092 - War Paint: Camouflage at Sea

Protecting the Fleet

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Just as the Army and Marines made extensive use of varied greens, olive drabs, tans, and blacks to conceal their position in the jungles of Southeast Asia, likewise the Navy was concerned with protecting its ships and air corps at sea and in the air.

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Ships, which had been painted in single coats of blue and dark gray at the outset of war, were quickly repainted in colors that blended in with the surrounding Pacific environment, usually light gray or white.

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Originally, the main change included a dull gray tone with a white “wave pattern” along the bow to simulate flank speed wakes. Naval engineers tested several paint schemes, including various colors of white, light and dark gray, and black. It was decided that the ships should match the sky more than waves and even at night, ships painted black were easier to spot than the dull gray drab that is common to this present day.

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Soon, a multi-color scheme was adopted with ever-changing patterns and designs. It was hoped enemy spotters would mistake the ships for waves or clouds, depending on the conditions.

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At high speeds, the timing was everything and as gunners or submarine captains spotted ships, the strange designs often fooled the spotter as to the speed, size, shape, or even the type of ship.

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