Views taken from a commercial vessel, of the U.S. 4-stack Wickes Class Destroyers, USS Montgomery (DD-121); USS Breese (DD-122); USS Gamble (DD-123); and the USS Ramsay (DD-124), as they steer parallel courses beside a ship, in waters off Hawaii. Woman photographer holding a camera is shown briefly. The four flushdeckers were all reclassified in 1930 upon re-commissioning as 'light minelayers' and each displays here the circular emblem of the navy's mine force next to its hull number.
Views of Hawaiian landscape, including mountains and beaches. In one, a man standing on edge of hill looks through binoculars. View of Diamond Head and beach on Oahu, as seen from a distance, across the bay.
Several American school children, including one in a Boy Scouts of America uniform, recite the pledge of allegiance during World War 2. Scene broadens to encompass a school yard filled with elementary school students reciting the pledge in front of an American flag flying high on a pole. As scene fades images appear of battleships firing guns; an F4F airplane taking off from an aircraft carrier; landing craft approaching a beach; American soldiers fighting with small arms and a flame thrower, in jungles of New Guinea; a U.S. gun crew firing heavy artillery; and a U.S. P-38 aircraft on a rainy runway, spraying water as it takes off, in the Aleutian Islands. U.S. troops firing automatic weapons on a Pacific Island. A B-17 pilot wearing an oxygen mask in his cockpit, flying in a formation creating contrails at high altitude over Germany. Waist gunner firing at an attacking German fighter plane that explodes in air. U.S. troops in jeeps moving over jungle road. U.S. ski troops on snow in Iceland heading downhill toward their tents in the snow. American troops during amphibious landing in the Philippines. U.S. troops aboard army halftracks on desert in Iran. American paratroopers dropping from C-47 aircraft over France. U.S. soldiers marching through two large gates with cadre of Chinese soldiers in China. American troops fighting in Italy and firing a 155mm howitzer. U.S. infantry following a sherman tank over a war-torn landscape with shells bursting nearby. Crowded, busy street scenes of traffic and pedestrians in Manhattan, New York City, and Chicago, Illinois. Army tanks being manufactured by war production workers in a Detroit war production plant or factory. A Los Angeles shipyard filled with workers at shift change. Closeups of individual American soldiers in combat helmets. U.S. troops descending rope nets from transport ships to board landing craft, and approaching the beaches of Normandy, France, under fire, on D-day, June 6, 1944. Views of the Statue of Liberty, including closeups.
Brief views of ordinary American people and their music and reading activities, including: Scenes of many different radios in all locations, and hands on dials of radios, including console radios, portable radios in many rooms of the house, car radios, and hand-carried (vintage boom box) radio. A jukebox and a bobby soxer (bobby socks fashion), dancing; Crowd dancing to a swing band at a jazz night club; Older people doing country dances; Xavier Cugat conducting his orchestra; Tchaikovsky's 5th symphony being played in the Hollywood Bowl; African American jazz musician playing trumpet; a school marching band; newspaper being printed on a printing press; a news stand filled with papers and magazines; numerous city newspapers; a library filled with books; a Dick Tracy comic strip.
A line of U. S. Destroyers tied up in a port. In the line of ships are seen DD-121 ( USS Montgomery), and DD-122 (USS Breese), both Wickes Class Destroyers that saw action with the U.S. Navy in World War II. Workers, including welders and such, are seen repairing and otherwise preparing 4-stacker destroyers for transfer to Britain in the so-called "Destroyers for Bases Agreement" of September 2, 1940.The USS Hale (DD-133) a 4-stacker Town Class Destroyer, later commissioned as HMS Caldwell (I-20), is seen underway in a channel. Lines of ships underway are seen in an aerial view.
America prepares for World War II. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 (codified as 54 Stat. 885). He signs and dates September 16, 1940. A blindfolded man reaches into a large glass container and draws out the number of the first young man to be drafted under the new law. He gives the selected number to President Roosevelt. American soldiers march past a line of tents at an Army Camp. They drill on the parade field.
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