ghost soldier
n.— «There were no regular South Vietnamese Army units station in Phuoctuy, and the province grew rich on “ghost soldiers,” phony names on the military roster.» —“Battle for Datdo Tests Local Vietnamese Leadership” by Fox Butterfield in Datdo, South Vietnam New York Times June 112, 1972. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Sean in Oneonta, New York, says that when he was growing up in New Jersey, his family would pile in the car and set off on a surprise adventure, whether a short distance or long, and the kids would be told only that they were going on Buxtehude...
Asthenosphere, a geologist’s term for the molten layer beneath the earth’s crust, sparks a journey that stretches all the way from ancient Greece to the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Plus: What the heck is a dogberg? It’s when...