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)

Vertical surfaces from the boot topping up to the line of the hangar deck - 5-D Dark Gray or 5-S Sea Blue. 
Remainder of vertical surfaces to be as for other ships.

MEASURE 12A

Developed directly from Measure 12. Used on several ships of the Atlantic Fleet in late 1941. Colors: 5-N Navy 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-N Navy Blue. 
All other vertical and horizontal surfaces to be as Measure 12. 

MEASURE 12R

Measure 12 revised (R), was developed directly from Measure 12 and 12A. Used extensively from very late 1941 to late 1942 on all major surface warship types of the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets.

Colors: 5-N Navy Blue, 5-0 Ocean Gray, White, 5-H Haze Gray, 250N Flight Deck stain, 20B Deck Blue (Revised). Vertical surfaces from the boot topping to the masts and topmasts to be a two, or three, or four color broken / dappled graded system of 5-N, 5-0, 5-H, and sometimes White. 
Decks and horizontal surfaces - 20B Deck Blue (revised). 
Carrier Flight Decks - 250N Flight Deck Stain.  

MEASURE 12 (1945 REVISION)

Modification of 1941 Measure 12 Camouflage, carried by all types of major surface combatants from spring of 1945.

Colors: #7 Navy Gray 5-N, #17 Ocean Gray 5-0, 04 Deck Gray 20. 
Vertical surfaces from the boot topping up to the lowest point of the main deck - 07 Navy Gray. Vertical surfaces from the lowest point of the main deck up to and including masts, topmasts, yards ( on carriers the line taken up to the hangar deck ) - #17 Ocean Gray.
Decks and horizontal surfaces - 04 Deck Gray. 
Counter shading - none.  

MEASURE 13

Used by small numbers of minor ships including PC's from 1942 to 1944. 

Colors: 5-H Haze Gray, White, 20B Deck Blue (revised). 
Vertical surfaces including masts, topmasts and yards - 5-H Haze Gray.
Decks and horizontal surfaces - 20B Deck Blue (revised). 
Counter shading - undersides of decks and overhangs - White.

MEASURE 14

Used on many small craft, including minesweepers, PTs, SCs, PCS, and some coast guard vessels throughout 1942, 1943, and 1944.

Colors: 5-0 Ocean Gray, 5-H Haze Gray, 20B Deck Blue (revised). 
Vertical surfaces from the boot topping to the top of the superstructure - 5-0 Ocean Gray. Vertical surfaces above the superstructure including the masts, topmasts, and yards - 5-H Haze Gray.
Decks and horizontal surfaces - 20B Deck Blue (revised).
Counter shading - no information available.  

MEASURE 15

Developed directly from First Admiralty Disruptive Type. Used in 1942 on at least three vessels, the battleship INDIANA, the destroyer HOBSON, and the tanker TALLULAH.

Colors: 5-N Navy Blue, 5-0 Ocean Gray, 5-H Haze Gray, White, 20B Deck Blue (revised). Vertical surfaces to be a disruptive pattern of S-N, 5-0, S-H, and White*. 
Decks and horizontal surfaces - 20B. 
Counter shading - no information available. 
*HOBSON was the only ship to use White.  

MEASURE 16

Developed directly from British Western Approaches Type. Used in 1942 and 1943 on a small number of destroyers, escort vessels and smaller craft in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. Colors: White, 5-B Thayer Blue, 5-0 Ocean Gray, 20B Deck Blue (revised).

All vertical surfaces - White and 5-B Thayer Blue. Decks - 20B Deck Blue (revised ).
Other horizontal surfaces - 5-0 Ocean Gray. 
Counter shading - undersides of platforms, gun barrels, overhangs, insides of gun shields - White.  

MEASURE 17

Forerunner of Measures 31, 32, and 33. A course deception anti- submarine type. Used from mid 1942 to late 1942 on at least three vessels, the carrier SANTEE, the cruiser AUGUSTA, and the tanker CHICOPEE.

Colors: 5-N Navy Blue, 5-0 Ocean Gray, 5-H Haze gray, 5-L Light Gray, 20B deck Blue (revised). 
Vertical Surfaces composed of angular panels of 5-N, 5-0, 5-H, & 5-L. 
Decks and horizontal surfaces - 20B. 
Flight decks on carrier SANTEE believed to be Red Mahogany stain from mid to late 1942. Counter shading - no information available.  

MEASURE 18

Developed directly from Measure 12A. Used in 1942, 1943, and 1944 on a few destroyers serving in the Central Atlantic, and in the Pacific. Design very similar to Measure 22, but in Measure 18 the line of 5-N followed the sheer line of the deck right up to the bow. Known to be worn by destroyers CONWAY, JOUETT, WALLER, MOFFETT, NICHOLAS, and SOMERS.

Colors: 5-N Navy Blue, 5-H Haze Gray, 20B Deck Blue (revised). 
Vertical surfaces from the boot topping up to the line of the main deck; this line did not run parallel to the waterline, but followed the line of the deck sheer - 5-N. 
Vertical surfaces from the line of the main deck up to and including masts, topmasts, and yards - 5-H. 
Decks and horizontal surfaces - 20B. 
Counter shading - no information available.

MEASURES 19 and 20 - designation not used.

MEASURE 21

Developed directly from Measure 1C. Used extensively on all types of major surface warships in the Pacific during 1942, 1943, and 1944.

Colors: 5-N Navy Blue, 20B Deck Blue (revised) 250N Flight Deck stain, #21 Flight Deck stain, #21 Flight Deck stain (revised).
Vertical surfaces up to and including masts, topmasts, and yards - 5-N. 
Decks and horizontal surfaces - 20B. 
Carrier flight decks - (1942) - 250N, (1943) - #21, (1944) - #21 (revised). 
Counter shading - none.  

MEASURE 21 (1945 revision) 
Modification of original Measure 21. Carried by all types of major surface combatants from the spring of 1945.

Colors: #7 Navy Gray, #4 Deck Gray 20. 
Vertical surfaces from the boot topping up to and including masts, topmasts and yards - #7 Navy Gray. 
Decks and horizontal surfaces - #4 deck Gray. 
Counter shading - none.

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