An online database of camouflage used by 
United State Naval Warships during WWII


The Development of Naval Camouflage 1914 - 1945
Part V: United States Navy - World War II

By Alan Raven  

(Article reprinted courtesy of Plastic Ship Modeler Magazine issue #97/3)

MEASURE 1C

Used from first week of December 1941 to early 1942 for experimental purposes on the destroyer FLUSSER of the Pacific Fleet.

Colors: 5-N Navy Blue. 
All vertical surfaces including masts, topmasts, and yards - 5-N. 
Decks and other horizontal surfaces - 5-N. 
Counter shading - none.
 

MEASURE 2

Used from early 1941 to mid 1941 on many ships of the Atlantic Fleet from battleships down to destroyers. Used from mid 1941 to early 1942 on a few cruisers and destroyers of the Pacific Fleet.

Colors: 5-D Dark Gray, 5-0 Ocean Gray, 5-L Light Gray. 
Vertical surfaces from the waterline up to deck below main deck -5-D. 
Vertical surfaces from the deck below the main deck to the line of the main deck - 5-0. 
Vertical surfaces from the main deck up to and including masts, topmasts, and yards - 5-L. 
Decks and other horizontal surfaces - S-D. 
On ships of the Pacific Fleet, wood decks were left their natural color. 
Counter shading - none.
 

MEASURE 2A

Used for experimental purposes on the battleship TEXAS in the spring of 1941 and on the destroyer LAMSON in October 1941.

Colors: (TEXAS) 5-D Dark Gray, 5-0 Ocean Gray, 5-L Light Gray. 
Colors: (LAMSON) 5-S Sea Blue, 5-0 Ocean Gray, 5-H Haze Gray, 5-D Dark Gray. 
Vertical surfaces from the waterline up to the line of the main deck - TEXAS - 5-D, LAMSON - 5-S. 
Vertical surfaces from the line of the main deck up to the top of the superstructure - TEXAS and LAMSON - 5-0. 
Vertical surfaces above the top of the superstructure including masts, topmasts, and yards - TEXAS - S-L, LAMSON - 5-H. Decks and horizontal surfaces including those laid with wood - S-D.
Counter shading - none.
 

MEASURE 3

Used in the spring of 1941 for experimental purposes on the cruiser SALT LAKE CITY and on the destroyer WAINWRIGHT of the Atlantic Fleet.

Colors: 5-L Light Gray, 5-D Dark Gray. 
Vertical surfaces from the waterline up to and including masts, topmasts and yards - S-L. 
Decks and horizontal surfaces including wood decking - 5-D. 
Counter shading - none.
 

MEASURE 4

Used on carriers WASP and RANGER, the cruiser MEMPHIS, and the destroyer ROE of the Atlantic Fleet for a brief period in the spring of 1941 and one squadron of PT's in the Mediterranean in 1943/44.

Colors: Black, 5-D Dark Gray, 5-L Light Gray. 
Vertical surfaces from waterline up to the top of the superstructure - Black. 
Masts, topmasts, and yards - 5-L. 
Masts, topmasts, and yards on PT's - Black. 
Decks and horizontal surfaces - 5-D. 
Flight decks of carriers - Red Mahogany stain. 
Counter shading - none.
 

MEASURE 5

Painted bow wave used on a few ships of the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets from carriers and battleships down to destroyers.

The outline of the wave to be painted in white, the body of the wave to be painted in Dark Blue, or Dark Gray. 
Bow wave not to be used on ships painted in Measure 4.
 

MEASURE 6

Paint a six" gun cruiser to simulate an 8" cruiser. 
If the ship is Dark Gray, then the pattern should be Light Gray. 
If the ship is Light Gray, or graded them the pattern should be Dark Gray.
 

MEASURE 7

Paint a 6" gun cruiser to simulate a four stack destroyer.

Colors used to be as for Measure 6 above.

MEASURE 8

Paint a 6" gun cruiser to simulate a two stack destroyer.

Colors used to be as for Measure 6 above.

Note: It is not known if any cruisers were ever painted in the above three measures during 1941, but in 1943 the heavy cruiser MINNEAPOLIS did wear Measure 8.

MEASURE 9

Used by the majority of the Submarine Fleet during 1941, and by all of the fleet from early 1942 until mid 1942 when some boats began to wear Measure 10.

Color: Black. 
All vertical, horizontal, and rounded surfaces - Black.
 

MEASURE 10

Used on several Pacific Fleet submarines from mid 1942 until late 1944. 

Colors: 5-0 Ocean Gray, #82 Black. 
Vertical surfaces- 5-0 Ocean Gray. 
Horizontal surfaces- #82 Black. 
Counter shading - none.
 

MEASURE 11

Developed directly from Measure 1A. Used on a few cruisers and destroyers of the Pacific Fleet in the last weeks of 1941 and the first months of 1942.

Colors: 5-S Sea Blue, 20B Dark Blue. 
Vertical surfaces including masts, topmasts, and yards - S-S. 
Decks and horizontal surfaces - 20B. 
Counter shading - none.
 

MEASURE 12

Developed directly from Measure 2A. Used extensively on ships of the Atlantic Fleet from mid 1941 to the end of 1941. Used on carriers and battleships down to escort vessels. Used experimentally on the Pacific Fleet destroyer MAHAN from December 1941 until April 1942. Colors: Initially (mid 1941 for a few weeks only) 5-D Dark Gray, 5-0 Ocean Gray, 5-H Haze Gray, 20B Deck Blue.

Later (summer and autumn 1941) 5-S Sea Blue, 5-0 Ocean Gray, 5-H Haze Gray, 20B Deck Blue. 
Vertical surfaces from the boot topping up to the line of the main deck - 5-D Dark Gray or 5-S Sea Blue. 
Vertical surfaces from the line of the main deck up to the top of the superstructure - 5-0 Ocean Gray. 
Vertical surfaces from the top of the superstructure up to and including masts, topmasts, and yards - 5-L Light Gray or 
5-H Haze Gray.
Decks and horizontal surfaces - 20B Deck Blue. 
Flight decks of carriers - Red Mahogany Stain.

 The above instructions for vertical surfaces did not apply to carriers, which were to be painted as follows. 

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