A film 'Camouflage in Combat' underlines the importance of tactical exploitation and counteraction of shadows and use of nets, underbrush and other camouflage during World War II. The film shows U.S. soldiers going into a theater in the United States and watching a movie 'Camouflage'. The movie shows a soldier in a forest. He is shot down. A soldier approaches him. He looks skywards. He applies mud on his face to camouflage himself. Soldiers paint each other's faces with GI paint. On 5th June 1944, fully camouflaged Airborne and pathfinder U.S. paratroopers preparing for D-Day invasion jump over Normandy, France. Soldiers with camouflaged helmets. A soldier camouflages his helmet with grass and twigs. A soldier on an island with his helmet camouflaged with grass and twigs found in the area which gives him a perfect blend. U.S. soldiers with camouflaged helmets in France. A camouflaged tank rolls. An officer inspects soldiers standing in a line. Their helmets are camouflaged. A U.S. soldier hiding in shadows in Casino, Italy fires his gun. His ring sparkles. A soldier in a prone position fires. A New Zealand soldier fires while in shadows.
U.S. Sergeant W R Thomas sits at the roadside in France. A truck drops the newspaper for him nearby. Shooting over the shoulder as he reads the headline 'Victory in Stars and Stripes', which came to be known as VE Day or Victory in Europe Day. VE Day marked the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allies. The Sergeant stands up and salutes after reading the paper. He is seen rejoicing and celebrating the Allied victory. (World War II period).
Operations of U.S. Martin B-26 Marauder aircraft of the 9th Air Force, 323rd Bombardment Group from Denain Airfield (A-83) in France, at very end of World War II in Europe. View from interior of Base Operations building shows B-26s taking off from runway. Six B-26s in formation. Four B-26s in formation. The aircraft all display the distinctive white tail of the 323rd BG.
Repatriated French soldiers being processed at a reception center in Paris, France, at the end of World War 2, in Europe. A repatriated French Colonial soldier speaks with two French soldiers assisting with the processing. The repatriated soldiers are processed by women at a long counter. 'Identite' written beside the counter. Several officials seated behind the counter talking to the repatriates. A woman behind the counter talks to a soldier and annotates a document. She stamps the document. Two women seated at a desk. A repatriated soldier is fingerprinted by a soldier who presses the index fingers of both his hands on the stamp pad and rolls his inked fingers on a document.
Opening scene shows ground crew loading bombs on a Martin B-26 Marauder aircraft of the USAAF 323rd Bombardment Group at Denain-Prouvy Airdrome, France (A-83) in World War 2. The aircraft is parked on pierced steel planking (Marsden Matting). Glimpse of aircrew members, carrying their parachutes, as they climb into the back of an open truck. Next, ground crewman steadies a bomb as another man operates controls to lower it from an M6 bomb service truck. Ground crewman screws fins on the bomb. View shifts to inside the truck carrying aircrew members, as more climb aboard it. Several crew members climb down from the truck, as it arrives at their aircraft. Others are seen already at their respective aircraft parked nearby. Rough slate identifies the airfield as A-83, and day as 22 April. An officer, bombardier, is seen strapping himself into the nose of a B-26. Bombardier makes adjustments to his bomb sight. Pilot and copilot close their respective canopies. Name: "Wild-Bill" seen painted below copilot's window.
Opening slate cites location as A-83 (Denain-Prouvy Airdrome, France). Aircrew members step from back of an open crew transport truck and walk to their parked Martin B-26 Marauder aircraft, of the U.S. Army Air Forces 323rd Bombardment Group. The entire side fuselage of the aircraft is covered with painted bombs indicating the many missions it had completed, thus far, during World War 2. Crew members place their gear on the ground in front of the aircraft as a Staff Sergeant (Maintenance Chief) brings the plane's Form 1 (Flight Report and Maintenance Record) for the pilot to review and sign. (This segment is repeated twice for the camera.) Closeup of the pilot discussing the aircraft status with an enlisted man. Meanwhile other crew members stand around. One crew member lights the Tech Sergeant's cigarette. Closeup of an officer crew member, with Marsden Matting on ground in background. Closeup of pilot annotating and signing the aircraft Form 1. Next, the pilot distributes mail to members of the crew. An airman brings a pet dog to one of the crew who plays with it. Pilot takes a final drag on a cigarette and rubs it out on a bomb sitting nearby. (Sequence is repeated twice.) Glimpse of trash caught in pierced steel planking (Marsden matting) on the ground. Next scene shows pilot speaking from cockpit window to Sergeant on the ground. View of pilot and copilot settling into their seats in the cockpit. They don their radio headsets.