A lookout post with a telescope is seen on top of a U.S. Navy troop transport ship in World War 1. A sailor on lookout supposedly sights an enemy submarine. Scene shifts to view of periscope moving through water. (Several vessels and shoreline are seen in background.) An officer responds to lookout's report and looks through binoculars. Lookout calls on intercom and general quarters alarm bells are sounded. Sailors respond, manning a deck gun, which they load and fire, ostensibly repelling a submarine attack.
Aerial views of U.S. fleet in bay near Ulithi Island in the Pacific during World War Two. Aerial view of the U.S. Cruiser, USS Chester (CA-27) underway.
Smoke rises from bombed aircraft carrier USS Princeton (CVL-23) off Luzon in World War 2. Time code 00:29,shows F6F-5 #7 "Paper Doll," of VF-27, (mount of Ensign Bob Burnell who painted most of the famous "cat mouths" on the cowls of VF-27 Hellcats).Pilots walk across flight deck of USS Essex (CV-9). TC:01:04, F6F-5 #47 (VF-15) is seen with Horizontal stripe near rudder tip identifying it as an Air Group 15 aircraft. Further along is F6F-3 #8 (VF-15) Late production -3 with superseded tri-color paint scheme and 7 Japanese victory flag emblems under cockpit. F6F-3 #F-11 (VF-27) Late production -3, "F-11" lettered prefix to aircraft number (unusual on an operational fighter probably indicating a recent replacement). Plane captain is cleaning windshield on the "Minzi III" when Captain David S. McCampbell, the top U.S. Navy ace, approaches and climbs aboard the aircraft. Thirty Japanese flags are painted on the fuselage below the cockpit. McCampbell straps in and starts his engine. He gives a "thumbs up" sign. "Airedales" push empty Hellcat belly tanks across Essex flight deck. A Destroyer fires antiaircraft guns. Japanese aircraft seen in flight over water. Fire from 40 mm guns. (Note: Some planes of Squadron VF-27 on the Princeton, were recovered on the Essex.)
View of the British aircraft carrier, Courageous, from Fairey Swordfish aircraft that has just taken off. Captain Schuhart, commander of the German submarine U-29 enters harbor with crew on deck after successfully sinking the British Aircraft Carrier, Courageous, off the coast of England, on September 17, 1939. Captain Schuhart steps from the U-29 to the shore and is immediately awarded the Iron Cross, first class. His crew members are seen wearing awards of Iron Cross, second class. German Destroyers underway in the North Sea. They maneuver guns and torpedo launchers. A boarding party from a German destroyer accosts a merchant vessel, which they board and signal as OK. The boarding party returns to the destroyer, which then steams away at high speed.
USAAF B-29 Superfortress bombers descends to land. The USAAF B-29 lands on an airstrip and taxis. The crewmen deplane and poses in front of the B-29.
Crew member of USAAF B-29 Superfortress bomber at a South Pacific island, gives his view on surrender of Japan soon after returning from a flight to Japan. The crew member speaks about B-29s bombing Japan in the final days of World War II and talks about his first peacetime landings.