Acronym

Category: Keyword to Search
Title	Description	Burials	Photo?
AL - American Legion	The American Legion was founded in 1919 and is primarily an association for ex-servicemen.	Burials
AOF - Ancient Order of Foresters	Ancient Order of Foresters began in England in the 18th century. Their logo includes a bow and arrow.	Burials
AOH - Ancient Order of Hybernians	Catholic organization formed in 1836. Its purpose to promote friendhip, unity and Christian charity and preserve the spirit if Irish Nationality.	Burials
BLE - Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers	Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers	Burials
BPOE - Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks	American fraternal, charitable, and service club with more than 1.1 million members. Contributor to the relief of suffering in national calamaties.	Burials
BSA - Boy Scouts of America	Boy Scouts of America	Burials
CO - Company	CO - Company, shown on military markers to identify the Company the soldier was associated with. E.G. 36th Ala Inf, Co B.	Burials	NA
COL	Colonel	Burials	NA
COM	Commander	Burials	NA
CPL	Corporal	Burials	NA
CSA	Confederate States Army	Burials
CSN	Confederate States Navy	Burials	NA
CWV	Catholic War Veterans	Burials
D of P - Degree of Pochantas	The Degree of Pocahontas, Women's Auxiliary Improved Order of Red Men	Burials
DAR	Daughters of the American Revolution	Burials
DAV	Disabled American Veterans	Burials	NA
DIV	Division	Burials	NA
DUV or DUVCW	Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War	Burials	NA
FATAL-OES	Order of the Eastern Star - Fatal: Fairest Among Thousands, Altogether Lovely	Burials
FCB - Knights of Pythias	Friendship, Charity, Benevolence - Knights of Pythias	Burials
FCL - Fraternity, Charity, Loyalty	Motto used by the Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic, Women's Relief Corp and Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War.	Burials
FD - Fire Department	Fire Department -- many local fire departments mark tombstones with flag holders.	Burials
FF & C	F F & C stands for: Freedom, Friendship, Charity, the motto for the Improved Order of Red Men - a patriotic fraternity Chartered by Congress.	Burials
FLT - Friendship, Love and Truth (IOOF)	Friendship, Love and Truth (Independent Order of the Odd Fellows)	Burials
FLT-R Friendship, Love, Truth. IOOF - Rebekah	Friendship, Love, Truth - Rebekah. Daughters of Rebekah (DR) are the Lady's Auxiliary of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.	Burials
FNDOZBTKC MR AY	Emblem of a little known Masonic degree called the Mason's Wife or Mason's Daughter. Fear Not, daughter of Zion; Behold, thy King cometh.	Burials
GAR	Grand Army of the Republic	Burials
GEN	General	Burials
GSA - Girl Scouts of America	Girl Scouts of America	Burials	NA
HTWSSTKS	Acronym for "Hiram the Widows Son Sent to King Solomon" and is found on a keystone of Royal Arch Masons.	Burials
IHS	IHS or in hoc signo vinces: In this sign thou shalt conquer. Latin anagram for "In Hac Salus", which means "in this cross is salvation"	Burials
INF - Infantry	Infantry	Burials
INRI - Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum	Latin translation: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews"	Burials
IOOF - Independent Order of the Odd Fellows	Odd Fellows are also known as "The Three Link Fraternity" which stands for Friendship, Love and Truth. See also FLT and FLT-R.	Burials
IORM - Improved Order of Red Men	Improved Order of Red Men - a Patriotic Fraternity Chartered by Congress with "Freedom" as its foundation. Also see T.O.T.E.	Burials
JWV - Jewish War Veterans	Jewish War Veterans of America	Burials
K of C - Knights of Columbus	The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic men's fraternal and insurance order that was formed to render financial aid to members and their families.	Burials
K of H - Knights of Honor	A fraternal organization founded in 1873 that cares for the sick.	Burials
KDVA	Korean Defense Veterans of America	Burials	NA
KM	Knights of Malta	Burials	NA
KOTM - Knights of the Maccabees	Knights of the Maccabees, KOTMM - Knights of the Modern Maccabees. The group shortened it name to the "Maccabees" in 1914.	Burials
KP or K of P - Knights of Pythias	Knights of Pythias	Burials
KT - Knights Templar	Christian-oriented fraternal organization and an integral part of the Masonic Fraternity.	Burials
KVA	Korean Veterans of America	Burials
LGAR	Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic	Burials	NA
Lion - Lions Club	Lions Club International has nearly 1.4 million members in 193 countries and geographic areas answer the needs that challenge the communities.	Burials
LOM - Loyal Order of Moose	Loyal Order of the Moose	Burials
LOTM	Ladies of the Maccabees	Burials	NA
LT	Lieutenant	Burials	NA
LT JG	Lieutenant Junior Grade	Burials	NA
M.T.A. 3 Vs	The Mosaic Templars of America (MTA), is a black fraternal organization that started in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1883.	Burials
MAJ	Major	Burials
MIA	Missing In Action -- Soldier was reported missing -- tombstone erected in memory of the missing soldier.	Burials
MOLLUS	Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States	Burials	NA
MOS&B	Military Order of the Stars and Bars	Burials	NA
MSSR	Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar - Equipment associated with the U.S. Navy	Burials
MTA -- Mosaic Templars of America	The Mosaic Templars of America (MTA) is an African American fraternal organization offering mutual aid to the black community.	Burials
MWA - Modern Woodmen of America	Modern Woodmen of America -- a Fraternal Benefit Society -- See WOW - Woodmen of the World	Burials
NALC - Natl Assoc Letter Carriers	Founded in 1889, NALC is the union of city letter carriers employed by the U.S. Postal Service.	Burials
NL	Navy League	Burials	NA
NSDAR	National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution	Burials
OCR	Order of the Confederate Rose	Burials	NA
OES - Order of the Eastern Star	The symbol for the Order of the Eastern Star is a five pointed star with a pentagon in the center of the star.	Burials
PEO	Providing Educational Opportunities. Philanthropic society providing educational opportunities for women.	Burials
PLEF - Pythian Sisters	PLEF: Purity, Love, Equality, and Fidelity. Women's auxiliary of the Knights of Pythias.	Burials
POW	Prisoner of War	Burials	NA
PVT	Private	Burials
REG	Regiment	Burials	NA
RIP - Rest In Peace	Rest in Peace	Burials
RNA - Royal Neighbors of America	Founded over a century ago with an important mission: making financial security and independence a reality for women. More than 200,000 members.	Burials
SAL - Sons of the American Legion	Sons of the American Legion	Burials
SAR - Sons of the American Revolution	Sons of the American Revolution	Burials
SCV - Sons of Confederate Veterans	Sons of Confederate Veterans	Burials
SGT	Sergeant	Burials	NA
SSA	SSA - This one is baffling. Letters SSA on something similar to the Southern Cross of Honor, on a Union soldier's grave in Michigan.	Burials
SSAWV - Sons of Spanish American War Veterans	Sons of Spanish American War Veterans	Burials	NA
SUV/SUVCW - Sons of Union Veterans of Civil War	Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War	Burials
T.O.T.E. - Totem Of The Eagle	Improved Order of Red Men - a Patriotic Fraternity Chartered by Congress. F F & C stands for: Freedom, Friendship, Charity.	Burials
UCF	United Confederate Veterans	Burials	NA
UCV - United Confederate Veterans	United Confederate Veterans Association was established in 1889 as a benevolent, historical, social, and literary association. Active 1889 to mid 1940	Burials
UDC	United Daughters of the Confederacy	Burials
USA	United States Army	Burials
USAF	United States Air Force	Burials	NA
USCG	United States Coast Guard	Burials	NA
USMC	United States Marine Corp	Burials	NA
USN	United States Navy	Burials	NA
USWV - United Spanish War Veterans	United Spanish War Veterans (USWV)	Burials
VFW	Veteran of Foreign Wars	Burials
VVA	Vietnam Veterans of America	Burials
WC	Woodmen's Circle	Burials
WKSC	White Knights of the Southern Cross (KKK)	Burials	NA
WO	Warrant Officer	Burials	NA
WOW	Woodmen of the World; can also be Women of Woodcraft	Burials
WRC - Womans Relief Corps	The Woman's Relief Corp worked to relieve the sufferings of veterans of the Civil War.	Burials
WWI	WWI - World War 1	Burials
WWII	WWII - World War 2, see Iconography, World War II	Burials