M3 Lee and M2 Halftrack, Salem Crossroads South Carolina war games 1941
In 1941, U.S. tanks were typically finished in a lusterless olive drab paint, a standard color for military vehicles at the time. The registration numbers were painted in blue drab on the rear sides of the tanks, providing identification while maintaining a low profile.
At that time, the U.S. Army did not use any specific national insignia on their tanks. However, in the autumn of 1941, a few armored vehicles, including those in the 2nd Armored Division, began using a star insignia known as the Army Ground Forces (AGF) star. This insignia was similar to the Army Air Force (AAF) insignia, but with the colors reversed. The AGF star featured a red circle in the center, which soon proved problematic after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The red circle resembled the Japanese hinomaru (the red circle on Japan’s flag) from a distance, leading to potential confusion in combat situations.
As a result, the U.S. Army quickly replaced the AGF star with a simpler, more distinctive white star, removing the red circle. This white star became the standard national insignia for U.S. armored vehicles throughout World War II.
In addition to these markings, the 2nd Armored Division began a practice of displaying tactical numbers on their turrets. These numbers were preceded by the letter corresponding to the vehicle’s company, offering a straightforward method of identifying units within the division during operations.