American cartoon animation “Private Snafu” shows the difficulty of each United States Armed Forces service branches- the United States Army Infantry and Tank Corps, the US Navy and the US Air Forces- in World War 2. “All the Air Force gets the glory and the Navy gets the cheers” laments Private Snafu. Marching through various terrain such as mud, snow and jungle, Private Snafu complains about his infantry work. Private Snafu wades through jungle river, until a crocodile emerges carrying his rucksack. Private Snafu singing “I’ve got the infantry blues” while his boots are depicting with sounding train horns. Mountain range with sign saying “Rest room 18,000 MI”. Private Snafu laments about being a “dogface”, wishes he had joined the Tank Corps as "they do their fighting on a nice, soft seat". A crass, cigar-smoking miniature G.I. fairy called the “Technical Fairy (First Class)” appears and grants Private Snafu’s wish. As a member of the Tank Corps, Private Snafu rides a tank across rugged terrain with difficulty controlling the tank. Hanging from the main gun of the tank, he wishes with regret that he had joined the Navy. The Technical Fairy grants Private Snafu’s wish and teleports him to the Navy. Private Snafu rides PT boat 13 through choppy waters. Private Snafu’s stomach is depicted with choppy waters. “Give me air!” cries Private Snafu after coughing up water while riding on two fish. A water-skiing Technical Fairy grants his wish, teleporting Private Snafu to a P-38 airplane. Private Snafu has difficulty controlling altitude of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning plane and runs into a mountain. The cockpit falls from the mountain, where Private Snafu finds himself back in the Infantry. “I see you’re back sir, here is your pack sir.” says the Technical Fairy as he hands over a pack to Private Snafu. “All the roads are pretty rough, parlay-voo,” sings the Technical Fairy, to the tune of “Hinky Dinky Parlez Vou (Mademoiselle from Armentières)”. “and all the services are tough, parlay-voo” sings back Private Snafu as he and the Technical Fairy march together. The Technical Fairy and Private Snafu sing “any "soldier or gob" should "finish the job"- Hinky Dinky Parlez Vou” as they march away.
French Army communications during World War 1. French soldiers marching along a road. French officers typing using typewriters inside an office. French soldier keys in telegraph orders after receiving them French radioman, wearing headphones, tunes a radio and takes notes. A French officer in a trench uses a telephone while connecting patch cords into a switchboard,
The capture of Cherbourg and Octeville to Allied forces during World War 2. Octeville, an important Nazi stronghold southwest of Cherbourg, falls to the 39th Regiment, 9th infantry division of the United States Army. United States soldiers running in a street. An American soldier taking cover at side of a road watching for enemy attack. A soldier uses a SCR-536 US Military “handie talkie”, the first handheld Walkie-talkie. American soldiers carefully navigate the streets of Octeville. Many dead German soldiers lying on the streets. American soldier points to a pile of dead German soldiers. Captured German soldier prisoners of war (POW) and two French Fifth Column “Collaborator” women are marched out of Octeville by American soldiers. United States infantry firing artillery at Cherbourg under a camouflage net. Cherbourg under fire from Allied artillery fire and bombings.
Allied tankers in Port-en-Bessin after the Normandy landings in World War 2. Allied tankers tied up in the wharf of Port-en-Bessin for the newly installed Ship-to-Shore gasoline transfer. Sign says “NO SMOKING”. Men flange flexible hose to outlet valves of a tanker connecting directly to pipelines on shore. A Frenchman gesturing and standing near pipelines. A man turns valve. Gasoline pipelines. Men working on portable units used for pumping 80 octane gasoline via pipelines to inland storage tanks. Pipelines of various sizes from the shore to a forest. A sign says “NO SMOKING” in a forest with pipelines. Storage tanks for gasoline. A storage tank with sandbag fortification. Pumps used for inland storage tanks. Men filling a United States Army tank truck from a storage tank. A United States soldier pushes a lever. Gasoline flows from hose to tank truck. A soldier fills 5-gallon containers with gasoline from an army tank truck. Soldiers load 5-gallon gasoline containers to a truck. A United States soldier fills up a truck with a 5-gallon gasoline jerrycan in France. Gasoline is poured on a truck fuel tank.
A United States Army officer briefs the men of a tank destroyer company in Normandy during World War 2. Members of a tank destroyer company are seated in an open field, listening to the U.S. Army Officer. A soldier with a Tank Destroyer Battalion “Hellcat" insignia on his shoulder. United States Army officer uses a stick as a pointer while briefing the men. Soldiers stand up and clear the field after the briefing ended. United States Army officer puts on his helmet and leaves. MP directs traffic back to the road. An M3 half-track vehicle labeled “3-11 LIBRA” leaves the assembly area and moves to the highway. A soldier in a motorcycle follows the M3 half-track to the highway.
Nurses wearing fatigue uniforms in a bivouac area in Lessay, France during World War 2. French nurses drink from mugs while sitting on the grass. A bicolor “Tuxedo” cat sitting on a nurse’s lap. Nurse playing with cat sitting on her lap. A group of French nurses examine a map. Some French nurses point out places on the map. A nurse washes her face using a washcloth dipped with water from a helmet used as a bucket. Nurse dries her face with cloth.
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