Chapter XXXVI
Camouflage and Ship Designating Letter and Number Painting Instructions

Section 1.

  1. Camouflage painting of vessels of the Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet will be in accordance with the instructions contained in Pacific Fleet Confidential Letters and Ship Camouflage Instructions, U.S. Navy.

  2. Current instructions for camouflage direct that Amphibious Transports and cargo ships shall be camouflaged measure 21 and landing craft and vessels used in direct support of landing operations, measure 31 (mottled green), design 5L and 8L. When more than one camouflage pattern is prescribed, diversification of patterns shall be attained as far as practicable; roughly in proportion to the number of camouflage measures indicated for each type.

  3. As the standard camouflage painting instructions do not provide details of the painting of designating numbers on Amphibious Force Ships, Landing Craft, and Landing Boats, the instructions in the following paragraphs are issued to cover these cases in a standardized manner.

  4. Designating Letters and Numbers of APAs, AKAs, AGCs, APs, and AKs. Designating Numbers and letters will be painted white, without shading, on each bow and on each quarter of the ship. The letters will be block type 24 inches in height with width of block stripe 4 inches. the numerals will be block type 72 inches in height with width of block stripe 12 inches. The upper edge of the 24 inch letters will be aligned with the upper edge of the 72 inch numerals. The lower edge of the after letter or numeral will be placed approximately 15 feet below the forecastle or upper deck. The letters and numbers on each quarter of the ship will have the group designating letters and numbers located, about, as shown in the following diagram: See chart on page XXXVI-2)

    Letter and number placement

    Sample APA - - - - PA 12
    Sample AKA - - - - KA 136
    Sample AGC - - - - GC 12
    Sample AP - - - - P 14
    Sample AK - - - - K 15

»XXXVI-1«

  1. LANDING CRAFT DISTINGUISHING NUMERALS SIZE AND LOCATION

    VESSEL HEIGHT
    OF
    NUMERAL
    BOW NUMERALS STERN NUMERALS
    DISTANCE OF
    FWD. EDGE OF
    FWD. NO.
    ABAFT OF BOW
    OR STEM
    DISTANCE
    LOWER EDGE
    BELOW DECK
    LEVEL
    ON EACH
    QUARTER
    ON TRANSOM DISTANCE
    LOWER EDGE
    BELOW DECK
    LEVEL
    DISTANCE
    AFTER EDGE
    OF AFTER
    NO. FORWARD
    OF STERN
     
    LSD 458' 72" 28' 14' 16'   10'
    LSV 454' 72" 28' 14' 16'   10'
    LST 328' 72" 29' 11' 27"   8'
    LSM 203' 72" Bow
    48" Qtr.
    18' 9' 2'   7'
    LCT(5) 112' 72" Bow
    48 Trans.
    2' 7' --- CENTER LINE 5'
    LCT (6) 112' 72" Bow
    48" Trans.
    2' 7' --- CENTER LINE 5'
    LCI(L)
    1-350 CLASS
    157' 72" Bow
    48" Qtr.
    2' 71/2' 2'   54"
    LCI(L)
    351 CLASS
    157' 72" Bow
    48" Qtr.
    2' 71/2' 2'   54"
    LCS(L)(3) 157' 72" Bow
    38" Qtr.
    2' 71/2' 2'   54"

    NOTE - 1: ALL NUMBERS PAINTED WHITE WITHOUT SHADING, BLOCK TYPE, WIDTH OF BLOCK STRIPE 12" FOR 72" NUMBERS AND 8" FOR 38" NUMBERS.

    NOTE - 2: LCI(G) AND OTHER CONVERSIONS ARE TO HAVE NUMERALS PAINTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THAT PRESCRIBED FOR THE CLASS LCI(L) FROM WHICH THEY WERE CONVERTED.

    NOTE - 3: LSTs SHALL HAVE DESIGNATING NUMBER, IN WHITE BLOCK NUMERALS, WITH WIDTH OF BLOCK STRIPE 6", ON THE AFTER SIDE OF THE AFTER 40MM TUB, ABOUT FRAME 63 CENTERLINE. THE HEIGHT OF THESE NUMERALS IS TO BE THE FULL HEIGHT OF THE GUN TUB. IN ADDITION LST DESIGNATING NUMERALS SHALL BE PAINTED OVER THE BOW DOOR OPENING, AMIDSHIPS, SO AS TO BE SEEN WHEN THE DOORS ARE OPEN AND THE RAMP DOWN. THESE NUMERALS SHALL BE WHITE BLOCK TYPE, 36" HIGH AND WITH WIDTH OF BLOCK STRIPE 6".

»XXXVI-2«

  1. A. APDs, PCEs, PCs, PCSs and SCs temporarily or permanently assigned Amphibious Forces, Pacific Force, for operational control, shall have designating numerals painted on each bow and quarter. The numerals will be block type 72" high on each bow with width of block stripe 12"; and 48" high on each quarter with width of block stripe 8 inches. PCEs, PCs, PCSs and SCs shall paint class designating letters 24" high with width of stripe 4", preceding and with top of letter in alignment with, the bow numerals only.

  2. Ship borne landing boats will have identification letters and numbers painted in white paint in the following manner:

    1. APA craft -- PA12-1, PA12-2, etc.
    2. AKA craft -- KA13-1, KA13-2, etc.

  3. Amphibious Operating and training Bases and Landing Boat Pools will paint boats deck blue 20-B and have identification numbers painted on them in white paint. The first number will indicate the SLCU operating the landing boats of the base and the second number will indicate the boat's serial number at the Base.

    Example -- SLCU 22 would be 22-1, 22-2, etc.

  4. All landing boat letters and numbers will be 8 inches high, block type, width of stripe, 2 inches.

  5. Identification letters and numbers will be painted on landing craft in the following positions: --

    1. Landing Boats (LCVPs, LCVs, LCP(R)s, LCP(L)s).
      1. on each bow.
      2. on top of engine housing.
      3. on the stern, amidships.

    2. Tank Lighters (LCM(3)s).
      1. on each bow.
      2. on the deck, amidships, aft of coxswain's shelter.
      3. on the stern, amidships.

    3. LCM(3)s will be assigned the lowest block of serial numbers.

»XXXVI-3«

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