Military Manual Numbering System (U.S.War Department 1944)
NUMBERING. The number of each pamphlet will consist of two parts: the basic number and subnumber.
a. The basic number will be as follows:
1. Army Air Forces.
2. Cavalry.
3. Chemical Warfare Service.
4. Coast Artillery Corps.
5. Corps of Engineers.
6. Field Artillery.
7. Infantry.
8. Medical Department.
9. Ordnance Department
The Ordnance department had, by far, the largest number of technical manuals, as they were cognizant on not only weapons, fire control and other associated items, ammunition and associated items, but all vehicles, power generation equipment, navigational equipment, and more.
Subnumbers of Technical Manuals in the 9- series, except the 1900-series dealing with ammunition, are assigned according to type of materiel and echelon of maintenance covered, as follows:
TM 9-200 to TM 9-999 first and second echelons of maintenance,
TM 9-200 to TM 9-299--Small arms of all types, all cannon up to but not including 57-mm.
TM 9-300 to TM 9-399--All field artillery 57-mm and over; all antiaircraft artillery over 40-mm.
TM 9-400 to TM 9-499--Coast and railway artillery, all sizes.
TM 9-500 to TM 9-699--Fire control and sighting equipment.
TM 9-700 to TM 9-849--Automotive materiel.
TM 9-850 to TM 9-869--Miscellaneous.
TM 9-870 to TM 9-899--Automotive materiel.
TM 9-900 to TM 9-999--Unassigned.
TM 9-1200 to TM 9-1899 cover the third and fourth echelons of maintenance.The breakdown parallels that above. TM 9-1200 to 9-1299 cover small arms and cannon up to 57-mm; TM 9-1300 to TM 9-1399 cover all field artillery 57-mm and over and all antiaircraft artillery over 40-mm; etc.
TM 9-1900 to TM 9-1999-- Ammunition items of all types and their components.
TM 9-2200 to TM 9-2999 are instruction guides, or textbooks intended primarily for classroom use and study. The breakdown parallels that above.
a. The basic number will be as follows (continued):
10. Quartermaster Corps.
11. Signal Corps.
12. Adjutant General's Department.
13. Inspector General's Department.
14. Finance Department.
15. Judge Adovcate General's Department.
16. Corps of Chaplains.
17. Armored Force.
18. Tank Destroyer.
19. Military Police.
20 to 31. Basic Field Manuals.
20. Miscellaneous.
21. Individual Soldier.
22. Individual Drill Regulations.
23. Basic weapons, including accessories and ammunition.
24. Communication.
25. Transportation.
26. Interior guard duty.
27. Military law.
28. Band.
29. Military Police.
30. Military Intelligence.
31. Special Operations.
35. Women's Army Corps.
36. Supply procedures.
44. Coast Artillery Corps (antiaircraft artillery and barrage balloon T/O's, T/E's, T/BA's and T/A's only).
55. Transportation Corps.
100. Field Service Regulations.
101. Staff Officers' Field Manual.
105. Umpire Manual.
b. The subnumbers for Field Manuals will be from 1 to 199 and for Technical Manuals 200, etc.
c. Examples:
FM 6-110--Field Artillery Field Manual--Pack Artillery.
FM 22-5-- Basic Field Manual--Infantry Drill Regulations
FM 100-5--Field Service Regulations--Operations.
TM 4-235--Technical Manual--Coast Artillery Target Practice.
--Source. FM 21-6 List of Publications for Training (1 February 1944), pages 3-6
Note: The above numbering system applies to both Field Manuals (FM) and Technical Manuals (TM).
