Skip to main content
Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Intelligence Section, Staff of Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces in Europe, Information Bulletin

U.S. Naval Forces, European Waters.

London, England.

September 30  1918.

INFORMATION BULLETIN NO. 215.

 1.  Decorations as below have been awarded by theBritish Government to officers and enlisted men of the U.S. Navy in accordance with recommendations previously made known. The names of the vessels given are those on which the recipients were serving. Ranks and ratings are those held at the time.

     Only in the case of the FANNING were the decorations awarded for the confirmed destruction of a submarine. In the other cases the awards were made for good judgment and prompt action.

Rank

Name

Vessel

Decoration

Commander

A.W.Johnson

USS CONYNGHAM

C.M.G.1

Commander

J.K.Taussig

USS WADSWORTH

C.M.G.

Lieutenant-Commander

G.F. Neal

USS CUMMINGS

D.S.O.2

Lieutenant-Commander

C.A. Blakely

USS O’BRIEN

D.S.O.

Lieutenant

A.S. Carpender

USS FANNING

D.S.O.

Lieutenant

W.O. Henry

USS FANNING

D.S.O.

Lieutenant

F. Loftin

USS CUMMINGS

D.S.C.3

Ensign

H.N.Fallon

USS O’BRIEN

D.S.C.

Chief Machinist’sMate

L.C.McNaughton

USS CUMMINGS

D.S.M.4

Quartermaster 1st cl

W.H. Justice

USS CUMMINGS

D.S.M.

Coxswain

D.D. Loomis

USS FANNING

D.S.M.

 

2. The dazzle-painting on one of three largest transatlantic liners employed in troop-carrying5 has been reported as particularly effective by the commanding officer of a U.S. destroyer. On the bow, heavy vertical white lines rankfrom the deck to the water line. Leading aft from these whitelines were alternate parallel bands of black and white, sloping down at an angle of about 30 degrees. Forward of the white lines, similar black and white bands sloped forward and down at the same angle as the bands which went aft. The effect at a distance of 5 or 6 miles gave the impression that the ship was head-on, when as a matter of fact her true course was actually away. The vertical white lines in the bow deceived the observer by appearing to be the bow of the ship. This effect is one that has been used in designs issued by the Bureau of Construction and Repair.

     The use of various shades of grey to obtain an effect of false aerial perspective has been tried in some cases with success. In the early stages of dazzle-painting, the principle was adopted of putting all the darker colors aft and sky colors on the bow, a false sheer line being also suggested but subsequent observations showed that the anchors, rust streaks, etc. made this impracticable, as the stem line was thus given away. It has been therefore thought better to carry some of the dark design forward so as to conceal the anchors, and thus prevent the exact position of the stem being recognized. In modern dazzle-painting the suggestion of false perspective is employed, but this has to be done by the shapes and directions of lines rather than by shading.

     Funnels are also painted in order to break up their form and rake as much as possible. Vessels with more than one funnel can thus be made to appear to be on deceptive courses by the opening and closing of funnels. Account is also taken of the appearance of the m[a]st against the funnel when the ship is end-on or nearly so.

     The main object of dazzle-painting is not to give low visibility, but to decieve the observer through a periscope, primarily as to course and secondarily as to speed and distance.

 3.  The body of a German sailor wearing a life jacket was recently seen from a destroyer near a mine field. The sailor is thought to have been a member of the crew of a submarine destroyed by mines. It would have been interesting to have the contents of his pockets and the number of the lifebelt.

 4.  Nucleus Crews 66, 68 and 75 for new destroyers have left for the United States.

Force Commander’s Office

Intelligence Section.

Source Note: TD, DNA, RG 45, Entry 520, Box 330.

Footnote 1: Most distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Companion class.

Footnote 2: Distinguished Service Order. This was awarded for meritorious or distinguished service.

Footnote 3: Distinguished Service Cross. This was awarded to officers below the rank of lieutenant commander for exemplary gallantry.

Footnote 4: Distinguished Service Medal. These were awarded to personnel up to the rank of Chief Petty Officer for bravery and resourcefulness.

Footnote 5: Ranked by maximum troop carrying capacity, the three largest U.S. troop transports were: Leviathan, America, and George Washington. Naval Investigation, 2: 2147. For pictures of the former two with their razzle-dazzle camouflage, see: Illustrations for September 1918. From the description here, the officer was probably referring to U.S.S. America.

Tags
Related Content