Description
Book Synopsis During World War I, American merchant ships were given oddly colored paint jobs to distort their profiles at sea. Dubbed Razzle-Dazzle, these camouflage patterns were believed responsible for dramatic decreases in Allied shipping losses.
This book examines the real (and more compelling) factors that made a difference in the survivability of merchant shipping: the various measures taken principally by the U.S. Navy, including the use of convoys and destroyer escorts, along with some innovative naval technologies. At the same time, advances in America''s shipbuilding industry and the development of the nation''s first major on-the-job training program enabled mass production of merchant ships at a record pace.
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Preface
- Introduction
- 1. The Gathering Storm at Sea
- 2. The Ocean, Sky and Sun
- 3. American Razzle Dazzle
- 4. The British and American Camouflage Section's Handiworks
- 5. The Navy's Camouflage Section Workshop at Work
- 6. Safe Passage
- 7. The U-boat
- 8. The Queens of the Convoys
- 9. The War of the Ways
- 10. The Navy Armed Guards
- 11. Convoy Duty
- 12. Cargos
- 13. Mail
- 14. The Destroyers, Subchasers and Eagle Boats
- 15. Convoy Orphans
- 16. Combating the U-boat Menace from the Air
- 17. Mines
- 18. Sabotage, Espionage and Subterfuge
- 19. Assessing Success
- Chapter Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
