Terms and descriptions of the GI language.
5 by 5 |
I read you 5 by 5, means you have good radio reception. |
AAA |
Anti-Aircraft Artillery |
AAC |
Army Air Corps |
AAF |
Army Air Forces |
ACE |
Also Fighter Ace, credited with 5 or more kills (downed enemy aircraft). |
Ack-Ack |
AAA Fire or Flak |
ADG |
Air Depot Group |
AF |
Air Force |
APO |
Army Post Office |
BC |
Bomber Command |
BG |
Bombardment Group |
BG (D) |
Bombardment Group - Dive |
BG (H) |
Bombardment Group (Heavy) |
BG (L) |
Bombardment Group (Light) |
BG (M) |
Bombardment Group (Medium) |
BG (P) |
Bombardment Group (Pathfinder) |
BG (VH) |
Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) |
BOQ |
Bachelors Officer Quarters |
CAP |
Civil Air Patrol |
CBI |
China-Burma-India |
CinCPac |
Commander In Chief Pacific |
DFC |
Distinquished Flying Cross |
DSC |
Distinguished Service Cross |
DSM |
Distinguished Service Medal |
DUC |
Distinguished Unit Citation |
EAME |
European, Africa & Middle East Medal. |
EM |
Enlisted Man |
ETO |
European Theater of Operations |
FG |
Fighter Group |
FIGMO |
Forget it, I got my orders. |
Flak |
German Anti-Aircraft Gunfire. |
FORAGER |
Operation in Saipan, Guam, Tinian: Summer 1944 |
FS |
Fighter Squadron |
FUBAR |
Fouled up beyond all recognition. |
FW |
Fighter Wing |
GP |
Group or General Purpose |
Hangar Queen |
An airplane that spends more time in maintenance than in the air. Not the plane you want to draw as an assignment. |
HE |
Heavy Explosive |
HP |
Hot Pilot. WASP were sometimes called "Women HPs." |
HQ |
Headquarters |
IFF |
Identification, Friend or Foe. Radar transponder. |
IP |
Initial Point |
KIA |
Killed in Action |
Kilroy |
Who? |
MAAF |
Mediterranean Allied Air Forces |
MACR |
Missing Air Crew Report |
Mae West |
Inflatable life-preserver jacket worn by Air Crew. |
MIA |
Missing In Action |
MOS |
Military Occupation Specialty |
MTO |
Mediterranean Theater of Operations. |
NCO |
Non-Commissioned Officer. |
OCS |
Officer Candidate School |
OD |
Olive Drab. Army green. Uniform, camoflage. |
OLC |
Oak Leaf Cluster. Multiple or repeat awards. Bronze(1), Silver(5). |
POW |
Prisoner of War |
PTO |
Pacific Theater of Operations |
PUC |
Presidential Unit Citation |
QM |
Quartermaster |
RADAR |
Radio Detecting and Ranging |
Repple Depple |
Replacement Depot |
SNAFU |
Situation Normal, All fouled up. |
SOS |
Morse Code, Distress Signal. |
Sweating It Out |
Worry about it, holding out hope, waiting |
TARFU |
Things are really fouled up. |
VE Day |
Victory in Europe Day. |
VJ Day |
Victory Over Japan Day. |
Do you have items such as papers, photos, uniforms, gear and other artifacts? Read more about Supporting the AALCM.
We need help with transcribing data. Unit histories, personnel rosters and group records to digital. Want to help? Contact Us
If you have any data on servicemen rosters and their units and would like to submit it to our digital library; please Contact Us
