USN deck crew colors

[hawkeye2an]

While looking at some color pics of WWII USN carrier deck ops. I noticed different colored shirts on some of the guys. Did they have certain colors for certain jobs? Also noticed different colored lines on the deck, what did each color mean. Can anybody direct me to a book or websight that might have this info?

 

[BombTaxi]

The USN still do this today, different colours denote different roles on the deck. I know Ordnance guys wear red, the other colours represent aircraft handling, catapults, landing systems, firefighters, plane crew and so on, not sure which is which though...

 

[N4521U]

You are on the right track. Shirts and the tight caps. I was helicopter air crew, we wore Green caps. A google search for deck crew may bring something up. I was on the Yorktown in the 60's so my memory of all that is a little cloudy mate. Bill

 

[N4521U]

Deck Crew Color Designations on Modern US Aircraft Carriers

this one should do just fine for you mate. Bill

 

[N4521U]

Deck Crew Color Designations on Modern US Aircraft Carriers

this one should do just fine for you mate. Bill

 

[hawkeye2an]

Deck Crew Color Designations on Modern US Aircraft Carriers

this one should do just fine for you mate. Bill

Thanks for that, it's helpful for modern and probably been these colors for a while.

Does anybody have a source for WWII?

How about the deck markings?

 

[Airframes]

Far as i know, the colours are the same as they are now. The deck markings would show the centre line (white) and the 'runway' edge markers (yellow).

 

[R Leonard]

Colors haven't changed for the major jobs. System was worked out by,then, Captain Joseph Reeves and his XO, then, Commander John Towers aboard USS Langley, CV-1, circa 1926.

Tom Wildenberg's All the Factors of Victory page 134:
"With the help of Commander John H. Towers, the Langley's executive officer, Reeves organized the flight deck crew into small groups of specialists. Each group was assigned responsibility for one aspect of the flight operations to be conducted on the Langley's flight deck. Specific tasks, such as operating the arresting gear, releasing tail hooks, and fueling aircraft, were allotted to each team along with a set of colored shirts. The members of each team wore the same color, which served to sort out who was doing what on the busy flight deck: blue for airplane pushers, brown for crew chiefs, purple for fuelers, and so on. Most important were the yellow shirt directors, for they were responsible for seeing that the planes were safely moved about the dangerous deck.. . ."

A good book, a biography of Admiral Reeves and his impact on the development of US Naval Aviation in the interwar years. I recommend it to those interested in how doctrine developed over those early years.

R

 

[hawkeye2an]

Thanks for the info guys, very helpful.

 

[hawkeye2an]

Found this. Only difference between this and modern is the Fuelers are in red on these, purple on modern. Notice the wide variety of color shades. I suppose they aged quickly in the sun and salt air.