03-21-2005, 12:35 PM
Sometimes a unit number or letter would have "(-)" or "ELEM" to indicate that it was only part of that unit,
ELEM or element means only part of the unit is present, either due to casualties or the unit was split up. This is the way it usually appears(as I see it).
Suppose Company A split out part of it and sent it to hold a town. Then the main body of Company A would be designated as A (ELEM) and the portion that was split off would be designated as A(-).
Steve