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
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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
- N -
N/A - Not Applicable
Naktong Perimeter, Battle of - Also known as the “Pusan Perimeter,” the Naktong Perimeter battle was the name given to Eighth U.S. Army’s initial defense of the Republic of Korea.
In one of the most famous of Korean War combat photographs, Major Murritt Davis in "Sexy Sally," CO of the 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron has just released his napalm bombs over Pyongyang, NK on 14 August 1951. Davis was killed in action later that afternoon while trying to locate one of his downed pilots.
Napalm - An acronym derived from naphthenic and palmitic acids whose salts are used in its manufacture. NAPALM is a jellied gasoline used in flame throwers, fougasses and aerial bombs. Napalm was used in two forms, the 110-gallon drop tank with one or two igniters and the AN/M-76 gasoline jelly bomb using an AN/M-103 nose fuse and an AN/M-101-A2 tail fuse. Normal loading for napalm was two tanks or bombs per fighter-bomber aircraft. “Napalm destroyed or neutralized more T-34 tanks than all other airborne weapons combined,” according to FAF operational analyses. “Approximately 10 times as many tanks were claimed to have been destroyed (or 14 times as many hit) by rockets as by napalm…it can only be concluded that whereas relatively large effort has been expended in shooting rockets at enemy tanks, and apparently resulting in hits, actually only a small fraction were hits. Had actual hits been obtained, a much larger number of tanks would have been found due to rockets.” Because napalm is generally used against relatively small targets, and because it must spread to a large area when dropped, it is released at a low altitude where the bomb will have a skipping effect on impact, the Combat Operations Manual for the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing explained. “The bomb run should not be a shallow one as you present much too fine a target for the enemy. A high angle dive with a level out before release at 50’-100’ followed by a sharp break in either direction will prove to be the most effective while subjecting yourself to a minimum possibility of being hit. Be prepared for instability resulting from a ‘hung-up’ bomb when at release altitude, as aircraft have been known to execute a roll if not properly checked.” Eighteenth Wing pilots dropped over 22,000 napalm bombs during the Korean War.
Narr - Narrative
Natl - National
NAV - Navigation
NAVAID - Navigational Aid
NAVFE - U.S. Naval Forces, Far East
NCO - Non-commissioned officer
Night hecklers - See Bed Check Charley.
NKA - North Korean Army
NKAFNorth Korean Air Force
NM - Nautical Mile
Norman, Col. Henry H. - Commander, 18th Fighter-Bomber Group until 16 June 1950 when he was succeeded by Lt. Col. Ira L. “Ike” Wintermute.
Nose ups - A sudden stop or runway surface problem could cause a taxiing aircraft, particularly the F-51 to pitch forward onto its nose doing significant damage to the prop and engine in the process. “Whenever the ground is softened by rains, the parking and taxiing problems are also a menace. The utmost caution is necessary to avoid mud-holes which could cause nose-ups or gear damage.”
NOTAM - Notices to Airmen, issued by aviation authorities to inform pilots of new or changed aeronautical facilities, services, procedures or hazards, temporary or permanent.
Nr - Number