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FM/C-S19/(70-8) Serial  CONFIDENTIAL FLEET MAINTENANCE OFFICE COMMANDER SERVICE FORCE UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET From: Commander Service Force, Pacific Fleet,   (Fleet Maintenance Office) To: The Chief of the Bureau of Ships   Subject: Camouflage of Ships.   Reference: (a)  BuShips ltr. C-S19-7(330) of 13 August 1943. (b) CinCPac ltr. Pac-50-aeb/S19/Serial 01418 of 21 June 1943. (c) Pacific Fleet Confidential Letter 26CL-43.   Enclosure: (A)  Proposed assignment of camouflage measures to vessels of the Pacific Fleet. (B) Pattern and color tables for pattern camouflage.      1.       The Bureau, in reference (a), outlined a proposed procedure for affecting application of pattern camouflage measures to vessels of the Pacific Fleet as suggested by reference (b) and approved by reference (c).      2.       Enclosure (A) indicates the projected basic schedule for application of camouflage measures to the Pacific Fleet. Enclosure (B), Table I, lists sixteen Bureau patterns tentatively selected for application to several types of vessels. Table II indicates a systematic distribution of these sixteen patterns among the vessels. If, in the opinion of the Bureau, a more suitable selection of patterns can be made, for Table I, Enclosure (B), it is requested that the substitution be made as soon as possible in order that preparation of drawings may proceed. The Bureau is requested to select other designs appropriate to the remaining vessels assigned to the Pacific Fleet not covered in Table I. Copie sof new designs developed are desired for the records of this office as outlined in reference (b). It is considered advisable to provide enough basic patterns to avoid too frequent repetition and at the same time to limit the number sufficiently to make practical the preparation, application, and maintenance of the camouflage. Soft, graded patterns should be avoided until expert supervision for application may be made available.      3.       In order to permit painting in accordance with the new measures, it is requested that the Bureau furnish, for ships in commission, direct to the commanding officer of each ship, one set of detailed working drawings for the application of pattern camouflage to his ship. For vessels under construction, it is requested that one set of working drawings be furnished to the - 1 -

FM/C-S19/(70-8) Serial  CONFIDENTIAL FLEET MAINTENANCE OFFICE COMMANDER SERVICE FORCE UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET Subject: Camouflage of Ships. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - building yard for each vessel, and one set to the prospective commanding officer. It is further requested that the Bureau furnish to the Commander Serfice Force, Pacific Fleet (Fleet Maintenance Office) a list showing design numbers and colors selected for all vessels assigned to the Pacific Fleet to which such drawings have been submitted. The Commander Serfice Force, Pacific Fleet (Fleet Maintenance Office) will in turn keep the Bureau informed as to which ships in service have been painted according to the new measures.      4.      It is requested that working drawings for the application of camouflage be in the form of outboard profiles, and elevations of important elements, and deck views, scaled 1/16" to the foot, marked with lines of demarcation of the various colored areas, each area to have its color indicated by symbol. Separate drawings should be similarly marked up to indicate where white and other light paints are to be applied for countershading and countershadowing.      5.      Detailed requirements for distribution of additional paint and equipment to Pacific bases are at present under preparation and will be forwarded at an early date.      6.      It is requested that every effort be made to distribute working drawings to vessels assigned to the Pacific Fleet as soon as possible in order that the camouflage program may be carried out expiditiously.   C. A. DUNN By direction Copy to:      ComSerRonSoPac         - 2 -

Proposed Assignment of "Ships-2" Camouflage Measures to Vessels of the Pacific Fleet by Types Measure 31      BBs 44-16 inclusive.      Vessels of the following types assigned even serial numbers:  DD and DE.      All vessels of the following type: ABD, ABSD, AFD, AGP, AGS, APc, APD, AR, ARB, ARD, ARG, LCI, LCT, LSD, LST, PF, PG, PT, PY, YFD, YMS, YN, YP, ARL, ARS, ASR, ATR, YAG. Measure 32      Vessels of the following types assigned off serial numbers: AK, AP, CA, CB, CL, CV, CVE, CVL, DD, DE.      Vessels of the following types except BBs 44-46 inclusive: AD, AE, AF, AG, AGC, AKA, AM, AO, AOG, APA, APH, APV, AS, AV, AVD, AVP, BB, CGC, DM, DMS, PC, SC, YDG, YO, and IX. Measure 33      Vessels of the following types assigned even serial numbers: AK, AP, CA, CB, CL, CV, CVE, and CVL.         ENCLOSURE(A)

COLORS EMPLOYED ON BASIC PATTERNS APADPTED TO MEASURES 31, 32, AND 33   * Colors:-   P - Pale Gray -(5-P)   L - Light Gray - (5-L)   H - Haze Gray - (5-H)   O - Ocean Gray - (5-O)   N - Navy Blue - (5-N)   K - Dull Black -(Submarine Black #13)   Table I ENCLOSURE(B)

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The below tables are not "accurate" as the patterns listed are missing the TYPE of pattern; the Pacific Fleet was working off an early set of drawings that were further revised before being placed in use. The first sheet is marked up so the reader can see the differences. The crucial item to note is that there was a systematic plan for issuing of dazzle schemes and it was not left to the individual ship's caption or even the squadron commander.

CONFIDENTIAL   T. M. P. A. DDs(con't) 450 31 16 451 32  1 468 31  1 445 32  2 446 31  2 447 32  3 448 31  3 477 32  4 466 31  4 465 32  5 498 31  5 499 32  6 507 32  6 508 31  7 510 31  7 643 32  8 478 31  8 570 31  9 569 32  9 571 32 10 572 31 10 509 32 11 511 32 11 512 32 12 514 31 12 476 31 13 471 32 13 470 31 14 519 32 14 518 31 15 526 31 15 527 32 16 528 31 16 529 32  1 479 32  1 573 32  2 574 31  2 575 32  3 576 31  3 500 31  4 501 32  4 502 31  5 659 32  5     T. M. P. A. DDs(con't) 480 31  6 472 31  6 473 32  7 474 31  7 475 32  8 515 32  8 516 31  9 513 32  9 630 31 10 589 32 10 581 32 11 582 31 11 587 32 12 588 31 12 544 31 13 545 32 13 546 31 14 547 32 14 534 31 15 530 31 15 531 32 16 532 31 16 533 32  1 555 32  1 554 31  2 556 31  2 557 32  3 631 32  3 517 32  4 642 31  4 629 32  5 644 31  5 660 31  6 661 32  6 666 31  7 667 32  7 685 32  8 577 32  8 578 31  9 579 32  9 580 31 10 520 31 10 521 32 11 522 31 11 657 32 12     T. M. P. A. DDs(con't) 668 31 12 669 32 13 670 31 13 671 32 14 672 31 14 650 31 15 651 32 15 652 31 16 653 32 16 583 32  1 584 31  1 585 32  2 590 31  2 591 32  3 550 31  3 551 32  4 552 31  4 553 32  5 536 31  5 535 32  6 537 32  6 538 31  7 539 32  7 673 32  8 674 31  8 675 32  9 676 31  9 797 32 10 658 31 10 686 31 11 687 32 11 796 31 12 541 32 12 540 31 13 683 32 13 684 31 14 DEs   7 32 14   8 31 14   9 32 15  10 31 15  11 32 16     T. M. P. A. DEs(con't) 256 31  8 162 31 16 163 31  1 164 31  1 165 32  2 166 31  2 167 32  3 259 32  3 260 31  4 261 32  4 262 31  5 263 32  5 264 31  6  37 32  6  38 31  7  39 32  7  40 31  8  41 32  8 265 32  9  19 32  9  20 32  9  21 31 10  22 31 10  23 32 11  24 31 11  14 31 12  15 32 12  17 32 13  18 31 13  49 32 14  50 31 14  25 32 15  26 31 15  27 32 16  28 31 16  29 32  1  30 31  1  31 32  2  32 31  2  33 32  3  34 31  3  35 32  4  36 31  4 739 32  5 740 31  5   TABLE II Page 2 of 3 Pages   ENCLOSURE (B)

CONFIDENTIAL   T. M. P. A. DEs(con't) 741 32  6 742 31  6 743 32  7 744 31  7 198 31  8 199 32  8 200 31  9 201 32  9 203 32 10 633 32 11 634 31 11 635 32 12 636 31 12 637 32 13 638 31 13 217 32 14 218 31 14 219 32 15 678 31 15 679 32 16 680 31 16 696 31  1 697 32  1 698 31  2 699 32  2 700 31  3 701 31  3 183 32  4 184 31  4 185 32  5 186 31  5 187 32  6 188 31  6 789 32  7 790 31  7 791 32  8 792 31  8 793 32  9 794 31  9       T. M. P. A. DEs(con't) 745 32 10 746 31 10 747 32 11 748 31 11 749 32 12 750 31 12  42 31 13  43 32 13  44 31 14 301 32 14 302 31 15 303 32 15             TABLE II Page 3 of 3 Pages   ENCLOSURE (B)

SOURCE:
National Archives & Records Administration, College Park
Record Group 313 - CINCPAC Confidential Files 1943-45

Transcribed by RESEARCHER @ LARGE. Formatting & Comments Copyright R@L.

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