Korean War Air-Ground Glossary
Letters: A-Al ♦ Am-Az ♦ B-Bi ♦ Bi-Bz ♦ C-Cl♦ Co-Cz ♦ D ♦ E ♦ F-Fl ♦ Fm-Fz ♦ G ♦ Ha-Hf ♦ Hg-Hz ♦ I ♦ J ♦ K ♦ L ♦ M-Me ♦ Mf-Mz ♦ N ♦ O ♦ Pa-Pi ♦ Pj-Pz ♦ Q ♦ Ra-Ri ♦ Rj-Rz ♦ Sa-Sh ♦ Si-Sz ♦ Ta-Tg ♦ Th-Tz ♦ U ♦ V ♦ W ♦ X ♦ Y ♦ Z
Note: the Korean-War Air-Ground Glossary is under construction. New pages and images are being added daily. Find terms or phrases more easily by using the Google Search Engine above. Click on the Truckbusters From Dogpatch web site button.We welcome your suggestions for new slang or terms from the Korean War. Use the Contact link above to submit your term.
The Korean War Air Combat Glossary includes military terms, slang and definitions used by the Korean War veterans to whom Truckbusters From Dogpatch is dedicated.
To help establish additional military and air force history resources about the so-called "Forgotten War," the Glossary also includes biographical information, Korean War stories and photographs of many leaders of the 18th Fighter-Wing, Fifth Air Force and other senior military leaders whose decisions affected the missions and operations of the 18th Wing, 18th Fighter-Bomber Group and the Wing's associated squadrons. The Glossary includes many photographs and video of 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing Korean War air combat operations when they were flying the P-51 Mustang and the F-86 Sabrejet aircraft.
The list includes the names and where known, biographical information about those pilots and Airmen who lost their lives during 37 months of Korean War combat. The information is far from complete and will certainly be expanded through the efforts of the 18th Fighter Bomber Wing Association and others.
The names of Two Squadron, South African Air Force (SAAF) fliers are also included.
Information on American pilots is drawn from the files of the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing Association, family records and recollections, and, where possible, from unit history reports. Sadly, even the unit histories were often incomplete or hasty in recording the status or circumstances of a pilot and his loss to the unit. When the unit history does mention the pilot, however briefly, that notation is included.
Excerpted from over 3,500 terms and definitions found in Truckbusters From Dogpatch
Letters: A-Al ♦ Am-Az ♦ B-Bi ♦ Bi-Bz ♦ C-Cl♦ Co-Cz ♦ D ♦ E ♦ F-Fl ♦ Fm-Fz ♦ G ♦ Ha-Hf ♦ Hg-Hz ♦ I ♦ J ♦ K ♦ L ♦ M-Me ♦ Mf-Mz ♦ N ♦ O ♦ Pa-Pi ♦ Pj-Pz ♦ Q ♦ Ra-Ri ♦ Rj-Rz ♦ Sa-Sh ♦ Si-Sz ♦ Ta-Tg ♦ Th-Tz ♦ U ♦ V ♦ W ♦ X ♦ Y ♦ Z
- Bi-Bz -
BIG STICK - Korean War plan to destroy the Communist supply complex based on Sibyon-ni, to advance the Eighth Army left flank to the Yesong River, and to regain Kaesong.
BIG SWITCH - Name for the main POW exchange that followed the signing of the Korean Armistice agreement July 27, 1953. Operation Big Switch was conducted from August 5 through December 23, 1953. It was the final exchange of prisoners of war by both sides.
Billets - Slang for living and sleeping quarters areas. “Up in the billets, a young pilot stirs and shakes off the four MIGs that have been chasing him all night, curls himself into a tighter ball under his blankets, and with a happy smile grins to himself: ‘Hell, I’m glad I’m not on ‘Strip’ this morning!’”
Bingo - A UN radio code word meaning to “withdraw,” time to go home as the fuel turn-around state has been reached. By monitoring UN radio broadcasts, Communist air controllers would wait to hear the “Bingo” signal, then vector patrolling MIG flights across the Yalu River to attack the Sabres that were then getting low on fuel. By coordinating the attacks on the Sabres by southward pursing MIGs with those of MIGs heading north from Chongchon, the Red air force was able to “box in” the Sabres, some of whom would exhaust their fuel and have to bail out near Cho-do (see). UN patrols soon learned that the MIGs would not pursue them out to sea and began to return “home” over the Yellow Sea whenever possible.
Bird baths - Airman slang for taking a “bath” from one’s helmet. “Bathed out of our helmets--bird baths.”
Bird Dog - Search And Rescue. Also referred to light observation type aircraft. See L-19.
Blinking Squadron - Also, “blinker noses.” Colloquial name for the 39th FIS based on the visual effect of its F-51 nose spinners (hubs over the propeller), one side of which were painted blue and the other white, producing a “blinking” effect when the engines were running. Ground troops called them “winking spinners.” Until the assignment of the 39th FIS to the 18th Wing in Spring 1951, the 67th Squadron painted the spinners on its aircraft half red and half white.
Blockage and Escort Force (Task Force 95) - Organized Sept. 12, 1950, the U.N. Blockade and Escort Force was a major subordinate command of U.S. Naval Forces, Far East (NAVFE).
Blooding - Exposing new “peon” pilots to combat for the first time. “The ‘blooding’ of newly assigned pilot personnel was successfully accomplished. Mission level experience of such pilots is rapidly increasing.”
BLT - Battalion Landing Team
BLUEHEARTS - Code name for the original plan for an amphibious landing behind enemy lines, abandoned by 10 July 1950. Succeeded by CHROMITE.
Bn - Battalion
BNR - Body not recovered.
Boffins - British and Australian slang meaning someone who is considered to know a lot about science and technology, but is not thought to be interested in other things. Probably synonymous with “geek.” “…this was devised by the boffins to confuse the enemy as well as the pilot himself.”
Bogeys - Unidentified aircraft or attacking aircraft, e.g. “Bogeys at six o’clock level.”
Bomb - Bombardment
Bomb line - “The position forward of the front lines beyond which operations can be undertaken without direction from the close support control.” The designated line, beyond which was considered enemy territory. Below the bomb line combat operations were conducted only under the positive control of a Mosquito or FAC. “Accordingly the bomb (battle) line was withdrawn from the boundary (Manchurian-Korean) perimeter and the “chop line” as a line of “no combat” demarcation was abandoned.”
Bomber Command - A major subordinate command of Far East Air Force (FEAF), Bomber Command (Provisional) was established July 8, 1950, with headquarters at Yokota AB, Japan.
Bombs - Removable bomb racks on the F-51D were designed to hold 100-, 250-, or 500-pound bombs. 1000-pound bombs could be carried “to accomplish particular missions, but the extra weight is undesirable and restricts the airplane to straight and level flight.” If bombs were not installed, “chemical smoke tanks” (napalm) or droppable fuel tanks could be carried.
BomCom - Bomber Command.
Bout-One - A composite unit of American and South Korean airmen organized by the 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing on June 27, 1950. Led by Major Dean E. Hess, the Korean and American pilots of “Bout-One” arrived in Taegu, South Korean on the evening of June 30th and reported to the local KMAG headquarters. Following the death of an inexperienced South Korean pilot, American pilots began to fly all the combat missions in the antiquated F-51s initially flown by the Bout-One pilots. See 51st Fighter Squadron (Provisional).
BOXER Boys - F-51 pilots who sailed with the USS BOXER (see) bringing many former Air National Guard (ANG) aircraft to Korea where they were hastily put into combat. “To the best of my knowledge,” explained Col. Jim Peek, “all of the pilots on the BOXER were Active Duty Air Force Pilots recruited from Fighter Groups or Wings all over the U. S. In our case it was just a day or two after June 25th 1950 when our Group Commander then, Colonel Ashly B. Packard (later killed in a T-33 at Itazuke) called a meeting in the base theater of all pilots assigned or attached to the 27th. He had been an Air Attache in Korea during 1948-1949 and knew first hand about the country and its people. He gave us a good briefing about the invasion by the North Koreans and answered a lot of questions about the place. One question someone asked was, ‘Where in the hell is Korea?’ Air Force Headquarters requested all fighter bases to check their personnel records for pilots with a lot of P-51 experience. This is where the pilots on the BOXER came from, active duty personnel. Guard pilots were not called to duty until after the Chinese joined the fray and replacements were needed to fill the ranks of those KIA and those rotated to the ZI after 100 missions.”
Box-in tactics - See Bingo.
Combat Pilot’s Briefing. General Omar N. Bradley (left), Chairman of the U. S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, and General Matthew B. Ridgway (right), Commander-In-Chief, Far East were special guests of Maj. Gen. Frank F. Everest (center), U. S. Fifth Air Force Commander, at a combat pilot’s briefing on October 2, 1951, at an air base in Korea. General Bradley, accompanied by Gen. Ridgway, spent two days in Korea inspecting United Nations bases. Combat briefings are conducted before each tactical mission to familiarize pilots with their targets, the Air Force reported. (NARA)
Bradley, General of the Army Omar Nelson - Assumed duties as Army Chief of Staff Feb. 7, 1948, and the first Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Jan. 16, 1949. Promoted to General of the Army (five stars) in September 1950, he served as JCS chairman throughout the Korean War.
BRG - Bearing
Brigade (also Brig) - The organizational structure used throughout the Korean War by British, Canadian and Turkish forces. Consisting of a headquarters and two or more battalions, it was roughly analogous to an American regiment.
British Commonwealth Division - British Commonwealth Forces—Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—that played a major part in the Korean War.
Bronze Star Medal - First authorized in World War II, the Bronze Star Medal was awarded in the name of the President of the United States for heroic or meritorious achievement or service in connection with military operations against an armed enemy not involving participation in aerial flight. Awards, denoted by a metallic V device worn on the medal ribbon, were made for heroism performed under circumstances of a lesser degree than those required for award of the Silver Star.
Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) - The Browning Automatic Rifle M-1918A2 or “BAR” was the standard squad automatic weapon for both U.S. Army and Marine Corps Infantry units during World War II and the Korean War.
BS - Bombardment Squadron
Btry - Battery
BUCKSHOT 16 - Korean War operation by the Republic of Korea 11th Division, Republic of Korea I Corps, to take North Korean prisoners.
Bug Out - Evacuate quickly. “So on the evening of August 5th we at Taegu air base were racing to complete our evacuation preparations before dark--planning to move out—to Bug Out—on 6 August 1950.
Burp Gun - The most distinctive small arm of the Korean War—the Soviet Pistolet-Pulemyot Shpagina obr 1941G (PPSh41) submachine-gun and its Chinese-manufactured counterpart.
Buy the farm/bought the farm - Pilot slang for killed or died.c
BW - Bombardment Wing