Book Review: Vietnam War Speak
Are you familiar with what a "voting machine" was in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War? Have you ever heard of a "Search and Avoid" mission? Do you know the difference between a "Number One GI" and a "Number Ten GI?"
We have the best dictionary-turned-Vietnam War history you might ever lay your hands on, thanks to Vietnam-era Marine Corps veteran Bill Stilwagen. Stilwagen joined the Marines as part of its early enlistment program in 1968 and by 1969 found himself in Vietnam as a field radio operator along the demilitarized zone.
Later, he was a machine gunner aboard CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters flying out of Marble Mountain near Da Nang. He left Vietnam with an Air Medal, Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross.
Stilwagen was in the thick of the war and knows the language of this harsh reality, the reality of a generation who asked what they could do for their country.
He has created a compendium of 2,500 slang terms, acronyms, jargon expressions, and more, all used by servicemen in Vietnam. This book, "Vietnam War Speak: The Distinctive Language of the Vietnam Era," shows remarkable insight into the Vietnam generation of veterans' place in American cultural history.
Like the vernacular of all major American wars, it is often unique, sometimes harsh, and not for the faint of heart. The terms used by soldiers on the battlefield can be beautiful and terrible, sad and funny, or just absurd. More often than not, these terms are not politically correct. The language of troops in the country reflects the experiences of those who served there, for better or for worse.
Language, however, it's used, is a means of coping with the brutality of the war, the loss of family and friends, and the time spent away from being "in the world." Though shocking as some of the language can be, it is both entertaining and informative to look at the language compiled by Stilwagen for this book. It's a step back in time to an era that still affects America today.
When he's not writing about the language of the Vietnam War, Bill Stilwagen is conducting tours through the bush as a guide in Vietnam, helping his fellow veterans with their return trips. He also leads tours for the widows and orphans of Vietnam veterans who seek to understand their veterans' experiences.
Stilwagen is also President of the non-profit tour company Vietnam Battlefield Tours and has conducted more than 300 seminars on the legacies and realities of the Vietnam War. You may never find a more honest, specialized history of the language of soldiers than the one provided by Bill Stilwagen.
His book, "Vietnam War Speak: The Distinctive Language of the Vietnam Era," is available in paperback on Amazon, Walmart, or eBay for $18.99.