November 2nd 1941, orders were issued by the US Navy (Norfolk) to 'stain' all remaining aircraft carrier decks blue after trials with USS Ranger. The Pensacola yard actually stained Ranger's deck in September '41 while the USS Hornet was also there. Curiously, it appears Hornet's deck was in the process of being stained Mahogany after they'd just done Ranger and the fleet was in the process of converting. On November 17th Norfolk also asked Ranger's captain to elaborate on his initial report regarding the new blue colouring and he suggested the stain required more penetration of new deck planks to stop it wearing so quickly. Some weeks later however, the USS Hornet also wore '250N Norfolk Deck Blue Stain' on her shakedown cruise at the end of December and colour pictures after her repaint in Feb '42 certainly show her blue deck.
Footnote: Curiously of the five WWII aircraft carriers preserved as museums (Albeit some since heavily modified examples) none to my limited knowledge retain the blue stain? It was however applied a few years ago to the only remaining 'Dreadnought' USS Texas...?
