diff --git a/code/hud/hudparse.cpp b/code/hud/hudparse.cpp
index 634370f4ef..d42feeeb17 100644
--- a/code/hud/hudparse.cpp
+++ b/code/hud/hudparse.cpp
@@ -3521,6 +3521,7 @@ void load_gauge_squad_message(gauge_settings* settings)
 	char fname_top[MAX_FILENAME_LEN] = "message1";
 	char fname_middle[MAX_FILENAME_LEN] = "message2";
 	char fname_bottom[MAX_FILENAME_LEN] = "message3";
+	int ship_name_max_w = 200;
 	
 	settings->origin[0] = 1.0f;
 	settings->origin[1] = 0.0f;
@@ -3586,6 +3587,9 @@ void load_gauge_squad_message(gauge_settings* settings)
 	if(optional_string("Page Down Offsets:")) {
 		stuff_int_list(Pgdn_offsets, 2);
 	}
+	if (optional_string("Ship Name Max Width:")) {
+		stuff_int(&ship_name_max_w);
+	}
 
 	hud_gauge->initBitmaps(fname_top, fname_middle, fname_bottom);
 	hud_gauge->initHiRes(fname_top);
@@ -3597,6 +3601,7 @@ void load_gauge_squad_message(gauge_settings* settings)
 	hud_gauge->initItemOffsetX(Item_offset_x);
 	hud_gauge->initPgUpOffsets(Pgup_offsets[0], Pgup_offsets[1]);
 	hud_gauge->initPgDnOffsets(Pgdn_offsets[0], Pgdn_offsets[1]);
+	hud_gauge->initShipNameMaxWidth(ship_name_max_w);
 
 	gauge_assign_common(settings, std::move(hud_gauge));
 }
@@ -4268,12 +4273,28 @@ void load_gauge_wingman_status(gauge_settings* settings)
 	}
 	
 	int grow_mode = 0; //By default, expand the gauge to the left (in -x direction)
+	int wingname_align_mode = 0; //By default, center wingnames when rendering
 
-	if(optional_string("Expansion Mode:")) {
-		if(optional_string("Right")) 
+	if (optional_string("Expansion Mode:")) {
+		if (optional_string("Left"))
+			grow_mode = 0;
+		else if (optional_string("Right"))
 			grow_mode = 1;
-		else if(optional_string("Down"))
+		else if (optional_string("Down"))
 			grow_mode = 2;
+		else
+			error_display(0, "\"Expansion Mode:\" is invalid, must be either Left, Right, or Down!  Discarding value.");
+	}
+
+	if (optional_string("Wingname Align Mode:")) {
+		if (optional_string("Center"))
+			wingname_align_mode = 0;
+		else if (optional_string("Left"))
+			wingname_align_mode = 1;
+		else if (optional_string("Right"))
+			wingname_align_mode = 2;
+		else
+			error_display(0, "\"Wingname Align Mode:\" is invalid, must be either Center, Left, or Right!  Discarding value.");
 	}
 
 	bool use_full_wingnames = false;
@@ -4303,6 +4324,7 @@ void load_gauge_wingman_status(gauge_settings* settings)
 	hud_gauge->initWingWidth(wing_width);
 	hud_gauge->initRightBgOffset(right_bg_offset);
 	hud_gauge->initGrowMode(grow_mode);
+	hud_gauge->initWingnameAlignMode(wingname_align_mode);
 	hud_gauge->initUseFullWingnames(use_full_wingnames);
 	hud_gauge->initUseExpandedColors(use_expanded_colors);
 
diff --git a/code/hud/hudsquadmsg.cpp b/code/hud/hudsquadmsg.cpp
index eb9b78d3db..c789f098ee 100644
--- a/code/hud/hudsquadmsg.cpp
+++ b/code/hud/hudsquadmsg.cpp
@@ -2698,6 +2698,11 @@ void HudGaugeSquadMessage::initPgDnOffsets(int x, int y)
 	Pgdn_offsets[1] = y;
 }
 
+void HudGaugeSquadMessage::initShipNameMaxWidth(int w)
+{
+	Ship_name_max_width = w;
+}
+
 void HudGaugeSquadMessage::initBitmaps(char *fname_top, char *fname_middle, char *fname_bottom)
 {
 	Mbox_gauge[0].first_frame = bm_load_animation(fname_top, &Mbox_gauge[0].num_frames);
@@ -2830,10 +2835,10 @@ void HudGaugeSquadMessage::render(float  /*frametime*/, bool config)
 
 	for (int i = 0; i < nitems; i++ ) {
 		int item_num;
-		const char *text;
+		char text[255];
 
 		if (!config) {
-			text = MsgItems[First_menu_item + i].text.c_str();
+			strcpy_s(text, MsgItems[First_menu_item + i].text.c_str());
 		} else {
 			// in config mode, so create just the first page of the Comms Menu
 			// as other functions, such as hud_squadmsg_type_select() will not be run in config mode
@@ -2844,7 +2849,7 @@ void HudGaugeSquadMessage::render(float  /*frametime*/, bool config)
 				XSTR("Rearm/Repair Subsys", 297),
 				XSTR("Abort Rearm", 298)
 			};
-			text = temp_comm_order_types[i];
+			strcpy_s(text, temp_comm_order_types[i]);
 			if (Hide_main_rearm_items_in_comms_gauge && (i == TYPE_REPAIR_REARM_ITEM || i == TYPE_REPAIR_REARM_ABORT_ITEM)) {
 				MsgItems[First_menu_item + i].active = -1;
 			}
@@ -2870,6 +2875,8 @@ void HudGaugeSquadMessage::render(float  /*frametime*/, bool config)
 			renderPrintfWithGauge(sx, sy, EG_SQ1 + i, scale, config, NOX("%1d."), item_num);
 
 			// then the text
+			font::force_fit_string(text, 255, fl2i(Ship_name_max_width * scale), scale);
+   
 			renderString(sx + fl2i(Item_offset_x * scale), sy, EG_SQ1 + i, text, scale, config);
 
 			sy += fl2i(Item_h * scale);
diff --git a/code/hud/hudsquadmsg.h b/code/hud/hudsquadmsg.h
index 11539625f5..460f1126ad 100644
--- a/code/hud/hudsquadmsg.h
+++ b/code/hud/hudsquadmsg.h
@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ protected:
 
 	int Pgup_offsets[2];
 	int Pgdn_offsets[2];
+	int Ship_name_max_width;
 
 	int flash_timer[2];
 	bool flash_flag;
@@ -223,6 +224,7 @@ public:
 	void initItemOffsetX(int x);
 	void initPgUpOffsets(int x, int y);
 	void initPgDnOffsets(int x, int y);
+	void initShipNameMaxWidth(int w);
 
 	void render(float frametime, bool config = false) override;
 	bool canRender() const override;
diff --git a/code/hud/hudwingmanstatus.cpp b/code/hud/hudwingmanstatus.cpp
index 407b140532..8df61f0c71 100644
--- a/code/hud/hudwingmanstatus.cpp
+++ b/code/hud/hudwingmanstatus.cpp
@@ -320,6 +320,11 @@ void HudGaugeWingmanStatus::initGrowMode(int mode) {
 	grow_mode = mode;
 }
 
+void HudGaugeWingmanStatus::initWingnameAlignMode(int mode)
+{
+	wingname_align_mode = mode;
+}
+
 void HudGaugeWingmanStatus::initUseFullWingnames(bool usefullname)
 {
 	use_full_wingnames = usefullname;
@@ -591,10 +596,17 @@ void HudGaugeWingmanStatus::renderDots(int wing_index, int screen_index, int num
 		strncpy(wingstr, abbrev, 4);
 	}
 
-	// Goober5000 - center it (round the offset rather than truncate it)
 	int wingstr_width;
 	gr_get_string_size(&wingstr_width, nullptr, wingstr, scale);
-	renderString(sx - fl2i(std::lround((float)wingstr_width / 2.0f)), sy, wingstr, scale, config);
+
+	if (wingname_align_mode == ALIGN_LEFT) {
+		renderString(sx, sy, wingstr, scale, config);
+	} else if (wingname_align_mode == ALIGN_RIGHT) {
+		renderString(sx - wingstr_width, sy, wingstr, scale, config);
+	} else {
+		// Goober5000 - center it (round the offset rather than truncate it)
+		renderString(sx - fl2i(std::lround((float)wingstr_width / 2.0f)), sy, wingstr, scale, config);
+	}
 
 }
 
diff --git a/code/hud/hudwingmanstatus.h b/code/hud/hudwingmanstatus.h
index 03e715c75d..a7b1a1220e 100644
--- a/code/hud/hudwingmanstatus.h
+++ b/code/hud/hudwingmanstatus.h
@@ -51,7 +51,9 @@ protected:
 	int wing_name_offsets[2];
 
 	enum {GROW_LEFT, GROW_RIGHT, GROW_DOWN};
+	enum {ALIGN_CENTER, ALIGN_LEFT, ALIGN_RIGHT};
 	int grow_mode;
+	int wingname_align_mode;
 	bool use_full_wingnames;
 	bool use_expanded_colors;
 
@@ -77,6 +79,7 @@ public:
 	void initWingmate5Offsets(int x, int y);
 	void initWingmate6Offsets(int x, int y);
 	void initGrowMode(int mode);
+	void initWingnameAlignMode(int mode);
 	void initUseFullWingnames(bool usefullname);
 	void initUseExpandedColors(bool useexpandedcolors);
 	void pageIn() override;