Glossary
In our collection you will encounter military terminology and acronyms. Here you can find out what they mean.
Peshawar clasp to Australian Service Medal (ASM)
Printing and Publication Unit (RAAF)
A portable diesel driven pump used for fire main boosting
Pilotless Aircraft
Paints and Chemical Containers Working Party
Prisoner of War
Physical and Bayonet Training
Neptune, United States Navy aircraft (Vietnam War)
Orion, United States Navy aircraft (Vietnam War)
Pilot Officer
Personal Assistant
Port Agency (USA)
Per Annum
Put Away
Pacific Architect and Engineers. (An American Civil Firm)
Personnel Assistant to Air Officer Commanding
Principal Air Chaplain, RAAF
Prophylatic Ablution Centre
Pacific Military Intelligence Research Section
Priority Airfield Construction Squadron
Pacific Air Command, United States Army
United States Navy patrol cushion vehicle (Vietnam War)
Passive Air Defence - Measures taken to minimise the effect of air attack. (Second World War)
Public Administration Division (USAID agency) (Vietnam War)
Permanent Air Force
Pamphlet
A call used to indicate a very urgent message concerning the safety of a ship and/or personnel. It has priority over all communications except distress traffic
Principal Administrative Officers Committee Personnel
Precision Approach Radar
Parachute/Paratroop
Paragraph
An apparatus to ensure guns are parallel to each other or to a bearing
Parenthesis
Precision approach radar Officer
Pathology
Passenger(s) transport aircraft
Paymaster, 1st ANZAC Corps [First World War AIF Claims Unit]
Paymaster, 1st Australian Division [First World War AIF Claims Unit]
Paymaster, 2nd Australian Division [First World War AIF Claims Unit]
Paymaster, 3rd Australian Division [First World War AIF Claims Unit]
Paymaster, 4th Australian Division [First World War AIF Claims Unit]
Paymaster, 5th Australian Division [First World War AIF Claims Unit]
Paymaster, Australian Corps [First World War AIF Claims Unit]
Permanent Base [duties] (First World War)
Patrol Boat
Patrol Boat River - small boats operated by the US and Vietnamese navies (Vietnam War)
Patrol Craft
Pharmacy Corps (USA)
Privy Councilor
Permanent Commission
Patrol craft, coastal/inshore/offshore
Postal and Courier Communication Unit
Patrol Craft Escort (Rescue) (USA)
Pulse Code Modulation
Prone to Capture Unit (UK)
Personnel Depot (RAAF)
Port of Debarkation (USA)
Presumed dead
Period (Fuel Stop)
Point Detonating (Fuse)
Personnel Dispatch and Reception Centre (RAF)
Personnel Dispersal Centre (RAF)
Principal Director Medical Services (First World War)
Principal Director of Medical Services, Mediterranean Expeditionary Forces [First World War British Medical Unit]
Pounder
Personnel Dispatch and Reception Centre (RAF)
Port of Embarkation (USA)
Production Executive
Plastic Explosive
Probable Error
Peace Establishment
Early Name for Y5TON Jeep
Bulk CS dropped from CH-47 aircraft to deny an area to the enemy. (Vietnam War)
Prince Edward Island (Canada)
Peace enforcement operation (Peacekeeping)
Principal Executive Officer AMTS
Principal Executive Officer AMP
Principal Executive Officer AMSE
A device which detects humans using an electro-chemical process (Vietnam War)
Personnel & equipment pool (RAAF)
Productivity Enhancement Program-User Participation
Parent Equipment
Personnel
Periodic Intelligence Report
Permanent Residence
Personnel
Program Evaluation Review Technique
Pulheems Employment Standard
Petrol Park (Second World War)
Petroleum Platoon (Vietnam War)
Popular Forces. The PF were locally recruited units employed under the direction of the district chief, normally within their home village (Vietnam War)
Graduate RAF Flying College
Private, first class (USA)
Fast patrol craft, coastal/inshore/offshore
Passed for Consideration
Fast patrol craft, surface to surface missile (SSM)
Fast patrol craft, torpedo
Proving Ground (USA)
Precision Guided Munitions
Photographer
Purple Heart (USA)
Doctor of Philosophy
Pharmaceutical
Pharmaceutical Officer
Public Health Division (USAID agency) (Vietnam War)
1st Philippines Civil Action Group, Republic of Vietnam (Vietnam War)
Philanthropic Organisation
hydrofoil(s), surface to surfac missile/torpedo
Photographic Officer
Photographer
Photographic Interpreter
Photographic Reconnaissance
Principal Harbour Transport Officer
Principal Hospital Transport Officer (First World War)
Philippine Islands
Photo Interpreter
Pacific Islander
Projector, infantry, anti-tank - An anti tank gun conveyable and workable by one man
Papuan Infantry Battalion (Second World War)
Pacification Intensification of Critical Areas Plan created to deal with critical provinces in South Vietnam. (Vietnam War)
Professional International Civil Aviation Organisation
Rapid and forceful buildup of sufficient units and firepower to neutralise an enemy force (Vietnam War)
Position and Intended Movement
Province Intelligence and Operations Coordinating Centre (Vietnam War)
Pioneer (USA)
Traditional term used to describe the passing of an order over the ships public broadcast system
Pacific Islands Regiment (Vietnam War)
Park
Pakistan
Platoon (Part of a Battalion)
Phase Line
Platoon
Plain Language
Port of London Authority
Plant Operator
Platoon (USA)
Personnel Locator Beacon
Provisional Leadership Committee - Formed 27 Aug 64 by Minh, Khanh and Khiem to control country pending formation to High National Council
Prudent Limit of Endurance [coastal command anti?sub patrols]
Palestine Liberation Organisation
Radar sighting
Pilot Officer
Platoon
Prime Minister's Department
Provost Marshal
Post Ministerial Conference (Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN)
President Mess Committee
Port main Engine
Precision Measuring Equipment
Precision Measuring Equipment Laboratory
Precision Measuring Equipment Officer
Permanent Military Forces
Postmaster General
Provost Marshal General (USA)
Principal Military Landing Officer (First World War)
Princess Mary's Nursing Service
Principal Medical Officer (First World War)
Pay Master
Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Hospital
Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service
Professor of Military Science and Tactics (USA)
Publications
Part Number
Pilot navigator bomb aimer
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea Volunteer Rifles
Protect the National Interests
Principal Naval Representative (RAN point of contact for contractors) Pioneer
Pioneer Training Battalion [First World War AIF Engineers Unit]
Pioneer(s)
Principal Naval Transport Officer (First World War)
Petty Officer (RAN)
Pilot Officer (RAAF)
Post Office
Petty Officer Cook
Port of Discharge
Petrol, oil and lubricants
Poland
Political and Economic Intelligence Summaries, General Headquarters, Egyptian Expeditionary Force [First World War British Headquarters Unit]
Political Intelligence, General Headquarters, Egyptian Expeditionary Force [First World War British Headquarters Unit]
Indonesian Police Force (East Timor)
Political warfare
Preparation for Overseas Movement (USA)
Prepositioning of material configured to unit sets
Petty Officer Marine Technical Hull [shipwright]
Priority Operational Objective (ABCA)
Personnel Occurrence Report. (was Casualty Returns up to cc.1950)
Petty Officer Regulator
Portugal
Position
Herbicide used to kill plants growing above ground level
Petty Officer Stoker
United States Naval Base, Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia
Prisoner(s) of War
Petrol Point - A forward detachment of a petrol company or park to facilitate the replacement of petrol and oils to units.
Popski's Private Army (No 1 Long Range Demolition Squadron)
Permanent President Courts Martial
Petroleum Pipehead
Plan and position indicator [radar]
Plan Position Indicator
Pulse Position Modulation
Provisioning Programming Officer
Pulses Per Second
Public Relations
Parent Regiment/Corps (Peacekeeping)
Printer (Administrative)
Printer (Bookbinder)
Parachute
Printer (Compositor)
Precedence
Prepare
Presbyterian
Pulse Recurrence Frequency
Petrol railhead
Priority
ASP gun minus turret and innards, used like the Kangaroo
Primary
Printer (Litho Camera Operator)
Printer (Linotype Operators)
Printer (Letterpress Machinist)
Provost
Public Relations Officer
Provost Unit (Military Police)
Proceed
Project
Projectile
Reinforcement of 1st Brigade (East Timor)
Promote
Printer (Offset Machinist)
Printer (Monotype Operator)
Provisional
Petrol Refilling Point
Photo Reconnaissance Pilots
Printer (Platemaker Photo Litho)
Printer (Proofreader)
Photo Reconnaissance Unit (RAAF)
Provincial Reconnaissance Unit (Vietnam War)
Graduate RAF Staff College
Province Senior Advisor
Graduate RAAF Staff College
Personnel Selection Assessor 12
Police Special Branch
Denotes an Officer who has passed through the Naval Staff College. (Source: Australian Navy List, 1941)
Passed Staff College: graduate of the Military or Naval Staff College
Principal surface combatants
Popular Self Defence Forces
Paymaster Sub?Lieutenant
Permanent Supernumerary List
Personal Services Organisation
Public Service Officer
Primary Standardisation Office
Pierced Steel Planking
Point of Safe Return
Printing and Stationery Service
Personnel Selection Assessor 6
Principal Sea Transport Officer
Psychology
Psychological Operations (Vietnam War)
Psychological Warfare
Physical Training
Point
Pilotless Target Aircraft
Portable
Personnel Transit Centre (RAF)
Physical Training Corps
Primary Training Centre
Part time Duty
Private (Equivalent to a Gunner, Driver, Sapper or Signaller)
Patrol Boat
Physical Training Instructor
Patrol
Port Transportation Officer
Post traumatic stress syndrome
President Trade Test Board
Paratroops Training Unit (RAAF)
Printing Unit (RAAF)
Publish
Pyrexia of uncertain origin (First World War)
Pull Up Point
Prisoner(s) of War
Prisoners of War and Internees
Prisoner of War,believed deceased
Post War Credit
Prisoners of War Contact and Inquiry Unit
Prince of Wales's Light Horse (AMF) (Vietnam War)
Principal Warfare Officer
Post War Reconstruction
Port Warning Signal Station
The Prince of Wales' Volunteers (South Lancashire)
Post Exchange (Vietnam)
Pick up Zone