WW2 US Navy "camouflage" cream

[Evolv5]

I was recently watching the 1954 movie "The Caine Mutiny", and before battle the Captain orders the sailors to put on"battle gear" and "camouflage cream", which is essentially just a white cream they smear on their faces. Much like sun cream that doesn't go into the skin.

They cover everything apart from the lower jaw / chin area.

I was just curious if anyone knew if they was just to help protect the face against the sun? "Camouflage" being just a colloquial term perhaps.

[Seek]

i think this was not about camouflage, but rather to protect your skin from fire.

[Evolv5]

i think this was not about camouflage, but rather to protect your skin from fire.

Aye that was one of my thoughts as well, but I wondered why they didn't put any on the lower face.
It's a fictional film, so maybe not a very important detail.

[Rakki]

lower face would be covered by flash hoods (balaclava like things)

[Seek]

I think that part of the face was covered by a mask made of fire retardant material, just like the one navies use these days.

Ediit: Rakki beat me to it...

[kutter]

Funny enough someone asked the exact same question a few years back at the below forum:

http://www.historykb.com/Uwe/Forum.aspx/world-war-ii/1866/WW2-Naval-Question

In short it was zinc oxide (yes the same stuff in sun screen) and used to protect against severe burns during the flash fire of an explosion.

In regards to not applying the cream to the lower jaw it seems to have been a case of Hollywood taking creative licensing. One of the posters mentioned (5th post from the bottom) that when he was in the Navy it was to supposed to be applied to all exposed skin.

[Evolv5]

Funny enough someone asked the exact same question a few years back at the below forum:

http://www.historykb.com/Uwe/Forum.aspx/world-war-ii/1866/WW2-Naval-Question

In short it was zinc oxide (yes the same stuff in sun screen) and used to protect against severe burns during the flash fire of an explosion.

In regards to not applying the cream to the lower jaw it seems to have been a case of Hollywood taking creative licensing. One of the posters mentioned (5th post from the bottom) that when he was in the Navy it was to supposed to be applied to all exposed skin.

Thank you very much, explained everything. MP.net is a real gem when you want to find out the most obscure things.

Thanks again for all the replies

[Dr-Horrible]

I had seen sailors in documentaries and had wondered the same exact thing.