GI Talk

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

Coffee Tower

459th BG, Control Tower in Italy

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.