WWII Slang and Military Dictionary

This glossary provides acronyms, abbreviations, and WWII slang used in Combat!

AWOL

absent without leave; also over the hill.

battalion

the basic military tactical and administrative unit consisting of three or more rifle companies and certain special units. Commanded by a major or lieutenant colonel.

BAR

Browning Automatic Rifle. .30 caliber, gas-operated, air-cooled automatic rifle, fed by a clip holding 20 cartridges. 47 inches long, a BAR weighs 15.5 pounds and can fire 450 shots per minute. It may be fired from shoulder or hip, or mounted on a bipod. When used automatically, it is fired in short bursts. It can fire semi-automatically, which is slower but more accurate, and the weapon will not heat as much as with automatic firing. (more info and photo)

barrage

screen of continuous military fire to protect advancing troops or stop hostile attacks; heavy, prolonged attack.

beachhead

a footing gained on hostile shores by an army.

buck

of the lowest rank, as in buck private, buck sergeant

caliber

the diameter of the bore of a gun. Also the diameter of a projectile for a gun.

captain

rank above 1st lieutenant and below major. Normally commands a company. Insignia is two silver bars.

carbine

a short-barreled rifle; Hanley's weapon of choice. A .30 caliber semi-automatic shoulder weapon, gas-operated with effective range up to 200 yards. Length is 36 inches, barrel 18 inches. A carbine weighs five pounds including magazine and sling. (More info and photo.)

chevron

an inverted, V-shaped bar worn on the sleeve to designate rank of non-coms and enlisted privates.

civvies

civilian clothes.

CO

commanding officer.

colonel

the officer ranking between lieutenant colonel and brigadier general, usually commanding a regiment; insignia of rank is a silver spread eagle.

company

lowest administration unit in the army. Usually consists of a headquarters and two or more rifle platoons and most often commanded by a captain.

corporal

lowest grade of non-commissioned officer; often commands a squad.

D-Day

generic term for the day an operation or attack is to be initiated; after the Allied invasion of Europe, that date (June 6, 1944) became the D-Day.

dogface

slang for a soldier.

dog tags

a soldier's identification tag.

enfilade

to fire at targets in general linear formation along the direction of their front or flank

furlough

leave of absence.

GI

government issue; slang for a soldier.

goldbrick

special duty that permits absence from more laborious duty; -ing - loafing.

grenade

a small bomb with a bursting radius of about 30 yards that can be hurled a short distance by hand or rifle. Average man can throw a grenade 30 to 45 yards.

hedgerow

topographical term for a row of trees and bushes forming a hedge; a typical feature of the Normandy landscape, hedgerows there grow on three- to five-foot earthen embankments. [Further information]

HQ

headquarters.

KIA

killed in action.

King Six

radio call sign regularly used in Combat! to designate King Company headquarters

King Two

radio call sign often used in Combat! to designate 2nd platoon of King Company (Hanley's platoon)

LC

landing craft.

lieutenant

officer below captain. 2nd lieutenant is the lowest ranking commissioned officer, with 1st lieutenant above that. May command platoons or companies. 1st lieutenant insignia is a silver bar; 2nd lieutenant insignia is a gold bar.

M1 Garand

the .30 caliber model M1 Garand rifle was the principle weapon of the US infantry in WW II. Semi-automatic, fed by a clip of eight cartridges. Gas-operated and self-loading, the M1 is a shoulder weapon. M1 weighs 8.94 pounds, is 43 inches long. The barrel alone is 22.30 inches. The M1 has a muzzle velocity of 2,760 feet per second and a maximum range of 5,500 yards.

magazine

a chamber in or attached to a gun to hold cartridges; a case for cartridges.

major

the next rank above captain, they usually served as a battalion executive officer and as staff officers at regiment and division levels.  They were ocassionally assigned as battalion commanders. Insignia of rank is a gold oak leaf.

MIA

missing in action.

mortar

a short cannon used to fire projectiles with low muzzle velocities at high angles. The trench mortar is an infantry weapon, the larger mortars are used by both infantry and field artillery.

muzzle

the open end of a gun.

no man's land

land between ground of opposing forces

non-com

non-commissioned officers. Enlisted men ranking higher than private first class and below warrant officers. Includes ser- geants and corporals. Also NCO.

OCS

officer candidate school.

OP

observation post.

over the hill

desertion; absent without leave.

panzer

German tank. "Panzer" means armor-plate.

paratroopers

troops moved by air, but who land by parachute.

pineapple

slang for hand grenade.

platoon

a component element of a company consisting of three squads; commanded by a lieutenant.

PFC

private first class.

private

the lowest rank of enlisted man. Also buck private.

private first class

the grade above that of private. Designated by a single chevron on the sleeve (PFC).

R and R

rest and rehabilitation.

regiment

largest permanent unit of infantry. Consists of three battalions. Generally commanded by a lieutenant colonel or colonel.

rifle

a shoulder weapon whose barrel is grooved, includes an attach- ment for a bayonet.

sergeant

non-commissioned officer above a corporal.

sidearm

weapon carried on side of body; Hanley and Saunders usually carry a Colt .45 caliber service pistol; effective range is about 50 yards.

shrapnel

shell splinters; also, shell timed to explode over, and shower bullets and splinters on, personnel.

squad

the smallest unit of organization in the US Army. Number of men varies from 5 to 16.

tracers

bullets containing combustible pellets to produce smoke or light along the trajectory of a projectile. Allows shooter to trace the flight of the bullets.

Thompson (also "Tommy gun")

the Thompson sub-machine gun. Saunders' weapon of choice. Thompson is a general purpose field weapon of .45 caliber. It weighs approximately ten pounds and is 33 inches long. [More info and picture]

White Rook

radio call sign often used in Combat! to designate 1st squad of King Company's 2nd platoon (Saunders' squad).

 
List assembled by Jo Davidsmeyer.