Guidons

[QED4]

I picked up this Armour Guidon today at the flea market and don't quite understand it. First of all it is not really a guidon but rather some sort of trophy or something along those lines. The Top Gun part is self explanatory and I assume the C-13 is company C, tank number 13 but what are the numbers on the sides? Because of the placement and the high numbers I don't think they are unit designations, maybe the scores from the two Top Gun Competitions. Any one have any ideas and also what unit used it? The second one I have had for a while and it actually is a guidon. From the straight wings I would assume it is Army Air Force rather than Army Aviation where the wings are more up swept. The fact that there are two numbers and that they are so very high with no unit type designation is what puzzles me. Maybe very early Air Force when they were still using the winged prop

[alibi]

The armor guidon was not awarded but put together by the unit as you surmized to commerate the unit's success in tank gunnery competion. The numbers left and right of the armor insignia are the scores in the two range seasons.

 

C-13 was typically, in the 1960-70s, the designation of one tank in the company. Company C, 1st Platoon, tank 3.

 

I was not in an armor unit but we used similar designations. For example my track was designated C-16. Troop C, 1st Platoon, No. 6 (platoon leader, in radio call signs all command positions were designated 6.

 

In all units 1 was assigned to the S/G/J-1 (personnel), 2 was S/G/J-2 (Intelligence), 3 was S/G/J-3 (Operations), 4 to S/G/J-4 (logistics), 5 to J-5 (Civil affairs) and 6 to commander. Although there was no staff (1-5) in a platoon the platoon leader was still desgnated 6.

 

Normally a company or troop guidon would include the regimental, battalion or squadron designation above and the unit letter below.

 

In normal usage the unit designation might appear as 1-18 C. In this example the unit is 1st Squadron, 18th Cavalry, Troop C. The 1-18th Cavalry was a component of the 40th Infantry Division (Mech). The full markings on my vehicle was 40-I 1/18CAV C-16.

 

Since C-13 is most likely company, platoon and tank designation the undesignated unit could be any armor battalion, active or National Guard.

 

In another forum a similar AAC/AAF guidon was reported to be for a WAAC/WAAF unit.