Mount Vesuvius erupts. United States Army Air Force B-25 bomber planes covered with lava dust at Pompeii airfield, where aircraft of the 340th Bombardment Group and 321st Bombardment Group were stationed in World War II. Damaged wings of bombers from hot volcanic ash and brimstone. Two bombers buried in ash. Scraper clears airfield. Bomber in the foreground of still-smoking Mount Vesuvius.
Slate indicates the area shown is occupied by the U.S. 3rd Army, 95th Infantry Division. Bombed out buildings are seen with rubble piled at side of road, in Saarlautern (Saarlouis) Germany, the day after Christmas, 1944, during World War 2. View of apartment buildings and shops across from a park. Another street of shops. No people or vehicles are seen. An American soldier carrying a large camera, walks past an antique French 155mm gun, circa 1877, on display in a public Square. A view of the seemingly undamaged Catholic Church of St. Ludwig (Katholische Kirche St. Ludwig) on Kavalleriestrasse. A jeep drives past it. A U.S. soldier rides a bicycle past destroyed buildings
Brazilian troops take readings from optical theodolite in Poretta, Italy, during World War 2. Three Brazilian troops stand on roof. One soldier holds a balloon over telescope. They note readings. Trees in the background. Snow on ground and roof. Soldier releases balloon on signal. Soldiers check flight with theodolite and take notes. Soldier adjusts theodolite. Observer with telephone calls reading from theodolite. (Note: Opening slate containing name, Sgt. Louis Cook, refers to Louis R. Cook, of the 196th Signal Photo Co.)
Civilians read news on billboard in Austria, right after end of World War 2. German civilians read newspapers on billboards. "Presse Dienst" written on the billboard in large letters. "OWB" in smaller letters in the middle of the billboard. People walk past billboard. Man reads newspaper.
U.S. Marines of the 4th Division on Iwo Jima during World War 2. Several are seen loading a huge unexploded artillery shell onto a bomb disposal truck. They use the truck's built-in hoist and traveling crane to raise and move the shell into the truck . Closeup from rear as marines gently lower the shell onto sand bags in the truck bed. The marines then climb aboard the truck and hold onto its framework as drives drives slowly away. The truck is equipped with tire chains. View from rear as the truck drives toward a steep cliff on the shore of Iwo Jima.
Scene opens showing U.S. Marines from the 4th Division, in World War 2, sitting on the black sands of Iwo Jima as a Sherman tank drives past, behind them. Camera pans across the battle-scarred landscape of littered tree and shrubbery fragments. Next, Marines in a sandbagged position load and fire two shells,in quick succession, from an 81mm mortar. Momentary closeup of mortar crew and then from a few feet back as they fire another shell. A third marine, with them, communicates on a radio telephone. The marines continue firing mortar shells. (Note: The marine on the telephone has been identified as Denny Ray Leach, Age19, of Shreveport, Louisiana.)
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