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THE STARS AND STRIPESThursday, Jan. 7, 19438th Air Force LearnsThings Aren’t WhatBy Andrew A. JRooneyStars and Stripes Staff WriterEIGHTH AIR FORCE HQ, Jan. 6— A traveling camouflage school, designedto acquaint every man in the Eighth Air Force with the fundamentals and fine points of the art of concealment, will visit every air force unit in England within the next few months.“ All the men could not get to the school,” said 1st Lt. Thomas B. Lee, New York City, assistant camouflage officer of the Eighth Air Force Service Command, “ so we are taking the school to them.The traveling school, first of its kind, was designed by Maj. Charles M. Ackley, Clearfield, Pa. With a personnel of 20 enlisted men and officers, this school will demonstrate to 100 men a day the proper procedure for the erection of gun emplacement nets, for draping vehicles, putting up a plane net and mixing powdered camouflage paint. While defensive camouflage will be emphasized, tactical camouflage for use in front line positions also will be given at the school.In this respect, instructors are equipped with sniper suits for concealment on various types of terrain to demonstrate the tricky business of sniping to air corps personnel.“ Camouflage,” Maj. Ackley indicates, “ is anything which misleads the enemy as to your location, your strength, or your purpose. It is any and every means of hiding or disguising yourself from the enemy.”Instructors at the traveling school willPlanet PhotosAt top—A U.S. soldier in sniper's dress lies alongside of a soldier dressed in ordinary khaki field dress. At bottom—Pfc Chester Rogers, Chicago, and Pvt. Harry Dover, Sentry, Ark., exhibit the camouflage uniforms.*stress the importance of personal concealment.44 The object of personal camouflage,” Lt. Lee said, “ is to identify yourself with something that is already there. If that is impossible, an alternative is to get yourself or your vehicle close to two strongly contrasting objects, so that your contrast to your background is relatively slight in relation to the natural contrasts.”In the concealment of vehicles breaking the outline is of extreme importance.A Signal Corps color film constitute part of the inside schooling. The film illustrates the proper use of the moId*, colored sniper suit, and its effectiveness ; in combat.The instructors of the school haredesigned a “ combination Thunderbolt—P38—Spitfire ” made of a fibre spunfrom a rayon-like thread made from seaweed pulp. This mock plane can be sewn together in great numbers and used as i decoy to lure bombs from enemy places.“ Good camouflage does not mean which might otherwise be dropped mi completely hiding the object. If the out- the McCoy.line and shadows are broken, the object These decoys are also important asa| will not be readily visible from the air or 5 deceiving the enemy about !from a distance on the ground. ’ (.movements. Aji outfit can move otriovernight and by setting up the dummymma ms . s -v..v•Vvy.'.V.’v;. iy.v’i iVOj* •«.* *.*•*»« ...• V. . . • • *• . ■.*.*.:» WV.V-V.1.' v.v.\ . . . .• ' • • • lt;• » » « ' . . • .• II ■ . * . * .. . . .....J - . ........V VmConcealment in GrassTroop discipline is important for the maintenance of a concealed position. If the men are allowed to break a maze of paths, the position will be obvious to anenemy air observer.%44 When grass is growing normally,” Lt. Lee explains, “ each blade casts a small shadow, and gives grass a dark appearance from the air. If troops are allowed to trample on it, the blades are turned over and the flat side shines.”Part of the traveling school's collection of props is a walk-through exhibit, demonstrating the various ' types and tricks of camouflage. The art work for this exhibit was done by 2nd Lt. James O. Mahoney, Dallas, Texas, a muralartist before the war.Asquadron of cloth planes the move can be kept from the enemy obsene | planes. • 'I Lecturers on the tours will be 2nd L Jack A. Barber* Lubbock, Texas, indj , 2nd Lt. Samuel C, Carpenter, LincolnM;I N.C. Lt. Lee will lecture to the officer*.while Lts. Barner and Carpenter will lecture to the enlisted men at the airfidEnlisted personnel of the. school will carry out practical demonstrate in the field are: T/ Sgt. Robert R. Kellyj Jr., Houston, Texas; T/4 James R. Bar| nett, Elfrida, Ariz.; T/5 Harry L. Dover, Gentry, Ark.; Pfc George H. Frazee Jr* Lansdale, Pa.; T/5 Charles H. Modkr, Baker, Ore.; T/5 Joseph G. Chizar,Nct York City; Pfc Albert Stremlow, Clinks, Iowa; Pfc Joe Martino Jr., San Antonio, Texas; Pfc Chester P. Rogers, Chicago
Newspaper Details
London Stars and Stripes
London, Middlesex, GB
Thu, Jan 07, 1943
Page 2
Full Page
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CO, USA 22 Jan 2020
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