Cherries

US Army slang common during the Vietnam War, although possibly originating much earlier than this. It means a soldier who is a combat virgin who has not been 'blooded' and, therefore, one whose behaviour in combat is unpredictable. The arrival of a new soldier as a replacement in an established unit was always difficult, hence the referral to such an arrival as FNG (Fucking New Guy). Where this soldier had not seen combat the difficulty was compounded and the established troops viewed them with suspicion as an unknown quantity.