These two questions are for anybody. Did the USS Vestal have metal or wooden decks and would she and other auxillary ships at PH have had the new color scheme of Mediterranean Blue as ordered by ADM. Kimmel?
Once again I am going to recommend that you go back to the Navy’s Damage Control reports on the Vestal. The information regarding the decks is contained there.
http://www.dcfp.navy.mil/cgi-bin/WarGalleryPop.cgi?id=47
In my opinion (that and 5 bucks will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks), the Vestal was not in Measure 1, in either Dark Gray (5-D) or in Sea Blue (5-S). Based on the above photo, the mast tops above the funnel line were not painted a lighter color. Measure 1 called for these to be Light Gray (5-L). Rather the ship appears to be relatively uniform. Painting regulations also called for yard and district ships and craft to be painted in Ocean Gray (5-O). I believe the Vestal was in Ocean Gray.
http://www.dcfp.navy.mil/cgi-bin/WarGalleryPop.cgi?id=46
The starboard side coloration is similar
To EdGrune, Thank You for getting back to me. With help from my beautiful computer literate wife, ( her words) ,I was finally able to understand what you were trying to explain with the hyper link you gave me. I got all the information I needed. The sight was informative regarding my question about the Vestals decks. Hank, Support the Troops