Some Questions on Iwo Jima Camouflage Schemes and Vehicle Marking

Modeling Subjects Armor
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After conducting some preliminary research on Marine M29C Weasels on Iwo Jima, I have a couple of questions. These questions range from the very general to specific. If anyone has a minute to share a little information, I would be very grateful.

The first question is very general. Does anyone know at what level camouflage decisions were made and paint schemes standardized (in particular, as applies to the Marine Corps)? I ask because I have turned up a couple of pictures of the Marine Weasels at Iwo Jima which seem to have different paint schemes. In “Marines in World War II Historical Monograph, Iwo Jima: Amphibious Epic” by Lt. Col. Whitman S. Bartley, USMC there is a photograph of a Weasel which may be painted OD while in Zaloga’s “US Amtracs and Amphibians at War 1941-45” the pictures of Weasels from Iwo Jima are obviously three color camouflage. (Post Script: As I again look at the photograph in “Iwo Jima: Amphibious Epic” it is possible that the vehicle is the three color scheme and that the vehicle is just very dusty, however I would still be interested in hearing about how camouflage decisions were made.)

I also understand that the answer to this question will vary with the time period. Certainly earlier campaigns saw idiosyncratic paint schemes which were in no way standardized. I don’t have my references here at work, but from Ed Gilbert’s book I recall a particular Lieutenant’s tank which bore a unique camouflage scheme (making it instantly identifiable). So, if anyone wanted to take a stab at painting with a really broad brush, comments on the evolution of Marine camouflage schemes would be grateful received (I realize that a complete answer to this question would require an article of not inconsequential length, but any comments would be helpful).

The second question is much more specific. Namely, what vehicle markings ought to be present on Iwo Jima Weasels? In the two aforementioned sources, I cannot make out any vehicle markings in the photographs. Is it possible that the vehicle bore no markings whatsoever?

Thank you for any assistance.

Dave Johannsen

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I have read that the camo schemes sometimes were designated based on the prior invasion site. This sometimes lead to camo schemes that were not approperate for the new invasion site.

A book that I used to model Marine shermans that included camo information is Osprey Modelling Manual 14, M4 Sherman. I believe the color scheme for Iwo was sand with patches of earth red andolive drab. Too bad, Iwo had black sands with volcanic rocks covered by thick coats of black ash with iridescent streaks. Greg.