Lettering & Markings on U.S. Army Tactical Vehicles
The Army marking system for tactical vehicles has evolved over the years and has never been completely standardized. That is, no matter what the system at any given time there are large variations permitted (or tolerated) across the global operations of the Army with its hundreds of thousands of vehicles. So anything you read here or elsewhere has to be considered in the light of many variations or exceptions.
Standard WW II jeep and GPA amphibious jeep belonging to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 1943-1944.
During World War II and until the adoption of universal camouflage patterns in the mid-1970s, U.S. Army vehicles had a base coat of lusterless olive drab paint (and the olive drab military vehicle paint had its own variations and evolution) with markings in a contrasting lighter color. In WW II the Army registration numbers (on the hood) were factory painted with a color called blue drab, chosen because it could not be photographed from a distance (top photo). Bumper markings were applied in the field, along with stars and other tactical marks, using flat white paint. The hood numbers were often field repainted in white as well. In the photo above this paragraph, both blue drab and white markings are evident.
With the adoption of camouflage painting, the use of hood registration numbers was dropped and only unit markings on the bumpers remained. The registration number was moved inside where it was stamped on the data plate and/or stenciled on the dash.
What do the Army bumper markings mean?
So called "bumper markings" appear on the front and rear of Army vehicles, on the bumper if the vehicle has one or at other convenient places if not. These markings are often cryptic as they contain a lot of information in a few symbols.
Bumper of a fuel truck at Ft. Hood, TX. 27th Main Support Battalion
This table gives a breakdown of the Army bumper marking system. The information comes from Dept. of the Army Technical Bulletin TB 43-0209 dated October 1976 which still correctly represents the system in most respects.
| Left Side | Right Side | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Major Command, Organization, or Activity | Intermediate Organization, or Activity | Unit or Activity | Vehicle or Equipment Number |
|
Army: number followed by A Corps: Roman numeral only Command: abbreviation eg AADC |
Corps: Roman numeral only Division: number followed by Branch of Service abbreviation Brigade: number followed by BDE Group: number followed by GP Command: abbreviation eg TAC Army Post, Camp or Station Army Depots and Arsenals Reception or Training Centers Bn/larger unit: number/number followed by abbreviation |
Company, battery or other small unit Examples include AW (Automatic Weapons), EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), R (Reconnaissance), TMP (Transportation Motor Pool), S&S (Supply & Service) and many more. |
Vehicle number in the unit. Trailers are marked with the same number as the vehicle that normally tows them preceded by the letter T. |
Examples of Army vehicle bumper markings with explanations
| Marking | ||
|---|---|---|
| Left Side | Right Side | Interpretation |
| 1A | HQ 4 | First US Army, HQ & HQ Co., 4th vehicle |
| VII M | 9 | VII Corps, Medical Detachment, 9th vehicle |
| 25 1/27 | C 3 | 25th Infantry Div., 1st Bn., 27th Inf., Co. C, 3rd vehicle |
| 4 2R8 | A-6 | 4th Div., 2d Recon Sq of 8th Cav., Troop A, 6th vehicle |
| 3Δ 1/32 | B 7 | 3rd Armored Div., 1st Truck Bn of 32nd Armor, Co B, 7th vehicle |
| 10 2F7 | C 2 | 10th Infantry Div., 2d Bn of 7th Field Artillery, Battery C, 2nd vehicle |
| 82AB 820F | D-5 | 82nd Airborne Div., 820th Field Artillery, Battery D, 5th vehicle |
| 6A FO | TMP-9 | 6th U.S. Army, Fort Ord, Trans. Motor Pool, 9th vehicle |
| 3/2CR | K-13 | 3rd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Kilo Troop, 1st platoon, 3rd vehicle |
| 1CAV 27 MSB | A-239 | 1st Cavalry Division, 27th Main Support Bn, Company A, 239th vehicle (photo above) |
Spaces and/or dashes are used to separate groups, "I" may appear for an Infantry division, and other small differences. TB 43-0209 gives some of the command, branch of service, and unit abbreviations and suggests referral to AR 310-50 as a guide for more "appropriate and non-conflicting" designations as well as for lists of Army Posts, Camps, Stations, Depots, Arsenals and other organizations. Use of the equilateral triangle with the base down designates an Armored Division. [Thanks to Michael DuPre for suggestions on this section.]
For information on putting the markings on vehicles, see the Olive-Drab.com page on Camouflage Pattern Marking.
Military Vehicle Marking Resources
Appendix 2 of David Doyle's Standard Catalog of U.S. Military Vehicles has extensive information on the history and evolution of olive drab paint as well as markings and camouflage patterns. This referece also includes details of the markings (stars, registration numbers, unit designation) used during World War II and later.
Technical Bulletin TB 746-93-1, Color and Marking of Military Vehicles, is reproduced in part on the M38A1.com web site. This US manual is dated 26 October 1964 and gives the correct lettering, star positions and so forth for the markings used at that time, post-WW II and pre-camo patterns.
Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force Vehicle Markings
The U.S. Navy, USMC, and USAF have different systems from the Army for marking their vehicles, generally only using a registration number at some external point on the vehicle. The number may be stenciled on in paint or may be in the form of a license plate or other method of attachment. The elaborate codes for unit designations are not generally used by the other services, just the Army. The photo to the left shows a Navy HMMWV on the beach at NAB Coronado, CA with its registration number stenciled on the tailgate (5 December 2005). On the right, a USAF R-11 Fueling Truck in England (11 March 2002).
