| AA
| antiaircraft |
| AAA
| antiaircraft artillery |
| AAF
| Army Air Forces |
| AAFEC
| Army Air Forces Engineer Command |
| AAFSC
| Army Air Forces Service Command |
| AAI
| Allied Armies in Italy |
| AASC
| Allied Air Support Command (Mediterranean) |
| ABDA
| Australian-British-Dutch-American |
| ABTF
| airborne task force |
| ACMF
| Allied Central Mediterranean Force |
| ADC
| assistant division commander |
| AEAF
| Allied Expeditionary Air Force (Europe) |
| AFGH
| Allied Force Headquarters (Mediterranean) |
| AFPAC
| U.S. Army Forces in the Pacific |
| ALFSEA
| Allied Land Forces South East Asia |
| AMET
| Africa-Middle East Theater |
| AMLG
| Allied Military Liaison Headquarters, Greece |
| AMMISCA
| American Military Mission to China |
| amph
| amphibian |
| amphib
| amphibious |
| amtrac
| amphibian tractor |
| AP
| transport |
| APD
| transport, high-speed |
| armd
| armored |
| ASC
| Air Support Command |
| AT
| antitank |
| ATC
| Air Transport Command |
| Aus
| Australian |
| AUS
| Army of the United States |
| AVG
| American Volunteer Group (China) |
| BB
| battleship |
| BC
| bomber command |
| BCT
| battalion combat team |
| BEF
| Brazilian Expeditionary Force |
| BLT
| boat landing team |
| bn
| battalion |
| Br
| British |
| brig
| brigade |
| BTE
| British Troops in Egypt |
| CA
| heavy cruiser |
| CACW
| Chinese-American Composite Wing |
| CAI
| Chinese Army in India |
| CAM
| Composite Army-Marine |
| CATF
| Chinese Air Task Force |
| Cav
| Cavalry |
| CBI
| China-Burma-India |
| CC
| combat command |
| CCA
| Combat Command A |
| CCB
| Combat Command B |
| CCC
| Combat Command C |
| CCD
| Combat Command D |
| CCL
| Combat Command L |
| CCR
| Combat Command R |
| CCV
| Combat Command V |
| CC1
| Combat Command 1 |
| CC2
| Combat Command 2 |
| cdo(s)
| commando(s) |
| CG
| commanding general |
| Ch
| Chinese |
| CinC
| Commander in Chief |
| CINCPAC
| Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet |
| CINCPOA
| Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas |
| CL
| light cruiser |
| CMF
| Citizen Military Forces (New Guinea) |
| co
| company |
| CO
| commanding officer |
| COMAIRSOLS
| Commander Air Forces, Solomons |
| COMCENPAC
| Commander Central Pacific |
| COMINCH
| Commander in Chief |
| COMSOPAC
| Commander South Pacific |
| COSC
| Combined Operational Service Command |
| COSSAC
| Chief of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander (designate) |
| CP
| command post |
| CT
| China Theater, combat team |
| CTF
| commander, task force |
| CV
| aircraft carrier |
| CVE
| aircraft carrier, escort |
| DA ALPS
| Detachment d'Armée des Alpes |
| DA ATL
| Detachment d'Armée de l'Atlantique |
| DD
| destroyer |
| div
| division |
| E
| east, eastern |
| EAC
| Eastern Air Command (CBI) |
| EAM
| Ethniko Apeleftherotiko Metopo (National Liberation Front, Greece) |
| engr(s)
| engineer(s) |
| ETOUSA
| European Theater of Operations, USA |
| FA
| field artillery |
| FEAF
| Far East Air Force |
| FEC
| French Expeditionary Force |
| FF
| Free French |
| FFI
| Forces Françaises de l’Intérieur |
| FFO
| Forces Françaises de l’Ouest |
| FMF
| Fleet Marine Force |
| FO
| field order |
| Fr
| French |
| G–2
| Intelligence section of divisional or higher headquarters |
| G–4
| Supply and evacuation section of divisional or higher headquarters |
| Gds
| Guards |
| GHQ
| General Headquarters |
| gli
| glider |
| GMT
| Greenwich mean time |
| GO
| general orders |
| gp
| group |
| HALPRO
| Air operation against Rumanian oil fields, 1942 |
| hq
| headquarters |
| I.
| Island |
| IBT
| India-Burma Theater |
| Ind
| Indian |
| Inf
| Infantry |
| Is
| Islands |
| ISCOM
| Island Commander |
| JCS
| Joint Chiefs of Staff |
| JWC
| Joint War Plans Committee |
| LANDFOR
| landing force |
| LCI
| landing craft, infantry |
| LCI(G)
| landing craft, infantry, gun |
| LCM
| landing craft, mechanized |
| LCVP
| landing craft, vehicle and personnel |
| LOC
| line of communications |
| LRP
| long-range penetration |
| LST
| landing ship, tank |
| M.
| Mont, Monte, etc. (Italy and Sicily only) |
| MAAF
| Mediterranean Allied Air Forces |
| MAC
| Marine Amphibious Corps |
| MAG
| Marine Aviation Group |
| Mar
| Marine |
| MATAF
| Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force |
| ME
| Middle East |
| MEF
| Middle East Forces |
| MG
| machine gun |
| MLR
| main line of resistance |
| MP
| military police |
| MSR
| main supply route |
| MTB
| motor torpedo boat |
| mtn
| mountain |
| MTOUSA
| Mediterranean Theater of Operations, USA |
| N
| north, northern |
| NAAF
| Northwest African Air Force |
| NATO
| North African Theater of Operations |
| NCAC
| Northern Combat Area Command (Burma) |
| NEI
| Netherlands East Indies |
| NGVR
| New Guinea Volunteer Reserve |
| NTLF
| Northern Troops and Landing Force |
| NZ
| New Zealand |
| OPL
| outpost line |
| OPLR
| outpost line of resistance |
| PA
| Philippine Army |
| Pac
| Pacific |
| Para
| parachute |
| PBM
| patrol search plane |
| PC
| Philippine Constabulary |
| PG
| patrol vessel, gunboat |
| PGC
| Persian Gulf Command |
| PGSC
| Persian Gulf Service Command |
| P.I.
| Philippine Islands |
| PIB
| Papuan Infantry Battalion |
| POA
| Pacific Ocean Areas |
| Pol
| Polish |
| prov
| provisional |
| PS
| Philippine Scouts |
| pt
| point |
| PT
| patrol vessel, motor torpedo boat |
| Pz
| Panzer |
| QM
| quartermaster |
| R
| river |
| RAAF
| Royal Australian Air Force |
| RAF
| Royal Air Force |
| rcn
| reconnaissance |
| RCT
| regimental combat team |
| regt
| regiment |
| reinf
| reinforced |
| RN
| Royal Navy |
| RR
| railroad |
| S
| south, southern |
| S.
| San, Sant, Santa, etc. (Italy and Sicily only) |
| SACMED
| Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean |
| SAF
| Strategic Air Force |
| SBD
| "Dauntless" single-engine Navy scout-bomber |
| SEAC
| Southeast Asia Command |
| sep
| separate |
| SHAEF
| Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force |
| SOPAC
| South Pacific |
| SOS
| Services of Supply |
| SPM
| self-propelled mount |
| sq
| squadron |
| SS
| Schutzstaffel (Elite Guard) |
| SSF
| Special Service Force |
| STLF
| Southern Troops and Landing Force |
| SWPA
| Southwest Pacific Area |
| TAF
| Tactical Air Force |
| TD
| tank destroyer |
| TF
| task force |
| TOT
| time on target |
| tr
| troop |
| U.K.
| United Kingdom |
| U.S.
| United States |
| USA
| U.S. Army |
| USAAF
| U.S. Army Air Forces |
| USAAFUK
| U.S. Army Air Forces in the United Kingdom |
| USAFBI
| U.S. Army Forces, British Isles |
| USAFFE
| U.S. Army Forces, Far East |
| USAFIA
| U.S. Army Forces in Australia |
| USAFICPA
| U.S. Army Forces in Central Pacific Area |
| USAFIME
| U.S. Army Forces in the Middle East |
| USAFISPA
| U.S. Army Forces in the South Pacific Area |
| USASOS
| US. Army Services of Supply |
| USFIA
| U.S. Forces in Australia |
| USFIP
| U.S. Forces in the Philippines |
| USMC
| U.S. Marine Corps |
| USN
| U.S. Navy |
| USSAFE
| U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe |
| USSR
| Union of Soviet Socialist Republics |
| USSTAF
| U.S. Strategic Air Forces |
| VAC
| V Amphibious Corps |
| W
| west, western |
| WDAF
| Western Desert Air Force |
