I wondered if anyone has a picture or SOP for how the tracks(M-113A2) from the 8th ID had to paint a vehicle ID on the outside of the back ramp. If memory serves it was a large geometric shape like a Hexagon with 4" tall letters around it identifying the vehicle down to the individual track. Thanks

I served in the 8th ID from 1987 thru 1990. Each battalion in the division had its own geometric shape for the tact board, M113s had it painted. My battalion, 5-77 Armor (formerly 3-68 Armor reflagged in 1983 then reflagged to 1-32 Armor after moving to Ft. Lewis) used a hexagon. The exterior shape denoted the battalion within the division.

The shape inside the tact board was Army SOP. My company, "A" was a square. I don't recall what shape was used for each company exactly, but I think B was a circle, and D was a diamond. So C was probably a triangle.

Inside the square was a Roman numeral I, II, or III for 1st, 2nd or 3rd platoon. The XO's tank had an X and the CO was an O.

So my tact board as 2nd platoon leader was a hexagon within a painted square with the Roman numeral II. Under the II was the number 1 for the first tank. Regular number 1-4 denoted which tank within the platoon. #1 is platoon leader, #2 & #3 are wingmen and #4 is platoon sergeant.

Some tact boards were yellow or sand, ours was OD green, with the center shape in black. Here is a photo of mine as it appeared in 1988.

Small world, I was in 4/8 IN 86-88. Were we the only Division that did this?

Not sure of the answer, but I'm guessing not. As a minimum, I'd guess that this was something directed by at least a V Corps SOP, or perhaps a USAREUR directive.

That said, I can tell you that during the period from Oct 1972 - April 1977, when I was with 1/2 FA in the 8th ID in Baumholder (and when vehicles also went from plain OD to using the MASSTER/USAREUR 7th Army pattern paint scheme) there was no such system used to mark tactical vehicles, although I believer there MAY have been one in place prior to this time frame.

I was in the 11th CAV 76-80, which was a V Corps unit, and we never used this system. Furthermore, we worked with the 8th ID at Baumholder on occasion, and I never remember seeing these markings on thier vehicles during that time, but maybe I never noticed. I suspect if it was a USAREUR or V Corps practice, it must have been instituted after I left in June 1980. When I went back to Germany in June of 1995, I was working with the 1st Armored Division, and don't recall seeing anything like this on thier vehicles either.
VR, Russ

Here is a photo of a Graf colored 4/8 IN M113A2 taken during the battalion ARTEP 8-21 May 1989. I've been putting up some of my old 8th ID photos on face book.


The marking system was in place after Division 86 reorganization. I know it was taught at Knox when I was in AOB and several modern markings by manufacturers like Tamiya and Verlinden replicated the tact boards.

The tactical markings system changed in 1990 to the one used in Desert Storm and current use today.

This is the Verlinden set, the tact boards are different shapes depending on the battalion and the black shape denotes the different companies.