Code Talker: Chapters 13–17

Amphibious warfare involves delivering troops to shore via naval warships. Marines are military personnel that operate on both land and sea; they are part of the U.S. Navy, and are considered an amphibious force, as they serve both on land and at sea.

Because a modern military has many long-range weapons, close fighting often takes place towards the end of a planned attack. But in non-combat zones, an assault can take place at any time, and it can use physical or emotional weapons (such as speech or writing).

The numerical caliber of a gun measures either the diameter of its barrel or the diameter of its projectile (both should be closely matched). Because a gun has many parts, this number does not reveal much about its overall caliber ("a degree or grade of excellence or worth").

This noun is often shortened to "recon." As a verb, "recon" can refer to "reconnoiter," which is synonymous with "scout" and defined as "explore, often with the goal of finding something."

As an adjective, "objective" means "expressing things perceived without distortion of feelings." The narrator is sometimes objective in describing how the objectives of the war are attained, but he is not objective about war itself: "Never think that war is a good thing, grandchildren. Though it may be necessary at times to defend our people, war is a sickness that must be cured."

In Latin, "salve" means "be in good health." This can be seen in another definition of "salvo": a sudden outburst of cheers. The word's connection to combat comes from the Roman practice of greeting important visitors with a volley of gunfire in the air.