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U.S. Naval Abbreviations

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Navy Numbers

--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

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Navy Numbers

Published: Mon Mar 09 14:57:16 EDT 2015