A film about uses and importance of weapons since old times in the United States. Past events depict smoke rising from Pearl Harbor in Hawaii after Japanese attack of December 7, 1941 during World War II. American soldiers fire machine guns during the war, from a jungle area in the Pacific. The soldiers run through muddy waters. Sky filled with parachutes, as seen from the ground, as U.S. Army paratroopers descend and land for an airborne invasion. American Army Infantrymen on a snow-covered landscape in Europe fire M-1 rifles at enemy German positions during World War 2.
Lieutenant Commander Harvey J. Smith, Executive Officer of the American submarine, USS Tinosa (SS-283). View of him and crew of the boat lined up on the deck, at (according to slate) harbor in Rhode Island, USA. Complete change of scene to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where several Gato class submarines are lined up in the harbor, with their respective crews all standing on deck. Spectators in background.
Two U.S. submarines arriving and tying up at pier in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, during World War 2. Crews of both boats are standing on their respective decks. One displays a Navy ensign with some sort of image superimposed on it. A band of sailors stands in formation on the pier, with their musical instruments. Several Naval officers board the closest boat via gangplank.Officers cross to outer boat by gangplank, as a third submarine approaches, flying numerous flags on a line from its conning tower. Then, a 4th submarine arrives and ties up with the others. The band on the pier begins to play as a 5th submarine joins the group.
Crews of submarines, that just returned to their home base at Pearl Harbor,during World War 2, are seen as they secure their boats and prepare to disembark. One sailor is seen with a beard grown during his deployment. A Navy Lieutenant poses holding a life preserver from a japanese ship. Several Japanese prisoners of war leave the submarines and board an open back truck under guard by armed U.S. Military police. The truck drives away.