ship builders' union dazzle ship as WWI parade float

A long time ago—can it really have been nine years ago?—we blogged about the use of large scale models of dazzle-camouflaged ships as parade floats. It appears that they were constructed and sponsored by various ship builders' unions, and were part of patriotic celebrations, such as the Fourth of July. In our blog posts in 2017, we featured photographs from parades in New York.

More recently we've also found an example of a dazzle ship float from a parade that took place in Detroit that was featured in a Peace Parade in Detroit on November 28, 1918. Shown above is a restored, AI colorized version (the color may not be literally accurate) of a vintage photograph of the event. An original black and white version (it predated color photography) is in the Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library.

RELATED LINKS 

Dazzle Camouflage: What is it and how did it work? /  Nature, Art, and Camouflage / Art, Women's Rights, and Camouflage /  Embedded Figures, Art, and Camouflage / Art, Gestalt, and Camouflage /  Optical science meets visual art /  Disruption versus dazzle / Chicanery and conspicuousness /  

tacoma builds phony tank for WWI liberty loan parade

Above WWI American dummy tank in Liberty Loan parade, 1918

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CITY TANK IN LOAN PARADE in Tacoma Times (Tacoma WA) April 06, 1918, p. 8—

One of the novel features of Saturday’s Liberty parade was a miniature “tank” furnished by the city streets department. The tank was built from a new caterpillar tractor just purchased by the city. Although the caterpillar tread of the city machine does not go over the top of the body, as it does in the battle tanks, the machine was camouflaged by scenic artists so that it bore a startling resemblance to the new war terrors. It was armed with a half dozen fierce-looking guns. Commissioner Atkins announced that he would guide the city tank through the streets.

RELATED LINKS    

Dazzle Camouflage: What is it and how did it work? /  Nature, Art, and Camouflage / Art, Women's Rights, and Camouflage /  Embedded Figures, Art, and Camouflage / Art, Gestalt, and Camouflage /  Optical science meets visual art /  Disruption versus dazzle / Chicanery and conspicuousness /  Under the big top at Sims' circus

a scenery painter and shipbuilder turns to camouflage

Above This photograph was taken during a 1918 Fourth of July parade down Fifth Avenue in New York City. It shows wartime shipbuilders walking beside a float on which has been mounted a scale model of a dazzle-camouflaged ship. The Scottish-born camoufleur in the news story below may have worked for a comparable shipbuilding plant. Digital coloring.

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SEEKS REVENGE IN ARMY: Scot Glad to Fight Germans Who Killed Sister and Brothers, in New York Times, October 16, 1917, p 9—

Drilling with Company B of the 302nd Engineers, not with the light-hearted enthusiasm of the rest of the recruits but with the determInation of a man who sees his day for vengeance approaching, is James Kelly, whose sister and two brothers were killed by the Germans.

Kelly was born In Glasgow, Scotland. He came to this country eight years ago, and found employment in New York as a scenery painter. He made yearly trips to visit his family in Glasgow. He tried to enlist, but was rejected because of tobacco heart [ailment related to smoking]. He returned to this country and entered a shipbuilding plant as a camouflage painter for patrol boats for the British navy.

A year and a half ago Kelly heard that his brother Kenneth had been wounded and captured by the Germans. When questioned by a Prussian intelligence officer, Kenneth Kelly refused to divulge important military information he possessed, and was put in prison. Later he was shot.

On receipt of this news James Kelly sailed for Scotland. He tried again to enlist, and again he was rejected because of his heart. Kelly then returned to camouflage British patrol boats being built in this country.

Ten months ago Kelly again visited Glasgow. This time news came that his brother John had been killed by a German shell. James Kelly for the third time tried to enter the service, but his tobacco heart was against him.

The United States had entered the war when Kelly returned to New York. He tried to enlist in the regular army without success, and then went back to his camouflage work. When he registered for the draft he refused to claim an exemption as an alien, and declared that he had two reasons for wanting to fight. His happiest day came when he was called by his local draft board to Camp Upton. Because of his expert knowledge of camouflage, he was assigned to the 302nd Engineers.

A letter from Glasgow this morning brought the news that three weeks ago his sister Angelina, a Red Cross nurse, was killed in France. Tonight Private James Kelly has three reasons why his wartime service should not be the cunning of camouflage but the steel of trench knife and bayonet.

RELATED LINKS    

Dazzle Camouflage: What is it and how did it work? /  Nature, Art, and Camouflage / Art, Women's Rights, and Camouflage /  Embedded Figures, Art, and Camouflage / Art, Gestalt, and Camouflage /  Optical science meets visual art /  Disruption versus dazzle / Chicanery and conspicuousness /  Under the big top at Sims' circus

Parades of Dazzle Camouflaged Floats

Ship Camouflage on Parade Float (c1918)

Above In the closing years of World War I, the American public's interest in camouflage (especially dazzle camouflage) was all but boundless. Examples of camouflage were included in nearly every parade, such as this float that features a dazzle-painted ship (as seen from the rear), surrounded by waves of papier maché. See also other photographs of camouflage-themed parade floats, as noted in an earlier post. We've since found descriptions of others.

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CITY TANK IN LOAN PARADE in The Tacoma Times (Tacoma WA), April 6, 1918, p. 8—

One of the novel features of Saturday's Liberty Parade was a miniature "tank" furnished by the city streets department. The tank was built from a new caterpillar tractor just purchased by the city. Although the caterpillar tread of the city machine does not go over the top of the body, as it does in the battle tanks, the machine was camouflaged by scenic designers so that it bore a startling resemblance to the new war terrors. It was armed with a half dozen fierce-looking guns. Commissioner [of Public Works Charles D.] Atkins announced that he would guide the city tank through the streets.

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CAMOUFLAGED TANKS PARADE ST. LOUIS in the Oklahoma City Times, April 10, 1919, p. 4—

St. Louis, April 10—Twenty camouflaged tanks, similar to those used at the front, paraded through the business section today as part of a reception in honor of Major General Leonard Wood, commander of the central department of the army, who is in St, Louis in the interest of the coming Victory loan campaign. The tanks were operated by returned soldiers.

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BATTLESHIP FLOAT OF MARINE ELECTRICAL WORKERS IN PARADE in The Boston Globe, September 3, 1918, p. 7 (see news photograph below)—

One of the most striking features of the parade was the float of the Marine Electrical Workers of America—the Navy Yard local union. This was a model of a battleship, about 50 feet long and 20 feet high, with wireless cracking and guns shooting confetti.

Another attractive float was that of the Painters' Association from the Navy Yard, showing a camouflaged torpedo boat destroyer model, over which was hung the inscription, "This Is How We Fool the Kaiser's U-Boats."

Dazzle Ship Float in Boston Parade (1918)