U.S. Army Air Forces Mitchell B-25 crews prepare for the raid on Tokyo, Japan, under the command of Lt. Colonel James "Jimmy" Doolittle. B-25 Mitchell on the deck of USS Hornet in the Pacific Ocean. USAAF men stand around a plane. B-25 Mitchell taxi and take off from the deck. Insignia of the United States Army Air Forces. A crewman gives a signal. A view of an empty deck. A B-25 taxis on the deck of the USS Hornet (CV-8).
USS Lexington (CV-2) passing through the Gaillard Cut of the Panama Canal as she heads into the Pacific Ocean during World War 2, Her deck is full of aircraft. Sailors perform routine chores, mopping and cleaning. They stow propellers in the hangar deck. Sailors at mess in the dining hall and ready to sleep in their bunks. Officers in the ward room. Aviators discussing air navigation. Air crews receiving orders on flight deck. During an interlude crew members enjoy themselves swimming in tropical waters. They dive from the flight deck, from a lower section of the ship, and even from the ship's anchor. Sailors seen climbing the anchor chain. In an exercise of combat readiness, sailor sounds general quarters with bugle over ship's intercom. Aviators respond and are briefed about mission. Deck crews make aircraft ready for flight. Pilots run to F4F airplanes. Douglas Dauntless aircraft start their engines on deck.
Animated map shows Japanese massing for attacks against Australia, Midway Island, and the Aleutians in World War 2. U.S. naval forces prepare for the battles of Coral Sea and Midway. U.S. warships seen underway in the Pacific Ocean. Crewmen on the aircraft carrier, USS Yorktown (CV-5) push a Douglas SBD Dauntless aircraft with folded wings. Senior officer on the carrier looking through binoculars. Ship's flight operations personnel are alerted by bugle over intercom to report to their stations. flight deck operational crews assemble on deck. Aviators assemble in ready rooms. They are told a Japanese carrier has been sighted and they are to attack its aircraft. Ready rooms are notified of enemy contact at 125 miles. The pilots scramble up stairs to the flight deck and their airplanes. They climb into cockpits Douglas SBD Dauntless planes, start engines, taxi, and take off one at a time. They form up in flights of 3 aircraft each and fly overhead. View of the Island on the Yorktown, as they wait for aircraft to return. Antiaircraft gunners wait in readiness for possible Japanese attack. A formation of Japanese Aichi D3A (Val) aircraft is sighted. They dive at the Yorktown, as her gunners fire away at them. Black flak clouds fill the sky. An explosion as a bomb strikes the Yorktown. She lists and burns and is wracked by another explosion. An SBD dauntless rocks loose near the end of flight deck. USS Yorktown along with other ships in the task force battling Japanese aircraft. A Japanese torpedo plane is downed on the surface of the sea. Flames and smoke at forward port area of Yorktown's flight deck. Gunners hit wings of attacking airplane. Firefighters on Yorktown set up hoses on her deck. More U.S. aircraft airborne to attack Japanese force only 15 miles away. U.S. dive bomber dropping a bomb. An SBD dauntless lands on a carrier deck. Navy aviators pose on deck. Closeup of a Dauntless landing. "Scorecard" compares U.S. and Japanese losses in the two engagements.
Color footage shot during WWII under the direction of John Ford for his documentary on the Battle of Midway. United States aircraft carrier underway in the Pacific Ocean. U.S. Navy F4F-4 Wildcat aircraft taking off from the flight deck. Other F4Fs warming up in the background. Men aboard the aircraft carrier. Douglas TBDs and SBDs flying low over water, simulating attacks on Japanese ships. Flak in the sky. Smoke rising from simulated burning ships.
Scenes shot under direction of John Ford during Battle of Midway. A United States aircraft carrier underway in the Pacific Ocean. U.S. Navy pilots climbing out of their cockpits after a mission. The aircraft parked on the flight deck of a carrier. The third pilot seen is Lieutenant Commander John S. Thach, inventor of the so-called "Thach weave," an aerial maneuver. Japanese flags painted on the fuselages of the aircraft, marking their victories in the air. Pilots climbing down from the aircraft on to the flight deck. The aircraft carrier underway. Other ships underway in the background.
Naval Battle of Santa Cruz Island in the Pacific Ocean during World War 2. View from The USS Enterprise (CV-6) during attacks by Japanese airplanes. F4F aircraft parked on her flight deck. A U.S. Destroyer is steaming aft and firing its guns. Battleship, USS South Dakota seen in distance. Black Flak bursts in the air. The Enterprise makes swerving defensive maneuvers while underway. A Japanese airplane flies overhead, aft. View from the ship's island of sailors gathered on flight deck and then running to an F4F that has collapsed with wing over antiaircraft gun positions. Sailors begin to right the airplane but abandon the deck when a bomb hits somewhere aft starboard. Smoke rising from the strike area. Enterprise making severe defensive maneuvers as her antiaircraft batteries fire. Anti-aircraft cruiser, USS San Juan CL-54, visible astern as Enterprise turns hard to starboard. Sky filled with black flak bursts. Black smoke rising from two downed Japanese aircraft in the water. Smoke drifting across the flight deck.