The drawing for Design 3_/6D for the Fletcher class destroyers dated December 22, 1943. This drawing shows only three vertical colors. The lightest vertical color would be haze gray (5-H) for Measure 31 or light gray (5-L) to be Measure 32. The horizontal pattern colors are the standard ocean gray and deck blue. At this time of the war, almost all camouflage designs had some pattern for the deck or horizontal surfaces that was intended to confuse an aerial observer as to size or heading of the ship. The stern view at left shows the starboard black panel below the aftermost turrets edge-on, so appears as a line; some ships painted an extra panel.
The first drawing for Design 6D was included with the July 15, 1943, memo to PacFleet for the Fletcher class destroyers and may have used four vertical colors. The above Design 6D drawing 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-162024 and 80-G-162025.
