"Gulf War Chevron Markings" Topic

I remember reading somewhere that the chevron markings used on American (and maybe British) tanks as insignia denoted which company/division they belonged to by their position – up, down, forward, backward.

Can anyone provide some clarity? I have a friend working on a 2nd ACR platoon (Brads & Abrams) and he'd like to get it right.

Wyatt

Hmm, I hadn't heard that before. I know they were originally just normal paint but shortly after were painted using IR material so that units could use them to IFF (identify friend or for).

Like these ones?

link

;-)

For example:

The first picture here (pointing up): link

The one on this picture (also pointing up) picture

Pointing down:
link

Pointing forward – and up
picture

Wyatt

Never heard that. We just painted them on our vehicles and and put big orange panels on the top and hoped the fly boys left us alone. :)

Actually we didn't worry about the flyboys so much as we had Marine close air support and you rarely worry about those guys missing. In fact a flight of four cobras saved our lives so I guess I shouldn't be making fun of them.

I've never heard that either. We Painted (oil or latex I don't remember) them on en-route to the gulf while our vehicles were still in the ship's hold. Ours were of this ^ variety. Only on the sides, never on top.

We were told the symbol is an arabic letter but I don't know. we were also told it is used for identification of coalition forces. My unit was strictly HMMWV mobile.

Within 1st ID there seemed to be little ryhme or reason as to direction of the 'V'. Many units also had some sort of alpha-numeric code to denote them. Mine (2-3 ADA) was '60' with a line. Each battery placed the line on a different side of the '60'. I have no insider information as to why we had our vehicles marked as such but If I were a betting man, I would guess that it started with some sort of maneuver markings at National Traning Center NTC. With Soldiers being creatures of habit, they probably kept using and re-using them.

Those chevrons indicate which company the tank belongs to.

^ = Alpha CO
> = Bravo CO
V = Charlie Co
< = Delta Co

A diamond = HQ Company

The two digit number in the middle indicates which platoon and tank it is. For example: 33 = 3rd platoon, 3rd tank.

These ID panels are mounted on the back of the tank turret on the bustlerack.

The single, upward pointing chevron was for coalition forces. In addition, a single ID orange panel was fixed to the top of most vehicles for aircraft recognition. My unit, 3-2 ADA and equipped with former Warsaw Pact trucks, also painted white stars on the sides and tops. Just in case!

The above responses bring up a good point – it depends on what era you are talking about regarding recognition symbols. During Desert Storm I don't think they were used as methodically, where now they may be. I can verify use of the orange IFF panels during both conflicts.

Here are two links to an example of the orange IFF panel. You can see it at the back of the truck.

picture

picture

feldgrau.com/jpipes
Recce_on_Hill_501_at_Camp_Parks_RFTA.jpg

During the first Gulf War, they were all upside down V's. I remember because the 24 INF DIV's (Victory Division)symbol was a V. We had to paint over all the V's, and paint on the upside down V. I saw plenty of Syrian Tanks and APC's and they had the same symbol.
During OIF III, all symbols and unit markings were taped over for OPSEC reasons.

I was with the 2nd ACR in Desert Storm and they were all upside down Vs. Is your friend organizing a platoon for the 73 Easting battle?

Ove

Everyone used the upside down V to denote allied status. Don't forget that there were a lot of Soviet vehicles as part of the coalition. This had to be done to keep Americans who were trained during the cold war from firing on them.

Everyone used the upside down V to denote allied status. Don't forget that there were a lot of Soviet vehicles as part of the coalition. This had to be done to keep Americans who were trained during the cold war from firing on them.

Heck, my US Army unit had Warsaw Pact vehicles. My unit went to the Gulf with no heavy vehicles. Instead we were issued East German/Czechoslovakian Tatras that had been donated to the Coalition.

Unfortunately all the gauges in the trucks and the manuals we received were in German or Czech. It gave our motor pool and drivers fits in the beginning.

Nice picture of one here:

picture

This is a little late but nevertheless I'm here now, Ove Jensen made a comment that he was in the 2nd ACR in gulf 1 and I am doing 73 easting, Capt. McMasters troop, it would seem that chevrons of all the vehicles in that troop would have the chevrons the same.