Korean War Air-Ground Glossary
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
- Sa-Sh -
S. Comm. - Senate Committee
S-1 - Adjutant
S-2 - Intelligence Officer
S-3 - Operations and Training Officer
S-4 - Supply Officer
SAAF - South African Air Force
Sabre or Sabrejet - F-86; jet powered fighter interceptor aircraft.
SAC - Strategic Air Command
Col. Ralph H. “Salty” Saltsman, Commander, 18th Fighter-Bomber Group, 5 June 1951-30 November 1951. Promoted to full Colonel in August 1951. The 67th reported, a major highlight of the month was the promotion of Lt. Col. Saltsman to Colonel. “Everybody was glad to see the Colonel have to dig into his purse for that kind of party and a big box of cigars. All agreed that the promotion was well deserved.”
Saltsman, Col. Ralph H. “Salty” - Commander, 18th Fighter-Bomber Group, 5 June 1951-30 November 1951. Promoted to full Colonel in August 1951.
SAR - Special Action Report; Search and Rescue
Sariwon - A city in central North Korea that was one of the apexes of the “Iron Triangle,” known for its heavy and accurate flak batteries. Many American jet and prop planes were shot down in this area.
SATURATE - On Feb. 25, 1952, FAF director of intelligence strongly recommended the implementation of “Operation Saturate,” an around-the-clock concentration of available railway-interdiction effort against short segments of railway track, including Kunu-ri to Huichon, Sunchon to Samdong-ni, Sinanju to Namsi-dong and Pyongyang to Namchonjom. Operation Saturate was put into effect on March 3rd. Attacks were sustained throughout April and May. Soon after the operation began, flak batteries had been put into place along nearly all rail lines. Losses of tactical aircraft were high.
SCAB - Ship Control of Aircraft Bombing
SCAP - Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, i.e. General MacArthur. Mustangs from the 18th Fighter-Bomber Group were called on to provide air cover for MacArthur’s plane when he visited “the front.”
SCARWAF - Special Category Army (Personnel) With Air Force, an acronym used during the transition period in the late 1940s when the U.S. Air Force was still detaching itself from its mother service the U.S. Army.
SCATTER - Korean War screening plan for the repatriation of prisoners of war.
Scosh - Slang for “little bit,” as in “It got a scosh cold last night. It must have been 20 degrees below zero because it’s been 5 degrees below all day today.” (Lt. Kenneth Barber’s diary of 14 November 1950 written about 50 miles south of the Yalu River in North Korea.)
SCR - Signal Corps Radio
SCR-300 - A low power portable radio receiver and transmitter designed for two-way communication over short distances (three miles plus), primarily for infantry units. Also called “walkie-talkie.”
SCR-536 - A lighter version of the SCR-300, and designed for similar use. The models weighed about 5 pounds, as opposed to 32 to 38 pounds for the SCR-300. Also called “handie talkie.”
Scramble - Immediate take-off order to pilots standing by for prompt take-off and combat operations. “…We alternated on strip alert with the 67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron between the morning and evening alert...we were not ‘scrambled.’” See JOC Alert Missions and Strip Alert.
Scroung/scrounger - Slang term used to describe an individual with the ability to obtain supplies, parts or materiel outside of normal supply channels that were often unable to deliver the critical items. “Captain Becraft, supply officer, has been tied down to various other additional duties throughout the month but has given generously of his off-duty time to help this section in many ways. He has made several trips to Pusan Army Depots in an effort to obtain needed items, which are not available through out normal supply sources. He has proved himself a ‘Scrounger Extraordinary,’ a title usually reserved for men with less scruples,” the 39th FIS reported.
Scud layer - Low clouds. “I kept a nervous eye on my fuel gauges as I used first one set of tanks, then another, and wasn’t very encouraged when we noticed a widespread ‘scud’ layer—low clouds—extending out a hundred miles or so west from the little island of Okinawa.” (Lt. Col. Duane E. ‘Bud’ Biteman, USAF (Ret.)
Seabees - Officially “amphibious construction battalions,” the Navy’s Seabees were part of Task Force 90.
SEATO - Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
Major Louis Sebille, Commanding Officer, 67th Squadron together with its Operations Officer, Captain Bob Howell, was lost to enemy ground fire within hours of each other on August 5, 1950, near H’amchang. Maj. Sebille was later awarded the Medal of Honor for his final mission, the first of but four awarded to Air Force personnel during the entire Korean War.
Sebille, Maj. Louis - The 67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron lost both its Squadron Commanding Officer, Major Lou Sebille, and its Operations Officer, Captain Bob Howell, to enemy ground fire within hours of each other on August 5, 1950, near H’amchang. Maj. Sebille was later awarded the Medal of Honor for his final mission, the first of but two awarded to Air Force personnel during the entire Korean War. On August 5, 1951, Major Sebille, then Commander of the 67th, led a flight of three F-51 Mustangs in a close air support mission for United Nations troops in the vicinity of Hamchong, Republic of Korea. On Saturday morning, 5 August, Lt. Kenneth Barber was assigned to fly wingman for Major Sebille. Over the channel, Barber’s coolant started acting up and the temperature jumped to 150 degrees. His oil pressure was OK, but the radio was also “poor.” He contacted Sebille to report his situation. Sebille sent Barber back to Ashiya and continued the mission. “Captain Johnson was his element leader, and they went on,” Barber noted in his diary. Three hours later, Captain Johnson returned with his wingman. “Major Sebille had gone in. Apparently, his coolant was hit by ground fire (which leaves the plane only from 3-10 minutes flying time before it overheats and freezes). Captain Johnson said, “Head SE and you’ll make it to friendly territory.” Sebille answered, “I’m hit bad. I can’t make it. I’m going to get that bastard.” Sebille “then turned and went back in the valley and crashed his plane into an enemy truck and the whole business went sky high. Damn!” Barber noted. It was the 26th mission for the squadron and his fifth. Major Sebille was credited with inflicting considerable damage to the enemy during the mission while sacrificing his own life in the effort.
Sec - Section
Section - See Formations.
Secy - Secretary
Seoul City Sue - The North Korean Axis Sally or Tokyo Rose.
Sep - Separate
Service ceiling - See Ceiling.
SFC - Sergeant First Class
SFCP - Spotting Fire Command Post
SFL - Simulated Forced Landing
Shackle Code - Encryption system used to authenticate highly sensitive radio transmissions.
Shirley Control - Allied fliers checked in with “Shirley Control” when leaving friendly territory and when reentering. “Shirley Control could also redirect your mission when you were up North,” explained Budd Stapley.
Shooting G.C.A.s - Pilot slang for making a series of practice landings that were directed largely by personnel operating a Ground Controlled Approach (GCA) radar system. See GCA.
SHORAN - Short-range navigation system employing an airborne transmission device and two ground beacon stations for precision positioning and bombing. On February 17-18, 1951 “B-26s flew the first night bombing mission using shoran, a short range navigation system employing an airborne radar device and two ground beacon stations for precision bombing.”
SHOWDOWN - Korean War plan designed to improve IX Corps defensive line positions north of Kumhwa. On 13-14 October, 1952, the U.S. IX Corps sent two battalions forward to capture Communist positions on Triangle Hill and Sniper Ridge. The objectives were secured, but the fighting became a bloody seesaw contest.