Naval History and Heritage Command
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U.S. Naval Abbreviations
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--W--
Note: Where the same abbreviation has more than one meaning, the several meanings have been arranged alphabetically. Abbreviations preceded by an asterisk (*), other than Navy numbers, may never be used singly; those preceded by the symbol for number (#) are the Bureau of Personnel Condensation Code for use in dispatch orders to personnel.
W -- Canadian Car and Foundry (plane manufacturer's symbol)
W -- Special search mission (suffix to plane designation)
W -- Waco Aircraft Company (plane manufacturer's symbol)
W -- Willys-Overland (plane manufacturer's symbol)
W -- USNR officer designation for Women's Reserve, Unlimited Service. Formerly (W).
W(s) -- Watt(s)
WA -- Western Approaches (to GB)
WA -- USNR officer designation for Women's Reserve, Aviation Nonflying Duties. Formerly W(A).
WAA -- War Assets Administration
WAAC -- Women's Auxiliary Army Corps
WAC -- Women's Army Corps
WANAP -- Washington National Airport
"War-Weary" -- Over-age bombers equipped with "Block" (See "Block")
WASH -- Washington (State)
WASHDC -- Washington, D.C.
WASHN -- Washington
"Wasp" -- Naval aircraft engine, 9 cylinders, manufactured by Pratt and Whitney
"Wasp Junior" -- Naval aircraft engine, 9 cylinders, manufactured by Pratt and Whitney
WASPS -- Women's Airforce Service Pilots
WAT -- Key West to Aruba to Trinidad (routing designation)
"Water Buffalo" -- A Landing Vehicle, Tracked (LVT)
WATU -- Western Approaches Tactical Unit
WAVES -- Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (U.S. Navy Women's Reserve)
WB -- Weather Bureau
WC -- USNR officer designation for Women's Reserve, Communications Duties. Formerly W(C).
WC1 -- USNR officer designation for Women's Reserve, Special Communications Duties. Same as SC1. Formerly W(C1).
WC2 -- USNR officer designation for Women's Reserve, Special Communications Duties. Same as SC2. Formerly W(C2).
WCA -- Sound gear combination installation for sonar
WCAB -- Working Committee of the Aeronautical Board
WCBSU -- West Coast Base Service Unit
WCDC -- West Coast (Naval Publications) Distribution Center
WCPAB -- War Control Price Adjustment Board
WD -- USNR officer classification; qualified for Deck Watch
WD -- War Department
WDA -- Sound gear combination installation for sonar
WDC -- Washington Document Center
WDC -- Western Defense Command (Army)
WDCSA -- War Department Chief of Staff, US Army
WDGF -- War Department Ground Forces
WDGS -- War Department General Staff
WDI -- War Department Intelligence
WDPMG-ID -- War Department Provost Marshal General, Investigation Division
WDSS -- War Department Special Staff
WE -- USNR officer designation for Women's Reserve, engineering duties. Formerly W(E).
WEA -- Weather
WEFT -- Wings, Engines, Fusilage, Tail (system for recognition of aircraft)
*WES -- West(ern)
WesAustralianFor -- West Australian Force
WesCar -- Western Carolines
WesCarSubArea -- Western Carolines Sub-Area
WesCoBaseServUnit -- West Coast Base Service Unit
WesCoSoundScol -- West Coast Sound School
WesSeaFron -- Western Sea Frontier
Westgh -- Westinghouse
WESTOMP -- West-Ocean Meeting Point
WestPacBaCom -- Western Pacific Base Command
WestSeaFron -- Western Sea Frontier
WESTUNION -- Western Union
WESTVIR -- West Virginia
W-F -- White-Forster (boilers)
WFA -- Sound gear combination installation for sonar
WFA -- War Food Administration
WFT -- Turbo Geared Drive Machinery
"Whirlwind" -- Naval aircraft engine, 7 cylinders, manufactured by both Wright and Naval Aircraft Factory
"Whirlwind" -- naval aircraft engine, 9 cylinders, manufactured by Wright
WHX -- St. Johns, Newfoundland, Joiner to HX (New York to United Kingdom) (routing designation)
WI -- Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island, Washington
WI -- USNR officer designation for Women's Reserve, intelligence duties. Formerly W(I).
WIA -- Wounded In Action
"Widgeon" -- See J4F-#
"Wilco" -- "I understand and will comply"
"Wildcat" -- See F4F-#, FM-#
William -- "W" in the phonetic alphabet
WIMS -- Wartime Instructions for Merchant Ships
"Window" -- Radar countermeasure
WIS -- Wisconsin
Wkr -- Worker
WL -- USNR officer designation for Women's Reserve, legal specialist duties. Formerly W(L).
WLTE -- Warrant loss to enlisted status; revocation of appointment
WM -- USNR officer classification; qualified for engineering watch
WMC -- War Manpower Commission
WNTF -- Western Naval Task Force
WO -- War Orientation
WO -- Warrant Officer
WO -- USNR officer designation for Women's Reserve, ordnance duties. Formerly W(O).
WOJG -- Warrant Officer, Junior Grade (Army)
WOO -- War Orientation Officer
WOP -- Without Payment
WOQ -- Wave Officers' Quarters
WP -- White Phosphorous
WPA -- Works Progress Administration Agency
WPB -- War Production Board
WPBC -- Western Pacific Base Command
WPD -- Western Procurement Division (USMC)
WPL -- War Plan(s)
Wpn -- Weapon(s)
WPNTS -- War Plan Naval Transportation Service
WPRI -- Wartime Pacific Routing Instructions
WPSC -- Shipping Control War Plan (Navy)
W&R -- Welfare and Recreation
WR -- Women's Reserve
WRA -- War Relocation Authority
WRNS -- Women's Reserve Naval Service ("Wrens") (GB)
WRO -- War Records Office
WS -- United Kingdom to Middle East to India (routing designation)
WSA -- War Shipping Administration
WSC -- Wabana Joiner to SC (Halifax, slow, to United Kingdom) (routing designation)
WSC -- Working Security Committee
WSF -- Western Sea Frontier
WT -- Water Tender
W/T -- Wireless Telegraphy (GB)
WTCB -- Water Tender Construction Battalion
WTF -- Western Task Force
WTV -- Water Tank Vessel
WU -- Western Union
WUTelCo -- Western Union Telegraph Company
WVA -- West Virginia
W-V(S) -- Commissioned officers of the Women's Reserve appointed for emergency duties. This classification was abolished in September 1944 and officers were assigned the new classification for which best qualified.
W-V(S) (CEC) -- Commissioned officers of the Women's Reserve appointed for duties in connection with the Civil Engineering Corps of the Navy. This classification was abolished in September 1944 and officers were assigned the new classification for which best qualified.
W-V(S) (DC) -- Commissioned officers of the Women's Reserve appointed for duties in connection with the Dental Corps of the Navy. This classification was abolished in September 1944 and officers were assigned the new classification for which best qualified.
W-V(S) (H) -- Commissioned officers of the Women's Reserve appointed for duties in connection with the Hospital Corps of the Navy. This classification was abolished in September 1944 and officers were assigned the new classification for which best qualified.
W-V(S) (MC) -- Commissioned officers of the Women's Reserve appointed for duties in connection with the Medical Corps of the Navy. This classification was abolished in September 1944 and officers were assigned the new classification for which best qualified.
W-V(S) (SC) -- Commissioned officers of the Women's reserve appointed for duties in connection with the Supply Corps of the Navy. This classification was abolished in September 1944 and officers were assigned the new classification for which best qualified.
WYO -- Wyoming
