Camouflage Field Training Manual

mm i*nnm*M*mmm inn l mumii m i

ralKlISwi^ffl194^-

&;;

:r'A

***mmmimm

jRINE CORPS LIBRARY

CAMOUFLAGE

FIELD TRAINING MANUAL

SECOND MARINE DIVISION

1942

MARINE CORPSHISTORICAL

JUL 1 6 1968

HIST fttfERENCE SEC

FOREWORD

This manual was prepared by the Second MarineDivision Camouflage School by direction of

Major General John Marston.

Acknowledgement Is due American and BritishArmy reference sources, and to the TwentiethCentury-Fox Film Corporation for its Invaluableaid and co-operation.

Credit Is due Marine Gunner John F. Leopold,USMCR., for many of the photographs, and to

Corp. Wllford B. Saylor, USMCR., for the cartoonsand a large number of the drawings .

Printed by the Twentieth Century-Fox FilmCorporation Printing Department under the

supervision of Harold J. Gordon.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Paragraph Page

SECTION I. GENERAL.Purpose 1 .

Scope 2 .

Perfect Camouflage 3.

Camoufleur 4 .

Psychology and Camouflage 5.

Comparisons 6.

Developments . 7 .

Personal Camouflage 8.

Strategic Camouflage . 9. 2

Conclusions 10. 2

II. THE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH. 2

Interpreter vs. Camoufleur 11. 2

III. TERMS AND DEFINITION. 3.

Camouflage Discipline 12. 3

Materials 13. 3

Photographic Shade 14. 3

Texture 15. 3

• Form and Shadow 16. 3

Terrain Features & Terrain Pattern. 17. 3

Dummy 18.. 3

IIV, CAMOUFLAGE DISCIPLINE. 4

Discipline.. 19. 4

Material 2C . 4

V. PERSONAL CONCEALMENT. 4

Hands and Face 21. 4

Helmet and Pack 22. 4

Sniper Suits 23. 6

VI. THE SPIDER TRAP. 6

The Spider Trap 24. 6

Construction 25. 7

VII. NETS. 7

Purpose Of Nets 26. 7

Flat Top Nets 27. 8.

Draped Nets (Garnished) 28. 10

Vlzlnets 29. 10

Chicken Wire 30. 10

Colors of Nets 31. 10

Painting or Dyeing 32. 10

Folding of Fish Nets 33. 10

VIII. MAKING AND REPAIR OF FISH NETS. 11

Materials 34. 11

Making Nets 35. 11

Mending Nets 36. 14IX. CAMOUFLAGING MOTOR VEHICLES. 16

The Problem 37. 16

Marine Corps Truck 38. 16

Marine Corps Net 39. 16

Technique of Camouflaging Trucks... 40. 17

Use of Fish Net 41. 18

Emergency Painting In Field 42. 18

X. PAINTS. 18

Paint 43. 18

Use of Paint 44. 18

Mixing 45. 18

Color Chart 46. 19

ParagraphSECTION XI . DYES.

Aniline Dyes 47.

Dyes vs. Paint In Camouflage 48.

Comparison 49.

Permanency 50.

Covering Values... 51.

Types 52.

Toxicity 53.

Conclusion 54.

XII. BREAKAWAY HOUSES.Purpose 55.

Construction 56.Six Sided House 57.Measurements.. 58.

XIII . PLASTER AND MUD.Plaster "Rock" for Concealment 59.Entrance 60.

Examples 61.Stumps and Trees 62.Uses 63.Mud Substitute 64.

XIV. MODEL.Definition 65.

Purpose 66.Scope 67.Examples.. „ 68.

XV. CAMOUFLAGE DO'S AND DON'TS.Camouflage Do f s .........

.

69.Camouflage Don'ts 70.

Page19 .

19 .

19.

19.

19 .

19 .

19.

19 .

19 .

19 .

19 .

20-

20 .

20.

21 .

21 .

22 .

22.

22.

22.

22 .

26 .

26 .

26 .

26 .

26 .

27.

27.

28.

************

SECTION I

II

III.

IV

SUPPLEMENTPOLYNESIAN NATIVE CRAFTS

ParagraphGENERAL.

Purpose of Scope.. l .

Reference 2.

Recognition of Materials 3.DYES .

General Remarks .4,Colors and Methods 5.

Brown( 1 .

Red and Orange (2.Yellow

( 3 #

Blue (4,Green (5.Purple (5.Black;

( 7 .

White( 8 .

PASTE, GLUES AND BRUSHES.Pastes and Glues 6.Brushes 7 .

ROPES AND CORDS.The Material 9.Plaiting 9.Twisting Cords and Lines 10.Braiding Cords and Lines 11.Ropes 12.Nets 13.

Page

CAMOUFLAGE FIELD TRAINING MANUALSECOND MARINE DIVISION

SECTION I

GENERAL

1. PURPOSE . -Th Is manual has been compiledfor the purpose of Instructing Marine Corpspersonnel In camouflage problems, and withparticular reference to the role played bythe Marine In modern warfare.

2. SCOPE. -The manual is not to be consideredIn any way final or complete. Its flexi-bility is Indicated by the fact that It isIssued in loose-leaf form. It is the in-tention to incorporate new methods and ideasas occasion demands, and to delete or changeany material that may become obsolete or isin ne ed of revis 1 on

.

3. PERFECT CAMOUFLAGE. -In theory, perfectionwould be reached in deception, if it werepossible to manoeuver troops and transports,ships and planes, tanks, guns and equipmentover large or small areas of sea and landwith complete invisibility. It would. beeven greater perfection if these forces,still invisible, contacted the enemy anddestroyed him. Inasmuch as this is obviouslyan impossibility, it is none the less logicalto direct our efforts towards taking whatsteps we can in this direction, by any meansat our disposal, as long as it does not impairfreedom of action or mobility.

4. THE CAMOUFLEUR .-Camouflage lends itselfto experiment, and to improvement by trialand error. The problem of camouflage appealsto the imagination and, by an imaginativeapplication to the task, on the part of thecamoufleur, the science will be developed.A good camoufleur usually has a tough roadto travel. He must expect, on numerousoccasions, to be treated as some sort ofharmless lunatic by his friends. He mustexpect, more often than not and probablyfor very good reason, that cold water willbe poured on many of his pet schemes andIdeas, and that they will be labelled fan-tastic and impracticable. On the other hand,he must remember that one original brilliantlyconceived and executed camouflage schemewill be worth ninety-nine failures, for thenhe might well enjoy the satisfaction ofhaving been a contributing factor to thesaving of many lives, or find himself inthe enviable position of having played anImportant and significant part in the winningof a battle. A reputation for lunacy wouldbe very worthwhile under these circumstances.

5. PSYCHOLOGY AND CAMOUFLAGE .-( a ) Camouflagecan go far beyond the extent of painting ahouse to simulate a hill, or the successfulmaking, garnishing, and installation of aflat top .

(b) The Japanese soldier professes tobe unafraid of death. To die for his Emperoror for his country Is, to him, a sure andinfallible method of procuring an irrevocablefirst-class ticket to heaven. He musttherefore, in reverse ratio, have a deadlyand horrible fear of going to hell. He ismortally afraid of fire, earthquakes, andthe supernatural. Camouflage, and its twinbrother, deception, should have much to doIn playing upon the enemy's fears and super-stitions. It was not entirely an Idle Jestthat caused the Flying Tigers In Burma topaint the noses of their planes to resemblethe grotesque Images of man-eating tigersharks and dragons.

(c) It is a fact, and it may sound far-fetched but, when tanks were used by theBritish for the first time in history atthe battle of the Somme in 1916, the Germans

were so paralyzed with fear at the sightof them that they threw down their weaponsand ran.

6. COMPARISONS . -(a ) Camouflage Is not a newart, but it has been sadly neglected. Historyand mythology abound with examples of howbattles have been fought, and won, by Itsuse. The difference between the manner ofthe Ancient G,reeks In getting their menwithin the walls of Troy, concealed In awooden horse, and the modern counterpart,the demolition squad and paramarine, Ismainly one of method and equipment.

(b) Shakespeare, in the SeventeenthCentury, wrote of how MacDuff stormed theCastle of Dunsinane, his troops disguisedwith boughs cut from the trees of BirnanWood. Small difference between that, andthe manner of the Japs on the Malay Peninsulain 1942.

(c) Since the flurry of interest, ex-periment, and some wholesale practice ina type of camouflage applicable to the trenchwarfare tactics of World War I, little hasbeen accomplished In advancing the science.

7. DEVELOPMENTS . -While camouflage in allIts phases becomes increasingly Importantas the science of aerial reconnaissance andphotography develops, It is evident thattwo types above all others are going toplay a major role In modern combat. Theseare personal and strategic camouflage.

8. PERSONAL CAMOUFLAGE .- Bo th the Germansand the Japanese practice the art of personalcamouflage with considerable skill. Theinitial success of the Japanese campaignin the Western Pacific was due In part toits employment on a large scale. They alsoused to their advantage the very Junglesthat were considered impassable barriersto troops and equipment. The Japs becamea part of those Jungles, exhibiting surprisingand totally unexpected skill In cuttingthrough them. For more than one reasonthey had been dubbed "monkey-men" by theChinese. Their ability to blend with theirnatural surroundings, by employing variousdisguises, permitted them to pass undetectedthrougn the defender's lines and to success-fully outflank, or take them by surprisefrom the rear. In these operations theypracticed the art of personal camouflagewith overwhelming success.


9. STRATEGIC CAMOUFLAGE .-( a ) The followingexample of strategic camouflage Is givento illustrate the extent to which this typeof operation can be carried.

(b) Whether by accident or design, theGermans, in building the Siegfried Line,were responsible for the greatest and mostsuccessful deceptive camouflage operationin h Is t ory .

(c) When, during the winter of 1939-1940, it was reported by the French thatsections of the Line were inundated, thatconcrete Installations were crumbling dueto exposure and inferior material; when Itwas observed that pillbox e's were easilyblown up, and over, when coming underartillery fire; then It is not difficultto imagine the concern that the German HighCommand might have suffered in supposingthat the true purpose of the Line had beendiscovered by the enemy.

(d) The deception, if deception it was,of building opposing fortifications to theMaglnot Line, with the Intention of deceivingthe French into believing that the challengehad been accepted to wage the War In thestyle and manner of the trench warfare of1914-1918, was a stroke of genius and anexample of masterly strategy. Subsequentevents proved that the Germans had no suchintentions, and the fact was not fullyappreciated even after the full scale dressrehearsal of a new order In warfare exhibitedin the invasion of Poland.

(e) It is possible that the SiegfriedLine was intended to serve no other purposethan to deceive the enemyintentions, and to perhapsflank of the German Armythrough the Low Countries

as to strategicprotect the leftIn their thrust

10. CONCLUSION. -Give then a little thoughtto camouflage. Consider the camoufleur alunatic If you will, but remember It Iscourage, daring, imagination, initiativeand, last but not least, deception, thatwins wars. Camouflage embraces all. Awar may be won by all, or one of these.

^ „T »<A*l Tr,A(.H$ TO

SECTION II

THE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH

11. INTERPRETER VS. CAMOUFLEUR .-( a ) We knowthat much can be done by the use of camouflageto escape detection by direct observation.In other words, it Is rather easy to foolthe eye of the observer, particularly undercombat conditions. The problem of foolingthe aerial photograph Interpreter, however,is almost Impossible unless the camouflageJob is an exceptional one and the disciplineIs perfect.

(b) When compared with the problemsconfronting the camoufleur, the air photointerpreter has every advantage. In additionto his own skill, he can obtain the help ofspecialists in artillery, tank tactics,machine guns, etc. to advise him where tolook for these Installations and verify hisfindings. The chance of error in photoInterpretation Is further reduced by comparingthe reports of several Interpreters workingindependently on the same problem.

(c) Prior to, during, and after combatoperations, the movement of men and equipmentIs difficult to conceal. The photographInterpreter, studying reconnaissance photo-graphs made under combat conditions, looksfor and usually finds evidence of relaxingof camouflage discipline, In most cases inthe form of unnecessary foot trails, vehicles'tracks, or as carelessness In leaving equip-ment exposed. If reconnaissance photographsare taken under such conditions, the inter-preter can, by logical deductions, locatecamouflaged positions which might otherwisego unnoticed.

(d) In direct observation from the air,the ability of the human eyes to perceivethird dimension is limited because of thesmall distance between the eyes when comparedwith the altitude of the plane. The photo-graph interpreter, however, has the oppor-tunity of viewing with a stereoscope, photo-graphs taken at greater intervals with theresult that all terrain features will beexaggerated in height. A flat top garnishednet unnoticed by direct vision, would standout in full relief when seen through aS t6I*S OSC D6

(e) Recent developments In reconnaissancetechnique such as fast, low flying pursuitships equipped with automatic cameras whichcan be used to obtain additional photographsof suspected areas, add to the advantageof the Interpreter and make the Job of thecamoufleur even more difficult.

(f) In general, the problem of actuallyconcealing anything from the photographinterpreter is becoming increasingly moredifficult. Under these conditions, thebest plan seems to be the intelligent useof dummy installations as decoys to divertthe attention of the Interpreter from thecamouflage position.

^tffrfflwg^-. •-

2.


SECTION III

TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

12. CAMOUFLAGE D ISC I PLINE . -The practice ofkeeping emplacements in condition by paintor renewal of foliage. The avoidance ofmaking tracks. The application of commonsense with regard to the construction ofany emplacement or position, and the properdispersal of material.

13. MATER IAL • -Any th lng used to form thecovering or concealment of position or vehicle(paint, nets, garnlshings, garlands, lumber,etc . ) .

14. PHOTOGRAPHIC SHADE. -The relative amountof light reflected from surfaces of varyingcolors or textures.

LIGrlT

15. TEXTURE. -(a) The element which causesthe illusion of shadows in aerial photographs.A flat surface lacks texture. Therefore,regardless of color, it will photographvery light gray or white. A field of longgrass or wheat photographs a light gray andthe parts which have been trampled by troopsor run down by trucks show up clearly aswhite. A forest or brushy terrain photographsdark gray and black because of the densershadows. Therefore if trees or brush areremoved from the area, it will photographlight gray or white whereas it should showup t ota l ly dark.

(b) To clarify this point a bit more,consider texture as a lawn; all grass bladesstand straight up when undisturbed. Now,drive a truck over it, or walk over it.Then, look back. You will readily observethe resultant tracks left by you and/or thetruck. The color has not changed, but thetex ture has . ( F lg . 1 )

16. FORM AND SHADOW. -(a) Everything madeby man has a definite regular form. Wherein nature will you find anything formedlike a tank, a recon-car, or a truck? Exceptin very rare Instances, nature does notcreate regularity in forms.

(b) Regular forms cast regular shadows.A photograph Is a reproduction on film ofbillions of small shadows. A regular shadowsurrounded by irregular shadows and standingout from them will be conspicuous. The thingto do Is to break up the shadow and whendoing so, blend the building Into the sur-rounding terrain. If this is skillfullydone, the camera will be fooled.

17. TERRAIN FEATURES AND TERRAIN PATTERNS.

-

Outstanding landmarks, or characteristics,in any given area. Mountains are terrainfeatures; so are the eucalyptus groves near-by; and as well, canyons and roads. Takenall together they form terrain patterns.Example: Coastal Southern California hasan eroded, sub-mountainous, bushy terrainpattern .

^\

t

- j v>j>^,__^

^

18. DUMMY. -(a) A dummy is an artificiallyconstructed form simulating a military workor object, but serving no other purpose thanto deceive the enemy as to the position orexistence of a real military object,

(b) Dummies should be of simple con-struction without too much attention todetail. The outline Is all that Is necessary.(Figs. 2, 3)

PRINCIPLE OF DUMMIES

A DUMMY NEEDS ONLY TO CAST THE SAMESHADOW AS THE ACTUAL OBJECT CASTS.

SUNLIGHY

HERE IS A HOUSE HERE THE SMAOOW

HERE *OU SEE A PLANE HERE JUST THE SHADOW

prRflMiO^ rt ftt3 INCH A A GUN

Fig. 2


example :

cover of

A

Fig. 3

SECTION IV

CAMOUFLAGE DISCIPLINE

19.has

DISCIPLINE .- (a ) Camouflage discitwo very Important objectives:

(1) To prevent any change 1

appearance of the terrain. For exaMaking paths or tracks, cutting tresod, or leaving any foreign objects exIn the vicinity of the position.

(2) The maintenance of camoumaterial. For example: Repairing Itdamaged, and keeping It up to dachanging Its appearance or color asof the terrain changes with the sea

(b) Camouflage materialplaced tha t :

(1) It does not have a

or cast either a regular orshad ow

.

(2) It conceals the formof the object camouflaged.

(c) When using natural material toa position, obtain the natural coverla manner that will not disturb the exlterrain pattern.

should

r egu larwe l l-d e

pi lne

n themple :

es orposed

f lagewhen

te bythat

s ons .

be so

f ormfined

and shadow

c overng Insting

(b) Use natural material. ForBrush, limbs, reeds, palm fronds,tre es , etc.

(c) Natural material and cover are alwayssuperior to artificial material or effort.

(d) Some types of foliage retain theirshape and color for a longer period afterbeing cut If dipped In ocean water. Thistreatment will not cause the foliage to wiltfaster .

"MWINC,|Nro i.

POSITION

SECTION V

PERSONAL CONCEALMENT

21. HANDS AND FACE. -(a) Light surfacea give-away In any surroundings. They relight, thus foiling concealment.

(b) Remedy: Smear with mud, dlrface-paint, and use head net andwra pp lngs .

(c) The naturalof the face shouldshould correspondthisused

shine and pattern oube br oken up . Theto the background.

purpose greasepaint and makeup c

If available. For Instance, 1

Jungle use green makeup for hands andstreaked with a darker color to cacontrast and mock shadow pattern.

s arefleet

t , orhand

tllnecolor

Foran ben theface,use a

20. MATERIAL . -(a ) Materials chosen should:(1) Match the surrounding terrain In

color and texture.(2) Be easy to maintain, considering

the length of time the position will beoccupied .

>0NT D6JW& *N

22. HELMET AND PACK. -(a) The basicof the helmet Is fine, but the outllnon-concealing. It has been found thanew type bucket-helmet Is not only b

for head protection, but molds Into abulky form when dealing with head conceal

(b) Remedy: Break up the regular paand gleam of the helmet, and blend theand shoulders Into a less human forma net or brush .

(c) The_head_net Is made of lightnet twlne~~of approximately 1" mesh,net should be approximately 4' x 5long enough to drape over the helmet,the back over the pack, and over theIn front. The two rear corners c

fastened In front of the body by pia mesh section over a button. The twocorners are then tucked Inside the fasrear section. When garnished withor garlands, the human form is broke

colorne Ist thee tterless

men t

.

tternheadwith

f lsh-Thls

1, ord own

ches t

an beac lngfrontten edbrushn up.


Head Net and Sniper's Suit.

sis^^

Use of Cover


(d) Before donning the net and helmet,the net should be laid out flat. Then thefoliage should be placed at the spot wherethe helmet meets the net. When this foliageIs put In thick enough to break up the helmetand body outline, the net should be placedon the helmet and the foliage placed in anirregular pattern. It is advisable to usesome of the foliage around the head andshoulders, blending It into the head-piece.The remainder of the net should be strungwith small garlands or brush, thinned outtowards the edges.

(e) In doing this be sure that the netIs over the helmet so that the cord willbe tight enough to hold the foliage.

23. SNIPER SUITS. -(a) The two-piece dungareesuit now in use has been augmented bypatterns of paints. The basic color ofthe suit is light green spotted with adarker green, plus light and dark brownspots. This tends towards a heavy shadoweffect; and results in breaking up the outlineof -the body and at the same time blendingin very well with the surrounding terrain--grass, brush, woods, etc.

(b) One side of the suit is of a sandytexture--two shades darker brown--whlchcorresponds to the light-reflecting shadesso prevalent on deserts and along beaches.

(c) The darker shades of brown (on thelight, sandy side of the suit) correspondsto the lumpy loam and small tufts of grassusually found on sandy stretches of country.This side of the suit is quite effectiveIn light, grassy terrains— straw or deadgrass fields.

(d) The trousers of the sniper suit arelong and baggy in order to cover the leggingsand shoes, and to break the regularity ofleg outline. Do not tie or secure the bottomaround the ankle

.

One method for making sniper suits:Take an old dungaree suit and paint-sprayit with desired design and colors.

(e) If the requirement Is for temporaryuse, water paints are suitable. They canbe washed or brushed off easily when It isdesired to change the pattern, but willstand several days of rain before becomingconspicuous .

(f) Use colors thatwhen applying paint,blended as to eliminateshades. A spray-gun Is

(g) Three men, with

match the surroundingsColors should be so

telltale lines betweenbest for this purpose.spray guns containing

different colors, should be aDle to camouflagesixty suits in about two hours

V

V i

SECTION VI

THE SPIDER TRAP

24. THE SPIDER TRAP. -(a) Every Marine Isfamiliar with the "fox hole". Its use,primarily, Is for protection during a rapidadvance, rather than concealment. The spidertrap on the other hand Is used specificallyfor concealment. It Is a means of concealinga man or group of men from the enemy's view.A hole Is dug in the ground deep enough fora man to stand nearly upright. (Fig. 4) itis covered by a trapdoor made of a frameworkover which grass or brush resembling theimmediate terrain is placed. If possibleit should not arouse suspicion by unusualfirmness or springiness to the feet. (Figs.5,6)

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

\

(b) The best place for spider traps isalong both sides of a road. One man orseveral platoons of men can be concealedby this method. When the enemy tanks orinfantry are approaching, they are allowedto pass, and Immediately after, the men inthe spider traps go into action.Fig. 4

6 .


25. CONSTRUCTION .-(a ) The spider hole Isconcealed by a cover made of crisscrossedtwigs. (Fig. 7) It is this cover, or top,that Is the first step of construction.It should be large enough to cover the man'shead and shoulders.

Fig. 9

Fig. 7

(b) The position Is selected and the holedug. The hole Is Just large enough toaccommodate the body. It may be widenedas it gets deeper. Not more than one manis required to dig the spider-hole. However,two men working together will more expedi-tiously dig two spider holes than If eachdigs Individually on separate ones. This,for the reason that after a depth of twoor three feet, digging becomes quite difficultdue to the limited width of the hole.

(c) The top layer of soil removed shouldbe carefully placed on the frame In the sameposition It previously held on the surroundingterrain. (Fig. 8) Care must be exercisedIn removing this top layer of soll--ltshould be thick enough to Insure permanentpreservation of the grass.

Fig. 8

(d) The soil should be placed on a poncho,raincoat, or burlap. (Fig. 9) When enoughdirt to be carried away has been dug out,a disposal spot should be carefully selected.Whenever possible the spider hole shouldbe dug alongside a path or road; thus trackswill not be discernible.

SECTION VT T

NETS

26. PURPOSE OF NETS. -The purpose of garnishednets is to break up and diffuse the patternof a position or an object so that it willblend in with Its surroundings. (Fig. 11)A net as such Is the element that supportsthe material used for concealment. A netby Itself Is useless. The effect of a

garnished net Is much the same as a curtainon a window. Those behind It or In thehouse can see out, but the outsiders cannotsee In. A garnished net, If It matchesthe color and the light-reflecting surfacesbeneath it, will blend so that It will notshow conspicuously In an aerial photograph.(For article on head nets see Section V)

:amouflage FIELD TRAINING MANUALSECOND MARINE DIVISION

M

Fig. 10

EXTENDING IRREGULARITIES WITH GARLANDS

DETA IL OF GARLANDS

USE FRICTION TAPE OR KINK[» ABOUT e

,L*|

bWIRE TO PREVENT SL IPP I NG

Fig. 12

PLAN-

: iT .

'; f 'T»irT'

im '

i i 7/i"-»"""" ''l"'

.

''t'' " '! " ' ,'

'- ' ., '

»! V '•' "''

SECTION

ENOSHA0*

G

N" ^ W ° VEN

'

N "

:^&^< DETAIL

87. FLAT TOP NETS. -(a) These, Ifproperly, will blend Into the terrain pato the point where a position so conewill not be noticeable to the eye or t

camera . ( P lgs .12,13)(b) Care must be taken to keep the

tops Hat, otherwise they will betrapresence of activity. The frame fonet should be of the simplest tyconstruction. (Figs. 14, 15)

(c) Any means of stretching the nmake It tight Is acceptable. It musthowever, "bunch" around the edgesdough around pies. If brush or treeavailable, they may be advantagesubstituted for part or all of the sand poles .

usedtternealedo the

flaty ther thepe of

e t tono t

,

likes areous lytakes


CHICKEN-WIRE FLAT-TOP GARNISHED WITH NATURAL FOLIAGE

2-CHICKEN-WIRE FLAT-TOP IS ERECTEDLEAVING APPROXIMATELY 6" OFSPACE BETWEEN STRIPS OF CHICKEN-WIRE. ANOTHER SURFACE OF CHICKENWIRE IS STRETCHED ON TOP OFFIRST- THE TWO BEING SEPARATEDBY SPREADERS OF WOOD - 15

LONG.

XW"*BETWEEN THE TWO LAYERS OF CHICKEN-WIRESMALL BRANCHES ARE PLACED IN AN UPRIGHTPOSITION, BEING HELD IN PLACE BY THE LAYERSOF CHICKEN-WIRE.TO MAINTAIN COLOR AND NATURALNESS, FOLIAGE

MUST EITHER BE CHANGED OFTEN OR PAINTEDWITH CAMOUFLAGE PAINT MATCHING ITS

ORIGINAL COLOR.

x«i WW'

Fig. 13

Fig. 14

(d) The frame for a 36' x 44' net shouldbe at least 40' x 48' In order that the netmay be laid on top of the wire web andlashed to the outer wires.

(e) In garnishing nets or chicken wirethe strips of fabric (or brushy material,If used) should be woven or placed closesttogether over the object to be concealed,gradually thinning out towards the edges.

Garnishing should be irregular In outline.The thickly woven central portion servesto conceal what may be under It, and thethinned edges cast a faint, Indeterminateshadow which, merging Into the Inequalitiesof the terrain, renders It unnotlceable inaerial photographs. Since the thinned edgesallow objects under them to show, the covermust be larger than the object over whichIt Is placed.

IA

Fig. 15


1*5i&

&*"*

»£>

Fig. 16

28. DRAPE NETS ( GARN I SHED ) . -The ir purposeis to break up the outline, shape, shadowand color of any object or position. (Figs.16,17)

32. PAINTING OR DYEING. -(a) Paint or dyecan be applied by

:

(1) Paint brush, which requiresexcessive labor.

(2) Spray gun, which is especiallyuseful for correcting colors in the field.

(3) Dipping in a vat of paint, whichis the quickest method, but requires muchmore paint and thereby increases the weightof the finished product materially.

(b) Garnishing can be painted:(1) Before weaving, while In the form

of large pieces (bolts or rolls) or of stripsready for use. Painting before weaving Iseconomical of paint but makes the materialstiff and hence slightly harder to weave.Large pieces are easier to paint than strips,but when strips are cut therefrom theiredges are unpalnted which changes the colorof a garnished net appreciably. This isunimportant where final matching of colorsIs d one In the field.

(2) After being woven into the net.This method is particularly useful when thegarnished nets are painted by dipping. Bothupper and under sides of the net must bepa in ted .

Fig. 17

29. V IZ INETS . -Are close weave ungarnlshednets, generally dyed or painted to correspondto the existing terrain. Their purpose Isthe same as drapes.

30. CHICKEN WIRE. -If available, Is morepermanent than fabric netting and can beused In the same manner.

31. COLORS OF NETS. -(a) Garnishing for netsmust be colored to fit the locality wherethe net Is used. In a stable situation,nets may be furnished to the using unitsalready garnished and colored to fit theparticular sites. In mobile situations,garnishing or garnished nets may be furnishedin a neutral color but must be finallycolored on the site. In any case, coloringmust be checked by air observation to proveIts effectiveness. Nets colored in onesolid color throughout generally give asgood results as nets with mottled patternsof several colors and are easier to prepare.

(b) Garnishing may be colored either bypa in t or dye .

USE OF NETS TO HIDE PATHS AND ROADS

NETS ARE STRUNG IRREGULARLYAND ARE USED TO AUGMENTNATURAL COVER.

HGI. 5K.WS SUGGESTED POSITIONANC PJIETHOD OF GAH'JiSHI.NG NETS

FIG. 2. SHOWS GARNISHED NETS ASTHE* APPEAR WHEN ERECTED,BLENDING WITH THE TREE FOLIAGE.

GOOD CAMOUFLAGE DISCIPI iNE

NEER b'.

Fig. 18

33. FOLDINO OF FISH NETS. -When not in use,fish nets should be folded carefully in sucha way that they can be unfolded for usewithout confusion. (Fig. 19)

10

CAMOUFLAGE

LINES OF FGLOSi

M

CENTER FOi

Jdo

I

TOP OFlNETUP

LONG OIRECTION FOROBLONG NET

I I

FIELD TRAINING MANUALSECOND MARINE DIVISION

This prevents the needle from unwinding whendropped but permits the user to unwind one

loop at a time, as needed, by a slight pulltowards the point of the needle.

(e) A drawing of a typical commercialneedle is shown In figure 20.

Fig. 20

C.

CENTER FOLO

ROLL LOOSELY

INITIAL FOLDS

sFINAL FOLO

PROCEDURE

ISPREAD FLAT.(A.)AND FOLD TOWARDS CENTER, (B. ANO C^

TO FORM LONG FOLDED STRIP ( 0.

)

2 ROLL LOOSELY FROM BOTH ENDS, (E.) ANO FOLO

ROLLS TOGETHER. ( F.

)

Fig. 19

35. MAKING NETS. -(a) Introduction. It Is

not anticipated that troops will make anylarge amount of nets for their own use sinceready-made nets of more uniform weave areavailable through the usual Engineer Supplyph Rn n fi 1

s

(b) However, practice in making portionsof nets is essential if one is to developthe manual skill required to make a satis-f ac t ory repair.

(c) Special nets or extensions to standardnets may also be required to meet unusualfie id c ond it i ons .

(d) fllllng_the_Needle . The needle Is

filled by clove-hitching the end of the

twine around the central spine, and leadingIt up the other side. Then bend the spineuntil its point projects Just enough topermit the twine to be looped over the spine.The twine is then led back through thegroove at the base of the needle to thestarting side where the process Is repeated.(Fig. 21)

SECTION VIII

MAKING AND REPAIR OF FISH NETS*

34. MATERIALS. -(a ) Twine. The twine usedIn camouflage fish nets is commerciallyknown as Number 18 (meaning 18 thread)medium laid seine twine. The commercialunit is the pound containing approximately1000 feet.

(b) Due to the difficulty of tying knotsin tarred twine or of tarring completedrepairs In the field, twine should be treatedwith copper oleate preservative when themaximum durability is required. Normally,untreated twine is satisfactory for repairingdamaged nets because the patch will probablybe as durable as the older net.

(c) Ne tt lng.Needles . Netting needlesare essential for making nets because the

large amount of twine needed for the taskcan be handled efficiently only bya needle. Needles are desirableessential for making repairsa relatively short length of

in any one re pair . ,,<,„,„(d) If commercial needles are not available

effective substitutes may be made of anythin hard wood. A convenient size is 6±"

to 8" long, 5/8" to 7/8" wide and approxi-mately 1/8" thick. In making needles, the

central spine about which the twine is

looped should be so long that It must be

pushed to one side or the other to;

the loop of twine to pass

but notbecause onlytwine Is used

over its end

Reprint of pamphlet prepared by 8^thEngineer Battalion ( C amouf lag e ) ( Arny )

(e) The needle should be filled untilthe twine is approximately 1/4" from theend of the spine . Leave about twenty-fourinches of twine not wound on the needle.

(f) The_Loo2. Make a bowline In the freeend of the twine attached to the needle.The length of the loop when stretched sothat the sides come together should be thesame as the distance desired betweendiagonally opposite knots of a mesh of the

net when stretched so that the sides cometogether. This dimension is technicallycalled the "mesh" and a standard camouflagenet has a four inch mesh (In other wordsthe small squares are two Inches on a side).To gain facility in Judging this size byeye, all training should be conducted witha 4 " mesh .

(g) lhe_Chaln. The next step is to weavea "chain" of meshes equal in length to oneedge of the net. (The body of the net is

then made by weaving onto the side of the

chain.) To make the chain, hook the looplust formed over a convenient nail or tie

it up with a loop of twine. Turn the loopso that the knot is in the middle of the

left-hand side. Pass the filled needle up

through the loop with the right hand, re-grasp the needle with the right hand and

pull It down towards the right hip. Hookthe left little finger In the new loop frombehind. (So the loops might be grasped by

the left hand.) See figure 22. Adjust the

new loop to the same size as the first one

by pulling with the needle or with the finger.

The loops and twine should be stretchedfirmly toward the weaver at this stage.

11 .


and with the leftIs now completedfigure 24.

little finger. The meshand should appear as in

Fig. 22

Weaving from Left to Right.

Adjusting the Size of the Loop

(h) When the s'.ze of the loop has beenadjusted, grasp the twine where it passesthrough the first loop with the left thumband forefinger as shown In figure 23. Notethat the thumb is BEHIND the twine leadingto the needle and that the thumb-nail gripsthe bottom of the old loop. Now throw aloop of twine up to the left front as shownin figure 23, with the running end leadingfrom the top of the loop, Pass the pointof the needle BEHIND the two sides of thefirst loop, IN FRONT of the twine leadingdown from the original bowline to the leftlittle finger, and THROUGH the loop Justthrown up to the left front. The appearanceshould now be as shown in figure 23.


Making the Knot.

(1) Regrasp the point end of the needlewith the right hand and pull the knot tightby pulling the needle smartly down towardsthe right hip, at the same time keeping afirm hold with the left thumb and forefinger


The Completed Knot

(j) Remove the first loop from the nail,turn It over and replace it so tnat thetwine again leads from the middle of theleft-hand side of the loop as shown infigure 25.

Fig. 25

Continuing the Chain

12

:amouflage FIELD TRAINING MANUALSECOND MARINE DIVISION

(k) Weave another mesh In the same manneras the first one, turn the chain over andcontinue until the number of meshes desiredfor one side of the net have been made.

(1) After the first few meshe> have beenwoven It Is no longer necessary to removethe end loop from the nail and turn the wholechain over. The chain can be twisted untilthe twine leads off from the left side, amesh woven, and a chain twisted back toweave the next mesh.

(m) Note: if the net Is to be used topatch another net the exact number of meshesmust be counted as explained In paragraph36 under "Patching". Otherwise It Issufficiently close to allow 17" to 17i" ofstretched chain per foot of length of theside. This Is the standard used In makingthe issue camouflage nets and should givea net which will be stretched tightly whenpulled out. Figure 26 shows a chain withfour meshes on its outer edge. A fifthmesh is shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 26

The Completed Chain.

Shown Hung Up Ready to Weave the body of the Net.

jint of Needle Indicates First Loop to be Used

Dotted lines show position of end loop

if total number of meshes is odd.

(n) The chain Is now unhooked and spreadout as shown in figure 26. The needleIndicates the first mesh that will be usedin weaving back and forth across the net.The opposite row of meshes (strung on arod) form the edge ofmeshes may be strungIf the net is small,a nail. It is betterso that the loops are

the net. These edgeon a rod or rope or

,

gathered together onto have the net hang

free to slide togetherwhen one pulls at right angles to the barbecause It is much easier to Judge thecorrect size of loop than when the net isspread out. Furthermore, the meshes willbegin to close up anyway after five or sixrows have been woven.

(o) The hanging bar should be thrustthrough as shown in figure 27, so that alltwine crosses the front of the bar in thesame direction. This makes the net hangmore e ven ly

.

(p) The_Bod£_of__the_Net . With the chainhung up as described above, the twine shouldlead off from the lower left hand knot.Pass the needle up through the mesh to theright of the knot. Hook the left littlefinger in the loop as shown In figure 27.Adjust the length of the loop so that thedistance from the knot directly above thelittle finger to the bottom of the loopequals the total length of the mesh. (Seedimension lines.) Complete the tie Justas was done in making the chain. Seefigures 23 , 24 .

(q) Pick up the next loop to the right,tie into it and proceed across to the righthand edge of the net.

(r) Note that if the chain contained anodd total number of meshes the last meshon the right will be strung on the rod (seedotted lines in figure 26) and must beskipped in weaving the body of the net.

(s) Now change the needle to the LEFThand, pass the point up and to the frontthrough the last mesh woven, hook the littlefinger of the right hand in the loop andadjust to length as shown in figure 28.

Fig. 28

Start of Second

Row of Body.

Weaving from Right to Left.

Adjusting the Loop.

(t) Throw a loop of twine up to the RIOHTfront, pass the needle from LEFT to RIGHTbehind the -mesh being tied into, in frontof the loop hooked on the finger, and throughthe loop thrown up to the right as shown infigure 29.

Fig. 27

First Step in Weaving the Body of the Net.

29

of Second

Body,

from Right to Left.

Making the Tie.

13


(u) Pull the knot tight as shown Infigure 30 and continue weaving from rightto left In the same manner until the lefthand edge of the net Is reached. (Notethat the last mesh at the left top Is onthe rod and must be skipped.)

30

Second

Body.

Right to Left.

pletedTie.

Into thewith theties arethat theINTO THE

(v) Change the needle back, to the righthand and work back from left to right asIn the first row of the body.

(w) Continue weaving back and forth untilthe desired length Is reached. This lengthIs determined In exactly the same manneras the length of the chain, by countingmesh If for a patch, or by measurement Iffor a complete new net.

(x) genera^. Note that the ties mustbe made as described so that the twine willlead directly from one knot to the nextwithout crossing the twine comingknot. If trouble Is experiencedtwine crossing Itself when themade as described, It Indicatesknots are not being pulled tightlyPROPER SHAPE. Probably the little fingeris not holding the loop tightly enough asthe knot Is pulled tight.

(y) £ttaching_Bol t_Rop_es . To finish a

complete new net ropes must be attachedaround Its edges. Pull one edge taut,allowing the rest of the net to lie looselyon the ground and measure the pulled edgeto get the length of stretched netting.Allow 12" of rope for each 17^" of stretchednetting. Repeat the process for each ofthe other three edges since a hand-madenet will seldom be of uniform size.

(z) It is best to use four lengths ofrope knotted at the corners. To providea ready means of adjustment as the netstretches with use, allow 10% more ropeou ts lde the knots .

(zz) The ropes may be threaded throughthe edge meshes In the same manner as therod used for holding the net while weaving.They may also be clove-hitched to tne netat each edge mesh by counting the meshesin the net and marking the rope with asufficient number of equal spaces to acco-modate all the meshes. Use three hitchesof seine twine at each mesh for a securetie .

36. MENDING NETS. -(a) Tr immln.g._ t he _Tea r .

The first step in mending a torn or cut netIs to trim away the edges of the tear sothat the work can progress continuouslyfrom start to finish without the necessityof frequently cutting and resuming theweaving .

(b) The first requirement Is thatend of the twine must start at a knot JolTHREE strands or from a tag end leafrom such a knot. The weaving mustend at a similar point. This is necesbecause only one end of the mending t

is attached at the knots and there musthree unbroken strands of the originalto give the required four strands radiafrom each kn ot

.

(c) The second requirement is thatknots around the edges of the tearhave TWO and only two unbroken strandthe original net.

(d) In trimming the tear, unnecestag ends are first cut off, then enoughstrands are cut out to satisfy the a

thenlngdingalsosarywinet bene t

ting

themus t

s of

sarymorebove

Cutting Twine

requirements. Figure 31 shows the mostconvenient method of cutting twine, especiallywhen only one end of the twine is fastened.

(e) Figures 32, 33 and 34 show differenttypical tears before trimming, the sametears after trimming, and the sequence inwhich the tears are woven.

(f) Weav lng_ the _Tear . If the mendingstarts at a knot where three strands Join,the end of the twine should be tied on asshown in figures 35, 36 and 37.

Fig. 32

14


Fig. 34Sequence of Mendmq Tears

Fig. 35

Starting Repair.

The First Hitch.

-15-

Starting Repair.

The Completed Hitch.

(g) Note that trie end of the twine Isplaced between two of the strands, thefirst hitch Is made around these two strandsand the second hitch Is made around themiddle strand only. The second hitch Ismade this way to bind the end of the twinemore securely without excessively distortingthe shape of the mesh.

(h) If the mending starts at a tag end,the end of the twine Is tied to the tag endwith a square knot

.

(1) Similar ties are used In finishingthe repair. The sequence of weaving dependsupon the shape and position of the tear withrespect to the weave of the net and mustbe determined for each Job. Figure 34 showsthe sequences for the tears Illustrated.The most convenient method for finding theproper sequence and weaving the tear Is tospread the net out flat so that the meshesare square and thread the twine through themeshes (without tying It at the knots)until the proper sequence Is found by trial.The twine may then be cut and left In thenet to guide the weaving. The guiding twineIs removed after the repair Is finished.With practice, one will become sufficientlyexpert to dispense with the use of theguiding twine.

(J) In adjusting a loop care must betaken to note whether the loop forms oneor two sides of a mesh and to adjust thesize accord lng ly .

(k) Use either the right-hand or theleft-hand method of tying the knots, de-pending upon whether the twine goes fromleft to right or right to left when therepair meshes are nearest the weaver.

(1) Qeneral. Note that on some complicatedtears It wTi l not be possible to trim the

16


tear so that It may be woven In a continuoussequence without cutting out an excessiveamount of net. In such cases, it is betterto trim less extensively and weave severalsequences, beginning and ending at "three-strand -k.no ts " as described above.

(m) Patching. When a net contains alarge hole it is quickest and easiest toinsert a patch cut from a scrap net or toweave a patch separately and then insertit in the hole

.

(n) The first step Is to lay the net outand pull the meshes square. Then cut thehole out to a roughly rectangular shapesurrounded by knots Joining two strands.

F.g. 38

Hole Trimmed Out for Patch

See figure 38 . Notice that a " tnree-strand -

knot" is not used for starting or finishingthe insertion of the patch. This is becausethe weaving starts and finishes at the sameknot when inserting a patch rather than atdifferent knots as in mending a tear.

(o) A rectangular patch is now cut orwoven with one less "two-strand-knot" oneach side than on the corresponding sideof the hole. See figure 39.

(p) The patch is inserted in the net byweaving continuously around as shown Infigure 40 .

Fig. 40Completed Repair.

SECTION IX

CAMOUFLAGING MOTOR VEHICLES

37. THE PROBLEM. -Conceal lng military vehiclespresents an unusual problem. It Is uniquein two ways: First, trucks change theirlocations frequently from one kind ofsurrounding to another. Second, vehiclespresent large and difficult type silhouettes.The first, as a general rule, makes ItImpracticable to attempt to adapt thecoloring of the vehicle to particularsurroundings. The second, which is themore important, presents the followingdifficulty: For every foot that an objectis above the ground, shadows of a lengthof three to six feet, depending on thetime of day, result. (If the sun Is shining)Therefore, to avoid shadows completely,the camouflage material must slope upwardsfrom the ground, and conversely, slope backto the ground in such a manner that theinitial or final angle between the groundand the covering of the vehicle shall notexceed ten degrees.

38. MARINE CORPS TRUCK. -The usual MarineCorps truck of 1£ tons, equipped with a

cargo body and top, has a height of approxi-mately 9'3". Shadows ranging from 30' to60' on at least two sides will thereforeresult. To overcome this difficulty,experiments were conducted with vehiclene ts .

Fig. 39

Patch Placed in Hole

39.MarlThe

nets tru

(

two"f laindlof 1

polebe u

In which thea supporting

MARINE CORPS NET. -(a) The standardne Corps camouflage net Is 36

' by 44'.net may be best used in two ways

(1) As a "flat top",Is stretched flat overcture of wire and wood.

( 2 ) As a drape,b) Due consideration was given to themethods. These are our findings. Thet top" as camouflage material forvldual trucks Is Impractical becausets weight and bulk. However, usings of a length from 12' to 15', It maysed successfully to camouflage several

16


trucks t oge ther .

Individually, thehas been found

For camouflaging trucksfish net used as a drapeto be the best method.

40. TECHNIQUE OF CAMOUFLAGING TRUCKS. -(a)It has been proven In actual practice thatIt Is almost Impossible to conceal an objectfrom an expert aerial photograph Interpreter.By the use of technical films, plus highlymagnifying stereoscopic pairs, he Is generallyable to distinguish between the natural andthe artificial. Consequently, the colorof the camouflage material used Is relativelyunimportant Insofar as aerial photographyIs concerned, provided however, that It Islus ter less .

(b) The difficulty of concealing trucksIs compensated for by the fact that evenafter the aerial photographer has taken hispicture of a truck, and the photographicInterpreter has discovered Its existenceand location, the bombardier must still seehis target in order to destroy It. Conse-quently, every effort expended toward makinga vehicle as Inconspicuous as possible byblending It with the surrounding terrainwill prove invaluable because the possibilityof the bombardier hitting his target isgrea tly minimized.

(c) Using this fact as our major premise,the following Instructions should be observed:

(1) The driver should choose hisposition carefully, avoiding all skylines.

(2). To get to his position, he mustnot drive across an open field in order toreach nearby woods.

(3) If necessary to cross open land,he should go around the edge of the field.

(4) Truck tracks are very conspicuous;they are as arrows leading to the target.If tracks exist, stay in them. They shouldnever be broadened unless, of course, thereis no alternative.

(5) Upon reaching his position, thedriver should make full use of naturalcover. A spreading tree is worth truckloadsof artificial material.

(6) All conspicuous landmarks mustbe avoided, and ditches, ravines, creekbeds, hedges, etc., fully utilized.

(7) If a tree Is available, the drivershould carefully consider the direction ofthe shade .

(8) Always get under a tree on theshady side and move around with the shade.Granting this may mean considerable trouble,yet It is less difficult than dodging bullets.

(9) If only a bush Is available, thevehicle should be parked on the sunny sideof the bush, so that the shadow cast by thenet and the vehicle will be absorbed by theirregular shadow of that bush.

(10) Vehicles may be concealed Inwoods without leaves, because of the confusedpattern of light and shade. But, they willbe much more readily observed under theseconditions on an overcast day than on a

sunny day. This, for the reason that therewill be no shadows to break up shapes andf orms .

(d) When the location has been decidedupon, the vehicle should be camouflaged Inthe following manner:

(1) Park the truck as close to a treetrunk as possible.

(2) Obtain twigs and branches andplace them against all wheels In order toeliminate their familiar silhouette.

(3) Roll down all windows.(4)Cover all exposed and non-removable

glass (headlights and windshield) with darkmaterial. If none Is available, draln-ollsmeared on the glass, with dirt or sandthrown on top of it, will suffice to eliminatereflecting surfaces.

(o) The rear-view mirrors on bothsides of the truck must be turned down.

Why spend time camouflaging a vehicle Ifthis is neglected? A rear-view mirror isvisible for a distance of ten miles on asunny day. The tail-light too must not bef org otten .

( 6

)

Additionally , brush thrown againstthe truck will aid in casting shadows anddestroying silhouettes.

(7) If sufficient natural materialsare not available to effectively camouflagethe vehicle, then the fish net should beused .

(8) If the area chosen is to be occupiedfor any length of time as a truck park,every effort must be made to deceive theenemy. His attention should be distracted,and he should be led to believe that thearea occupied Is harmless. This may beeffected by drawing his attention to anotherarea .

(9) To increase the security of theposition chosen, care should be taken tomake sure that It is near no readilydiscernible landmark.

(10) Tracks or roads leading to atruck park must never come to an abruptterminus in the vicinity of that area. Roadtracks and trails should be artificiallycontinued past the position and toward otherand more distant points.

(11) Dummy tracks may be made withthe use of wheelbarrows, wagons, brushharr ows , etc.

(12) Sham roads and paths across afield may be made by means of light coloredsand, dirt, or chalk. Similar effects maybe "manufactured" by mowing high grass andpermitting it to dry In swaths.

(13) If It Is found Impossible to makea dummy road or tracks, the effect of a roadmay be created by using a "flat top" paintedto simulate a roadway.

(14) If a wooded crossroad is to beused as a park, all signs of activity mayalso be concealed In this manner.

CAMOUFLAGE OF TRUCKS

^*»' NET

THE NET IS HELD DP3t POLES WHICH KEEPit clear of the tm vthe poles shouil no'bf Placed so thaithet form a square

PARK TRUCK IN SHADOW.1 THEE, COVER LIGHTSMTH LEAVES, MNDSHIF'.DWITH D BLANKET ORBURlAF, AND DROPRE-H CURTAIN

' . ' hi ENCIINI I n hN

17.


41. USE OF THE FISH NET. -(a) The garlandsused with the fish net should be woven Inirregular patterns; thickly In the centerand gradually thinning toward the edges.The garnish Is laid flat and kept runningacross the squares of the net (neverdiagonally). This gives best coveringpower In relation to the amount of materialused, and the net keeps Its shape whenfolding up, and in transporting. The netcannot distort across the squares, but Itcan and does distort badly across thediagonals, thereby pulling diagonally laidgarnish Into a string.

(b) The method of running garnish outat right angles to and not parallel withthe edges Is correct In practice as wellas theory, giving more diffused edges andmerging best with the surroundings.

(c) Vehicle nets, as contrasted to "flattops", should have a greater area of. thenet garnished, keeping some parts of theedges comparatively full.

(d) As mentioned In the beginning of thischapter, it Is impossible to foresee exactlyIn what type surroundings the vehicles andnets win be used. Consequently the colorof the garnish is something of a problem.It has been found, however, that a netgarnished in the center with garlands oflight and dark green, and around the edgeswith brown and light earth, Is very effective.Any emergency correction may be made byrubbing in dust, dead leaves, etc. Thegarlands should be colored prior to theirapplication to the net. This proceduresaves both time and materials.

(e) When using the standard 36' x 4 4'fish net, it is Important to bear in mindthat, to be effective, the net must nevertouch any part of the vehicle. It shouldbe at least 6" distant from all points.The net may be raised, lowered, or extendedby the use of rods or poles which are usuallya part of the standard equipment of eachvehicle. Care should be taken to createshapes as irregular as possible.

(f) If cloth garlands are not available,natural materials at hand should be used,such as grass, leaves, twigs, etc. Ifgreen vegetation is used, caution must beexercised in two respects: First, the foliageshould be placed top-side up. This, becausethe under side of foliage is not so denseand therefore reflects light differentlythan the tops. Secondly, the foliage mustbe changed from time to time, as it driesup.

(g) If fish net is not available, ordinarylight weight chicken wire (1" or 2" mesh)may be effectively used with natural orartificial materials.

42. EMERGENCY PAINTING IN F I ELD . -Sh oul d Itbecome necessary to paint a vehicle in thefield under adverse conditions, the followingsuggestions will be of value:

(1) Use as small a quantity of blueand yellow paints as possible; they registerlight on a photograph. Red, brown, green,carbon or lampblack should be used.

(2) In mixing paint, dark colorsshould be poured into and mixed with thelight. Never the reverse.

(3) If paints are not available, usemay be made of pigments from surroundingearth. Such paints naturally have nolasting qualities, but they can be readilymixed and applied.

(4) An emergency binder or "vehicle"can be made from either glue, flour, syrupor wild honey .

(5) Water colors when used, fade fouror five shades when drying. Oil paints,Just the reverse.

(6) Gasoline may be effectively usedfor thinning. Too, it insures quick drying.Gasoline flattens color and reduces lightreflection. If texture Is to be added, sand,

sawdust or asbestos may be used.(7) After applying paint, the sand,

gravel, etc., should be thrown on It whilethe paint Is still wet. A second coat ofpaint may be added where and if needed.

SECTION X

PAINTS

43. PAINT. -(a) Paint consists of a pigmentand binder. The pigment Is derived fromearth or chemicals. The binder holds ittogether .

(b) There are two kinds of binder material:Oil and glue .

44. USE OF PAINT. -(a) Paint Is used to coverany surface. This may be done by sprayingor brushing. Texture is added by throwingwood - s ha v i ng s , sand or gravel onto thefreshly painted surface.

(b) Texture should always be applied tosmooth surfaces In order to eliminatereflection.

45. MIXING. -(a) Theoretically, all colorscan be obtained from the three primarycolors--red, yellow and blue.

(b) From these primary colors, secondarycolors are derived— green, purple and orange.

(c) Mixing any two primary paints inequal proportion results in creating asec ondary color.

(d) From secondary colors, tertiary(third group) colors are derived.

(e ) When a particular color is determinedupon but found to be too bright to blendwith the natural surroundings, it may bedulled by adding its complement.

(f) Black is not an especially goodcomplement, but It can be used when othersare not ava liable .

(g) To dull any color use its complement.To lighten paints, use white. Adding binderwill effectively lighten transparent paints.

color c+iAnrr

EQUAL PART9 -RED + Y£l_LOW--ORAN^'rEQUAL FftRTS - YELLOW rBLUE -- oRfeENfQOAL PARTS -5LUE t RED Fff^PLtPORPLE -r-Of^NCxE = BROWNl^RANCtE 1-LtQEEN LT.CtRAY.CrRfctN -t PURPLL DARKCtRAV

Fig. 4

1

IAMOUFLAGE FIELD TRAINING MANUALSECOND MARINE DIVISION

46. COLOR CHART. -(Fig .41 ) By mixing theprimary colors shown at the points orextremities of the large triangle, thesecondary colors, Indicated In the centerof the sides of the triangle, are obtained.By mixing these secondary colors, Indicatedat the points of the smaller invertedtriangle, the tertiary colors are obtained.

SECTION XI

DYES

47. ANILINE DYES. -(a) Aniline dyes andpigments provide a highly versatile colorstock without bulk. Because of the Intensityof aniline dyes, a much smaller quantityof this material would efficiently supplanta large quantity of the colors now providedfor coloring or tinting purposes.

(b) Aniline dyes, to a certain degree,are soluble in all waters. In hard or saltwater a small amount of acetic acid, vinegaror urine, added to the solution will aidin mixing and prevent precipitation of thedye. However, If an acetic acid is not athand, a mix of some kind can be made withoutthem .

(c) Dyes come In the same basic colorsas paints and are mixed in like proportionsto get desired shades as pigments.

(d) Dyes are transparent, so a straightdye solution cannot be used as a paint.However, for dipping or spraying fiber ofany kind the colors are sharper and truer.

(e) To color or tone, paint with dyes.First, mix a solution approximately theshade desired. Then mix it into a bindersuch as flour and water paste orpaste .

(f) Weather-proof casein paintmade in the following manner in theUse sifted wood ashes mixed withmilk In the amount necessary toeven, gummy paste. Add a strong dye solutionof the desired color. The result will bea satisfactory casein paint paste.

(g) Berry Juice, charcoal, lamp blackor any coloring available added to thispaste will result In a colored casein paint.Add water until the paste reaches thedesired consistency for brushing or spraying.

(h) Dyes, mixed with a base, can be usedto supplant colored paints for semi-permanent work. If a colored (water)paint is used, but a still greater colorstrength is desired, add a dye solution.This will darken or more deeply color thepaint .

(1) As a spray or dip for any fabric orfiber, dyes will be found quite satisfactory.By using only a dye solution, grass andsome types of foliage can be tinted (colored).

(J) If an uncolored or lightly coloredbase paint Is mixed with a solution of dyeof the shade desired, a satisfactory paintwin result. Such paints adhere to wood,metal, painted surfaces and glass.

48. DYES vs. PAINT IN C A M U FL A G E . -Theuse of dyes or pigments In the art ofcamouflage will be appreciably facilitatedby considering the following factors:

( 1 ) Ease of application and accomplish-ment of pur pose .

(2) Permanency of colors.'Z ) C over lng value .

4) Bulk (transportation problem).(5) Comparative cost.

49. COMPARISONS. -(a ) By selecting the threeprimary colors (red., yellow and blue) andperhaps one or two additional colors suchas brown and green (which may be requiredIn Instances where the disguise of foliageand shrubbery Is necessary), It is possible

casein

can befield :

cannedmake an

to duplicate any desired shade by usingeither paints or dyes.

(b) When using paints to make pastel orlight shades, white paint is all that isnecessary to reduce the standard colorsselected. For example: If the standardgreen is dark green and a pastel shade ofgreen Is necessary, Just mix white pigmentwith the dark green.

(c) By the use of dyes, the depths ofshades can be easily changed through dilutingthe dye solution. Or, If deep shades aredesired, through adding more dry dye.

(d) The successful application of paintto any surface is dependent upon the adhesivequality of the paint and the physicalcondition of the surface to which It Is tobe applied.

(e) A paint will not adhere to a (water)wet surface, nor to a greasy, dirty or waxysurface. (These conditions will frequentlybe encountered in the f 1 e 1 d - - n a t ura lprotective coatings on certain types ofgrowing plants, bark-stripped trees, etc.)

(f) A wet surface will be no barrierin the application of dye, but oily orwaxy surfaces may.

(g) In some Instances It may be necessaryto add an adhesive to the dye solution(such as gum arable, dextrose flour, etc.)In order to Impart color to the surface.

(h) Dyes have no affinity for metallicsurfaces. Therefore It will always benecessary to add an adhesive.

(1) Paints, in most Instances, have goodtenacity for metallic surfaces.

50. PERMANENCY. -Paints arethan dyes Insofar as fadingis concerned.

more permanentor water (rain)

51. COVERING VALUES. -(a) The covering valueof a paint varies with its consistency.One gallon of paint might cover 250 sq.ft.,depending upon Its viscosity. A gallon ofdye win probably cover 500 sq.ft.

(b) A pound of dry dye, depending ontype, will produce 12£ to 25 gallons ofworking solution.

(c) Considering the weight of dry dyeand Its covering possibilities as againstpaint, it would be necessary to transport,roughly, 250of dry dye .

to 500 lbs. of paint for 1 lb.

52. TYPES. -The types of dyes selected forexperimental purposes are those that arethe easiest to use --c ons lder I ng solubilityin cold water and coloring strength. Also,they have an affinity for a greater varietyof substances than any other types of dyes .

These dyes are also soluble In alcohol.

53. TOXICITY. -These dyes are not guaranteednon-toxic to humans. The t ox i c 1 ty - w 1 11vary with the individual. Some personswill suffer no ill effects whatsoever,whereas others might experience skinirr 1 ta t Ions .

54. CONCLUSION. -Experimentation will determineif these dyes are satisfactory for any givenpurpose. It is suggested that these dyesbe applied to all types of substances-stones, soil, sticks, burlap, cloth ofvarious kinds, etc. --in order to determinetheir practicability to conditions character-izing a specific field.

SECTION X 1

1

BREAKAWAY HOUSES

55. PURPOSE . -Breakaway houses are used forconcealing weapons, supplies or positions.When it becomes necessary to erect such a"house" on an actual battlefield, materialsfrom the immediate vicinity must be used.

19


Vines or grass thongs may be used in placeof nails. Measurements may be arrived atby eye -e s t ima te

.

Fig. 42

56.bePolavathefraitbur

re c12'rulthaItsecJoltheguncolawa

CONSTRUCTION. -(a ) Breakaway houses canmade wherever boards or poles are found.es 2" x 2" or 1" x 2", or any otherliable lumber of a size approximatingse measurements, should be used for themework. When the framework is completedcan be covered with either target-cloth,lap or branches .

(b) The "house" most often used istangular in shape and usually aboutto 14' high and 14' wide. A general

e Is to build the house somewhat largern the weapon it is Intended to conceal.Is constructed in two sections. Thesetlons, when completed and covered, arened together by simply leaning one againstother. When the time comes for the

ners to go Into action, the "house" Islapsed by merely pushing one sectiony from the other. (Figs. 43, 44)

Fig. 43

57. SIX-SIDED HOUSE. -(a) This type of "house"should be constructed (preferably) from1" x 2" or 2" x 2" lumber and should Includetwo side sections, two roof sections, andone section each for the front and rear.The top runners will be 14' long and areconstructed exactly like the sides, thesame number of poles being used. The onlydifference being that the center poles

*-W

Fig. 44

should be 8 £ ' in length instead of 7'.This additional l^ 1 length provides the eaves,

(b) The side sections will be 7' highx 14' long. The 7' poles should be nailedbetween the 14' runners so as to form arectangle 14' x 7'. Five 7' poles shouldbe secured--lnters persed--be tween the 14'runners, three in the middle and one ateach end. The two top or roof sections

made with four 7' poles, one 12'two 10' poles. The 12' pole willapex of the roof. The two 10'

secured perpendicularly--and the other seven feet

should bepole , andform thepoles should beone as the baseabove but parallel to the first. To completethis roof, two additional 7' poles will beneeded. These should be joined in such away as to form a triangle.

(c) All sections, when set up, shouldbe tied together with cord, rope or wire.Or, If such are not available, hemp, vinesor other natural materials. Rope ispreferable because it cuts easily, facili-tating complete collapse of the "house"immediately preceding the command, "Targets",at which time the ropes are cut and roofand sides fall away.

(d) When the complete framework of the"house" is set up, it should be covered withtarget cloth or burlap and painted to blendwith the surrounding terrain or to simulatea dwe lllng . (Fig. 43)

58. MEASUREMENTS .-( a ) The measurementssuggested In this section are to serve asa guide only. Houses should be constructedto a size or type that will meet the require-ments of the individual problem.

(b) Two variations are shown in figures45 and 46.

"TWO PIECtFAL«5t«;iDfe-

1W ttnpu- Pwwr i> cctcstrucwp wrmx*2'sn*rsnvwownus.iw re««« iw covtatn wii»BumPOWDMAailll ICT1M <»TWWIDW1IH HAV1S

Fig. 45

20


Fig. 5

(e) Another method for constructingplaster rocks Is shown In figures 50 and51. Build a rough frame to the requiredsize. Throw brush or soil over and aroundthis frame to give the "rock 11 irregularshape. Strips of target cloth or burlapshould then be dipped in the plaster ormud and placed on and around the frame.Dirt and gravel should be thrown on theplaster-covered cloth before it dries. The"rock" can then be painted.

and firingha tche t or

don't wT ^Tunrs

60. ENTRANCE .-( a ) The entranceapertures can be cut out withbay one t .

(b) The entrance is not always a cut-out.Passage to the "rock" may be by way of atunnel connecting the "rock" with a spidertrap some distance away.

61. EXAMPLES. -"Rocks " made of target clothdipped in mud and molded over a frame areshown In figures 52 and 53.

68. STUMPS AND TREES. -(a) "Stumps" may bemade by securing poles in an upright positionand in the form of a circle. An assortmentof short and long poles should be used tocreate the effect of a stump top. (Figs.54,55) The wide spaclngs should be filledin with brush, excelsior fibre or grassdipped in plaster or mud.

(b) After covering the framework, plasteror mud should be thoroughly rubbed In and

Fig. 52

Fig. 53

over the outside. Before drying sets in,make creases up and down the stump with afinger or stick. Then wet bunches of grass,fibre or cloth should be dipped in dirtand rubbed over the plaster stump for thepurpose of inserting ridges and giving thestump a tree-bark effect. (Fig. 56)

63. USES. -"Tree stumps" are used for observa-tion and snipers' posts. (Fig. 57) One ormore small look-out holes should be cutthrough and concealed by a screening paintedor colored to match the "stump". A "treestump" made with a core of chicken wire andburlap is illustrated in figure 58.

64. MUD SUBSTITUTE. -Plaster in most caseswill not be available, but mud can besubstituted in almost every case. Theforegoing illustrates ways to build rocks,banks, stumps, logs and other deceptivemeasures in an easy and practical way inthe field. A rough frame of brush, twigsand leaves made to simulate the contoursof a rock and covered with mud can be madeto appear a first-rate rock, the amount ofeffort and care expended governing thefinal effect.

22

:amouflageFIELD TRAINING MANUALSECOND MARINE DIVISION

' **sf?-J.

Fig. 54

Fig. 56i?&;

Fig. 57

Fig. 55Fig. 58


Fig. 59 B

24 .


Fig. 60 B

25

AMOUFLAGE FIELD TRAINING MANUALSECOND MARINE DIVISION

SECTION XIV

MODELS

65. DEFINITION. -A model Is a three dimensionalreproduction In miniature, built to adetermined scale, of any existing orcontemplated man-made object. A model caneither be constructed from working drawingsor by rule of thumb.

66. PURPOSE. -(a) A model Is employed forthe purpose of permitting an examinationand Inspection of a proposed project beforeany actual construction begins. It Isquicker, easier and certainly more economicalto rectify possible mistakes, or effectchanges and corrections, on a model thanon a full-sized work.

(b) A relief map of a specific area canbe used to advantage for the purpose ofmodelling upon Its surface any proposedmilitary Installation or camouflage scheme.(See Second Marine Division manual, "ReliefMap Making" . )

(c) A model of a military Installationor camouflage scheme can be employed toIllustrate lectures or to give demonstrat lanson tactical problems or camouf lage discipline .

67. SCOPE. -(a) If time and circumstancepermit, the camoufleur can profit enormouslyby employing models to study and examineany of his contemplated projects, particularlyif they are of an experimental nature.

(b) The following are some of thesituations wherein the time spent onconstructing a model will be well worth theeffort and prove to be of Inestimable value:

(l)The further development of standardcamouflage practices. It must not be takenfor granted that, Just because a system hasbeen adopted for concealing the positionor the outline of an anti-aircraft gun, theaccepted pattern cannot be improved.

(2)The camouflaging of an Installationor an area situated in terrain features ofa strange and unfamiliar pattern.

(3) The camouflaging of a new weapon,vehicle, or other form of military inventionpresenting an unusual type or pattern.

68. EXAMPLES .-Figures 69 to 62 Inclusiveare photographs of models illustratingcamouflage schemes prepared by the WaltDisney Studio unit for the 604th EngineerBattalion ( Camou f lage )

(Army )

.

Fig. 61

26 .


SECTION XV

"CAMOUFLAGE DO'S AND DON'TS"

69. CAMOUFLAGE DO'S. -(a) DO choose yourposition carefully. A proper "estimateof the situation" will make your workeasier and avoid impossible camouflageproblems .

(b) DO use common sense. "To outwitthe enemy, common sense seems to be veryunc ommon .

"

(c) DO avoid the skyline when concealingagainst terrestrial observation.

(d) DO make full use of natural cover.The cover of a spreading tree is worthtruck loads of artificial material.

(e) DO utilize ditches, hedges, edgesof woods, folds in the ground, etc. These"accidents" of the ground will preventaccidents to you.

(f ) DO avoid conspicuous landmarks.You don't want to be at a focal point ofenemy attention.

(g) DO keep in the shadow. The enemycan't see or take pictures of somethingin the shade .

(h) DO remember that shadows move.Although shadows as a rule fall toward thenorth of an object, the length and directionof such shadows change throughout the day.

(1) DO avoid all regularities of lineor spacing. Nature has no straight linesand the enemy Is looking for unnatural signs.

(J) DO remember that anything unusualcatches the eye of the enemy observer.Try to blend into the background; you wantto be inconspicuous.

(k) DO garnish carefully. Naturalgarnishing must look NATURAL--so usematerial similar to that In the vicinityand support it as it would grow.

(1) DO thin out garnishing at the edges.A regularly garnished net casts a regularshadow which is obviously out of place inthe surroundings. It will look like astamp and we don't want to pay postage onour own death bombs.

(m ) DO change deadit and something (orbe dead

.

orto

vege ta t i on . Forge t

somebody) else will

turfused

topsoll when diggingcover your spoil on

boldYou

patterns in garnishingcan't see a two foot

outline from a distance of

(n) DO keepIn . It can bethe para pe t .

( o ) DO makeor painting,"break" In thea mile or two

.

(p) DO "look before you leap". Planand lay out your position in detail beforemoving In and trampling down promiscuously.Signs of activity lead to enemy activitywhich reduces the possibility of furtherac t i v 1 ty per 1 od .

(q) DO observe camouflage disciplinein making a reconnaissance. Signs ofactivity before occupation are Just asdisastrous as signs afterward.

(r) DO restrict movement when the enemyIs observing. A motionless object mayescape detection; a moving one will attractattention.

(s) DO take extra care when tired.Fatigue leads to carelessness.

(t) DO work In the shade or at night.The enemy is looking for you at all timesbut his eyes are not as good as a cat's.He can't hit what he can't see.

(u) DO keep your flat tops "flat".Sagging nets are worse than baggy knees.

(v) DO use existing roads and paths.Traffic there will not leave noticeablesigns .

(w) DO conceal the entire layout. If

one tent or truck Is seen, then all of theremaining installation Is betrayed.

27


eJ^^-_

HlDC YOUR ^POIL ."

70. CAMOUFLAGE DON'TS.-(a) DON'T be carelessand give away your buddies. They're dependingon you Just as you are depending on them.

(b) DON'T look up at airplanes. Theenemy Is looking for you too and you'reeasier to hit than he Is.

(c) DON'T move unless you have to; thenthink first how you can move to cover mostunobs trus lvely .

(d) DON'T use artificial materials unlessthe natural cover Is Insufficient. Naturalcover blends best with Nature.

(e) DON'T be regular In your layout.Regularity Is a military attribute and theenemy recognizes It as such.

(f) DON'T take shortcuts over the openor step outside cover. Every time you put

your foot down you attract enemy attention.(g) DON'T walk around the outside of a

net to fix the camouflage. Where you walkwin be light In a photograph; the camouflagewill be dark. Do you think the enemy winmiss such a bullseye?

(h) DON'T hide your Installation andleave your spoil and belongings In the open.Remember the ostrich.

(1) DON'T let your flat tops sag. Theywill photograph, like wet blankets laid outon brushes and they are not a bit safer.

(J) DON'T lower the sides of yourcamouflage. Your commanding officer cannotsee what you are doing, but when the enemysees the shadow thrown by these sides hewill be even more severe.

(k) DON'T hide under matted camouflage.It Is as conspicuous as a bad haircut.

(1) DON'T end a road at an installationor make a lot of trails to a position. Didyou ever lose your way to a canteen?

(m) DON'T leave things near the edge ofyour camouflage. The edge of your camouflageisn't and shouldn't be--opaque.

(n) DON'T put up bad camouflage and thinkveil. There aren't any in war.crowd around an Installation.reduces the likelihood oftrampling.clean up an old position. It

won't look natural to the enemy. If you'removing out, it will remain as a dummy. Ifyou're moving In, you don't want to changethe appearance .

(q) DON'T expose lights or make a greatdeal of smoke. The enemy is looking forsuch beacons.

********

it's a magic(o) DON'T

Dispersionconspicuous

(p) DON'T

28


Pango Pango Harbor, American Samoa

POLYNESIAN NATIVE CRAFTS

SECTION I

GENERAL

1. PURPOSE AND SCOPE. -The Inhabitantthe South Pacific Islands are partlculskillful In crafts applicable to camouflsuch as weaving mats and nets, thatchdyeing, and the making of fibre ropescords. Whenever practical, our fooperating In the Southwestern Pacificwill undoubtedly employ native laborthese, and other, activities. For thepart, however, the practice will of necesbe restricted to areas removed from accombat. Familiarity, therefore, with cermethods and materials employed in thismay prove to be of the utmost valuebattle zone, for camouflage or other purpoat a time when local help Is unobtalnaA rough general knowledge and some practin a few native crafts, is all thahi a levy native craus, is ail t n anecessary and can be acquired with 11effort, as the methods employed are siand easy to learn. The data coliectethe following sections is to be usea guide and fcr general reference purpoto be studied and applied as occasion demIn suitable localities in the fi

2. REFERENCE. -The bulk of the data contaherein has been compiled from publlcatof the Bernlce P. Bishop Museum, HonolIt Is suggested that, should the opportuoccur, advantage be taken of the servof the museum for further reference.of the Illustrations have been takenthe following publications: "Our FamlIsland Trees", by Mary Dillingham Fr"The Indigenous Trees of the HawaIslands", by Joseph F. Rock; "TheLover's Hawaii", by Ralph D. Corn

s ofarlyage ,

ing ,

andre esareafor

mos t

sltytualtainworkin ases ,

ble .

ice ,

t isttlempled ind asses ,

andseld .

lned1 onsu lu .

nltyicesSomefromliarear ;

llanTreeell .

3. RECOGNITION OF MATER I ALS . -Re c ogn 1 1 1 onof plant life used in native industry isessential, and Its Importance to thesuccessful and speedy conclusion of anywork undertaken cannot be over emphasized.The vegetation generally employed is usuallyof a common variety and grows abundantlyon a large majority of the islands, but itmust be remembered that a single plant, ortree, may be known by one of half a dozennative names, depending on the locality inwhich you find It; consequently, theimportance of self-recognition is obvious.This is a study that can best be made on

the ground, and every advantage should betaken of an opportunity to do so. Localknowledge is important and should be soughtwhenever possible as many natives areexperienced in crafts made from plant lifepeculiar to their locality only.

SECTION II

DYES

4. GENERAL REMARKS. -(a) Native dyes are incommon use at the present time in the SouthPacific islands. The majority of them areeasily made, in most cases requiring littlemore than the basic material which, whensqueezed or mixed with water, gives thedye. Others require more care in preparation,but It will be found well worth the troubleIf other materials are unobtainable. Someof the plant elements used for dyes areseasonable and are, therefore, only availableat certain times of the year.

(b) Soil and clay are used on many islandsfor dyeing purposes. Local observation andinquiry will be necessary In this Instanceand, in fact, any likely material, vegetable

mineral, should be the object of experi-in localities where propercannot be obtained or where aIn d oub t

.

setting colors, seawater orburned coral lime are extensively used.

5. COLORS AND METHODS. -(1) BROWN.(a) Sappan wood, or slbucao, is a

large, straggling, prickly, seml-c 1 lmb ingshrub that yields a brown dye. If mixedwith coral lime it gives a dark red color.

(b)A brown dye is obtained by mixingthe inner bark of the panl tree with seawater.

(c) A reddish-brown dye is made fromthe bark of the o'a tree. The bark isscraped from the growing tree. The chipsare gathered in a cloth or matting and theJuice Is squeezed, by wringing, into a pan.The bark has to be dealt with the same daythat it is procured. It is surprisingamount of liquid that is obtained from

it can be covered and storedsome time. The fluid forms

, nothing being added toCloth can be stained brown

ormentationlnf ormat 1 onspecimen Is

( c ) For

thetheandtheIt .

by

bark, andwill lastfull dye

(d)spreading the materialpatch, (f lg.l ) .

(2) RED AND ORANGE.(a) A bright red dye Is obtained from

the seeds of the loa tree. The seeds aresimply squeezed with the fingers and theJuice collected in a bowl. It Is only

XWr^fcjf,

In the mud of a taro

M

Lagoon and Coconut Trees


Fig. 1

Taro Patch

Fig. 2Malay Apple

available during seeding time, as therno way of keeping or preserving It.

(b)A bright crimson color Is obtaby mixing the bark, of the nonu fl'afor Malay apple, (fig. 2), with seawaterlime .

(c) The fruit of the fig or batree, (figs. 3, 4), yields a milky J uThe leaves of the kou tree are Immersethe fluid and squeezed. Pink colorappears and, after continued treatmdeepens Into a brilliant crimson

(d) Red dyes can be obtained frombark of the kolea tree, the fruit ofohla al or mountain apple tree, (figand the leaves of two ferns, the palaathe ama u mau .

e Is

lned1 'a ,

and

nyanIce .

d Insoonent

,

dye .

thethe

.5),and

Fig. 3Wild Fig Tree

Fig. 4Banyan Tree


Fig.Mountain

(e) The tuber, or underground stem,of the turmeric plant, (fig. 6), gives a deeporange-colored juice.

(3) YELLOW.(a) This dye is made from the root

of the ango plant. After the roots aregathered they are washed in seawater. Theyare then grated and, when mixed with freshwater, give a dull yellow color. If mixedwith a portion of the reddish-brown dye ofthe o'a tree, the yellow becomes muchbr

1

ghter .

(b) Yellow dyes can be made from thewood and root of the nonl tree, the fruitpulp of the nau, or gardenia, and the barkand root of the hoolei tree.

(4) BLUE(a) Juice obtained from the berries

of the ukl plant furnishes a rather pale,but lasting, blue color.

(b)The leaves of the Indigo, locallyknown as the tayum or tagum plant, give a

rich blue dye. The leaves are mixed withcharcoal In a pit and water is poured on.Cloth, placed In this solution, will takeon various shades of blue depending on thelength of immersion, which can be anywherefrom one to ten days.

(5) OREEN. The leaves of the mao shrub,when crushed and mixed with water, give a

good green dye. It Is not dependable however,due to its rapid fading tendencies.

(6) PURPLE. The plantain or banana plantThe trunk of the plant

the sap allowed to dripg Ives a pur pie dye

.

is cut through andinto a container.

(7) BLACK.'(a) Black or gray dye Is made from

a concentrated or diluted mixture of charcoalIn water or candlenut oil. Charcoal Is

obtained by roasting the candlenut or sugar

cane. A black or gray tint can be appliedto cloth by rubbing the surface with acotton bag containing powdered charcoal.

(b)A perfectly black dye can be madefrom the seed kernels of the candlenuttree, also known as the lama or kukul tree,(fig. 7). The hard-shelled nuts are cookedthoroughly in an oven, after which the nutsare cracked and the kernels removed. Thekernels are then set alight In a fireplacethat has been roofed with stone and shelteredfrom the wind. The nuts are very oily andburn readily, emitting a black, oily smoke.The fine black soot adheres to the surfaceof the stone and, when enough soot hasaccumulated, the roof Is removed and thesoot scraped off into a container. Thestone is replaced and the operation repeated-

Fig. 6Turmeric Plant

Fig. 7Candlenut Kernels


The dry powder, when used, Is mixed withreddish-brown o'a dye and not with water.The dye is perfectly black and the o'agives It a shiny appearance.

(8) WHITE. Pieces of coral, baked overa hot fire until they crumble, form corallime. A fine whitewash Is obtained fromthe powder when mixed with seawater.

HHHINative Canoe

Fig. 8Arr owr o o

t

SECTION III

PASTES, GLUES AND BRUSHES

6. PASTES AND GLUES. -(a) Arrowroot (flThe tuber, or underground stem, oarrowroot is washed and cooked in anIt then forms a ball of paste which,drying, may be dipped every now andIn water to moisten It.

(b) Breadfruit (fig. 9). The overbreadfruit is very sticky and tenacThe top of the fruit Is removed anrind acts as a natural glue pot contathe softened, fleshy substance. Thnea is the best kind of breadfrulpaste. Some varieties are not suitHeated breadfruit gum, smeared oveseams of a boat, provides satlsfacaulking .

8.8) .

f theoven .

uponagain

-r ipelous .

d the1 n 1 n ge ulut forable .

r thec tory

Fig.Breadfruit

(c) Fau songa. The fauplant whosefor 1 lnes ai

copious, c

when the bark

songa. The fau songa is thebark furnishes the best material

ind cords. The bark contains a

Hear gum which drains freelyirk Is cu t

.

7. BRUSHES. -(a) The keys of the pandanusfruit, (fig. 10), that have fallen to theground and become dry, form neat naturalbrushes. The thicker, outer part acts asa handle, while the stiff fibres of theInner, smaller end are trimmed to formthe brush .


(b) Larger brushes are made of coconuthusk which Is trimmed to suitable sizes.Brushes are also made by breaking the endsof a piece of coconut leaf midrib, or cane,to split up the fibrous core into a brush-like a ppearance .

Native Hut

SECTION IV

ROPES AND CORDS

8. THE MATERIAL .-(a ) General. The plantswhich supply material for cordage are thefau or fau tu, the fau songa or fau olonga,the matl or matlata, the breadfruit and thecoconut. These plants grow abundantly andpractically everywhere. Except for thecoconut, the inner bark, or bast, of the

plants is used and It can be readily splitoff from the outer bark. For finer cords,the bast is scraped on a board with a shellto remove coloring matter or any gummysubstance. After being scraped, the stripsare usually braided together and can berendered whiter by soaking in seawater,rubbing in sand, and bleaching In the sun.

Fig. 11C oc onu t Tree

(t>) lhe_Fau. The fau plant supplies thematerial for ordinary ropes. The whole barkIs used, In wide strips for heavy work suchas tying scaffolding and framework, or Innarrow strips for minor purposes.

(c) Olonga. Olonga is stronger than fautu but does not grow in such quantity. Forthis reason Its use is generally restrictedto finer c ord s .

(d) Matlata. The matlata supplies avery strong fibre in the bast of the slenderrods which characterize the plant. It isused as cordage for the making of tough andstrong fish nets. Shark nets, for Instance,are made from matlata cordage.

(e) Breadfruit (fig. 9). The bast of theyounger shoots of the variety of breadfruitknown as ulu manna are used. Seine netsare made of two-ply twisted cords ofbread f ru 1 1 bas t

.

(f) Coconut (figs .11 ,12) . The coconutsupplies strong fibres from the husksurrounding the fruit. The large quantityof lnterflbrous material is separated bya special process. The three-ply braid Isplaited from It and also good strong ropes.

Fig.Coconut

12Hus ks


9. PLA ITING .-The terra "plaiting" is usedso much with cordage that, as a generalterm, it need not be confusing. There aretwo distinct methods of plaiting, twistingand braiding.

0=212uallyer lalldualh the

Thepos e .

Is tednder .

freshg plythem

luftc iiici u c i ui c i uiiiug uuc unu y i i c o aTOUndeach other. Besides the simple Join ofnew strands by direct overlapping, twoother methods are used, ( f lgs .13, 14 ) . Inthe case of coconut fibre the strands aretwisted individually only, and then braidedover and under. Three or more plies can beused for bra id lng .

Figure 1 3 . —Two-ply cord, joining ply (so'o) : a, the ply (2) is the shortening

ply; b, the new strand (3) is directly laid over the short ply (2) from below with its

short end (3O projecting upwards past the point of joining; c, the other ply (1) is

twisted around over the reinforced ply (2) ; d, the projecting upper short end (3') is

doubled down over the other ply ( 1 ) ; e, the twisting is carried on and both the short

end (3O of the new strand, and the short ply (2) is buried so to speak in the twists,

while the new strand (3). continues the ply (2).

Figure 14.—Two-ply cord, alternate join: a, the alternative method is exactly the

same in result but the opposite in commencement ' technique. The ply (2) is again the

shortening ply.' b, The new strand (3) is added from above with its short end (3') on

the long ply (1) ; c, the ply (i) with the short end ($) is twisted over the short ply

(2) ; d, the long end of the hew strand (3) is doubled down over the short strand (2)

;

e, the twisting is carried on with the same results as in figure 125.

(°) Thre e^Ely^c ords . Three-ply cordsare usually made from fau songa and matiata.Finer cords are made from the former andthicker lines from the latter. The bastIs divided into appropriate thicknesses androlled separately into strands. Three strandsare held between forefinger and thumb insuch a way that they are slightly spacedapart. Still holding them firmly, theyare laid transversely over the right thigh.The right palm towards the base of thefingers is laid over the three strands androlled firmly downwards or away from thebody. The first part of the movement rollseach strand on Itself Into three separatetwisted strands during the outward movement,the right palm having worked over the strandsto near the wrist. The left hand Is slackedslightly and the last part of the movementtwists the three strands over each otherinto a three-ply cord. At the end of theoutward sweep, the palm Is turned over onits outer edge and returned towards the bodywith a firmer pressure that twists the pliesmore closely together in the twist alreadycommenced. The left hand is shifted downto hold the end of the section that has beenfirmly twisted. The ends of the three pliesare separated and again held In the lefthand while an outward and backward sweep

another short section. Bythis operation, and by properlength of cord can be obtained,this thickness of three-ply Isdoubling over method with theadded from below, (fig. 15).

completescontinuingJoining, anyThe Join inmade by thenew strand

Figure 15—Three-ply twisted cord, join: o, ply (1) is the shortening ply; b, thenew strand (4) is placed over the short ply (1) from below with its short end (4') pro-jecting upwards beyond the point of joining; c, the three plies are held apart by the left

hand on the thigh, while the right hand rolls the new strand (4) and the short ply (1)together. The short end (4') of the new ply is then turned down on the next ply (2) ;

d, the ply (2) and the short end (4') are rolled together on the thigh. To complete therolling, the ply (3) is also rolled separately; t, the three strands are rolled as in theusual milo technique. In well-made cord, the join (5) can hardly be seen.

11. BRAIDING CORDS AND LINES. -(a) Se.Qn.ltbraid. Sennit braid is the most importantsingle article in Polynesian usage. Thecoconut from which the braid is made isknown as the niu afa or sennit. The huskIs thick, about 13 Inches long, and thenut comparatively small. When the sennitnut cannot be obtained, ordinary nuts canbe used .

(b) Tre a tme nt_of _husk . The husk isremoved in even, longitudinal segments.The object is to separate the interflbrousmaterial from the fibre. Most of themrequire soaking In water to soften thematerial. Some green husks require 4 to5 days soaking, others a month or more.It Is important to recognize types thatrequire the least soaking. After thematerial has softened, the Interflbrousmaterial is removed by beating the husksections with a wooden mallet or club.The outer skin is peeled off, the inner,short part removed, and the end of thesegment is held with one hand while thepounding takes place. The interflbrousmaterial flies off under the beating andthe fibre can be loosened and flicked offafter every few blows. The ends are reversedand the beating continued until only thecleaned fibres remain. The interflbrousmaterial has a vile odor which is painfullyevident while the husk beating is going on.The fibre having been collected, it is nowwashed and left exposed to sun and air todry

.

(°) E° 1

I

iQ£_the _s trands . The shortfibres are separated from the long anddiscarded. A sufficient number of goodfibres are collected for a strand. Theyare held by the left thumb and forefingerwhile some of the fibres are pulled outslightly at each end, not only to lengthenthe strand, but to thin the ends for Joiningpurposes. A single fibre is separated, itsmiddle placed against the strand, and oneend twisted around It with the right hand.The other end of the single fibre Is thendoubled back and the strand twirled betweenthe finger and thumb to finish the rollingof the binding fibre. The strand is nowrolled on the right thigh with the rightpalm and Is then laid down and the processrepeated until a sufficient quantity hasbeen made

.

(d) flailing. In plaiting the fibrebraid, the piles are held between the leftthumb and forefinger with the thumb uppermostand plaiting is directed away from the body.The technique thus consists of pullingwhatever strand Is In the middle positionoutwards under a side ply, first on oneside, and then on the other. Whilst theright hand pulls the middle ply outwardsand under, the left thumb rolls the sideply over Into the middle position. Theleft thumb also, by downward pressure withthe left forefinger, keeps the plies intheir relative positions after each twistis made. The plaited part, therefore,passes backward under the thumb towardsthe body, (fig. 16). It is Just the freeedge of the braiding that protrudes beyondthe thumb, but in this and following figures,the thumb Is shown well back so as not toobscure the technique.


Figure 16 .—Three-ply sennit braid, plait technique: a, each ply is formed by a

single ja'ata'a strand of which there are three; b, the middle ply (l) is pulled outwardsby the right hand, under the left ply (2), which brings the ply (2) into the middle posi-

tion; c. the middle ply (2) is pulled outwards under the right, ply (3) which brings (3)to the middle position; d. the middle ply (3) is pulled outwards to the left under the left

ply ( 1 ) ; ?, the continuation of the above results as shown.

Figure 17.—Three-ply sennit braid, join of ply: o, the short ply (1) has beenworked to the .middle position; b, the new strand (4) is added to the short ply (1) with

its short end (4') projecting back on the completed work; c, the middle ply (1 and 4)is pulled out to the right under the side ply (2) which comes to the middle position

;

d, the ply (z) is pulled out to the left under the side ply (3) when (3) comes to the

middle position, the short end (4') of the new strand (4) is doubled forward on (3) ;

e, the braiding goes on in the usual way and only the doubled over short end (5) is seen

in the middle line.

( e ) The_Joln. A fresh strand is addedto a shortening~ply in much the same manneras in a twisted cord. The rule is to bringthe short ply into the middle position andadd the new strand to It with its shortend projecting back on the complete workwhere it Is held under the left thumb,(fig. 17). As the braiding proceeds, thefingers naturally feel the thickness of thepiles. If one is felt to be too thin andneeds reinforcing, a fresh strand is addedIn a manner opposite to the Join above,(fig. 18). The principle of reinforcing athin ply Is to add a new strand from belowwith its short end on a long ply In themiddle portion. =A couple of turns are madeto bring the thin ply into the middleposition, when the long end of the newstrand Is doubled forward to Join It. Thebraiding goes on until the required lengthis reached. The end of the braid la stoppedby tying the two outer piles together inthe first part of a reef knot.

Figure 18.—Three-ply sennit braid, reinforcing thin ply: a, the ply (3) is too

thin and needs reinforcing; b, the new strand (4) is added from below to the ply (1)

which is in the middle position. The short end (4') of the new strand rests on (1) while

the long end (4) is directed back on the braid, c, The middle ply (1) with the short

end (4') is pulled outwards to the right under the side ply (2). After (2) comes into

the middle position, it is pulled outwards to the left under the side ply (3) which comes

to the middle position, d. The middle ply (3) is the one that needs reinforcing. Thereinforcing element (4) is therefore doubled forward on (3) and everything is ready

to continue the ordinary braiding, e, The braiding is continued, (3 and 4) being treated

as one ply. The only part of the join seen is the doubled over new strand at (5) in the

middle Hue.

( f ) U8g.s. The ordinary three-ply braidIs used for lashing houses, canoes and forgeneral purposes. Quickness In manufactureand efficiency In use are the guidingprinciples In braiding of this type.

12. ROPES. -(a) Two = p.ly__Twls t . Rough ropesof fau bast are quickly made , ( f Ig . 1 9 ) . Newstrands are added by doubling down the shortend on the other ply as in figure 13. Thepiles are twisted with the hands and plaitedtowards the body, the commencing end beingfixed to a stake or post. The individualplies are twisted to the right and thencrossed over the other ply from above,downwards and to the left.

(b) Sgark Rope. A shark rope Is a three-ply twlstetPrope in which each ply Is formedof a number of strands of the common three-ply braid. As many as nine strands havebeen used In each ply. Five fathoms ofuntwisted sennit braid will make a littleover four fathoms of rope. Half the total

V

Fig. 19

number of strands required, but of twicethe length, are doubled at the middle. Aspace Is left at the looped end to formthe eye for a loop and a stick is passedthrough. The stick Is suspended and lashedagainst a beam so that It will not rotate.The strands are lashed together with apiece of cord beneath the stick. Thestrands are divided Into three equal partsto form plies. Each ply thus formed Istaken charge of by an assistant, who tiesa short cross stick to the lower end of hisply. The chief rope maker uses a mature,dry, unhusked coconut with three longitudinalgrooves cut in it to correspond with theplies. This is inserted under the pilesclose to the upper binding around thestrands. The three assistants then twisttheir sticks in the same direction so asto twist the strands of their respectivepiles. As the piles become closely twisted,they are allowed to twist around each otherto form the rope. The chief rope makermanipulates the coconut gage by moving Itdownwards as the assistants walk aroundIn the same direction. The process Iscontinued until the rope is completed. Thethree-ply twist makes a very strong ropethat will hold any shark.

13. NETS. -The methods used by the PolynesiansIn the making of nets is similar to thesystem employed by the Second MarineDivision Camouflage School. No explanation,therefore, of native methods, is considerednecessary. Reference should be made to thesection of this manual devoted to the makingof nets.

Samoan Ch le f ta In

********

1

Camouflage

.

ll,o96

Library of the Marine Corps

3000199225

Camouflage Field Training Manual

Documents

Transcript of Camouflage Field Training Manual