June 9, 1944. Sand flats seen at low tide in Normandy, France. Allied forces fighting their way inland during the Normandy invasion (Three days after D-Day) in World War II. Landing craft and destroyed buildings on the beaches of Normandy. German steel beach obstacles have been stacked out of the way. A United States Sherman DD tank sunk in sand. Badly damaged LCT-25 on the beach at Normandy, with her cargo of half-tracks still aboard and remains of the first one off, sitting at her ramp where it was hit by a German shell. Higgins Boat riddled with bullet holes. Scene shifts to January 1944 when United States Army troops descend from a troop transport ship into LCT-504 for practice maneuvers in the Chesapeake Bay. A soldier operates a Higgins Boat. Another soldier directs a Higgins Boat to the shore. Troops hit the beach in Higgins Boats driven by U.S. Coast Guardsmen from the Attack Transport ship, USS Samuel Chase (APA-26). United States troops carry equipment or belongings as they board ships to England in February 1944. Views of live aboard transport ships in convoys crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Coast Guardsmen near weapons at duty stations. Some troops are seen wearing life vests on board. Troops sleep or lie in hammocks in their quarters. Soldiers pass the time by playing cards, sleeping, reading and writing letters, and mending clothes on deck. Troops line the deck of the transport ship, USS Bayfield (APA-33), as the ship approaches port in England. Landing craft from the Bayfield, carrying troops, are seen in assault training exercises in England. Troops wading ashore during training. Coast Guard officers and sailors are seen aboard larger landing ships in exercises. Coast Guard officer smoking a cigar, as landing craft from the USS Samuel Chase speeds away after landing troops ashore. Trucks drive ashore from landing craft. Scene shifts to May 1944 and a formation of Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber aircraft dropping bombs on enemy targets in Normandy. Aerial view shows bombs falling.
A map shows areas of conflict during the Battle of Cassino in Italy. German antiaircraft guns fire at night as Allied planes attack Cassino. Soldiers with searchlights in action to guide the guns. An Allied plane is hit and falls in flames. Mortar crews and snipers fire. Soldiers fire machine guns. Soldiers in trenches in the forest. They drink refreshments. American and British prisoners seen huddled together. The Allied POWs are marched on a road. Soldiers on the hills in Cassino. German soldiers fire artillery. Tanks and artillery fire amid ruins. Smoke from explosions. (World War II period).
Mount Vesuvius erupts. Clouds of smoke and lava erupt from crater of Mount Vesuvius in Naples, Italy. Aerial view of countryside engulfed by lava flow. Black smoke emerges from volcano. Aerial view of buildings, water and coast.
Mount Vesuvius erupts. Clouds of smoke and lava erupt from crater of Mount Vesuvius in Naples, Italy. Cloud of smoke emerges from the volcano. Aerial view of buildings and forest. View of houses. Black clouds from volcano erupt.
Mount Vesuvius erupts. Clouds of smoke and lava erupt from crater of Mount Vesuvius in Naples, Italy. Black cloud of smoke erupts from the volcano. Workers sweep lava dust from road to clear it. Trucks go on road. Biker goes on road. House on mountain top. Workers stand on road scraper remove volcanic dust from road. Workers stand on road. Trucks go on road. Cloud of smoke spreads over the city. Women shovel lava ash from rooftops. They use baskets and throw dust down from rooftop.
Mount Vesuvius erupts in Naples, Italy. Cloud of smoke erupts from mountain and a barrage balloon flies in the foreground of smoke cloud. People in the city put luggage on horse cart. Women carry baggage on their head and walk on road. Lava flows from mountain and smoke raises from lava.
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