M3 halftrack WHITE STAR AND CIRCLE. What does it mean?

[Jason Barnett]

My latest project has remnants of a white star and circle on the hood and front. I'm pretty unfamiliar with US Army markings on vehicles. I've been told that could signify that this half track actually saw action in Europe and  that it was returned to the US. What do you guys know about the white star with a SOLID white circle around it?
 

[dwhite]

I'm not a historian, but I'll pass along what I know.  The White Star and Circle is referred to as an "Invasion Star."  It was put on ground vehicles prior to the invasion of Normandy for Operation Overload.  With the participation multi-national forces in the invasion there was concern in the U.S. command that the standard star was too similar, at a distance, to German markings, and consequently they wanted to avoid friendly fire situations.  It's possible that your track was in Europe, but unlikely.  At the conclusion of hostilities, most of the half-tracks in Europe were given away to friendly nations, which the Israeli's eventually bought the majority of by 1948.  DW