Acronyms on Military Gravestones

Sometimes I have trouble reading military gravestones. They oftentimes contain acronyms (or abbreviations, whichever is the correct term) that I just cannot figure out. Here's one from Magnolia Park Cemetery; Warner Robins, Houston County, Georgia I found especially difficult to decipher:

Robert C. Countryman
Georgia
Pvt 6 GP MTD MG TNG CEN
World War I
Jan 6, 1892 - Aug 30, 1953
The only thing I thought I had was "training center" at the end of line three. I turned to my retired Air Force father for help (thanks, Dad). Here's what he came up with:

"From my Army friends:

Pvt = Private
GP =
MTD = Motor Transport Corps Division
MG = Machine Gun
TNG CEN = Training Center

Don't know about the GP. It doesn't seem to fit but is related to the 6 which is for 6th Army. Could be general purpose."

Anyone else have a go-to resource for better understanding the abbreviations on military gravestones?

Comments

Unknown said…

GP stands for Group. He was in the 6th Group of that Division

March 10, 2014 at 9:54 AM

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The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

So I answered, "O Lord God, You know."

Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!' Thus says the Lord God to these bones: 'Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live...'" (Ezekiel 37:1-5, NKJV)

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