's Republic of China)
CHICOM - Chinese Communist (People's Republic of China)
CIC - Combat Information Center
CINCPAC - Commander-in-Chief, Pacific
CINCPACFLT - Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet
CL - light cruiser
CNO - Chief of Naval Operations
COMCRUDESFLOT - Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla
COMDESDIV - Commander, Destroyer Division
COMSEVENTHFLT - Commander, Seventh Fleet
COMM - communications
COMUSMACV - Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam
CTF - Commander, Task Force
CTG - Commander, Task Group
CW - continuous wave (radio symbol for code transmission)

D/C - depth charge
DD - destroyer
DEFCON - defense condition
Deptel - Department of State telegram
DESOTO - US Navy destroyer surveillance patrols along the coastlines of Asiatic countries including the People's Republic of China, the USSR, North Korea, North Vietnam, and Indonesia. The objectives of Desoto Patrols were to determine seaward defense and air defense postures, maritime activities; to conduct electronic intelligence collection; photography and visual identification, hydrographic and meteorlogical observations, etc.
D/F - direction finding
Dnang - Danang, Republic of [South] Vietnam
DR - Democratic Republic of [North] Vietnam
DTG - date time group

ECM - electronic countermeasures
EDT - Eastern Daylight Time
Elint - electronic intelligence
Embtel - Embassy telegram
ENS - Ensign
ETA - estimated time of arrival
EW - electronic warfare

FC - fire control
F/C - fire control
F-8 - US Navy single engine "Crusader" jet fighter aircraft
FMFPAC - Fleet Marine Force, Pacific
Frag - fragmentation shells or fragmentation rounds
FRAM - Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization
FTGSA - Fire Control Technician?
FTG-3 - Fire Control Technician (Gun Fire Control) Third Class
FY - fiscal year

GMG1 - Gunner's Mate (Guns) First Class
GMG-2 - Gunner's Mate (Guns) Second Class
GMGSN - Gunner's Mate (Guns)/Seaman

INDEF - indefinitely
INOP - inoperable

JCS - Joint Chiefs of Staff
J-2 - Joint intelligence staff
J-3 - Joint operations staff

KWR-37 - Fleet Broadcast cryptologic receiver

LCM - landing craft, mechanized
LCVP - landing craft, vehicle, personnel
LTJG - Lieutenant Junior Grade

M - Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense
MACV - Military Assistance Command, Vietnam
MIG-15 - Soviet-designed single-engine jet fighter-bomber
MIG-17 - Soviet-designed single-engine jet fighter-bomber
MK - mark (model)

NAVAER - Naval Air Systems Command
NAVCOMMSTAPHIL - Naval Communications Station, Philippines
NM - nautical miles
NSC - National Security Council
NVN - Democratic Republic of [North] Vietnam
NWIP - Naval Warfare Information Publication

OPLAN - operations plan
OPNAV - Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
OPORD - operations order
OPS - operations
OSOD Blue Book - Advanced Research Project Agency, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Blue Book of Coastal Vessels of South Vietnam.

PACOM - Pacific Command
P-4 - Soviet built motor torpedo boat
PGM - North Vietnamese motor gun boat
PIERCE ARROW - Air strike against North Vietnam on 5 August 1964
POL - Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants
PT - torpedo boat
PTF - Norwegian-built fast patrol boat
PTBC - South Vietnamese junk (boat)

RDC-P1 - Chief Radarman?
RND - round of ammunition
RVN - Republic of [South] Vietnam

SAT - satisfactory
SEATO - Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
Sec - Secretary [of State]
SGT - Sergeant
Sitrep - Situation Report
SITSUM - Situation Summary
SM2 - Signalman Second Class
SM3 - Signalman Third Class
SN - Seaman
SOG - Studies and Observation Group
STBD - starboard
SWATOW - Soviet-designed motor gun boat built in the People's Republic of China

TICO - USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14)
TM3 - Torpedoman's Mate Third Class
TORP - torpedo

UNSAT - unsatisfactory
USMC - United States Marine Corps
USN - United States Navy
USNR - United States Navy Reserve

VT - variable time
VTAC-2 - South Vietnamese junk (boat)

[END]

Published: Tue Aug 25 10:16:27 EDT 2015