Door Insignia Identification

[Alxj64]

So, this stencil is located on the Passenger's door and on the driver's side, behind where the spare would have covered but in front of any can mounts on the fender. Truck (WC-53 Carryall) was recovered out of the woods somewhere in NC. I've read that the 13th Airborne operated out of Fort Bragg later in the war, however the 13th Bomb Squadron also assembled early in the war ('41 -'42) in the Savannah GA area, which is still not far from where this truck was recovered and obviously it could have been relocated as my other Carryall originated from San Diego and is now in Virginia Beach.

So, wondering if anyone has seen a similar insignia? It was a stencil, that was applied and has faded off of the truck. I haven't checked the hood for it, but also don't see it on the tailgate. The hood and gate have matching numbers and I need to get a title squared away so that I can send off for a build card. Truck is already nicknamed "Humpty" because it is a basket case but pretty much everything sheet metal wise is there. Missing the complete powertrain though.

Thanks in advance.

[jim lee]

Thought about what you were saying. Not wanting to lay under the truck right now, I did a little research. I'm thinking its 13th bombardment not airborne. So I searched for 13 bombardment and found a story good for Hollywood. They STOLE their aircraft! :

World War II
When war came to the nation in December 1941, the Reapers embarked on an accelerated training program while also engaged in anti-submarine patrols against German U-boats along the Atlantic coast. Because every ranking and experienced man from the unit was pulled and assigned overseas to train other units, the Reapers were left without personnel and planes. When the unit arrived in Australia in January 1942, they were still without airplanes. While waiting for aircraft, the Reapers learned there were 24 brand new B-25s sitting on the ramp in nearby Melbourne, but the planes were earmarked for the Dutch. Soon after, 24 Reaper pilots arrived in Melbourne, presented a confused Officer of the Day with an authorization letter, and nonchalantly flew away with the airplanes before anyone realized the mistake. The Reapers used those planes, and later A- 20s, to attack bridges, transports, airfields, troop installations, seaplanes, docks, warehouses and enemy targets. At the end of the war, the squadron had earned four Distinguished Unit Citations for actions over the Philippine Island, Papua and New Guinea, and also took home the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

From the end of World War II to 1950, the 13 BS remained in Japan as part of the Army of Occupation.

Sady the dates don't really line up. They were located on the east coast, but they left before that truck was built and ended up in the So.PAc.

-jim lee

[Forgotten Field]

I wouldn't rule it out the 13th, because this truck may be a return truck from overseas. But I wouldn't definitely say it was a 13th truck, because you don't know how they painted their trucks. I would look for photos of squadron vehicles to see if there is another one with a similar insignia/design painted on another truck.

Also, you might consider USN and USMC bombing units- VPB-13 was a USN Bombing squadron:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VPB-13

Also, here is another idea, although a long shot:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASM-A-1_Tarzon