Field Artillery Unit Codes

To explain how unit codes marked on L-4 and L-5 airplanes were issued I would like to quote K. Wakefield:

Blocks of two digit identity code numbers were issued to each Army Head Quarters in North - West Europe by the Artillery Air Officer, 12th ( formerly 1st) Army Group. Within each Army the respective Army Artillery Air Officer issued codes from his allocated block of the corps, divisions and Field Artillery Groups under his jurisdiction. Unit codes were applied in white ahead of the fuselage ‘Star and Bar’, followed by an individual airplane identification letter, also in white, to the rear of the insignia. The letters I and O were normally not used ( to prevent confusion with 1 and 0) but there are numerous exceptions. The first airplane received the letter A and so on. In case they ran out of letters, a double letter was assigned, eg. AA. and so on. Since there was not enough room available, a double letter was applied in form of an underlined letter on the fuselage. On our L-4 for example, the 69-OO is displayed as 69-O_.

A different system, using two letters only, was used for unit identification in Southern and Central Europe by 5th and 7th Armies. This system did not provide for individual airplane identification. That meant the standard two airplanes (2 for each Battalion)or more or other units were carrying the same unit code. 

There are no records illustrating each different unit code and the list is not complete.

The listed Unit codes are the result of research performed by K. Wakefield, Arno L., J. O’Leary and Bart "Cubman". If you are aware of errors or you have an update please let us know and we will update this list. Last Update 26.03.2020. Changes are highlighted in red.

Note by Paul Smith and Bart Cubman:

Unit codes were not always changed on individual aircraft that were transferred from one Corps to another or from one Army to another unless the unit that particular code identifies had its code changed. He also mentions that codes for non-divisional units (eg. “ bastard FA Bn’s”) appear to have been assigned by the respective Corps. Paul reached this conclusion based on tracking individual aircraft as they moved around as described in the NUSA journals. 

As an example we use our L-4J 44-80344. It served in the 547th FA Bn and was issued a unit code under the 19th Corps, 34th FA brigade, 404th FA Gp. On March 17, it joined the 40th FA Group to support the 2nd Britisch Army and transferred afterwards back to the 404th FA Group keeping the unit code. In other words, there is no 100% guarantee that the unit codes are always adhering to the list.

In contrast, there are several records showing L-4’s being flown in to MR&RS Units to have their Unit Codes changed. E.g. Col. Leich illustrates in his personal records that two L-4’s of the 258th FA Gp and  258th FA Bn visited the 50th MR&RS strip at München-Gladbach on March 23, 1945 to have their unit codes changed. Most likely these were changed from 59* to 32* 

Update 26.03.2020 J.O’Leary provided the following information and supplied pictures to correct the Unit Codes 25 & 35.

Unit Code 25. V Corps. He refers to the V Corps unit history book, p.161 that shows three photos from the family of a V Corps, 987th F.A Bn. pilot named Lt. George Abright from Hannibal, Mo. He transferred to J. O’Leary’s dad  9th Armored air-section in March 1945. George’s L-4 is coded  25 * L and is at Cerisy la Foret, Normandy, July ‘44. He maintained this same L-4 from June ‘44 thru March 1945.

Unit Code 35. 2nd Div. He refers to a photo of 15th F.A. pilot Lt.Ted Timreck. Ted gave hime about 30 pictures he brought back from the ETO. One of Ted’s photos was taken in a field at Brest in August of ‘44. His L-4 is at center and is coded 35 * H.