A

A.2. = WWII Type Leather Pilot Jacket
A.A. = Anti Aircraft
A.A. = All American(s) - also nickname of the 82nd Airborne Division
A.A.A. = Anit Aircraft Artillery
AA-AT = Anti Aircraft - Anti Tank
A.A.R. = After Action Report ('Report' became 'Review' later)
AB = Airborne
A/B = Airborne
ABN = Airborne
A.D.C. = Aide De Camp
A.E.B. = Airborne Engineer Battalion
A.K. = Armee Korps (German) Army Corps
A.K.A. = Also Known As
A.L.I.C.E. = Allpurpose Lightweigth Individual Carrying Equipment - as in ALICE Packs
A.M. = After Midnight
A.M.C. = Airborne Medical Company
A.O.K. = Armee-Oberkommando (German) Army Korps (High) Command
A.O.M.C. = Airborne Ordnance Maintenance Company
A.P. = Armor Piercing
A.P.O. = Army Post Office ---> M.P.O. = Military Post Office
A.P.T.C. = Army Physical Training Corps
A.Q.C. = Airborne Quartermaster Company
A.R. = Army Regulation
ASDIC = Anti-submarine Detection Investigation Committee - and their detection system
A.S.A.P. = As Soon As Possible
A.S.C. = Airborne Signal Company
ATFU = Ate the Fuck Up (Not up to the Army standard)
A.T.R.L. = Anti Tank Rocket Launcher (M6 Bazooka)
A.V. = Assault Vest or Load Bearing Vest
A.W.O.L. = Absence Without Leave or Absence Without Official Leave
A.W.T. = (Dutch) Af Werp Terrein(en) Dropping Zone (for resistance)

B

B.A.R. = Browning Automatic Rifle
Barrage = Heavy, long lasting concentrated fire
Bat = Battalion
Batl. = Bataillon (German) Battalion
Bau = (German) Construction
B.C.T. = Basic Combat Training
BDR = Bombardeer
BDU = Battle Dress Uniform
Bn = Battalion
Beachhead = Gained ground during an (sea/air) landing on enemy territory
BG = Bag
B.G. = Brigadier general (1 Star)
BIGOT = term 'Bigoted': person or document with security clearance
Bird Colonel = Full Colonel (from the eagle insignia of grade) to distinguish from the one-grade-lower Lieutenant Colonel
Brass = Colonels and Generals (Higher Staff)
Brick Driver = Glider Pilot
Buck = (money) Dollar
Buck = (rank) lowest form of rank: 'Buck' Private = not a Private First Class, just plain Private
Butter Bar = 2nd Lieutenant (yellow bar insignia)
B.S. = Bronze Star
B.S. = Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten (Dutch Organised Resistance)
BTDT = Been There, Done That
BTDTBTTS = Been There, Done That, Bought The T-Shirt
Bty = Battery
Bunk = Bunkbed
BX = Box

C

C's = C-Ration Cans
C-47 = Dakota Transport (also: DC-3, Skytrain, Gooney Bird)
C.A.B. = Canadian Armoured Division
Cal = Caliber
Caliber = The diameter of the cartridge or projectile for a gun, also the diameter of the bore of this gun
Camo = Camouflage
C.A.T. = (Dutch) Commando Afwerp terreinen, Organized Resistance 'Controling' Dropzone
C.B.I. = China Birma India (Theater of Operations)
C.C-2 = Chloroamide liquid chemical as used for poison gas protection
C.F. = slang Cluster Fuck - Pretty Damn' Bad
C.G.- 4.A. = US made Waco Glider
C.G.O. = Company Grade Officer
Chevron = V-shaped bar(s) on the sleeve of Privates, PFC's, Tech's and Sergeants, indicating rank
C.I.C. = Counter Intelligence Corps
C.I.D. = (Dutch) Centrale Inlichtingen Dienst, Central Information Service
Civvies = Civilian Clothes
Class A's = Class A Dress Uniform
C.O. = Commanding Officer
Co = Company
Col = Colonel
Coy = Company
C.G. = Commanding General
C.M.H. = Congressional Medal (of) Honor
C.P. = Command Post
Cpl = Corporal
C.S.R. = Canadian Scottish Regiment
C.T. = Combat Team
Currahees = Nickname of the 506th PIR
C.W.O. = Chief Warrant Officer
C.W.U. = Cold Weather Uniform

D

D.D. = Duplex Drive (as in Sherman DD)
D.D. = Doughnut Dolly or Donut 'Dame'
Dang = slang for Damned
D-Day = The Day an Operation starts, often linked to Normandy the 6th of June 1944
Deuce = 2 1/2 Ton Truck - also slang for 'Two' (as in 'Five-Oh-Deuce' = 502)
D.P. = Displaced Person(s)
D.F.C. = Distinguished Flying Cross
D.L.I. = Durham Light Infantry
D.N.B. = Died Non Battle (non battle related cause of death)
D.N.B.I. = Died Non Battle Injurys
D.N.B. = Deutsches Nachrichten Buro
D.O.D. = Date of Death
D.O.I. = Died of Injuries/Illness
D.O.W. = Died of Wounds
D.S.C. = Distinguished Service Cross
D.S.M. = Distinguished Service Medal
D.U.C. = Distinguished Unit Citation
D.W.C. = Died While Captured
D.W.I. = Died While Interned
D.W.M. = Died While Missing
Dy = Duty
D.Z. = Drop Zone

E

Eisenbahn = (German) Railroad
Ersatz = (German) Replacement ( also in food: ersatzkaffee, coffee)
E.M. = Enlisted Men
E.M.T. = Emergency Medical Tag
Engr = Engineer
E.O.D. = Explosive Ordinance Disposal
E.O.D. = (Dutch) Explosieven Opruimings Dienst
E.P. = Evacuation Point or Extraction Point
E.P.W. = Enemy Prisoner (of) War
E.T.O. = European Theater of Operation
E.Y.R = East Yorkshire Regiment
E.X.O. = Executive Officer

F

F.A. = Field Artillery
Fallschirm = (German) Parachute
Fallschrimjäger = (German) Paratroop units
F.G.O. = Field Grade Officer
FIIGMO = Fuck It, I've Got My Orders
FISHDO = Fuck It, Shit Happens, Drive On
FLAK = Flieger Abwehr Kanone (German) Anti Aircraft Gun
FLAK Jacket = Body Armor for Bomber Crews
F.L.C. = Fighting Load Carrier - Like the Load Bearing Vest an Universal Modular Belt integrated in a Combat Assault Vest
FL.O. = Flight Officer
F.M. = Field Manual
F.M. = Frequency Modulated (as in Radio)
F.O. = Forward Observer
F/O = Flight Officer
F.O.D. = Finding of Death (under Public Law 490)
Fr = from
Freibauer = (German) Freehold Farmer
Frog = Frenchman
F.S.B. = Fire Support Base
F.Sgt = First 1st Sergeant (1 Sg)slang: Top Kick or Top Sgt (Three Stripes up, Three Stripes Down with Diamond)
F.U.B.A.R. = Slang: Fucked Up Beyond Any Recognition or Fouled Up Beyond Any Repair
F.V. = Flak Vest - Body Armor as used in Navy / Airforce

G

G 1 (one) = Divisions Personnel Officer or Adjutant---> Modern = Personnel
G 2 (two) = Divisions Intelligence Officer---> Modern = Intelligence
G 3 (three) = Divisions Operations Officer---> Modern = Operations & Plans
G 4 (four) = Divisions Supply Officer ---> Modern = Logistics
G 5 (five) = ---> Modern = Civil Affairs
GDSN = Guardsman
Gen = General
Geronimo = Apache Indian Chief - also nickname of the 501st PIR Troopers
GeStaPo = (Geheimer Statz Polizei) German Secret Government police
G.F.A. = Glider Field Artillery
G.F.A.B. = Glider Field Artillery Battalion
G.I. = Government Issue
G.I. Bill of Rights = U.S. Government Aid project for readjustment of GI's into civilian life
G.I.B. = Glider Infantry Battalion
G.I.R. = Glider Infantry Regiment
Glider Rider = Glider Infantry Man
GNR = Gunner
Goony Bird = C-47 Aircraft nickname (English)
Greasegun = US M3 Submachinegun
G.R.S. = Graves Registration Services
G.S. = General Support

H

Handcart M-3A4 = Little Multi Purpose two-wheel handcart for elite troops (many other types)
Handcart M-6A1 = Little two-wheel handcart to transport a 81mm Mortar
Harko = Höherer Artillerie-Kommandeur (German) Higher Artillery Commander
H.B.T. = Herring Bone Twill (as in uniform fabrique)
H.E. = High Explosive
Heer = Army (German)
H.M.G. = Heavy Machine Gun
Horsa = British made Glider
H.Q. = Head Quarters
H.S.S. = Health Service Support
H.T. = Handy Talkie
Hun = German

I

I.B.A. = Interceptor Body Armor
I.B.C.T. = Infantry Brigade Combat Team
I.D. = Identification
I.I.F.S. = Individual Integrated Fighting System - Universal Personal Combat Gear Setup
I.L.B.E. = Improved Load Bearing Equipment - USMC modern Universal Combat Gear System
Inf = Infantry
Island, The = Area between the Neder Rijn and Waal River
I.s.o. = In Stead Of

J

J.A. = Judge Avocate
J.A.G. = Judge Avocate General
J.C.S. = Joint Chiefs (of) Staff
Jeep Jockey = Jeep Driver
Jerry = German
J.M.P.A. = Joint Military Postal Activity
Jour-J = (French) The Hour an Operation starts, often linked to Normandy the 6th of June 1944

K

K's = K-Rations
KaPo = Kamp (Camp) Police
K.I.A. = Killed in Action
K.L.M. = Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (Dutch Royal Air Company)
K.N.I.L. = Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger (Royal Dutch-Indonesian Army)
K.O.S.B. = Kings Owns Scottish Border Regiment
K.P. = (Knok Ploeg) Light Armed Dutch Resistance Group
K.P. = Kitchen Patrol (Mess Duty)
Kraut = German
Kulak = (Russian) Freehold Farmer

L

L.B.V. = Load Bearing Vest or Assault Vest
L.C.A. = Landing Craft Assault
L.C.I. = Landing Craft Infantry
L.C.M. = Landing Craft Mechanised
L Corp = Lance Corperal
L.C.T. = Landing Craft Tank
L.C.V.P. = Landing Craft Vehicle, Personnel
L.D. = Line (of) Deprature
Limey = Englishman
L.K.P. = (Dutch) Landelijke Knok Ploeg, Organized Dutch Resistance
L.K.W. = Last Kraft Wagen (German = truck)
L.M. = Legion (of) Merit
L.M.G. = Light Machine Gun
L.O.D. = Line Of Duty
L.S.A. = Landig Ship Assault
L.S.I. = Landing Ship Infantry
L.S.T. = Landing Ship Tank
Lt = Lieutenant
LTC = Lieutenant Colonel
Lt Col = Lieutenant Colonel
LT.G. = Lieutenant General (3 Stars)
L.Z. = Landing Zone

M

M-1 = US Rifle (Garand), US Carbine (i.e. Inland) or US Helmet Type
M1-A1 = US Folding Stock Carbine (original only manufactured by Inland)
M1C = US Paratrooper Helmet
M-2 = Spring Loaded Switchblade Knife - Paratrooper Escape Knife -hidden pocket-
M-3 = Paratrooper Fighting Knife with leather handle
M-5 = Assault Gas Mask in rubber Bag
M-6 = Leather Scabbard for the M-3 Fighting Knife
Mack = nickname for your brother in arms, just like 'Joe' or 'Bud'
Mae West = 1940's Pinup and Moviestar slang nickname for the orange/yellow 'Twin Bellow' Life Preserver
Mag = Magazine
Maint = Maintenance
Maj = Major
M.A.T. = medical Analysis Tool
M.C. = Medical Corps
M.c. = Motorcycle
M.D. = Medical Department
M.D.P. = Mail Delivery Point
M.F. = It isn't Muzzle Flash
M.G. = Machine Gun
MG42 = German (heavy) Machine Gun
Mk = Mark (version)
M.L. = Main Line
M.L.R. = Main Life (of) Resistance
M.O.H. = Medal of Honor
M.O.L.L.E. = Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment - MOLLE System = Universal Combat Gear System
Mor = Mortar
M.O.S. = Military Occupational Specialty - MOS Code for every soldier defining his/her specialty
Mot Inf = Motorised Infantry
M.P. = Military Police
M.P. = Machine Pistol or (German) Maschine Pistol
MP40 = German (light) Maschine Pistol slang Burp Gun
MP44 = German Assault Rifle cal. 7.92 mm or Sturm Gewehr
M.P.O. = Military Post Office
MSgt = Master Sergeant (Three Stripes up, Three Stripes Down)
Mtd = Mounted
Mtn = Mountain
Muzzle = End of the gun where the bullets come out. And Muzzle-flash (hider), well figure it out.

N

N.C.O. = or Non-Com Non Commisioned Officer
No Man's Land = Ground between two opposing army's; under patrol and fire from both sides
N.S.B. = (Dutch) Nationaal Socialistische Beweging, Dutch National Socialist Movement collaborating with the Nazi's
N.S.R. = North Shore Regiment (New Brunswick)

O

O.C.S. = Officers Candidate School
O.D.(s) = Olive Drab (color) also Battle Clothes
O.L.C. = Oak Leaf Cluster
O.P. = Out Post
O.P.L. = Out Post Line
O.P.L.R. = Out Post Line (of) Resistance
O.S.S. = Office (of) Strategic Services later: CIA
O.Z.O. = Oranje Zal Overwinnen (Orange Will Prevail = Dutch Motto of Resistance - Graffity)

P

PAK = Panzer Abwehr Kanone (German) Anti Tank Gun
P.A.L.S. = Pouch Attachment Ladder System - Universal Combat Gear System
P.F.A. = Parachute Field Artillery
P.F.A.B. = Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
Pfc = Private First Class
PFC = Praying For Civilian
P.H. = Purple Heart
Pineapple = Slang: US Handgrenade, blockpattern on the outside
P.I.R. = Parachute Infantry Regiment
P.L.F. = Parachute Landing Fall
P.M. = Pre Midnight
P.O.E. = Port Of Embarkation
Potatoe Masher = Slang: German Stickgrenade, looks like a device to mash potatoes with (or potatoes)
P.O.W. = Prisoner Of War
P.T. = Physical Training
P.U.C. = Presidential Unit Citation
Pvt = Private
P.W. = Prisoner (of) War: see P.O.W.
P.X. = Postal Exchange
PX Soldier = An individual who buys or displays medals and badges he/she did not earn
P.Z. = Panzer
P.Z.G. = Panzer Grenadier
Pz Kfw = Panzer Kampf wagen (German = Armored Vehicle)
Pz Kfz = Panzer Kampf fahrzug (German = Armored Tracked Vehicle)

Q

Q.M. = Quarter Master
Q.M.C. = Quarter Master Corps
Q.O.R.R. = Queens Own Rifle Regiment
Q.O.R.C. = Queens Own Rifle of Canada
Quonset = Platebuild semi-round Barrack (Hut)

R

R.A. = Royal Army
R.A(rty). = Royal Artillery
R.A.F. = Royal Air Force
Rakkasans = (Japanese) 'Falling Umbrellas' - Nickname of the 187th Airborne Regiment
R.A.S.C. = Royal Army Service Corps
R.C.A.F. = Royal Canadian Air Force
R.C.C. = Red Cross Club
R.C.N. = Royal Canadian Navy
Red Hot Camo = Camouflage Pattern of flaked Red, Black and Grey
R.S.C. = Royal Signal Corps
R & R = Rest & Rehabilitation (Recovery of Body and Mind)
R.C.A. = Royal Canadian Army
R.C.T. = Regimental Combat Team
Regt = Regiment
R.E.M.E. = Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
R.H.Q. = Regimental Head Quarters
Rip Stop = Squared Stitched pattern on Parachutes, Clothing- and Gear Fabrique designed to 'stop ripping'
R.M.C. = Royal Marine Commando
R.R.R. = Royal Regina Rifles
Ruptured Duck = Diamond shaped patch with yellow embroidered 'Duck' -veteran's patch honorable discharge-
R.W.R. = Royal Winnipeg Rifles

S

S 1 (one) = Regimental Personnel Officer or Adjutant ---> Modern = Adjutant (US Army)
S 2 (two) = Regimental Intelligence Officer ---> Modern = Intelligence Officer (US Army)
S 3 (three) = Regimental Operations Offcier ---> Modern = Operations and Trainings Officer (U.S. Army)
S 4 (four) = Regimental Supply Officer ---> Modern = Supply Officer (U.S. Army)
S 5 (five) = ---> Modern = Civil Military Operations Staff Officer (U.S. Army)
SA = (Sicherheits Abteilung) German Security Soldiers
S.A.S. = Special Air Service
S.C. = Signal Corps
S.C.R. = Signal Corps Radio
Sgt = Sergeant
S.H.A.E.F. = Supreme Headquarters (of the) Allied Expeditionairy Forces
Shit Slinger = Cook
Shrapnel = Fragments of grenade, cartridge or anything airborne by an Explosion
Sky Blue Camo = Camouflage Pattern of flaked Blue, Black and Grey
S.L.R. = South Lancashire Regiment
S.M. = Soldiers Medal
SMG = Sub Machine Gun
SN # = Serial Number or Service Number
S.N.A.F.U. = Slang: Situation Normal All Fucked Up or Situation Normal All Fouled Up
S.O.B. = Slang: Sunnavabitch
S.O.E. = Special Operations Executive
Sonar = Sound Navigation and Ranging
S.O.S. = Save Our Souls
SOS = Slang: Shit On a Shingle. Creamed chipped beef on toast/biscuit
S.P. = Self Propelled (as in gun)
SPR = Sapper
S.S. = Silver Star
Sqd = Squad
SS = Schutz Staffel (German) German Stormtroopers
SSDD = Same Shit, Different Day
SSND = Same Shit, New Day
Ssgt = Staff Sergeant (S SG)
Stick = Group op Paratroopers ('Jumpers') on a plane
Sub = Submarine

T

T/3 = Technical (grade) 3 - specialist Staff-Sergeant (Three Stripes up, One Stripe down)
T/4 = Technical (grade) 4 - specialist Sergeant (Three Stripes up)
T/5 = Technical (grade) 5 - specialist Corporal (Two Stripes up)
T4 = US Parachute(s) and Harnass Pack as worn during the early Jumpschool Training (1941)
T5 = US Parachute(s) and Harnass Pack as worn until after the Normandy Jump
T.C.G. = Troop Carrier Group
T.C.S. = Troop Carrier Squadron
T.D. = Tank Destroyer
Thompson = Thompson Sub Machine Gun (SMG) or Tommy-Gun
Tiger Stripe = Striped Camouflage Pattern as used by the Special Forces (Post WWII)
Tommy = Thompson
Tommy = Englishman
T.O.(&E) = Table (of) Organisation (& Equipment)
Tracer = Special Bullets that produce a light or smoke trail when fired (to be traced)

U

U-Boat = Unterwasser Boat - German Submarine
U.K. = United Kingdom
Urban Camo = Camouflage Pattern of flaked Whites, Grey and Black
U.S. = United States (of America)
U.S.A.A.F. = United States Army Air Force
U.S.M.C. = United States Marine Corps
U.S.O. = United Service Organisations. Since 1941, the USO provides morale, welfare and recreation-type services to soldiers
Uur-U = (Dutch) The Hour an Operation starts

V

V = Victory (Allied V-sign with fingers or morse code 'dot dot dot stripe')
V.C. = Victory Cross (Common Wealth Medal)
V.G. = Volks Grenadier
V-Mail = Victory Mail

W

W.A. = (Dutch) Weer Afdeling (van de NSB) Uniformed Branch of the Dutch National Socialist Movement
W.A.A.C. = Womens Army Auxilliary Corps
W.A.C. = Womens Army Corps
WACO = American Build Glider
W.I.A. = Wounded In Action
Widowmaker = U.S. Bomber Airplane - also nickname of the 502nd PIR Troopers
W.O. = Warrant Officer
W.O.J.G. = Warrant Officer Junior Grade
Woodland = Camouflage Pattern of flaked Greens, Brown and Black

X

X.O. = Executive Officer
XXX Corps = 30th Corps

Y

Yank = American
Yeoman = (Navy) Petty Officer with administrative duties
Yeoman of Signals = (Royal Navy) Signalling and/or Tactical Communications Petty Officer
Y.M.C.A. = Young Men's Christian Association
Y.W.C.A. = Young Women's Christian Association

Z

Z.b.V. = Zur besonderen Verwendung (German) For special Use
Z.C. = Zone Control
Z.D.P. = Zone Displaced Persons
Z.S.M. = (Dutch) Zo Snel Mogelijk, As Soon As Possible (A.S.A.P.)

Numbers: Some Basic Airborne Regiments & Division & Airforce

2nd TAF = 2nd Tactical Air Force (British)
8th AF = 8th Air Force (US)
9th USAAF = 9th US Army Air Force
17(th) AB = 17th Airborne Division
82(nd) AB = 82nd Airborne Division
101(st) AB = 101st Airborne Division
101(st) HC = 101st Headquarters Company - 101st Airborne Division
101(st) MPP = 101st Military Police Platoon - 101st Airborne Division
101(st) RP = 101st Reconnaisance Platoon - 101st Airborne Division
101(st) SC = 101st Signal Corps - 101st Airborne Division
187(th) ARCT = 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team
307(th) AEB = 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion - 82nd Airborne Division
321(st) GFA = 321st Glider Field Artillery - 101st Airborne Division
325(th) GIR = 325th Glider Infantry Regiment - 82nd Airborne Division
326(th) AEB = 326th Airborne Engineer Battalion
326(th) AMC = 326th Airborne Medical Company
327(th) GIR = 327th Glider Infantry Regiment - 101st Airborne Division
377(th) PFA = 377th Parachute Field Artillery - 101st Airborne Division
401(st) GIR = 401st Glider Infantry Regiment - 101st Airborne Division
426(th) AQC = 426th Airborne Quartermaster Company - 101st Airborne Division
463(rd) PFA = 463rd Parachute Field Artillery - 101st Airborne Division
501(st) PIR = 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment - 101st Airborne Division
502(nd) PIR = 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment - 101st Airborne Division
503(rd) PIR = 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment
504(th) PIR = 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment - 82nd Airborne Division
505(th) PIR = 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment - 82nd Airborne Division
506(th) PIR = 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment - 101st Airborne Division
507(th) PIR = 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment
508(th) PIR = 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment
508(th) RCT = 508th Regimental Combat Team
509(th) PIR = 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment
511(th) PIR = 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment
513(th) PIR = 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment
515(th) PIR = 515th Parachute Infantry Regiment
517(th) PIR = 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment
551(st) PIB = 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion
555(th) PIB = 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion
801(st) OC = 801st Ordnance Company - 101st Airborne Division
907(th) PFA = 907th Parachute Field Artillery - 101st Airborne Division