Scenes following the April 1945 destruction of the Tangermünde Bridge over the River Elbe, by retreating German forces in World War 2. View of damaged Tangermunde Bridge. Defeated German soldiers and German civilians walk along the bridge, moving westward into American and British controlled areas, and fleeing advancing Soviet forces (fearing their retribution). Civilians climb the bridge carefully with their luggage, having to hold twisted steel girders with no flooring beneath. Wounded German walks carefully on the bridge. U.S. Army soldiers checking papers of German citizens crossing the bridge.
Russians and Americans meet in Germany during World War II. American Major-General Emil F. Reinhardt, Commanding General of the 69th Division shakes hands with his Russian counterpart Major-General Vladimir V. Rusakov Commanding Officer of the 58th Guards Division at a meeting of American and Russian troops near the Elbe River and the town of Torgau, Germany in late April, 1945. American and Russian troops stand in formation. US, Russian, and British flags on display.
Remains of United States Army Air Forces B-29A Super fortress that crashed on March 30, 1945, at North Field, Tinian,in the Northern Mariana Islands, during World War 2. Scattered debris on ground. Remaining piece of tail section displays serial number 265283 indicating it is B-29 number 42-65283, nicknamed "Big Wheel," from the 9th Bomb Group, 99th Bomb Squadron. Reportedly, it experienced mechanical problems during a mission to drop mines in Japanese waters. After jettisoning its munitions, it returned to Tinian, but crashed on the shore. Of the 12 crew, only the radar operator survived.
Remains of USAAF B-29 number 42-65283 from the 9th Bomb Group, 99th Bomb Squadron, that crashed, 30 March 1945, in World War 2, on Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands. All crew members were immediately killed in the crash, except tail gunner, Sgt. Joseph C. Trullo, Jr., who initially survived but died of his injuries, five days later, and the sole survivor, Radio Operator, Sgt. James Langraf who was injured but eventually recovered. Air Force personnel inspect debris that is scattered across the crash site in sand dunes close to the ocean in the background.
Film opens with slate reading: "Cabanatuan Prisoners' Hospitalization at Time of Repatriation." Brief view of a tent-like field hospital where former POWs were being treated, behind American lines, with rescued American POWs in beds and several Army nurses attending them. After that is an extended view of several ambulatory patients engaged in conversations at a hospital behind American lines. At TC:01:35, the scene reverts to earlier time, and a patient is seen lying in the ruins of the prison camp on the day of the rescue raid (Jan 30, 1945). He is being tended to by another soldier, with whom he converses. Two former prisoners are seen in a straw-lined cart prepared for transport back to the American lines, by water buffalo. The remainder of the film shows the former POWs and their rescuers leaving the Cabanatuan prison, on their way back to the American lines. Some non-ambulatory former prisoners are seen lying on straw- covered ground.
Film opens with slate reading: "Evacuation to Hospitals." Next, on January 30, 1945, the day of the "Cabanatuan Raid" (Mission to rescue prisoners of war from the Japanese prison camp at Cabanatuan) rescuers are seen carrying a former POW from a building, on a litter. Local Filipinos and others are standing on the porch of the prison building. An ambulatory former prisoner comes down the steps unaided. Several rescued prisoners are seated on chairs, conversing. Closeups of some of them. Two weakened and bandaged former prisoners help each other up some steps. Slate states: "Man with Cane afflicted with Beri-Beri." A severely disabled former prisoner, with a cane, makes his way unaided across the grass. Rescuers and Filipinos are in the background, along with some carts used to evacuate disabled former prisoners back behind American lines.
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