U.S. airborne troops training in hand-to-hand combat; scaling obstacles; crawling under barbed wire; and parachuting from C-130 aircraft. Paratoopers jump from aircraft and view of sky filled with parachutes and aircraft. Paratroopers landing on the frozen tundra in Alaska, and jumping from U.S. Air Force C-124 Globemaster aircraft, over the ice cap in Greenland. In February, 1956, U.S. Army paratroopers jump from Air Force C-119 aircraft during SEATO Operation "Firm Link," in Thailand. Civilians in Thailand watch the demonstrations, in which one of the paratroopers is forced to use his auxiliary chute when his main chute fails. Military General officers of Southeast Treaty Organization nations watch the demonstrations. U.S. Army airborne units practicing assault resupply techniques with NATO forces in Germany, supported by helicopters and light utility airplanes. Supplies being airdropped with parachutes to the resupply location. At Fort Bliss, Texas, a radio controlled drone plane equipped with a parachute (possibly a Radioplane OQ-14 or similar from slightly later generation), acts as a target for tank crews. When hit, the drone parachutes to earth. A different U.S. Army reconnaissance drone is launched from a catapult as a U.S. Army soldier stands nearby controlling its ascent with remote control joystick. Aerial footage shot by the drone is shown, revealing scenes on the ground useful to field commanders. The drone, with it's camera, returns to base and gently parachutes to be recovered.
Actor Raymond Massey standing in front of color map of North America, speaks about U.S. measures to defend against potential enemy intercontinental ballistic missiles. Aerial view of one of the largest radar antennas in the world being set up in Greenland and Alaska, and another planned for Great Britain, all part of the BMEWS (Ballistic Missile Early Warning System). A teletype machine printing information transmitted by the BMEWS system. View of technicians working in BMEWS communications circuit vault. More views of BMEWS radar antennas. Animated diagram of earth with early warning satellites orbiting to provide instant notice of missile launch. Views of U.S. Army Nike-Hercules missiles being tested, before development of the Nike-Zeus versions.
Animated map of world highlights the continental United States, Alaska, the Soviet Union and Europe. Circumferential rings illustrate the scope of radar coverage by America's various air defense installations in the world. A radar installation in a desert. Camouflaged radar installation at a remote airfield where U.S. aircraft are parked. An army camp ow tents and sandbags, containing a large radar array. Views of several radar antennas rotating in various places as narrator explains function of radar systems. View of "Radio Jim Creek," Naval Radio Station very low frequency (VLF) radio antennas at Jim Creek near Oso, Washington State. . The transmitter, itself, is located at Arlington,Washington State. Views inside the transmitter facility, where sailor technicians monitor various instruments and are seen at various work stations. (Note: this army production fails to mention that this Naval Radio Station's primary mission it to communicate with submerged U.S. submarines.)
U.S. Army Air Service Douglas World Cruisers (DWC) in the United States during the first flight around the world. In Aleutian Islands, Alaska: Flier Douglas World Cruiser on a lake before the hop across the Pacific to Japan. A snow-covered mountain in the background. Two cruisers. One of the cruisers warms up. One of the cruisers as it is being raised onto a Coast Guard ship. Raised aircraft engine shows engine change in Lieutenant Leigh Wade's (Pilot of the World Cruiser) airplane for a hop to Attu Island in Japan. Lt. Lowell H. Smith standing on the nose of the aircraft holding the propeller blade. A stationary cruiser on a shore. Another cruiser seen. Both are equipped with pontoons. Three of the world cruisers in flight while they are in their first flight from America to Asia. Animated map shows the dangerous route across the Pacific. The Pacific crossed by airplane. Animated map of the coastline of North America and Asia with 'Second Division Chicagoff to Kagoshima, Japan' written on the map.
U.S. Army Air Service Douglas World Cruisers (DWC) in Seattle, Washington after their first flight around the world. In Seattle, the point from which they started 176 days ago. The world cruisers in flight. A world cruiser coming in for a landing. Major Frederick F. Martin greets Lieutenant Lowell H. Smith, Lt. Leigh Wade and Lt. Erik H. Nelson. The pilots in uniforms pose. Animations of the North American continent pinpointing Alaska where Major Frederick F. Martin crashed into a mountain. The path over which the world cruisers flew pinpointing the place where the cruiser flown by Lt. Wade was forced down and wrecked. Then the course to Seattle is shown.
Film opens showing a poster of a National Guardsman with Nike missiles in the background. Sketches of National Guard (the Militia) maintaining order during civic disturbances in history. Sketches of Guardsmen in various uniforms over the ages. An early National Guard encampment. Mounted National Guard cavalry moving in formation during World War 1; Guard soldiers climbing a hill under fire on a Pacific island in World War 2; Guard troops marching in review during the Korean War; Guardsmen directing traffic during an emergency; Views of a disaster site. A National guardsman giving water to disaster victims. A contingent of National Guard demonstrating the manual of arms using their rifles. National Guard members training under supervision of the U.S. Army. They move across a field, cross a pontoon bridge. National Guard training in M4A3E8 Sherman medium Tanks. Guardsmen in Hawaii and in Alaska. National Guard maintaining a Nike Hercules missile.
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