U.S. Navy Ships in WWII Dazzle Camouflage 1944-1945

Destroyers

View by Design Number

Benson Class

View by Design Number

for DD-598

Design 6D

for DD-598

Design Number Silhouette Ships Wearing Design
for DD-598
Measure 31
Woodworth (DD-460)Bailey (DD-492)
Bancroft (DD-598)Meade (DD-602)
Coghlan (DD-606)Gansevoort (DD-608)
Hobby (DD-610)
Drawing

The possible drawing for Design 31/6D for the Benson class destroyers using the profile of USS Bancroft (DD-598) which had four 5-inch guns. This drawing probably used three vertical colors: haze gray (5-H), ocean gray (5-O) and dull black (BK) of Measure 31. The lightest vertical color would be light gray (5-L) to be Measure 32. The horizontal pattern colors would be the standard ocean gray and deck blue. This drawing was probably drawn in late May or early June of 1944, because a copy was sent to USS Woodworth (DD-460) on June 6, 1944.

The first drawing for Design 6D was included with the July 15, 1943, memo to PacFleet for the Fletcher class destroyers. Another Design 6D drawing for Fletcher was dated December 22, 1943, and it was redrawn on January 19, 1944, for the Cleveland class light cruisers and was worn by USS Birmingham (CL-62) and USS Vicksburg (CL-86) in Measure 33 colors and reportedly by USS Biloxi (CL-80) in Measure 32 colors. It was also worn by the battleships USS New Mexico (BB-40) and USS Mississippi (BB-41). Four destroyers of the Farragut class and one Gridley class destroyer also carried Design 6D.

Original drawing source: NARA 80-G-000000.

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