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
- M-Me -
Col. William P. (“Willie Peter”) McBride assumed command of the 18th Fighter-Bomber Group from Lt. Col. Homer M. Cox. The change in command “brought many new policies to the 18th and activities were temporarily bogged down until the unit could swing into step with the new commander,” the Group’s history recorded. The historian then noted, “Colonel McBride’s personal drive and magnetism pulled the organizational together rapidly and turned the full force of the unit upon the enemy.” His tenure as Group Commander was short. On 5 June 1951, while leading a flight of four F-51s of the 67th Squadron, Col. McBride was struck in the face by automatic weapons fire and had to belly land at K-16. Lt. Col. Ralph H. Saltsman, Jr. assumed command of the 18th F-B Group on 5 June 1951 and Lt. Col. Henry W. Lawrence “was brought up from the 67th Squadron to serve as Group Executive. Major Carl C. Colson moved from Group Operations to replace Colonel Lawrence as commander of the 67th.
M - Mach number; Manual
M&S - Maintenance and Supply
MacArthur, General of the Army Douglas - General of the Army (five star rank) MacArthur was designated commander in chief of the United Nations Command by President Harry S Truman July 8, 1950, and given command of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces by ROK President Syngman Rhee July 14, 1950. In mid-April, 195, President Truman shocked the world by replacing General MacArthur, who had publicly criticized the administration’s Korean War policies, with Lt. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway, USA.
Mach number - Ratio of true airspeed to the speed of sound. Mach 1 is the speed of sound at sea level, ISA, approximately 1,100 feet per second or 760 mph.
Mae West - Air crew life vest for use in a ditching or over water bailout. (Note the correct spelling - it was named for the movie actress) “…Then over all that goes the ‘Mae West,’ which, when inflated, makes the origin of the name quite obvious. The item was designed to save the wearer from drowning, but not from freezing.” Truckbuster, September 30, 1952.
MAG - Magnetic
MAINT - Maintenance
MAN - Manual
MAP - Missed Approach
MARDIV - Marine Division
Martin, Col. Maurice L. - Colonel Maurice L. Martin assumed command of the 18th Fighter-Bomber Group on 24 January 1953, relieving Lt. Col. Albert J. Freund, who was reassigned to Headquarters, Fifth AF. On 13 March 1953, Colonel Martin, 18th Group Commander, engaged two MIGs while leading a two Squadron SAAF flight and shot down one. Martin assumed command of the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 5 July 5, 1953, succeeding Col. John C. Edward.
MASH - Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
MATS - Military Air Transport Service
MAW - Marine Aircraft Wing
Maximum Effort - A strike by a large number of planes on a single target. When intelligence analysts and tactical planners determined that a particular target was important enough to justify a major strike, a squadron or more likely a group, would be tasked to hit a target with all its available resources—“maximum effort”—Col. Joe Peterburs explained. “The Group would put together a force from all four squadrons and we would get from 30-50 birds in the air all hitting the same target at the same time.”
May, Lt. Col. William - Commanding Officer, 67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, succeeded Major Arnold Mullins on 14 November 1950. On 1 March 1951, Lt. Col. May “abandoned his aircraft successfully after being struck by intense enemy ground fire behind enemy lines. He was rescued by a helicopter from the heavy cruiser St. Paul.” May was hospitalized for burns. “Lt. Col. May was also shot down,” Lt. Ken Barber recorded. “He was hit bad and flames were licking at his feet. He jettisoned his canopy and the flames really sucked up into his face, burning it, and he had to bail out—right over the enemy front lines. All four of the ships covering him were hit with small arms fire. The helicopter came in—then backed off. Capt. Croner told him to get the hell back in and pick up that man. This time the copter did, dropping a rope ladder up which Col. May scrambled! The ‘copter’ had plenty of holes in it. Col. May is on a hospital ship—only burned around the face. Sure is lucky.” On 31 March 1951, Lt. Col. Henry W. Lawrence relieved Lt. Col. May as Commanding Officer of the 67th Squadron.
Mayday - International radio distress call (from the French, m’aidez or “help me.”). It signifies imminent danger to life requiring immediate assistance. Pilots were advised to “transmit ‘Mayday’ three times, followed by the call sign of your plane three times,” followed by detailed information regarding estimated position, time, course, speed, altitude, intentions, etc.
McBride, Col. William P. - Commander, 18th Fighter-Bomber Group, in May 1951, succeeding Lt. Col. Homer M. Cox, who was transferred to Japan. On 5 June 1951, while leading a flight of four F-51s of the 67th Squadron, Col. McBride “who took command of the Group during the month of June, was struck in the face by automatic weapons fire and had to belly land at K-16. He has been in the Tokyo General Hospital since that date and has had to undergo several operations.” Lt. Col. Ralph H. Saltsman, Jr. assumed command of the 18th F-B Group on 5 June 1951 and Lt. Col. Henry W. Lawrence “was brought up from the 67th Squadron to serve as Group Executive. Major Carl C. Colson moved from Group Operations to replace Colonel Lawrence as commander of the 67th.”
Major Charles Magee holds up seven fingers to signify his completing the 7,000th combat sortie for the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing in Korea."
McGee, Major Charles E. - Led a 67th Squadron flight of four F-51’s on 28 December 1950 in a close support mission of UN ground forces in the H’wachon Reservoir area where enemy forces “occupied positions approximately 50 yards north of friendly troops.” Following the attack, approximately 125 CCF troops surrendered. McGee flew the 7,000th combat sortie for the 18th Wing on 28 January 1951.
Med - Medical Staff
Medal of Honor - The highest American military award for battlefield bravery.
MedTk - Medium Tank
Mellow Control - On July 20, 1950 control of tactical support aircraft was assumed at Taegu by the FAF-Eighth Army JOC. Its radio control station at Taegu was given the call sign of “Mellow.” Fighter aircraft were directed to the front by Mellow Control (Tactical Air Control Center) and Mosquito Mellow. When they arrived in the operating area, airborne Mosquitoes FACs directed them to specific targets.
Meteor - British twin jet fighter aircraft used by the RAAF during the Korean War, primarily for air-to-ground interdiction and close air support missions.