jackknife A large pocketknife.
Jane Fonda (b. 1937) Actress and sex symbol who toured Vietnam in 1972; she became a vocal anti-war activist and was harshly criticized by some veterans for her political position on the war.
jeez Euphemism for Jesus, used variously to express surprise, anger, annoyance and so on.
jingo A person who boasts of his patriotism and favors an aggressive, threatening, warlike foreign policy; chauvinist.
joss sticks Thin sticks of dried paste made of fragrant wood dust, a kind of incense.
Karl (Heinrich) Marx (1818–1883) German social philosopher and economist. Marx was the founder of modern socialism.
KIA Abbreviation for killed in action, to be killed in the line of duty.
LBJ Lyndon B. Johnson (1908–1973) 36th president of the United States (1963–1969).
Lemon Tree A song popularized in the 1960s by folk music group Peter, Paul and Mary. The song tells of a father warning his son about falling in love too deeply with a seemingly ideal girl, with the cautionary moral being that what appears sweet may actually be sour.
listening post (LP) An advanced, concealed position near the enemy's lines, for detecting the enemy's movements by listening. Here, a three-man post placed outside the barbed wire surrounding a firebase to detect enemy movement in order to warn and defend the perimeter.
LZ Gator Landing zone south of Chu Lai.
