Help IDing Unit Crest-Paratrooper?

[para03]

Can anyone help me ID the unit crest seen on the truck door? There are three initials below the symbol but I cannot make them out. The Luft NCO standing to the far left appears to be wearing a pair of lined gloves similar to the ones seen in many FJ photos.

[Larry deZeng]

It looks more like a tactical marking for some sort of company-size unit that it does a unit emblem.

--Larry

[Alanmccoubrey]

Like you I can't make out the small marks but the capital "I" on the door usually means that the truck belongs to an Instandsetzungs (repair) unit. None of the figures has the yellow FJ collar taps. Alan

[para03]

Thanks guys!

Here is a scan of the back that has some writing on it. Maybe this can help???

[Gerdan]

Here the German text:

Meiner lieben Mutter,

zur Erinnerung an unseren Abmarsch aus dem Heimatschutzgebiet

Gerhard

im Februar 1941

To my dear mother,

in memory of the marching off from the home security area (?)

Gerhard

Febrary 1941



Gerdan

[Larry deZeng]

In memory of the marching off from the home security area (?)

Hi Gerdan - Many thanks for working that into English. I couldn't make out more than one or two words. It was illegible handwriting to the rest of us. Yes, "Heimatschutzgebiet" is difficult to translate into practical English. It might also be, "In memory of marching away from the safety of our homeland", or, "........from the security of home", or, "........from the safety of our country's borders." "Heimatschutzgebiet" was a frequently used term during that time and German civilians encountered it almost every day in newspaper articles and probably over the radio, too.

--Larry

[para03]

Hey guys. Many thanks for helping me translate this description

I was really hoping to pinpoint the logo on the door but I guess it will remain a mystery....

-Chuck

[Larry deZeng]

On reflection, I now have to agree with Alan McC., above, who identified it as a capital "I". In the group photo, 2 and perhaps 5 of the men are in coveralls, which would suggest a repair (Instandsetzungs-) or workshop (Werkstatt-) unit. But there is no way to tell which one. There were hundreds and hundreds of them in the Heer.

--Larry

[Akira Takiguchi]

Chuck, I'd like to see the three white spots below "J" enlarged. Too far apart for 3 digits, so some kind of marking?

[para03]

Thanks again Larry.

Akira-
Will this do? It's about the best I can do. The original does have a few spots that are out of focus and sadly this is one of them...

-Chuck