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
- F-Fl -
F/S - Fire Support
F2H - McDonnell “Banshee”--twin-engine jet fighter (USA)
F3D - Douglas “Skyknight”--twin-engine jet fighter (USA)
F4U - Vought “Corsair”--single-engine fighter (USA)
F-51D - North American “Mustang”: single-engine fighter (USA). The Mustang was built by North American Aviation and was a single-place, low-wing monoplane powered by a Packard-built Rolls Royce engine. Originally designed primarily as a fighter airplane, it was later equipped to carry bombs, rockets and chemical tanks (napalm). The aircraft was equipped with six .50-caliber machine guns as standard equipment. The Mustang’s characteristics include: wing span (37 feet), length (32 feet 2 inches), gross weight (9,000 pounds with no external load/12,300 with maximum external load), engine (12-cylinder, liquid-cooled “Merlin” engine of 1490 horsepower driving a four-bladed constant-speed propeller and equipped with an injection-type carburetor).
F-51’s with teeth - See Tiger Squadron (12th FBS).
F-80 - Lockheed “Shooting Star”: single-engine jet fighter (USA)
F-86 - North American “Sabre”: single-engine jet fighter (USA)
F9F - Grumman “Panther”: single-engine jet fighter (USA)
FA - Field Artillery; Final Approach
FAC - Forward Air Controller
FAF or Fifth AF - Fifth Air Force
FAFIK - Fifth Air Force in Korea
Far East Air Forces Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.
Far East Air Forces (FEAF) - Activated at Brisbane, Australia, June 15, 1944, the Far East Air Force fought its way across the Pacific during World War II. When the Korean War began, it was part of the postwar occupation of Japan, with headquarters in Tokyo.
Far East Command - Shortly after the Korean War began, Far East Command was given operational command of the Republic of Korea (ROK) armed forces by ROK President Syngman Rhee. Soon after, the FECOM was designated as the U.N. Command (UNC), which gave it authority over Allied personnel as well.
FAWS - Fighter All Weather Squadron
FBG - Fighter Bomber Group
FBS - Fighter Bomber Squadron
FBW - Fighter Bomber Wing
FDC - Fire Direction Center
FEAF - Far East Air Forces (U.S.)
FEALogFor - Far East Air Logistics Force
FEAMCOM - Far East Materiel Command
Logo of Fighting 39th Squadron, 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in Korea.
FEC - Far East Command
FES - Far Eastern Squadron
FIG - Fighter-Interceptor Group
Fighting 39th - Nickname for the 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. Also, “Cobra in the Clouds” Squadron. “Each section is taking pride in its own individual accomplishments as well as those of the Squadron as a whole. Although it is hard for us to compete with other outfits of the ‘Jet Area’ for the lime light, a decided amount of pride goes along with every combat sortie the Fighting 39th completes. Each man in the Squadron knows that he is doing his utmost in his contributions towards world peace.”
Logo of the Fighting Cocks, the 67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron
Truckbuster’s Song
67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron parody of ‘Whiffenpoof Song’
Busting trucks along the Yalu,
Blasting tanks along the Line.
It’s the Mustang, mighty Mustang, every time.
We’re the men who fly those Mustangs,
We’re the Red Scarfs, and we’re proud.
Sixty-seventh, head and shoulders o’er the crowd.
When those engines roar at daybreak,
Every crew chief on the Line,
Holds his head high as those Mustangs start to climb.
So we’ll drink a toast to ‘Red Scarfs,’
And our life and love shall last.
We’ll not pass nor be forgotten like the rest.
67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron ready room.
CHORUS:
We are old fighter pilots and we’re here to stay, And fly, fly, fly.
Sixty-Seventh is the Squadron that will always lead the way (and we’re always in the fray)
To fly, fly, fly.
Mustang pilots all, are we.
Fly any bird through Eternity.
So God have mercy on such as we, Who fly, fly, fly.
Flying Cheetahs - Nickname of the 2 Squadron, South African Air Force. The assignment of a foreign squadron to American operational control in November 1950 was a first for the new U.S. Air Force. The “Flying Cheetahs” were a top-notch squadron of dedicated, highly professional airmen whose skill and bravely were highly respected by their American counterparts. More detailed information on the Second Squadron and its significant contributions to the UN effort in Korea, including biographies and photographs of Two Squadron leaders and those lost can be found in the book: "2 Squadron in Korea,” by Winston Brent, Freeworld Publications CC, PO Box 12563, Nelspruit, 1200 South Africa. E-mail: afmil@global.co.za.
Final(s) - Final approach. The part of a landing sequence or airport circuit procedure in which the aircraft has made its final turn and is inbound to the active runway. Downwind is the segment of the circuit paralleling the runway and flown on a reciprocal heading. Base leg is the crosswind segment bringing the aircraft from the downwind leg to final approach. The leg before downwind is called the Crosswind leg.
Finger formation - See Formations.
FIS - Fighter Interceptor Squadron
FIW - Fighter Interceptor Wing
Flak Happy - Air Force pilot slang for combat fatigue. Also “clanky.”
Lt. Marvin Satenstein points out major flak damage to his Mustang fighter-bomber.
FLAK - Flieger Abwehr Kanonen, German anti-aircraft guns. Term carried over into subsequent wars and referred to ground fire coming from anti-aircraft guns as opposed to “pot shots” or ground fire from small arms. Flak was encountered “in increased intensity in the P’yongyang and Kangdong areas. This included 20-mm and 40-mm automatic weapons fire, “as well as small arms fire.” One pilot, Captain Elzeard Deschamps, is presumed “missing in action” due to enemy anti-aircraft fire encountered over Kangdong airdrome.”
Flak traps - Ambush areas devised by Communist gunners to lure UN pilots into traps—heavy concentrations of anti-aircraft guns. Traps include open parachutes hanging on trees, dummy troops made of straw, cables strung across valleys, and strings of lights at measured intervals along mountainsides that looked like a convoy. By July 1951 the Reds had 275 antiaircraft artillery guns and 600 automatic weapons emplaced in Korea. “Pyongyang was defended by 48 guns and more than 100 automatic weapons, making it one of the worst ‘flak traps’ in Korea.”
Flameout - Combustion failure in a jet turbine engine resulting in power loss.
Flight - A group of aircraft operating together. A “four-ship flight” consisted of four aircraft organized in two “elements.” Two-, four-, and eight-aircraft Mustang flights were used during combat situations throughout the war. The majority of all flights consisted of four-aircraft flights where “two aircraft [an “element”] were designated to furnish top (aerial) cover during armed reconnaissance flights or during strafing passes against enemy personnel, materiel and rolling stock.”
Flims - See Flimsy.
Flimsy - Slang for “flimsies,” the extremely thin paper used as 2nd, 3rd or 4th carbon copies. See JOC Alert Missions.
FLT - Flight
Fluid four - A flight formation of four aircraft spaced generally in fingertip formation. The two element leaders applying the firepower, while the wingmen covered the rear.
Fly away kits - Basically a system of plans and physical components (e.g. packing crates, boxes) designed to enable a unit to shift its operating location quickly and without much loss in mission performance.
Flying Boxcar - C-119, twin engine, transport aircraft
A circular Springbok on the side of a Korean War-era Mustang fighter-bomber meant that it was from the 2 Squadron South African Air Force.
Flying Cheetahs - Nickname for the 2 Squadron, South African Air Force operationally attached to the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing for most of the Korean War period.
Flying kit - SAAF slang for the collection of equipment worn by Mustang pilots, including: gun belt, radio vest, Escape and Evasion vest (with its multitude of pockets filled with vital items necessary to sustain life behind enemy lines), Mae West, helmet and oxygen mask.
Flying Tigers of Korea - Term first used by South Korean President Syngman Rhee in reference to the 51st Provisional Squadron formed from Bout One and Dallas volunteers in the early days of the Korean Conflict. Later, the 51st Provisional became the 12th Fighter-Bomber Squadron that retained the sharks “grin” nose art.