List of Abbreviations and Acronyms
AAA: Anti-Aircraft Artillery
AB: Air Base
AF: Air Force
AFB: Air Force Base
AFM: Air Forces Monthly
ANG: Air National Guard
AP: Airport
AMARC: Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center, Davis Monthan AFB, Arizona
ANLC: Army-Navy Liquidation Commission
BEA: British European Airways
BOAC: British Overseas Airways Corporation
BG: Bombardment Group
BS: Bombardment Squadron
C/N: Construction Number
CA: Combat Aircraft
CAF: Confederate Air Force (now Commemorative Air Force)
CAP: Civil Air Patrol
CL-26: USAAF category of aircraft deemed to be non-flying aircraft used for the training of ground maintence personnel.
DOW: Died of Wounds.
DPC: Defense Plant Corporation (a subsidiary of the RFC)
DVM: Depot Vliegtuig Materieel (Holland)
EdA: Ejercito de Aire (Spanish Air Force)
FLC: Foreign Liquidation Commission. Agency set up by the War Department, bonded and operated thru state. Sold aircraft to neutral countries
FMS: Foreign Military Sales
FY: Fiscal Year
JASDF: Japan Air Self Defense Force
JSTARS: Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System
KIA: Killed In Action
KLu: Koninklijke Luchtmacht (Royal Netherlands Air Force
LLN: Leger Luchtmacht Nederland (Netherlands Army Air Forces)
MACR: Missing Air Crew Report
MAP: Military Assistance Program
MASDC:Military Aircraft Storage and Disposal Center
MIA: Missing In Action
MLD: Marine Luchtvaart Dienst (Royal Netherlands Navy)
NACA: National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASM: National Air and Space Museum
NEIAF: Netherlands East Indies Air Force
PLAAF: People’s Liberation Army Air Force
POW: Prisoner of War
RAAF: Royal Australian Air Force
RAF: Royal Air Force
RCAF: Royal Canadian Air Force
RFC: Reconstruction Finance Corporation
RMC: Returned to Military Control
RNZAF: Royal New Zealand Air Force
ROCAF: Republic of China Air Force
SE: SouthEast
SOC: Struck Off Charge
SVN: South VietNam
TACAMO: Take Charge And Move Out
USAAC: United States Army Air Corps
USAAF: United States Army Air Forces
USAF: United States Air Force
VIP: Very Important Person
WAA: War Assets Administration
W/O: Written Off
WFU: Withdrawn From Use
WPAFB: Wright Patterson Air Force Base
Missing Air Crew Reports (MACR)
If your research involves the loss of an aircraft in a combat situation and not in Allied territory, the MACR will be invaluable. This document was generated shortly after the loss of the aircraft (usually within a day or so) and lists the crew roster, aircraft, and basic details of the loss including eye witness statements if they were available. ArmyAirForces.com has a fairly complete index of MACRs which may aid you.
These records are maintained by the National Archives and Records Administration II in College Park, Maryland. Over time, the MACR report became a file, containing a collection of documents relating to the aircraft loss. You should request the entire file.
Mailing address:
National Archives and Records Administration
Textual Reference Branch
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740-6001
NOTE: most 15th AF records are stored at AFHRA, Maxwell AFB (see below) instead of the National Archives.
Also, we are in the process of adding the MACR information to each aircraft on the website, if found!
More Research Information
Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA): Located at Maxwell AFB Alabama
Mailing address
AFHRA/RSA
600 Chennault Circle
Maxwell AFB, Alabama 36112-6424
Note: A private group has set up a searchable index of AFHRA documents. See Air Force History Index.
Air Force History Support Office (AFHSO): Located at Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C. In conjunction with the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, which is the primary repository of historical information, the office responds to requests for information from private organizations, government agencies, and the general public.
Mailing address
AFHSO/HOS
Reference and Analysis Division
200 McChord Street, Box 94
Bolling AFB, DC 20332-1111
Phone 202-404-2261
