An original 1912 U.S. Navy Curtiss pusher bamboo seaplane is parked on the shore of the Anacostia River, at the United States Naval Base in Anacostia, Washington, D.C. Its flight controls are seen moving as sailors (unseen) check their movements. Next, with the engine running, Captain "Dick" Richardson, climbs aboard and makes his own quick flight control check. Closeup of him at the controls giving a nod that he is ready to be pushed into the water for a demonstration flight. Sailors maneuver the craft to the edge of shore and push it into the river. Roosevelt Hall, at U.S. Army Fort Lesley J. McNair, is seen across the river in the background. The seaplane's lower left wing dips into the water momentarily, as Captain Richardson taxis it away from the shore. Scene shifts to the seaplane taking off from the river, after which, Captain Richardson Quickly brings it back down to a water landing, near the Washington Channel.
Reminders of World War 2, in France, 1945. A high bridge of about eight masonry arches with two bombed out, in mountainous region of France. Camera pans right, showing a number of substantial homes scattered across the valley, with tall mountains behind. Scene shifts to a different, flatter landscape, where about a dozen U.S. Waco CG-4A gliders are seen abandoned in a field, in various states of disrepair. Writing in chalk on the side of one glider reads, "Whispering Yoddles, Fort Worth Texas, Little One Alice". There are no D-day stripes on these gliders, indicating they were probably used subsequent to the Normandy invasion, in other operations such as "Bluebird & Dove" in the South of France, in August, 1944.
The history of aviation. U.S. Army Lieutenant Benjamin Delahauf Foulois and Orville Wright make the first cross country flight from Fort Myer to Alexandria in Virginia, United States. Wright, Lt Foulois and another worker stand near the control section of the aircraft. Foulois gets into the cockpit. Wright makes adjustment on the aircraft motor. The engine starts. Wright and Lt. Foulois sitting in the airplane.
United Airlines DC-3 Mainliner aircraft lands and taxis to the airfield ramp,at Oakland, California. U.S. military and civilian officials, and newsmen gather around the airplane as its doors open. A crowd of spectators and well-wishers fill an area at the airfield terminal. Closeup of three Soviet flyers, standing and waving from the top of stairs at the plane's door. They are Pilot Valery Chkalov; Co-pilot Georgy Baydukov and Navigator Alexander Belyakov. They left Moscow, Russia, June 18, 1937 in a single-engine Soviet Tupolev ANT-25 aircraft on a flight over the North Pole and finally landed after 63 hours and 25 minutes, at. the U.S. Army Pearson Field in Fort Vancouver Barracks (Washington State, USA). Scene shifts to Pearson Field, where their airplane is being prepared for shipment back to Russia. U.S. Army soldiers package up recording instruments preserving evidence of the flight necessary to document their accomplishment. They remove and package loose articles, such as parachutes. View of the airplane being completely covered in protective tarp wrappings.
Activities of the U.S. Army Military Police at Fort Gordon in Georgia, United States. U.S. Army Provost Marshal General, Major General Ralph J. Butchers, speaking on 21st Anniversary of the Military Police Corps. General Butchers served in the 2nd Armored Division, during World War 2, and wears its "Hell on Wheels" patch on his right shoulder.
Activities of the U.S. Army Military Police (MPs) throughout the world. An MP checks credentials of American driver in a 1955 Oldsmobile, at a Base checkpoint in Germany. An MP wearing patch of Army Support Command-Europe on his shoulder, obtains directions from a local Policeman in Europe. U.S. Army trucks move through a checkpoint manned by MP, in Pointe de Grasse, France. MPs of the 728th Battalion, in Korea. They are seated in a jeep, with a Korean counterpart in the back seat. The U.S. MPs wear patches of 7th Logistical Command on their uniform sleeves. Military Police units and jeeps pass in review at a parade in Fort Gordon, Georgia.