Clip opens with 8 October, 1952 scenes from the aftermath of the Harrow and Wealdstone railroad train crash in England, where the collision of a Scottish Express train and a commuter train, followed by another express train, killed 200 people outside of London, England. Destroyed British railway trains on the track. Rescue operations carried out. Injured carried away for medical help on litters. Scene changes to coast of England in early January 1952, as the United States freighter ship Flying Enterprise (formerly the SS Cape Kumukaki) founders to one side while underway in rough seas. The ship had battled to stay afloat for 8 days following structural damage and then shifting cargo. Captain of the ship Kurt Carlsen is honored at a ceremony for putting up a brave fight for eight days trying to get the ship to port across the rough sea.
Start of film shows American Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) members arriving at a pier in England during World War 2. They are in uniform, wear steel helmets, and carry their personal gear, including bedrolls. As a group they walk to a railway station and enter it. View of American soldiers, inside, walking along the station platform, where they line up in formations. Next, several WAAC members are seen boarding a passenger train. Several Army officers stand and converse with a WAAC First officer, wearing captain's bars. She wears a "Hobby" cap with insignia of the Rising Eagle on it. American soldiers are seen next, also boarding the passenger train. A short man pours something from a pitcher, into soldiers' mess cups. A woman fills soldiers' mess cups from a large container. Sunlight shines on two American soldiers standing in the open doorway of the train. Closeup of them. View of virtually empty train platform as the train pulls away from the station.
Alternating World War 2 footage and dramatized scenes with actors. German Luftwaffe bombers destroying French cities. Invasion of France by Germany. Burning buildings and debris in French cities during 1940 invasion. Hitler viewing Eiffel Tower while visiting Paris in June 1940 after occupation. German flag atop Eiffel Tower. Allied fighter aircraft shot down, pilot ejects and parachutes to ground as aircraft crashes with explosion. Pilot landing in parachute, gathering and hiding parachute. Actors conversation segment. Footage of sad looking and defeated French soldiers marching in streets of France under occupying German guard, as depressed French citizens look on. French General Philippe Petain at desk delivering speech that calls for collaboration with Germans. Close ups of sad and crying French men, women, and children in streets of France suffering war and occupation. Petain salutes soldiers during a parade after he abolishes representative government. Petain speaks from podium to gathered soldiers. View of French General Charles De Gaulle, in Britain, calling for continued French resistance and speaking to French officers on a warship. Actor dialog segment. Footage of Petain visiting Hitler. They shake hands while photographers record the meeting. Actor segments. Footage of Free French forces training and marching in various cities. Free French soldier receives machine gun training. French officer training in Russia at a Soviet recognition ceremony. French soldiers carry railroad ties and discuss over a map. RAF spitfires in flight. Sign at training camp "French Air Force Squadron. Flexible Gunnery School." Allied naval ships at sea; close views of ship guns. Smoke rises from French ship fleet scuttled at Toulon November 27, 1942. Mobilized French citizens receiving rifle training. Free French Army encampment with French flag raising ceremony. French citizens gather to read posted German notices. Parade celebrating liberation of Paris in World War II. Happy French citizens smile and cheer French, American, and Soviet allies marching in Paris.
In last year of passenger operations, a Denver and Rio Grande narrow guage railroad train journeys through Gunnison National Park, Colorado. A waterfall in Black Canyon of the Park. The train passes through Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park. River rushes over rocks towards the train's track. The engine of the train belches steam and dense black smoke as it rounds a curve in Black Canyon. .Conductor waves to camera from a car labeled: " Denver and Rio Grande Western." Crewmen lean out of train openings as it crosses bridge over river.
Opening scene shows police officer removing a sick person, on a litter from a Pennsylvania Railroad train at a station and placing them gently on a railway cart. A uniformed U.S. Army Military policeman helps them. Next, Japanese Nationals and Issei families with many small children are seen leaving a train and walking along a railway platform. A Red Cross woman in white stands behind an ambulance, where a newborn infant lies on a litter. Policeman carry two women on litters and place them in the ambulance. The newborn baby is being cradled in the arms of the Red Cross woman. A Japanese family climbs aboard a bus. Railway workers transport travelers' baggage on a large cart. Police stand near by as a U.S. Army Military policeman boards a bus filled with Japanese to be repatriated to Japan. Two MPs watch as Japanese to be repatriated climb aboard another bus. A group of Japanese men enter a bus, followed by Armed U.S. Army soldiers who also board. An official guides a train to a stopping point on a train station. A large group of men to be repatriated to Japan step from the train under guard by many armed U.S. soldiers.
Domestic activities of the United States Coast Guard in the United States during World War II. Smoke from the stacks of a ship. A sign outside a building reads: United States Coast Guard Barge Office'. Coast guardsmen are trained at the office. An officer instructs and trains them. They are trained for port security job. They study sabotage detection. A ship docked in a harbor. Men load supplies onto the ship. They are trained for handling explosives, gasoline and ammunition. Specially trained men load the explosives. A sign on the ship reads: 'No Smoking fire is sabotage'. The coast guards battle a ship fire. They throw water from hoses to control the fire.
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