Original U.S. Vietnam War Era 1960’s United States Army Chief of Staff Vehicle Identification Plate

Original Item: Only one available. This is a very nice U.S. Army Chief of Staff vehicle identification fender placard, from the Vietnam War era. The plate is made of aluminum, painted half white and half red separated diagonally with two white stars, two red stars, with a Federal Eagle in the center. It measures the standard 9" x 6" that the U.S. army uses for their vehicle rank plates. Condition is good, with heavy scratching and scuffing of the paint.

The chief of staff of the Army (CSA) is a statutory position in the United States Army held by a general officer. As the highest-ranking officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Army, the chief is the principal military advisor and a deputy to the secretary of the Army. In a separate capacity, the CSA is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (10 U.S.C. § 151) and, thereby, a military advisor to the National Security Council, the secretary of defense, and the president of the United States. The CSA is typically the highest-ranking officer on active duty in the U.S. Army unless the chairman or the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are Army officers.

Plates such as this were for use on military vehicles, usually a Jeep or other small vehicle, to indicate that it was carrying a "flag officer" or Government Official, which was an army officer of high enough rank to fly a flag from the location of their command and civilian counterparts. In this case, the plate represents the "flag" while the official was in the vehicle, which would have a holder attached to the fender. When the official left the vehicle, the plate would then be removed and placed in a carrier.

A seldom seen item, ready to display!