Smoke rises from bombed aircraft carrier USS Princeton (CVL-23) off Luzon in World War 2. Time code 00:29,shows F6F-5 #7 "Paper Doll," of VF-27, (mount of Ensign Bob Burnell who painted most of the famous "cat mouths" on the cowls of VF-27 Hellcats).Pilots walk across flight deck of USS Essex (CV-9). TC:01:04, F6F-5 #47 (VF-15) is seen with Horizontal stripe near rudder tip identifying it as an Air Group 15 aircraft. Further along is F6F-3 #8 (VF-15) Late production -3 with superseded tri-color paint scheme and 7 Japanese victory flag emblems under cockpit. F6F-3 #F-11 (VF-27) Late production -3, "F-11" lettered prefix to aircraft number (unusual on an operational fighter probably indicating a recent replacement). Plane captain is cleaning windshield on the "Minzi III" when Captain David S. McCampbell, the top U.S. Navy ace, approaches and climbs aboard the aircraft. Thirty Japanese flags are painted on the fuselage below the cockpit. McCampbell straps in and starts his engine. He gives a "thumbs up" sign. "Airedales" push empty Hellcat belly tanks across Essex flight deck. A Destroyer fires antiaircraft guns. Japanese aircraft seen in flight over water. Fire from 40 mm guns. (Note: Some planes of Squadron VF-27 on the Princeton, were recovered on the Essex.)
American President Woodrow Wilson heads for France to negotiate peace between Germany and Allies. U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain John W. Davis and his wife on a ship deck. John W. Davis looks through binoculars. Mrs. Gordon Auchincloss, Mrs. David H. Miller and Arthur Bullitt converse with each other standing on the deck. French Ambassador to the U.S. Jules Jusserand with his wife, G. F. Close and R. C. Sween, confidential secretaries to President Wilson aboard USS George Washington.
U.S. carrier-based aircraft attack Japanese targets in Philippines. U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat taking off from the flight deck. Men remove chocks from aircraft. U.S. Navy SB2C Helldiver taking off from the carrier. Men on deck underneath an aircraft. Plane director on the deck. The U.S. Navy TBM Avenger taking off. Gun camera scenes from U.S. Navy fighter aircraft attacking formation of Japanese Mitsubishi G4M ("Betty") bombers. They shoot down a number of them, including one that loses its wing during the encounter.
A convoy to resupply allied troops at Mindoro, Philippines, seen underway, as it comes under attack by Japanese Kamikaze planes, during World War 2. Opening scene shows a burning Japanese warplane trailing smoke as it falls and breaks up before crashing into the sea. Flak clouds seen in the sky from the antiaircraft fire of the U.S. battleship, USS South Dakota (BB-57) seen low on the horizon in the background. Several ships are seen in the convoy. Suddenly a huge explosion occurs as a Japanese kamikaze (unseen) strikes the 14 thousand ton Liberty ship, SS John Burke. She is carrying a cargo of ammunition that explodes, raising a wall of water around the ship and creating a mushroom cloud of smoke that billows high into the sky.
A film on U.S. Army air-sea rescue operations. A U.S. Army Air Forces B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft in flight over water. Crew at controls of the aircraft. Number 1 engine is feathered. Then, number 4 engine fails and is feathered. View from behind shows the B-17 descending with all four engines feathered. (Some of these scenes probably employed models.) Crew members in the aircraft. A wireless operator sets a key at automatic SOS. Crew preparing for ditching. The aircraft ditching in the water.Crew evacuates from the ditched aircraft in 6-man life rafts. They employ their various survival gear, including Gibson Girl radio with balloon-mounted antenna, signal mirrors, fishing gear, dye marker, and smoke flares. They are spotted by an Army Air-Sea rescue Douglas A-24 aircraft. The aircraft reports their position and a rescue boat is dispatched to their location. They are reached by U.S. Army air sea rescue boat, number P-249 (An 85 foot, wooden, gas- powered boat, built by Eddy Ship Building, Bay City, Michigan). Crewmen are taken aboard and given refreshments.
Canadian sailors, wearing steel helmets, aboard an Antiaircraft destroyer, in World War 2. They watch as two practice target shooting with rifles on the ship's deck. One of them wears a cap with Canadian Naval Petty Officer insignia. View of the rifle targets. Sailors hurry to a quad-mounted Mark III Vickers .50 antiaircraft machine gun position as an officer looks through a sighting device. The gunners begin firing. Another gun crew mans what appears to be a QF 3 inch 20 cwt anti-aircraft gun, while two sailors fire hand-held Lewis machine guns, skyward. View forward from the bridge of the ship. She appears to have two more forward deck-mounted 3 inch anti-aircraft guns. View astern showing the British White Ensign flying. Other warships are seen steaming on the horizon. A sailor standing near depth charges on deck, looks through binoculars. Steamships in a convoy are seen. View of a camouflaged two-stacker destroyer in the convoy. Crew members running forward on deck, followed by explosions seen in wake of the ship as depth charges she has launched detonate.