United States Marines during the 'Operation Buffalo' in Con Thien, Vietnam. M48A1 tank of 'A' company parked on the grass field. A marine carries M-16 rifle and another marine carries M-72 66 mm LAAW (Light Anti-Armor Weapon). They walk behind the M48A1 tank. Marine with M-16 rifle kneels on ground. Another marine stands behind the tank having trouble preparing LAAW for firing. He kneels and drops the LAAW weapon on ground and begins preparing another LAAW for firing. They move forward. Marines holding M-16 rifles and hand grenades stand in grassy area, looking into bushes at an NVA (North Vietnamese army) bunker. He places his rifle on ground and throws a hand grenade. Another marine fires the LAAW and the tank moves forward. Marines follow the tank. (Vietnam War period).
Film opens with brief glimpse of Swedish soldiers (wearing M21 steel helmets) rushing to take positions in a defensive trench during World War 2. Scene shifts to infantry in combat gear, including shouldered blanket rolls, as they demonstrate ability to rapidly take up defensive positions. (Numerous automobiles parked in the background, indicating this is a demonstration.) Scene shifts to coastal defenses in Sweden, where heavy guns are seen firing from underground fortifications near a coastline. Swedish troops (wearing M37 steel helmets) firing a Browning M17 water-cooled machine gun from a protected position. Swedish troops (in M21 helmets) firing double-mounted Kulspruta m/36 water-cooled 8mm machine gun (modified Browning design dual mounted). Pattern of bullets splashing near floating targets offshore. Glimpse of a 29/33 M. 80mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun. Biplanes: Swedish J8 Gloster Gladiator MK I bi-wing pursuit aircraft seen flying low in formation over a grass field. Swedish T3 aircraft in formation. (These are Junkers Ju 86 K-13 aircraft built by SAAB, under license, and converted to torpedo bombers. They are flown by Swedish Wing F 17.) The pursuit planes stage mock attacks on the formation of T-3 bombers. Aerial closeups of a J8 in flight. Next, from very close up, one of the fuselage-mounted Browning .303 machine guns on a J8, is seen firing. Two of the bombers drop out of their formation and descend, as if they had been hit. (This is all a demonstration, carefully enacted.)
A U.S. arms manufacturing in World War 1. Hundreds of war production workers seen at shift change, waiting for their respective trolley cars passing on tracks between arms manufacturing plant's buildings. Women at work on metal working machines in an arms factory. Racks of Browning Automatic Rifles (Rifle, Caliber .30, Automatic, Browning, M1918) are being moved about. Assemblers are seen hand fitting parts for the Browning M1917 water cooled machine gun. One man makes final assembly adjustments to one of the machine guns set up on tripod in the factory. He enjoys firing the Browning M1917 machine gun. (Note:The M1917 and M1918 BAR were manufactured by numerous American arms makers. Colt, Remington, Marlin, Royal typewriter, Winchester. Most of the M1917 machine guns were manufactured by New England Westinghouse.)
Rocket powered aircraft X-15 pilots at Edwards Air Force Base in California. X-15 pilots Lt Commander Forrest S Peterson, Neil A Armstrong, Captain Robbert A Rushworth, John B McKay, Major Robert M White and Joseph A Walker stand in front of X-15. A sign reads 'NASA' Lt Commander Forrest S Peterson and John B McKay talk. X-15 in the background. Major Robert M White and Joseph A Walker talk. Lt Commander Forrest S Peterson, Neil A Armstrong, Captain Robbert A Rushworth, John B McKay, Major Robert M White and Joseph A Walker stand together. Major White and Joseph Walker stand beside X-15 and talk. Lt Commander Forrest S Peterson stands beside X-15. Lt Commander Forrest S Peterson stands beside X-15. John B McKay stands beside X-15. Captain Robbert A Rushworth stands beside X-15. Neil Armstrong stands beside X-15. Major Robert M White stands beside X-15. Captain Rushworth, John B McKay, Lt Commander Forrest S Peterson, Joseph A Walker, Neil A Armstrong and Major Robert M White stand around X-15 nose. Lt Commander Peterson, Neil A Armstrong, Capatain Rushworth, John B McKay, Major White and Joseph A Walker re mill around and talk.
On Christmas Eve, 1943,during World War 2, the Chinese 38th and 22nd Divisions are seen marching along a road toward North Burma. A regiment of Merrill's Marauders is seen joining the march from India through Burma. (Narrator says they will engage the Japanese 18th Division.) Along the line of march a road sign reads,"Shinbwiyang, Mile 110." Numerous views of troops struggling through jungles and natural obstacles. They employ pack animals that sometimes had difficulty in rough terrain. Animated map shows the route from Ledo, Assam, India, to the places of Chinese and American engagement with Japanese forces, in the Hukawng Valley. U.S. troops are seen moving under fire from Japanese enemy during active combat and returning fire with rifles, Browning M 1917, and M 1919 machine guns. Some of Merrill's Marauders wear standard M1 steel combat helmets, while others wear older M1917A1 "Kelly" helmets. One is seen firing a Bren gun with top-mounted curved box magazine. Others fire mortars. Chinese troops seen firing small artillery pieces. M3A3 Stuart light tanks of the joint Chinese-American 1st Provisional Tank Group (1st PTG) are seen with infantry walking behind them. Next, Allied casualties on litters are seen being placed in an ambulance. Numerous wounded are seen on the ground. Chinese troops carry a wounded on a litter. Views of Japanese soldiers being burned out of their hiding places by Chinese troops. Numerous views of dead Japanese soldiers. Scene shifts to air support by U.S. Army Air transport command providing aerial resupply from C-47 transport aircraft. C-47 aircraft seen flying over jungles. Monitors at a headquarters location are seen charting the changing positions of the Allied troops on the ground. View in a warehouse where air drop ready supplies are stored. Numerous views of supplies of all kinds being readied for air drop, including mail for the troops. Shipments being loaded aboard a transport airplane. C-47 airplane taxiing out after loading. Troops on the ground in radio contact with a transport plane. A long sequence ensues showing aerial resupply air drops from C-47 transport planes. After that, medical personnel are seen on the ground providing care to seriously wounded under difficult circumstances. Closeup of a surgeon tending to a patient. Many wounded seen on the ground awaiting attention and others in tents. A wounded on litters are transferred from an ambulance to an airplane. A woman nurse with other medics transferring patients. View inside an airplane set up for air evacuation. A nurse gives a wounded patient some water to drink. At a location unreachable by larger transport airplanes, a wounded soldier is placed aboard a single engine Stinson L-5 Sentinel liaison airplane which is then seen taking off and flying away. Animated map shows progress of Chinese troops on the Ledo road.
Group of officers standing at attention on ramp. Ground crew working on engines of F-61. Large radar antenna revolving on top of tall tower. E M operating radar set. Officer drawing weather maps. E M working on F-61 in hangar. E M talking over telephone. EM climb aboard tug, and ride off cross runway. Pilots running out of door at operations. Pilots run out to their F-61s. Pilots climb into the cockpit of F-61. F-61s warm up before take off. F-61s taxiing on runway. Thunderstorm clouds. E M operating radar instruments in Quonset hut. 18 July 1947 on a plate. 2 June 1947 on a plate. A formation of F-61s. P-61 in flight. Pilot at controls of F-61 while in flight. A formation of F-61s. F-61s break formation. Pilot at controls of F-61 while in flight. F-61s break formation. E M operating radar set. F-61 in flight.
CRITICALPAST.COM: About Us | Contact Us | FAQs - How to Order | License Agreement | My Account | My Lightboxes | Shopping Cart | Advanced Search | Featured Collections | Website Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy ©2026 CriticalPast LLC.
License Agreement |
Terms & Conditions |
Privacy Policy
©2026 CriticalPast LLC.