United States Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron prepare aircraft before the 27th Paris Air Show as part of its European Tour during the Cold War. A United States Navy Blue Angels plane Captain Lcor. Billy “Bill” V. Wheat wiping down the windshield of his Grumman F-11A fighter. The name “Lcor. Bill Wheat” is written on the right side of the cockpit. Close up crew tightening fasteners on fuselage of the F-11A with a hand drill. Maintenance crew working on internals of the F-11A. Crewmen cleaning the exhaust port of the F-11A. One of the maintenance crewmen pulling an auxiliary power unit past the nose of the Blue Angels’ aircraft. Sideview of the F-11A with crewmen tending the power unit hooked up to the aircraft, man standing by the hose in the background. The Blue Angels insignia is seen on the aircraft. Crewmen are seen wearing shirts with words “Blue Angels” written on the back. One of the crewmen on the ground next to the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) with other crewmen in the cockpit of the F-11A, during start up and test of the fighter, as seen from the rear view. The maintenance crewmen wheeling the APU up to the side of the aircraft, one man makes the hook-up to the hose beside the aircraft, another man is up on the left wing. Blue Angel crewmen in the cockpit giving thumbs-up, second man seen in lower foreground. The name "LT JOHN ALLEN" is painted on side of the cockpit. Lieutenant John Allen, a Blue Angels Slot Pilot, is seated in the cockpit. Maintenance crewmen working around the F-11A; French flag flying from the vertical stabilizer of the aircraft, man gives "two fingers up". Two maintenance crewmen pulling APU up to the side of another Blue Angels' aircraft. The APU hooked up to the fighter, man standing by the APU giving a signal to the man in the cockpit. Horizontal stabilizer being operated. One of the Blue Angels' aircraft in the parking area with maintenance crewmen around the aircraft; oxygen bottles are on a small two-wheeled cart. Maintenance crewmen around F-11A, wiping it down, some working over the top of the fuselage. The Blue Angels' F-11A fighter on the line with maintenance crewmen working over the aircraft.
As film begins, a Yellow shirt aboard the Aircraft Carrier, USS Coral Sea (CVA -43) clears a U.S. Navy F-4 Phantom fighter aircraft of Carrier Air Wing 15 for takeoff. Steam from the carrier's catapult is seen initially but dissipates as the jet takes off. Several more F-4s are launched and seen from different angles. Closeup of canopy closing as pilot LT. J.G. D.H. Rogers dons his oxygen mask prior to takeoff. An F-4 buzzes past as Rogers' aircraft sits on the port catapult. His aircraft joins up with two others and they fly in a formation toward a shore. Several views of the flight of three in different formations. They peel off and dive in sequence. View of one from behind and underneath showing collection of ordnance under its wings. The F-4s drop clusters of bombs that are seen exploding on the ground. Glimpse of Lt. J.G. Rogers in his cockpit. Aerial view of landing craft speeding though water below. Warships in an invasion fleet seen on the water. Glimpse of troops descending net from a transport ship and boarding a landing craft (Higgins Boat). Back on the Coral Sea, U.S. Marines are seen boarding UH-34D helicopters. Glimpse of landing craft heading toward shore in formation. An F-4 firing rockets. Explosion as rocket strikes a hut on sandy shore. More views of landing craft underway, and an F-4 firing rockets that explode in water along a shore. More Marines leaving the Coral Sea flight deck aboard UH-34D helicopters. More views of landing craft underway. An F-4 dropping bombs that explode on a shore. Marines rushing out of Landing Vehicles Tracked (LVTP-5s). Explosions on sand. View from inside LVTP-5 as Marines leave it for the beach. More explosions on sand. Views of LVTPs heading toward shore. Formations of Marine UH-34D helicopters landing and Marines starting to leave them. Aerial view of LVTPs reaching shore and Marines leaving them and assembling on shore. Flight of three F-4s in formation over the USS Coral Sea and then landing on her flight deck. (Note: Although scenes of bombing and amphibious assaults are shown, there is no evidence of enemy actions anywhere in this film, so such scenes likely involve training exercises or some other non-combat activities.)
King Faisal II of Iraq, and Prince Abdul-Ilah, visiting the USS Oriskany (CV-34) in the United States. The King and Vice Admiral Harold M. Martin, Commander Air Forces, Pacific Fleet, look at U.S. Navy carrier-based F9F Panther, jet fighter aircraft, on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany. (Prince Abdul-Ilah is briefly seen, as well.) The King talks to a pilot, Lt. John L. Stiles. F9F aircraft of VF-103, and sailors in the background. Lt. Stiles climbs into cockpit of an F9F. The King looks at Lt. Stiles in the cockpit. Lt. Stiles puts on flight helmet and looks out of the cockpit, talking to King Faisal II. Iraqi National Flag displayed on the ship's island. Sailors and pilots, including Lt. Stiles, on the deck. Prince Abdul-Ilah conversing with Admiral Martin in background. King Faisal II and Prince Abdul-Ilah on the bridge of the Oriskany. The King looks through a telescope while, below, on the flight deck, a F9F Panther of Fighter Squadron VF-781 taxis past. Several U.S. Marines in dress uniform stand on deck as a helicopter lands. A sailor with a motion picture camera joins them. King Faisal II walks, with Admiral Martin and another Admiral, across the deck. He carries a small motion picture camera and wears a white covering on his head. King Faisal II and Prince Abdul-Ilah, on the bridge. Officers crowd around, obscuring the King, as they observe a demonstration. Explosion and bullet splashes are seen in water behind the ship.
U.S. Marines in action in the Northern Provinces of South Vietnam, near the DMZ. They are seen in full combat gear, carrying small arms, including recoilless weapons, as they move across green fields where smoke is rising. Next, they are seen spread out and moving across muddy rice paddies. A U.S.jet fighter streaks across a shoreline at low altitude. Views from a Marine jet fighter bomber dropping bombs on Viet Cong targets from low altitude. Explosions on the ground are seen from behind the aircraft as it passes. Brief view from ground of bomb striking and black smoke rising. Closeup (in 1969) of two McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms from U.S. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 (with Red devil insignia on their tails) flying in tight formation. View of pilot in front cockpit an F-4. Aerial view from below of the pair of F-4s. Closeup view from below, as an F-4 releases ordnance in flight. A huge explosion fills the screen as film title slate appeared reading: "Counterpunch." (narrated by Jack Webb). Sign at Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro, California, is shown. Marine sentry at entrance checks identifications of persons arriving at the gatehouse. Marines seen firing mortars, during training. A C-47 transport airplane airdrops supplies to Marines on the ground. Marines in jeeps drive across sand where a bulldozer is working on an airfield under construction. Front view glimpse of a Douglas A-4 Skyhawk aircraft taking off. A pair of Marine Boeing CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters in flight. Group of U.S. Marine Corps officers looking over a model of terrain while being briefed by a Lieutenant Colonel during training "Operation Alligator Hide" in 1967, at the White Beach Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California. Closeup of the detailed mockup of the terrain. Another officer briefs about the use of F-4 and A-4 aircraft support prior to a helicopter assault. Bombs exploding near a bridge. Marines using small 4-wheeled self-propelled open vehicles as they move along a hillside during the exercise. A Captain at a field command post states he will mark a target with white phosphorus (Willy Pete). A tank is seen maneuvering. Pilot is seen responding from cockpit of an A-4 Skyhawk aircraft. An M48A3 Medium Tank is seen on the ground and two F-4s of Squadron 232 in the air. The tank crew fires a white phosphorus round into the hillside, where it generates white smoke. An F-4 is seen flying low toward the area and a bomb explodes on the marked target. Amphibious training is seen, with Marines charging a beach from a landing craft; a tank wading ashore; Marines hit the beach from an LVTP-5 (Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Personnel); Fighter bomber dropping a bomb from offshore; glimpse of Douglas A-4 Skyhawk.
Carrier activity aboard USS Philippine Sea (CVA-47) in the Pacific ocean, during the Korean War. Flight deck of the aircraft carrier. Grumman F9F-2 Panther aircraft of VF-112 on flight deck. An F4U-4B, of Fighter Squadron VF-113, is towed past the F9F-2. An AD4 Skyraider of Attack Squadron VA-115, with bombs under its folded wings, is backed into line on the deck. Deck crew maneuvers F9F-2 into position at side of deck. Star rockets brought on deck by small rocket cart. More views of AD4s with bombs under folded wings. Many AD4s, on the flight deck, with wings folded and engines running or cranking with props turning.
USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) in Japan Sea. Plane handling crew around nose of fighter aircraft F4U Corsair. The crew secures the aircraft in heavy snow storm. Flight deck personnel put wraps around engines of F4U Corsair planes. F4U Corsair turns up on flight deck during snow storm. F4U Corsair and F9F Panther on flight deck. Tanker refuels a destroyer ship. Men having a snow ball fight on flight deck. Plane Captain works beneath F4U Corsair aircraft.