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The main point of interest in this memo in terms of camouflage is the order that battleships were not to carry paint aboard, so touch ups and changes would only happen at anchorages when there was time and suficient quantities of paint on hand in teh anchorage storage.

FC1-1/S19

Serial: 762

COMMANDER BATTLESHIP SQUADRON ONE
c/o Fleet Post Office
San Francisco, California
70/mn

27 June 1945

From: Commander Battleship Squadron ONE.
To  : Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Via : Commander Service Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (FMO).
(FMO - Fleet Maintenance Office
 
Subject: Paint in Battleship Squadron ONE - Recommended Change in Policy Regarding Supply of.
 
Reference:    (a) Pacific Fleet Memorandum 5H-43 (Revised).

     1.       Reference (a) states that paint will not be carried on battleships at sea and directs navy yards, tenders, and other repair facilities to be prepared to deliver alongside on short notice paint and paint equipment when requested. However, in the forward areas service forces have been unable to supply the required quantities of paint and as a result operational ships of this squadron have been unable to get enough paint for satisfactory preservation to date.

     2.       As a result of lack of preservative paints in forward areas and the requirement of no paint on board ships at sea, the unsatisfactory hull upkeep situation is made more acute for Battleship Squadron ONE by the following conditions:

(a) These ships are all more than twenty years old and adequate hull upkeep is proportionately more difficult than for newer ships.

(b) During fire support operations, these ships handle and fire hundreds of tons of ammunition over prolonged periods of time. This results in extensive damage to own ships structure and paint surfaces and this damage requires immediate attention if corrosion is to be prevented.

(c) In some cases these ships have arrived from the mainland with their preservative paint in poor condition. This may be caused by a hard trip out, by painting under poor weathcr conditions, by lack of durability and wearing qualities of present paints or by a combination of all three. In any case paint is needed shortly after arriving in the forward area and the need becomes progressively more urgent as the vessel continues to operate.

(d) There are numerous periods when these ships are underway but not actually in an active combat area. During such periods there are many man hours available for upkeep that could be utilized to better advantage if paint was carried on board.

 

- 1 -


FC1-1/S19

Serial: 762

COMMANDER BATTLESHIP SQUADRON ONE
c/o Fleet Post Office
San Francisco, California
70/mn

27 June 1945

Subject:      Paint in Battleship Squadron ONE - Recommended Change in Policy Regarding Supply of.

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(e) If those ships could take prompt action to prevent early corrosion it would reduce the amount of paint required for preservation. This becomes important in view of the critical shortage of paint materials that now exists.

     3.       The above conditions are only part of the overwhelming evidence tending to show that hull upkeep must be given a higher priority. It is accordingly strongly recommended that the policy on paint be examined with a view to making the following changes.

(a) That Battleship Squadron ONE vessels be allowed to carry a mininimum amount of paint and painting equipment for preservation purposes.

(b) That supply levels of paint stores be maintained sufficiently high in the forward upkeep areas to meet the preservation and camouflage needs of the fleet.

 

J. B. OLDENDDRF

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Copy to:
        BuShips
        ComServPac
        ConBatRon TWO
        BatRon ONE

 

W. H. DUFFY,
Flag Secretary.

 

 


SOURCE:
National Archives & Records Administration, College Park
Record Group 19, Bureau of Ships General Correspondence files 1940-1945, BAC - BYTL file codes

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

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