President Harry S.Truman is flanked by Brigadier General John Howell Collier, Commander, 2nd Armored Division, and a Major General to his left, and Brigadier General Harry H. Vaughan (in sun glasses) and other military officers and Secret Service agents to his right, as they salute the colors during a visit to the 2nd Armored Division while enroute to Berlin and the Potsdam Conference at end of World War 2. The President steps up onto a mobile reviewing platform, followed by General Collier. Scene shifts to a line of 2nd Armored Division M10 Tank Destroyers with their crews saluting as the President's reviewing vehicle passes. The President with Secretary of State,James F. Byrnes, and Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, riding in an open car toward Berlin on an autobahn highway.They are followed by several vehicles carrying military Police and a jeep filled with members of the press.
July 16, 1945, with President Truman and his party enroute to Berlin Germany, prior to the "Big Three" conference at Potsdam. President Harry S. Truman is seated in right rear of open car. Secretary of State, James F. Byrnes sits next to him in the center, and Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, Personal Chief of Staff to the President, is in the left rear seat. U.S. Army Brigadier. An Army Major General stands beside the car speaking to the occupants. Brigadier General Harry H. Vaughan (wearing sun glasses), long time friend and aide to the President, steps close to the car. Scene shifts to the President and his party, standing in a moving vehicle, as they review troops of the 2nd Armored Division, standing in front of their tanks, M10 Tank Destroyers, and other armored vehicles. The President and Secretary Byrnes remove their hats and hold them over their hearts,while military officers render hand salutes as they pass the colors. Views from vehicle passing the formation.View from ground of Presidential party at attention with flag of the 17th Battalion displayed. A Lieutenant from the 17th Armored Engineer Battalion reads a citation and Brigadier General John Howell Collier, Commander, 2nd Armored Division, unfurls unit citation ribbon, that President Truman then ties to the Guidon of Company E, 17th Armored Engineer Battalion. As President Truman reportedly described the event in his diary: "We reviewed the Second Armored Division and tied a citation on the guidon of Company E, 17th Armored Engineer Battalion. General Collier, who seemed to know his stuff, put us in a reconnaissance car built with side seats and no top, just like a hoodlum wagon minus the top on a fire truck, with seats and no hose, and we drove slowly down a mile and a half of good soldiers and some millions of dollars' worth of equipment -- which had amply paid its way to Berlin." (World War II period).
President Truman's motorcade stops to review troops of the U.S. 2nd Armored Division, along a German highway (autobahn) while enroute to Berlin. The Presidential party, includes Truman, Secretary of State Byrnes, Brigadier General Collier, Brigadier General Vaughan, Fleet Admiral Leahy, and others. They stand on a platform in an Army reconnaissance vehicle while it passes more a mile of parked tanks and other armor, with respective crews standing in front. President Truman and his party salute as they pass the colors. The Presidential limousine and other vehicles follow the reviewing party. The Presidential party stops as Truman presents a Presidential Unit Citation to Company E, 17th Armored Engineer Battalion. (World War II period)
German newsreel in World War 2 shows Spanish sailors in boats possibly in North Africa. A sailor talks over telephone. Sailors fire from gun mounted on the boat. Long muzzle of a gun seen. Spanish Soldiers jump from the boats and pull the boat to the beach. Soldiers march on rocky hills. Marching troop of soldiers led by the Spanish officer. Spanish officer salutes the troops.
World War II. Hitler Youth pull speed boats to the sea and jump in them. Propeller on long extender in the water. A youth operating the motor stands in the boat whereas others sit. German 'swastika' insignia on the arms of the youth. Boat reaches the beach. Youth jump out.
German General Erwin Rommel inspects German bunkers and fortifications in North Africa. The General talks to a soldier and walks away. The German Army soldiers stand with their military tanks near their bunkers. General Rommel in a tank, having conversation with another officer. (Scenes are from 1941, but narrator is noting that Rommel has died, indicating that this is news form 1944, but is showing scenes from several years prior.)
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