Opening slate announces 11 million Americans to bear arms (in World War 2.). U.S. Army Chief of Staff, General George S. Marshall conversing with Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Ernest King. Next, Admiral King is seen standing with Commanding General of the U.S. Army Air Forces, Lieutenant General Henry H. (Hap) Arnold, and Admiral William D. Leahy, Chief of Staff to the President of the United States. Scene shifts to a graduating class of cadets from the United States Military Academy, at West Point. They are seen receiving their diplomas. West Point cadets are also seen cheering at an athletic event and in several views of them marching in formations on different occasions. Views of cadets from the U.S. Naval Academy, at Annapolis, Maryland, on parade and at a graduation ceremony in Dahlgren Hall, where each receives a diploma and they toss their hats into the air at the end of the ceremony. Next, ordinary citizen soldiers (mostly draftees) are seen marching in formation They participate in calisthenics en masse. Heavyweight boxing champion, Gene Tunney, is seen leading an exercise session. Soldiers run over an obstacle. Next cadets are seen on parade in the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, at Kings Point, New York. Some cadets are seen practicing escape from a burning vessel at sea. U.S. soldiers engage in field training that includes live weapons fire above their heads as they crawl under barbed wire on a training course. View of soldier firing a Browning M1917 water-cooled machine gun near the trainees. Another is firing a Browning M1919 air-cooled machine gun.
A new U.S. Essex class Aircraft Carrier is docked during World War 2. Her crew of more than two thousand Navy personnel are seen boarding with all their gear. Next the entire ship’s company is seen on deck for her commissioning ceremony. A large American flag flies over the assembly. The carrier moves away from the dock, and is then seen out in the water, as some sailors on the dock wave their hats. Scene shifts to the USS Alabama (BB-60) at sea in her final sea trials. View from her bridge overlooking her triple 16-inch guns. Another look at the guns from portside forward deck. Sailors on deck in cold weather gear, perform lookout duties with binoculars. Another glimpse of the 16-inch guns. View of bow wave and wake at the stern
Film opens showing a huge crowd gathered in New York’s Madison Square Garden for a rally in support of the American Red Cross, during World War 2. Eleanor Roosevelt, the First Lady welcomes and introduces Princess Martha of Norway. The audience applauds. Scene then shifts for Red Cross activities on the home front. Two Red Cross women remove items from a station wagon in preparation for a local Blood drive. A panel truck parked next to them is marked: “American Red Cross Blood Donor Service.” More Red Cross volunteer women remove items from the panel truck to set up the blood donor activity. View of many persons in beds at a blood donor center. Nurses and Red Cross volunteers working at the center with donors. One of the donors is an active duty sailor in uniform. Complete change of scene to California, where Hollywood stars are seen involved in a war bond drive. Closeup of several, including Irene Dunn, Ronald Coleman, Hedy Lamarr, and Greer Garson. Glimpse of crowd at the bond drive.
President of Cuba, Fulgencio Batista greeted by President Franklin D Roosevelt and Vice President Wallace in Washington, as Cuba expresses support for Allies in World War 2. Next scene shows armored tanks of Mexico rolling through Constitution Plaza in Mexico City, with Metropolitan Cathedral in background, as Mexico also side with the Allies. Next, President Vargas of Brazil waves from a balcony to cheering crowds in Rio de Janeiro as Brazil declares war. Chileans demonstrate for the United Nations in Santiago, Chile. Chilean demonstrators with flags and banners march on streets. Some carry large pictures of the Allied leaders.
U.S. Air Forces Air Traffic Controllers on duty at a control Tower in an airfield during World War 2.. Several multi-engine aircraft are parked on the ramp, outside, including two Douglas C-54 transport aircraft. One controller looks through binoculars. Next, airmen are seen loading cargo into an aircraft from a truck backed up to its side. Air Forces ground crewmen are silhouetted against a light sky as they watch aircraft take off while being ferried overseas. Parked behind them is a USAAF Consolidated B-24 bomber. A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber taking off. A Douglas A-26 Invader aircraft landing. A North American B-25 Mitchell bomber taking off. Next, numerous Douglas C-47 transport airplanes are seen taxiing on an airfield. View from directly in front of a C-47 aircraft as it takes off, and passes over the camera. View from ground of a low flying C-47, and then of several in loose formation flying overhead.
American troops are seen in arctic gear moving on skis through blustery snowy weather in Iceland, during World War 2. They were sent in 1941 to relieve British troops occupying Iceland since 1940, during World War II. A guard post at the American camp, with Quonset Hut in background. Closeup of U.S. sentry in arctic gear holding rifle with bayonet affixed. View from above, of numerous tents partially covered with snow in the American camp. Change of scene shows U.S. troops disembarking from transport ships at the British Isles. They march with their combat gear onto a square where Army trucks wait to transport them inland. Another scene shows the American troops, viewed from behind, parading in London. Other scenes show them marching in various areas of London. Saint Paul’s cathedral is seen in the background of one scene. A large number of American M3 Stuart Light tanks move on a railroad train in Britain. Scene shifts to the Middle East, where railroad cars and various military supplies for Russia are be offloaded from American ships. A Russian officer is seen signing receipts for war materiel, from a U.S. Army Technical Sergeant. A row of American Army trucks are lined up behind them. The Russian and American exchange salutes, and shake hands. Next, a troop ship carrying American troops is seen arriving at a port in India, where they disembark with their gear. An American Army Sergeant in a pith helmet pays attention to a little Indian girl. Scene shifts to China, in 1942, where Brigadier General Claire Lee Chennault, Commander of the China Air Task Force, of the Tenth Air Force, that replaced the American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers), is seen with Brigadier General Caleb V. Haynes, Commander of the India Air Task Force. A colonel joins their discussions. A Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber is parked behind them. View of Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter planes, with Flying Tiger markings, parked on a flight line. A B-24 bomber landing on a runway, between hills, deep in China. Closeup of Nationalist China Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek, saluting. Huge numbers of Chinese troops assembling in a formation. Next, an expeditionary force of American troops is seen arriving on a troop ship in Australia. They line the ship’s deck and wave. General Douglas MacArthur arriving in Australia to assume the office of Supreme Commander, South West Pacific Area (SWPA). .Glimpses of U.S. Navy activities in Australia: setting up defenses of islands; unpacking a Kingfisher float plane and making it ready for use on a desert island. The final segments of the film show American forces in August ,1942 sailing to Adak in the Aleutian Islands, to strengthen American defenses there. Troops seen descending by rope ladder from the American transport ship USS J Franklin Bell (PA-34), into her landing craft for deployment on Adak Island. Scenes of landing craft reaching the beach and offloading troops, vehicles, and supplies. View of beach filled with supplies. One landing craft is clearly marked with ""P34" showing that it belongs to the USS J Franklin Bell ( later reclassified as APA-16).
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