United States Marines aboard landing ships near Red Beach, Okinawa. The ramp door of the ship opens in the water. Tanks and other artillery being transported from the ship by amphibious vehicles onto Red Beach. The amphibious vehicles in water advancing towards the beach. (World War II period).
U.S. Navy ships bombarding Okinawa during World War II. At start of film, American warships are seen near the shore of Okinawa. Landing Ship Medium (Rocket), LSMR, Number 651, is firing rockets. A Cleveland class light cruiser is firing its guns to starboard. More scenes of rockets being fired from landing ships, leaving trails of smoke as they go.
A flotilla of American Higgins boat landing craft head for the shore of Gunto, Okinawa during World War 2. Some Landing Craft Infantry (LCIs) are also seen. Landing Craft Large, LCI (L) number 326 is seen in the background. View from a Higgins boat landing craft of several LCI(L)s ahead. Silhouette of a Transport Ship is seen in waters close to Okinawa. An undentified white boat is behind it in the sunlight. Beyond that,nearer the shore, is the white hospital ship, USS Comfort (II) (AH-6).
U.S. Navy ships shell Okinawa and Japanese kamikaze suicide planes hit USS Maryland (BB-46) during World War 2. USS Maryland (BB-46) in silhouette. Destroyer in the far background. Tracers fired at Japanese aircraft overhead. Flak explodes around Japanese aircraft. Black smoke. Japanese plane head toward ship. A dramatic large explosion in the sea directly in front of the camera position. American ship in distance explodes in flame and smoke. Okinawa in the background. Other vessels around ship. Japanese aircraft burns spiraling down. Long trail of black smoke and then airplane crashes. Cruiser at anchor. Battleship fires in the background. Cruiser sends light signals.
Animation depicts Okinawa in relation to Japan,China,Formosa, and Iwo Jima. U.S. landing ships carry troops who make unopposed landings on Hagushi beach, U.S. troops seen pouring ashore. Okinawa. Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner and Vice Admiral Raymond A. Spruance seen looking through binoculars on the deck of the amphibious Flag Ship. U.S. troops move inland from the beachhead. Troops bringing bulldozers. U.S. Army infantry of the 24th Corps engage Japanese defenders. Japanese bunkers and fortifications seen. U.S. battleships and other ships of the line begin intense bombardment of the Japanese positions. U.S. army artillery fire large howitzers. U.S. tanks attack Japanese fortifications and suffer counter fire. Troop movements impeded by rain and mud. Ammunition ships seen having difficulty on congested beachhead. Animation shows how naval gunfire could successfully strike Japanese fortified positions because of flat trajectory. (World War II period).
Animation showing disposition and range of Naval Gunfire supporting the U.S. invasion of Okinawa, in World War II. At times 00:25 battleship USS New York, BB-34, and at time 00:33 foreground, heavy cruiser USS Salt Lake City, CA-25; directly behind CA-25 is the battleship USS New York, BB-34; to the right is the battleship USS Nevada, BB-36; to the left is the battleship . all fire heavy guns at Okinawa, Japan. A floating Japanese mine is seen. A Japanese suicide boat. U.S. troops stand by a Japanese suicide "Baka" rocket propelled bomb sitting on a wooden frame. Views of Japanese Kamikaze planes being shot down by U.S. naval antiaircraft fire, at time 00:38 is a Cleveland Class light cruiser firing its forward 6-inch triple mount guns; and time 00:59 to 01:04 a kamikaze flies past the battleship USS Colorado, BB-45 ( in Measure 33/3D camouflage) and past an Astoria Class heavy cruiser. It then explodes on the starboard aft quarter of the USS Idaho, BB-42.