Chemical warfare tests by the U.S. Army in the tropical jungle conditions of San Jose Island, Panama, during World War II. An animated map highlights San Jose Island in the Panama. An aerial view of San Jose covered with jungle. Eastern slope of the island shows large trees having high jungle canopy. Western side of the island shows bushes without large trees. A man walks through tangled bushes. A coastal area and tidal swamps on the island.
The units of Pacific Battle fleet comes back home after victory and end of World War 2. Views in Diamond Head, Hawaii. U.S. Navy sailors aboard ships, returning home from war in the Pacific. Admiral William 'Bull' Halsey speaking to the press. People crowd pedestrian walkway of Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco to wave welcome to ships in the fleet arriving in San Francisco. Fog partially covers the area. Admiral Halsey on deck of aircraft carrier waving to crowds on bridge. Ships of the 3rd fleet arriving in San Francisco. U.S. Navy Fleet units passing through Panama Canal and stopping to indulge in recreational activities on land in Panama Canal Zone. Sailors on streets of Panama Canal Zone visiting souvenir shops, trying on hats, clowning around, and getting photographs taken. USS Enterprise (CV-6) aircraft carrier leading the fleet and arriving in New York harbor. A view of Statue of Liberty. USS Enterprise at dock. Sailors disembark and walk down walkways to dock. Relatives and families smile and welcome the sailors. People hug each other.
United States Secretary of Navy Charles Francis Adams on barge, preceding to side of USS (United States Ship) Texas. Secretary Adams with other officials board USS Texas to review fleet. Secretary is greeted on quarter deck. Colonel Burgess, Governor of Panama Zone on board USS Texas is greeted on quarter deck. Mr Roy T. Davis, U.S. Minister to Panama on board USS Texas is greeted at quarter deck by Admiral J.V. Chase and Secretary of Navy Charles F Adams. Major General Preston greeted at quarter deck. Charles Adams with Major Gen Preston. An official car on dock, with sentry waiting for Secretary for Navy Charles Adams.
Promotional documentary titled 'By The Way of Panama - California The Golden'. Describes views of California to be seen on a cruise from New York, via Panama. The sea shores of California with rocks and sand. A passenger ship sailing in the harbor of San Diego. Views of the San Diego Harbor. The ship, called the "Pennsylvania" reaches harbor of Los Angeles. Various landmark buildings and busy streets of the city of Los Angeles. Filmmaking: A Hollywood movie studio (RCA studio) with shooting underway on film set. Luxury homes of LA. The ship moves on to San Francisco. The harbor of San Francisco including Alcatraz Island in background. Views of the surroundings from a high ridge in San Francisco.
Opening scene shows Headquarters, United States Army, Europe (USAREUR) at Campbell Barracks, Heidelberg, Germany. A line of U.S. 7th Army M48 Patton tanks contributing to NATO defenses. One backs out of position. A line of M113 Armored personnel carriers proceeding along a dirt field. A tank destroyer followed by M113 APC. M113s of a U.S. Armored Brigade drive in Berlin, affirming allied rights in the city. Bridge in Italy displays logo of U.S. Army Southern European Task Force (SETAF). A Sergeant Missile Battalion of SETAF provides nuclear capable support to NATO. One of its Sergeant missiles is seen maneuvering on its mobile launch platform. Two Italian soldiers are seen being trained in missile operations. A motorized tractor pulls several wheeled containers of military supplies stockpiled at one of NATO's European storage facilities. More supplies are seen being moved outside a warehouse. Army personnel using keyboards and computer tape drives to keep track of war materiel. Yards full of military hardware, including lines of jeeps, provide backup for military operations. A sign at the Headquarters United States Southern Command in Quarry Heights, Panama. A ship is seen moving through the Miraflores locks of the Panama Canal. U.S. and allied soldiers are seen working with ropes to traverse a river, during Jungle Warfare training. Soldiers seen moving through jungle underbrush during training at the Southern Command School of the Americas. Scene shifts to U.S. Army, Alaska at Fort Richardson, near Anchorage. A U.S. M113 APC is seen driving and firing its weapon on a snowy field. Its stops and soldiers in white arctic gear step from a rear hatch to take up positions. A Piasecki H-21 Army helicopter is seen flying low above the terrain. It is equipped with landing gear skis. Rear view of tank moving in snow.
A log book entry of USS Franklin (CV-13). Aircraft take off from the flight deck while she is at few mile distance from Honshu. An aircraft in flight. U.S. aircraft in flight in pursuit of the twin Japanese bomber which was sighted by USS Hancock. An animated map shows the location where the ship was hit. Smoke rises from the ship after two bombs were dropped on it by the Japanese bomber. The bomber is shot down by an aircraft of Air Group 5. Flames shoot above the ship. Crew on the hangar deck try to douse the fire. Men carry casualties. First aid stations set up on the forward area of the flight deck. Men attend to the wounded. Men overboard. Men are helped aboard. A log book entry. Animated map shows the place where the ship went dead in water. Gun crews at station. A shot Japanese aircraft crashes into water. A log book entry. USS Santa Fe alongside the ship. She pours water on the burning ship. Wounded are removed and transferred to USS Santa Fe. Men from below the flight deck are rescued. Animated map shows the ship taken under tow by USS Pittsburgh. After a few hours, the ship sails on her own. Decks are cleaned. A prayer service for sailors who died. Ship anchored near hospital ship USS Mercy to which wounded were ferried (though footage shown is of USS Bountiful (AH-9)). Nurses attend the wounded. Patients in sick bay. A chaplain talks to a survivor. A thanksgiving and memorial service is held. A survey party evaluates the damage. Completely wrecked flight deck. The ship heads towards Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Debris is jettisoned. U.S. Navy WAVES ( Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) welcome the ship. The ship sails towards Panama. The ship enters the Panama Canal. Sailors are decorated. USS Franklin on its way to the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York, U.S. The ship reaches New York. The Statue of Liberty. A decoration ceremony on the flight deck. The ship sails again after repairs. (World War II period).