| 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 |
| 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 armored 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) |
