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

Cruisers

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Light

 View by Design Number
CL: Light cruisers were lightly armored, and carried 6-inch guns.

Ships in red are not confirmed by photographic or textual research.
Click on a blue ship's name or design number to see photos.
Hull NumberNameClassCamouflage DesignDesign DatePaint DateNotes Other
CL-4OmahaOmahaAtlantic Measure 22
CL-5MilwaukeeOmaha33/24D*1
CL-6CincinnatiOmahaAtlantic Measure 22
CL-7RaleighOmaha32/1D12/8/43*2
CL-8DetroitOmaha33/3D12/2/434/14/44
CL-9RichmondOmaha32/3D12/8/43*2
CL-10ConcordOmaha33/2F6/14/446/?/44
CL-11TrentonOmaha32/2F6/13/447/14/44
CL-12MarbleheadOmahaAtlantic Mrasure 22
CL-13MemphisOmahaAtlantic Measure 22
CL-40BrooklynBrooklynAtlantic Measure 22
CL-41PhiladelphiaBrooklynAtlantic Measure 22
CL-42SavannahBrooklynAtlantic Measure 22
CL-43NashvilleBrooklyn33/21D12/1/43Sent 32/8C 8/14/44
CL-46PhoenixBrooklyn32/5D8/30/43Sent 33/8C 8/14/44
CL-47BoiseBrooklyn32/8C8/14/44
CL-48HonoluluBrooklyn32/2C7/20/4411/12/43*3
CL-49St. LouisBrooklyn32/2C3/23/445/10/44
CL-50HelenaBrooklynNA - Lost 7/6/43
CL-51AtlantaAtlantaNA - Lost 11/13/42
CL-52JuneauAtlantaNA - Lost 11/13/42
CL-53San DiegoAtlanta32/24D3/17/446/4/44
CL-54San JuanAtlanta32/22D5/9/4410/14/44*4
CL-55ClevelandCleveland32/1D12/14/43
CL-56ColumbiaCleveland33/1D12/14/43*2
CL-57MontpelierCleveland32/11A5/9/44*5
CL-58DenverCleveland33/3D1/14/44*2
CL-60Santa FeCleveland33/6D1/27/44*2
CL-62BirminghamCleveland33/6D1/28/44Sent 31a/10C on 11/22/44
CL-63MobileCleveland32/11A3/17/44*6
CL-64VincennesCleveland33/3D1/4/442/11/44
CL-65PasadenaCleveland32/24D4/17/446/8/44
CL-66SpringfieldCleveland33/24D7/3/449/8/44
CL-67TopekaCleveland32/24D*7
CL-80BiloxiCleveland33/24D5/12/44
CL-81HoustonCleveland32/1D11/20/43
CL-86VicksburgCleveland33/6D4/28/44
CL-87DuluthCleveland32/11A7/27/44
CL-89MiamiCleveland32/1D12/28/43
CL-90AstoriaCleveland33/24D2/21/44
CL-95OaklandOakland32/24D5/12/44Remained Measure 21?
CL-96RenoOakland33/24D12/28/43
CL-97FlintOakland32/22D7/24/44
CL-98TucsonOakland*8
CL-101AmsterdamCleveland31a/10C11/24/44
CL-103Wilkes-BarreCleveland32/24D5/10/44
CL-104AtlantaCleveland33/24D7/18/44
CL-105DaytonCleveland32/24D7/25/44*9

Notation

Indicates the date that the Bureau of Ships sent to the ship or shipyard drawings and instructions to paint that camouflage design. That directive was usually followed and camouflage completion photos were returned to the Bureau. For the rows that are marked red, no verification memos or photos have yet been found.
Indicates the earliest date that memos or photos confirm painting in that design.
Not applicable.
No assignment yet found.
Indicates the date that design drawing was sent, but probably not used.

Footnotes

There is an undated photo which appears to show CL-5 in a northern port and dressed out for a special occasion while wearing a version of 33/24D camouflage. It is also possible this camouflage was Measure 16 Plate X, which eventually became Design 24D. This photo may have been taken on 4/20/44 when CL-5 was transferred to USSR as Murmansk.
Camouflage Measure and Design was assigned in 10/11/43 ComServPac letter #0937 to the BuShips which assigned camouflage Designs to most ships in the Pacific Fleet.
CL-48 sent a letter on 2/21/44 to BuShips stating she had been painted in 32/2C at Mare Island and requested the 32/2C drawing in order to maintain the camouflage. BuShips later sent the drawing on 7/20/44.
CL-54 was sent Measure 33 Design 22D on 5/9/44, but photos show CL-54 may have used dull black as the darkest color which would be Measure 32.
CL-57 was assigned 32/24D in 10/11/43 ComServPac letter #0937 to the BuShips, but painted in 32/11A.
CL-63 was assigned 33/7D in 10/11/43 ComServPac letter #0937 to the BuShips, but was sent 32/11A instead on 3/17/44.
CL-67 was sent drawing 32/24D on 7/27/44, but eventually painted using 5-N and 5-L which were closer to 33/24D colors.
CL-98 was sent drawing 31a/24D on 12/1/44, but on 1/5/45 was instructed to disregard that drawing and paint in Measure 21. CL-98 commissioned on 2/3/45 in Measure 21.
A Speedletter from BuShips to Camden Shipyard on 8/25/44 instructed that the 7/25/44 drawing for CL-105 was mistakenly 33/24D instead of 32/24D and that navy blue (5-N) should be subsituted for ocean gray (5-O).