Does anyone know when the U.S. stopped using the star insignias, and why?

To the best of my knowledge, we haven't stopped using the star on AFVs. The largest that you'll see now-a-days (and it's a good thing!) is I believe a 3" low-viz star on the front and rear of the vehicle. Softskins included. 'Bumper numbers' are still there as well, but much more subdude today.

I believe that the star insignia was used during all of WWII as the vehicles came from the homefront painted that way. The troops in the field, especially the tankers, would cover them up with paint, mud or whatever was available to hide them. I have read that this was because the enemy would use the stars as aiming points.

CORRECT-A-MUNDO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- ralph

We had stars on our tanks. They were about 3" and were painted black

The Army still uses the small (and I do mean small - about 2-3")subdued star and bumper codes, USMC markings also include the same size star (although I cannot recall seeing one on desert painted vehicles) but their codes are different.

Go Army new logo



glack

We had the large white stars and white lettering on all our vehicles soft skin and AFV's in Vietnam. We all had the same complaint thought the white star made a great aiming point for the enemy. Some of the Commanders would allow us to paint over the stars on the doors.

To answer what I think your question really asks, when did the US stop using the big white star, click on the link for my motor pool. In it is the scanned copy of the training circular Camouflage Pattern Painting (TC 5-200). The manual is dated 28 August 1975 and tells the reason for camouflage painting and describes how to remove the white admin and star markings prior to camouflage painting.

This is the earliest official document I've run across that directs the removal of white markings. Incidentily, the back cover of the manual contains a 3" star stencil to be used to paint a black star on equipment.

Thanks for all the answers. I was wondering since you see them many of the pictures from WWII, Korea, Vietnam and then they just seemed to disappear. But it make sense, I guess you dont really want a big white...bullseye basically on the sides and other parts of your vehicles.

When I got to Germany in 1972, all of our vehicles had the large stars painted in black. Even against the OD, they still stuck out like a sore thumb but obviously not as much as the white. The black stars remained for a short period of time thereafter even once the cammos were applied.... even on the desert camo (interesting contrast of colors) once the directive came down that something like 30% of the vehicles in Europe would be painted for desert ops, due to the outbreak of the Yom Kipper War of '73. The large white bumper numbers remained on our vehicles and were still there when I left in '74. Obviously, the large black stars on the top surfaces did nothing for air ID purposes.

Gettin' old...