The Veterans Administration supplies one grave marker for each deceased
veteran who faithfully served his county when called upon. So what do these
symbols and abbreviations mean?
We are supplying listing below to help
researchers understand the meanings.
Military Ranks
| PVT | Private |
| PVT 1CL | Private First Class |
| LT | Lieutenant |
| CPT | Captain |
| 1 LT | First Lieutenant |
| MAJ | Major |
| SGT | SGT Sergeant |
| CPL | Corporal |
| COL | Colonel |
| BGEN | Grigadier General |
| BUGL | Bugler |
| DRUM | Drummer |
| HOSP | Hosptal Steward |
| MUS | Musician |
| QM | Quartermaster (refers to either an individual soldier or a unit, who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions) |
| SURG | Surgeon |
| WAG | Wagoner |
Military Unit Abbreviations
| ART | Artillery |
| AC or USA | Army Corps for the US Army |
| BRUG | Brigade |
| BTRY | Battery |
| CAV | Cavalry |
| CSA | Confederate States of America |
| CT | Colored Troops |
| CO or COM | Company |
| ENG | Engineers |
| FA | Field Artillery |
| HA | Heavy Artillery |
| INF | Infantry |
| IVC | Indiana Volunteer Cavalry |
| IVI | Indiana Volunteer Infantry |
| LA | Light Artillery |
| MAR or USMC | United States Marines Corps |
| MC | Medical Corps |
| MIL | Militia |
| NR | Naval Reserve |
| QM | Quartermaster (see above under ranks) |
| R | Reserve |
| SC | Signal Corps |
| USAF | United States Air Force |
| USN | United Stated Navy |
| VOL or USV | Volunteer |
| VRC | Veteran Reserve |
| WGNR | Wagoner |
In later years various honors were shown on tombstones as follows.
| ACM | Army Commendation Medal |
| AM | Air Medal |
| BS or BSM | Bronze Star Medal |
| CSC | Conspicuous Service Cross |
| DFC | Distinguished Flying Cross |
| LOM | Legion of Merit |
| OLC -- preceded by a number indicates how many achieved |
Oak Leaf Cluster. |
| PH | Purple Heart |
| SS or SSM | Silver Star Medal may also mean Sharp Shooter |
Religious Emblems - normally located at the bottom or between the dates on a stone
| Buddhist | 8 pointed wheel with hub |
| Catholic | Cross with tripple crosspieces, bottom one slanted, is Byzantine Catholic |
| Christian | Cross |
| Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints | Boy with Lion and Lamb is Reorganized |
| Jewish | Six Pointed Star |
| Lutheran | Cross with a heart in the center |
| Mormon | Angel Moroni (blowing horn) |
| Muslim | Crescent and star |
| Orthodox | Cross with tripple crosspieces |
| Unitarian | Flaming Chalice |
| United Methodist | Flame by a cross |
Organizations - Acronyms for Military & Veteran Groups
| CSA - | Confederate States of America |
| DAR - | Daughters of the American Revolution |
| GAR - | Grand Army of the Republic |
| SAR - | Sons of the American Revolution |
| SCV - | Sons of Confederate Veterans |
| SSAWV - | Sons of Spanish American War Veterans |
| UDC - | United Daughters of the Confederacy |
| USD 1812 - | Daughters of the War of 1812 |
| USWV - | United Spanish War Veterans |
| VFW - | Veterans of Foreign Wars |
Also see Shelby County site for more abbreviations