American military trucks and tanks traverse New Road through village of Shaftesbury, Dorset, England. An African American soldier drives one of the trucks. An overhead crane pulls a 2-1/2 ton cargo truck,two wheeled trailer aboard a ship. Trucks and two M1 tanks drive through, turning in front of the Abbey Printing Works. Several townsfolk stand in front of V.F. Pike & Co.Ltd. shop and watch tanks driving past. U.S. soldiers ride in an open stake trucks pulling field artillery. View from vehicle moving along village street past army trucks and entering a courtyard, between stone pillars. A U.S. Military policeman directing truck traffic in center of town. View from truck driving over rails and into port where large ship is being loaded by cranes.
A British Dakota (or U.S. C-47) taking off from an airfield towing a British Airspeed AS.51 Horsa glider. Both aircraft are painted in D-day stripes. Formation of C-47 aircraft towing WACO CG-4A Gliders. A C-47 in D-day stripes parked in front of a hangar.
At start of film, several American transport ships are seen manuevering in waters surrounded by some of their landing craft (Higgins Boats) on a foggy day off Slapton Sands, England during World War 2. They are participating in Exercise Fabius I, a rehearsal for the invasion of Normandy. Several Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) are seen approaching the shore. Troops of the U.S. Army 16th Infantry Regiment have already landed and are making their way inward on the beachhead. Higgins boats maneuver about as well. One, from the transport ship, USS Samuel Chase (APS-26) is seen approaching the shore. Views of troops leaving beached LCIs and Higgins Boats at the shore. Troops boarding a Higgins boat. It heads toward the shore.
Film begins showing closeup of the American transport ship, USS Anne Arundel (AP-76) anchored off shore at Slapton Sands, England. A landing ship (LCI-590) passes by her and several Higgins boats maneuver in waters nearby. Stern view of the Anne Arundel from an LCI. Closeup of an LCI pulling up next to the transport ship. Next, troops of the 16th Infantry Regiment are seen descending rope net from the transport ship and boarding the LCI. Closeup from the LCI of the troops reaching the deck of the LCI and walking forward. The number on the LCI is "88." Several views from different angles of the troops descending the rope net from the transport ship. View of the USS Anne Arundel with Higgins boats moving all around her. Closeup of LCI moving away from a transport ship. More views of troops descending from a transport ship to a Landing Craft Infantry.View from an LCI headed for the beach, where many troops have already landed. The LCI continues and beaches. Troops and various exercise markers are seen in the background Troops leave the LCI via her side ramps and join many others already ashore.
View from port side of a U.S. landing ship tank (LST) underway in the English Channel during World War 2. Ahead is another ship and three landing craft vehicle personnel (LCVPs) on the horizon. Scene shifts to stern of a boat in which two U.S. Coast Guard officers are seen, with Slapton Sands in the background. One smokes a cigar. Next, another view from the port side of the LST shows two officers standing on the deck. The ship approaches the shore and beaches at Slapton Sands. Targets and guide flags are seen on the sand along with a large sign designating Beach "B." A huge hill dominates the background. Closeup of the Coast Guard officer smoking his cigar. Next, a landing craft tank (LCT) number 140 and a Higgins Boat from Troop Transport PA-25 are seen hitting the beach. Closeup of U.S. Coast Guard officer observing through binoculars. A truck driving out of a landing craft utility.
Opening scene shows bow of the American transport ship, USS Bayfield (APA-33), anchored in a bay in Scottish waters. United States Coast Guard crews, from the Bayfield, practice maneuvering their Higgins boats landing craft in the bay. Snow can be seen on the surrounding terrain. Various landing craft speed about in the bay. A Coast Guardsman seated at the edge of a landing craft. A crewman on one craft is signaling by hand. His craft display a three striped pennant.(World War II; WW II; World War 2; World War Two)