American and Australian troop convoy underway at sea, and then arriving at Port Moresby, New Guinea. A Hudson bomber of the Royal Australian Air Force flys by the troop ship escorting them into the harbor. U.S. and Australian troops unloading men and supplies at Port Moresby. Japanese planes attack the dock area and troop convoy. Elevated land-based views of the harbor with explosions and smoke during the bombing. Anti aircraft guns fired at enemy planes. Soldiers and sailors on ships at harbor open fire on the Japanese aircraft overhead. Planes drop bombs and explosions occur. Complete change of scene to the USS Yorktown (CV-5) during the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942. United States Navy sailors fighting fires aboard the USS Yorktown. Japanese airplanes overhead during the Battle of Midway attacking the Yorktown. Patterns of tracer bullets seen fired from the Yorktown. Japanese torpedo bomber aircraft is hit by gunners on the USS Yorktown.
The aftermath of the Japanese bombing of Dutch Harbor, June 3 & 4 1942, during World War 2. Scenes include the bombed ship, S.S. Northwestern, which was being used as housing for construction crews. The docked steamer was damaged by bombs from "Val" dive bombers launched by the Japanese aircraft carrier "Junyo". Smoke rises from an oil tank as it burns. Bombed & wrecked trucks at the island. Also shown are bomb damage and fires at Fort Mears, Dutch Harbor.
German Chancellor Adolf Hitler with others at the Berghof in Berchtesgaden, Germany on 29 April, 1942. Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini and German Chancellor Adolf Hitler climb up the stairs of Hitler's residence Berghof. The two leaders confer inside a hall. Hitler and Mussolini confer with two other officers one of whom is General Albert Kesselring. The four of them and others at a large desk as they look at a map.
An orientation film titled ' Westward is Bataan' about Japanese capture of the Philippines and the Americans surrender during World War II. Scenes of destruction from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, United States on December 7, 1941. U.S. ships being strafed and explosions occur. Excerpts from Japanese newsreel showing surrender of U.S. forces at Corregidor. United States soldiers in Corregidor, Philippines. U.S. Army General Jonathan Wainwright meets Japanese officers to surrender during the Battle of Corregidor. Japanese soldiers near Heam Battery on May 6, 1942. Japanese soldiers remove the American flag from a pole to raise the Japanese flag after the surrender. People celebrate Japanese victory in Tokyo, Japan. In Manila people gather along the streets as they wave the Japanese flags to welcome Japanese General Masaharu Homma. General Homma enters a building. Japanese soldiers parade as they carry the remains of the soldiers who lost their lives during the Battle of Corregidor. The boxes carrying the remains of the dead Japanese soldiers being handed over to Japanese women at a ceremony.
U.S. 8th Air Force B-17 crew is debriefed by an intelligence officer immediately after returning from a bombing mission during World War 2. In response to his questions, the crew members describe being hit by enemy fire, damage to their aircraft, and attacks by German Fw-190 and Me-109 fighter aircraft. A gunner tells of shooting down a German plane that flew underneath their B-17. Narrator Richard Cordon seated at a desk speaks to camera in a public service announcement, and appeals to capable American mechanics and men under 50 who are handy with tools to volunteer for service with the Army Air Forces. He reads a notice of the U.S. Army Air Forces dated October 1, 1942, inviting civilian mechanics to service with the Army Air Force. Views of mechanics performing various maintenance duties on parked B-17 bomber aircraft. Mechanics work on a B-17 aircraft with name "Baby Doll" on it. A mechanic works on a propeller of B-17 aircraft with nose art and name "Birmingham Blitzkrieg." A mechanic evaluates a machine gun in side door of a B-17 aircraft named "Shoot, You're Faded." Close-up view of notice from the U.S. Army on its letterhead, appealing for mechanics up to 50 years of age.
Film opens showing a Captain, Intelligence officer with the U.S 8th Airforce 97th Bombardment Group, debriefing Captain William “Bill” Musselwhite, Commander of the 342nd Bombardment Squadron, about his unit's experience participating in the first Eighth Air Force heavy bomber mission in World War II, attacking the Rouen-Sotteville marshalling yards in France, on August 17, 1942. Referring to a map, he asks Captain Musselwhite where his Squadron dropped their bombs. Musselwhite points out the path of his units aircraft and that his first aircraft overshot the target, but those following dropped "on range," bracketing the target on left and right, with one "stick" of bombs going right down the middle. He mentions one ship straying over the town of Rouen, itself.