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GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Table of Contents
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AA

antiaircraft

AAB

Army Air Base

AAF

Army Air Forces

AACS

Army Airways Communications System

AAFIB

Army Air Force in Britian

AAFld

Army Air Field

AAFMTO

Army Air Forces, Mediterranean Theater of Operations

AAFPOA

Army Air Forces, Pacific Ocean Areas

AAFSCMTO

Army Air Forces Service Command, Mediterranean Theater of Operations

AAFWS

Army Air Forces Weather Service

AB

air base

ABDA

American-British-Dutch-Australian Forces

ABDACOM

American-British-Dutch-Australian Forces Command

AC

Air Commodore

ACM

Air Chief Marshal

ADC

Air Defense Command

Adm

Admiral

Adv

Advance

ADVON

Advanced Echelon

AEAF

Allied Expeditionary Air Force

AEF

Allied Expeditionary Force

A/F

airfield-used collectively to mean both the landing field and the fixed facilities

AFBC

Air Force Base Command

AF Comp Cmd

Air Force Composite Command

AFPAC

US Army Forces, Pacific

AFSC

Air Force Services Command

AG

Adjutant General

Air Div

Air Division

AM

Air Marshall

AMET

Africa-Middle East Theater/Theatre

ammo

ammunitions

armd

armored, armoured

arty

artillery

ASC

Air Service Command

A Spt Cmd

Air Support Command

Asst

Assistant

ATC

Air Transport Command

AVG

American Volunteer Group

AVM

Air Vice Marshal

Avn

Aviation

AWPD

Air War Plans Division

BC

Bomber Command

Bd

Board

BLADE FORCE

British armoured unit in TORCH operations

bmr

bomber

Bn

Battalion

bomb

bombardment

Bomb Div

Bombardment Division

Bomb Gp

Bombardment Group

Bomb Sq

Bombardment Squadron

Brig

Brigade

C

central

CACW

Chinese- American Composite Wing

CAF

Chinese Air Force

C/AS

Chief of Air Staff (RAF)

CATF

Chine Air Task Force

cav

cavalry

CBI

China-Burma-India

CBO

Combined Bomber Offensive (Plan)

CCRC

Combat Crew Replacement Center

CCS

Combined Chiefs of Staff (US-British)

CG

Commanding General

CinC

Commander-in-Chief

CINCPAC

Commander-in-Chief, Pacific

CINCPOA

Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas

CINCUSAFPAC

Commander-in-Chief, United States Army Forces, Pacific

cmd

command

Cmdr

Commander

CO

Commanding Officer

Co

company

COMAIRNORSOLS

Commander Air North Solomons

COMAIRSOLS

Commander Air Solomons

COMAIRSOPAC

Commander Aircraft South Pacific Forces

COMGENSOPAC

Commanding General of US Army Forces in the South Pacific

comm

communications

COMNORPAC

Commander North Pacific

Comp

Composite

Comp Cmd

Composite Command

COMSOPAC

Commander-in-Chief, South Pacific

CONUS

Continental United States

CoS

Chief(s) of Staff (US)

COS

Chiefs of Staff (British)

COSSAC

Chief of Staff, Supreme Allied Commander

DAF

Desert Air Force

DATF

Desert Air Task Force

def

defense

dep

deputy

det

detachment

Div

Division

DS

Detached Service

DSC

Distinguished Service Cross

E

East, eastern

EAC

Eastern Air Command

EAME Theater

European-African-Middle East Theater

ETO

European Theater of Operations

ETOUSA

European Theater of Operations, United States Army

FB

fighter-bomber

FC

Fighter Command

FEAF

Far East Air Force

FM

Field Marshal

Ft

Fort

ftr

fighter

Ftr Gp

fighter group

GAF

German Air Force

GASC

Ground Air Support Command

Gds

Guards

Gee

Device used for blind-bombing, though primarily a navigational apparatus. It depended on beams transmitted from ground stations and had short operational range.

GHQ

General Headquarters

GO

General Order

Gp

Group

HB

heavy bomber

HE

high explosive

HQ

headquarters

I

Island(s)

IATF

India Air Task Force

IC

Interceptor Command

IG

Inspector General

inf

infantry

JCS

Joint Chiefs of Staff

LB

light bomber

MAAF

Mediterranean Allied Air Forces

MAC

Mediterranean Air Command

MASAF

Mediterranean Allied Strategic Air Force

MATAF

Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force

MB

medium bomber

ME

Middle East

MP

Military Police

MTO

Mediterranean Theater of Operations

MTOUSA

Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army

Mts

Mountains

M/Y

marshalling yard

N

North, northern

NAAF

Northwest African Air Forces

NAASC

Northwest African Air Service Command

NACAF

Northwest African Coastal Air Force

NAS

Naval Air Station

NASAF

Northwest African Strategic Air Force

NATAF

Northwest African Tactical Air Force

NATBF

Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force

NATC

Northwest African Training Command

NATOUSA

North African Theater of Operations, United States Army

NEI

Netherlands East Indies

NORPACFOR

North African Theater of Operations, United States Army

NZ

New Zealand

Oboe

Blind-bombing device of a rather short range because of dependence on beams transmitted by ground stations. Oboe was one of the most accurate of blinding devices.

Pathfinder

Aircraft equipped with devices allowing blind-bombing under cloudy or overcast conditions or in darkness

Phil Is

Philippine Islands

Photo

Photographic

Pltn

Platoon

PM

Prime Minister

POA

Pacific Ocean Areas

Prov

Provisional

Pt

point

PT

patrol vessel, motor torpedo boat

Pur

Pursuit

R

River

RAAF

Royal Australian Air Force

RAD

Rear Admiral

RAF

Royal Air Force

RCAF

Royal Canadian Air Force

rcn

reconnaissance

repl

replacement

Rgt

Regiment

RN

Royal Navy

RNZAF

Royal New Zealand Air Force

S

South, southern

SAAF

South African Air Force

SBD

Navy (Douglas) Scout Bomber

SEAC

Southeast Asia Command

serv

service

SHAEF

Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force

Slot, the

300 mi long open-water passage from the Shortland Is to Florida and Savo Island

SOPAC

South Pacific

SOS

Service of Supply

Sp

Special

SPOBS

Special Observer Group, US Army

spt

support

strat

strategic

Sq

Squadron

SWPA

Southwest Pacific Area

TAC

Tactical Air Command

TBF

Navy (Grumman) torpedo Bomber

tac

tactical

TC

troop carrier

TCC

Troop Carrier Command

TF

Task Force

TG

Task group

tgt

target

T/O

target of opportunity

trg

training

Trg and Repl Cmd

Training and Replacement Command

UK

United Kingdom

US

United States

USA

United States Army

USAAF

United States Army Air Force(s)

USAAFNATO

United States Army Air Forces, North African Theater of Operations

USAAFUK

United States Army Air Forces in United Kingdom

USAFBI

United States Army Forces in British Isles

USAFIA

United States Army Forces in Australia

USAFIME

United States Army Forces in the Middle East

USAFISPA

United States Army Forces in South Pacific Area

USAFPOA

United States Army Forces, Pacific Ocean Areas

USAMEAF

United States Army, Middle East Air Forces

USFIA

United States Forces in Australia

USMC

United States Marine Corps

USN

United States Navy

USS

United States ship

USSAFE

(later USSTAF)--United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe

USSR

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

USSTAF

(formerly USSAFE)--United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe

USASTAF

United States Army Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific

VAD

Vice Admiral

V-E Day

Victory in Europe

VHB

very heavy bomber

V-J Day

Victory in Japan

VLR

very long range

W

West, western

WAC

Women's Army Corps

WD

War Department

WDAF

Western Desert Air Force

Wg

Wing

WPB

War Production Board

ZI

Zone of Interior (continued US)