Lone Sentry: Camouflage of Vehicles; Siting (War Department Field Manual FM 5-20B, April 1944)

CONTENTS

Check List
Introduction
Aerial Observation
Ground Observation
Tracks
[ Siting ]
Dispersion
Shine
Shadows
Natural Materials
Vehicle Painting
Artificial Materials
Use of Nets
Digging In
Snow Camouflage

SITING

Siting is choosing an advantageous position in the terrain pattern. The aim of good siting is to occupy the terrain without altering its appearance. To do this, park vehicles under natural cover whenever it is available. When cover is inadequate, park so the shape of the vehicle will appear to be a natural part of the terrain pattern.

FIGURE 13 (1).—Bad siting. No enemy airman would miss the story of this scene. An undisciplined congestion of vehicles, parked without regard for the terrain pattern, must expect machine gunning and bombing.

Before a driver can site his vehicle to take advantage of the concealment possibilities of the terrain, he must learn how different types of terrain appear from the air. In combat zones, knowing this is as important as knowing how to drive his vehicle.

There are four main types of terrain pattern: wooded, agricultural, urban, and barren. Different percentages of these four patterns are contained in the illustration below. How vehicles should be parked in them is shown in the following pages.

FIGURE 13 (2).—Good siting. The vehicles are still there, but the appearance of the terrain is undisturbed. Some are in shadows, others under natural cover; their shapes blend with elements in the terrain.

SITING IN WOODED TERRAIN

Wooded terrain gives excellent concealment for a vehicle and its tracks. The pattern of wooded terrain is irregular. To preserve its natural appearance vehicles must disperse and park irregularly, at varying angles and unequal distances apart.

FIGURE 14 (1).—Straight line of convoy contrasts with normal pattern. Even if convoy disperses in woods, tracks would remain and give it away.

(2).—Move off road on existing routes, or make shortest possible new ones where they are least likely to be seen. Disperse, park close to trees.

SITING IN AGRICULTURAL TERRAIN

SITING IN AGRICULTURAL TERRAIN The dominant characteristic of an agricultural terrain pattern is lines—fence lines, hedge lines, cultivation lines. A high degree of concealment is obtained if vehicles are dispersed parallel to terrain lines so that the lines remain more prominent than the vehicles.

FIGURE 15 (1).—Don't alter the existing terrain pattern by parking in open fields, or by moving across them, or by cutting corners short.

(2).—Park parallel to and as close as possible to fence lines, hedge lines, and cultivation lines. Tracks must follow these same lines.

SITING IN URBAN TERRAIN

The pattern of cities, towns, and villages affords many opportunities for concealment. There are large shadow areas, usually some overhead cover, and the wall lines of buildings can be used in the same way as hedge lines were used in the agricultural pattern.

FIGURE 16 (1).—Follow existing routes. Don't park in open areas or at an angle to a building or wall. Don't ignore the cover of a few trees.

(2).—Park under cover or so the vehicle is parallel to walls and buildings. Stay on their shadow side and as close to them as possible.

SITING IN BARREN TERRAIN

Even in barren terrain, such as a desert, at least partial concealment can be obtained by careful siting. Here the terrain pattern is composed of dry washes and other irregular folds in the ground, scattered rock accumulations, scrub growth, and the shadows from these.

FIGURE 17 (1).—These vehicles and their shadows are conspicuous because they are in contrast to the smooth light areas where they parked.

(2).—Disperse, and park so vehicle shadows are broken up by, or lost in, the shadows of folds in the ground, rocks, or scrub growth.



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