Painting Rank Symbols on WWII US Army Helmets
By Kreighton Long
![[29th Infantry Division: Normandy landing]](https://www.lonesentry.com/gi_stories_booklets/29thinfantry/pics/29infdiv_pg6.jpg)
The American GIs in World War Two painted a white stripe or bar on the back of their helmets so that soldiers they were leading, presumably from the front, could identify their leader and follow them into battle. American Officers donned a vertical bar while Noncommissioned Officers sported a horizontal stripe.
Below are the steps I took to hand-paint my platoon and squad leaders for my Bolt Action 29th Infantry Division army.

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