United States military vehicle markings of World War II

Military markings on United States army vehicles were upgraded in August 1942 when specific new rules were adopted.

New marks, from the national identification symbol downwards were ordered to be put on "all motor vehicles assigned to tactical units".

[1]: 56 United States Army Ambulance Service vehicles carried a red cross and the Caduceus symbol which had been adopted by the U.S. Medical Department in 1902.

[4] The star point was supposed to be facing rearwards on flat surfaces, upwards on a glacis.

[1]: 56–60 Army Regulation AR-850-5 issued August 1942 set out a standard bumper code which came in four groupings.

Stencilled in white, max 4 inches high, front and back of the vehicle, groupings were separated by a one-inch dash.

[4]: 12 Painted on turrets or hull sides of Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV), on bumpers of halftracks and softskins.

[1]: 64 The 1929 system of unique war department number was allocated by the Army Quartermaster Corps.

[1]: 64 From January 1944, a vehicle where the engine was suppressed to reduce radio interference had an S painted after the number either side of the bonnet.

[4]: 5 The 22 April 1942 regulation on color were amended and from 1943 the numbers were prescribed to be painted white, as blue drab was too hard to see.

The 1945 regulations specified white lacklustre, stencilling, enamel paint with numbers on both sides of the hood close to the vertical surface so the number can be read from the side and on the rear of the vehicle, where space permits with heights of letters varying from 1 inch to 4 inch, with the largest size practical to be used.

[1]: 64–5 The official aerial recognition would become the plain white five pointed star on a horizontal surface or glacis that was used for national identification.

During 1942-3 a thick white band appeared around turrets of AFV's in North Africa, the Pacific and in the UK.

[1]: 65 The number equated to the bridge category, very roughly based on weight with adjustments for axel loading and impact factors, rounded up.

[6] In February 1945 US regulations specified the US system to be black numbers on a yellow eight inch square, or 8x6 rectangular plate fastened to right of centre front bumper.

[1]: 65 Regimental crests were common between the wars and continued until 1941, still appearing in 1943 and 1944 amongst artillery, cavalry and independent companies.

Up to five lines giving length and width in inches, shipping and combat weight in pounds and any other relevant information.

In one or two inch white letters on the olive drab paint or sometimes on a mat black panel.

[1]: 66 Personalised slogans, words, names and pictures of pin up girls and Disney characters were discouraged but evident on many vehicles in wartime photos.

February 1945 regulations stated that "caricatures, cartoons, coats of arms and symbolic figures are not authorised.

Cross to be eighteen inches and each limb to be a six-inch square, in centre of side of body.

Fuel tankers refuelling aircraft in 1945 were painted chrome yellow, and had black letters.