Basic Military Map Symbols*

Symbols within a rectangle indicate a military unit, within a
triangle an observation post, and within a circle a supply point.

Military Units-Identification

Aircraft Artillery Aircraft Artillery
Armored Command Armored Command
Army Air Forces Army Air Forces
Artillery, except Antiaircraft and Coast Artillery Artillery, except Antiaircraft and Coast Artillery
Calvary, Horse Calvary, Horse
Calvary, Mechanized Calvary, Mechanized
Chemical Warfare Service Chemical Warfare Service
Coast Artillery Coast Artillery
Engineers Engineers
Infantry Infantry
Medical Corps Medical Corps
Ordnance Department Ordnance Department
Quartermaster Corps Quartermaster Corps
Signal Corps Signal Corps
Tank Destroyer Tank Destroyer
Transportation Corps Transportation Corps
Veterinary Corps Veterinary Corps

Airborne units are designated by combining a gull wing symbol
with the arm or service symbol:

Airborne Artillery Airborne Artillery
Airborne Infantry Airborne Infantry

* For complete of symbols see FM 21-30, from which these are taken.

Size Symbols

The following symbols placed either in boundary lines or above
the rectangular, triangle, or circle inclosing the identifying arm or service
symbol indicate the size of military organization:

Squad Squad
Section Section
Platoon Platoon
Company, troop, battery, Air Force flight Company, troop, battery, Air Force flight
Battalion, calvary squadron, or Air Force squadron Battalion, calvary squadron, or Air Force squadron
Regiment or group; combat team (with abbreviation CT following identifying numeral) Regiment or group; combat team (with abbreviation CT following identifying numeral)
Brigade, Combat Command of Armored Division, or Air Force Wing Brigade, Combat Command of Armored Division, or Air Force Wing
Division or Command of an Air Force Division or Command of an Air Force
Corps or Air Force Corps or Air Force
Army Army
Group of Armies Group of Armies

EXAMPLES

The letter or number to the left of the symbol indicates the unit
designation; that to the right, the designation of the parent unit to which
it belongs. Letters or numbers above or below boundary lines designate
the units separated by the lines:

Company A, 137th Infantry Company A, 137th Infantry
8th Field Artillery Battalion 8th Field Artillery Battalion
Combat Command A, 1st Armored Division Combat Command A, 1st Armored Division
Observation Post, 23d Infantry Observation Post, 23d Infantry
Command Post, 5th Infantry Division Command Post, 5th Infantry Division
Boundary between 137th and 138th Infantry Boundary between 137th and 138th Infantry

Weapons

Machine gun Machine gun
Gun Gun
Gun battery Gun battery
Howitzer or Mortar Howitzer or Mortar
Tank Tank
Self-propelled gun Self-propelled gun

 

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Last updated 12 October 2004