A public television program by the U.S. Army entitled 'The Big Picture.' U.S. troops are seen hunkered down and looking through binoculars in a defensive position in Korea, during the Korean War. American soldiers riding atop a Sherman tank on a city street in Germany, during World War II. Ski troops moving across snowy hill in Alaska. U.S. Army amphibious assault training on a beach in Puerto Rico. Army Master Sergeant Stuart Queen, narrator, speaks about America's defense against threat of atomic attack in these times of lukewarm peace. View of mountainous region in Alaska. A cluster of Cup'it Eskimo dwellings is seen on Nunivak Island, in the Bering Sea. Several of the local inhabitants are fishing through holes cut in the ice. Vapor trails are seen from Soviet aircraft flying at high altitude. A sign on a tarpaulin displaying logo of the Army Signal Corps, reads,"Alaska Communication System, Long Distance Commercial Telephone-Telegraph." A tracked vehicle carries a soldier to a facility posting a sign reading, "Alaska Communications System Receiver Station." Several tall antennas loom above the site. The soldier, dressed in arctic gear, steps from the tracked vehicle and walks past several snow shoes, standing upright in the snow, to enter a white wooden building. Inside, a man in civilian clothes works at a battery of telecomunications equipment. He transmits a message about the aircraft sighting, to the Alaska Communication System facility in Fairbanks Alaska (briefly shown) by means of a telegraph key. From there it is relayed to a Signal Corps facility, shown, in Washington, DC. A soldier is seen Inside that facility, in a room filled with computers and telecommunications equipment. A Sergeant handles paper tape messages being sent and received by teletype. Another soldier plugs connections into a communications switchboard. Next, the camera pans over the entrance to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, in the Pentagon. More views of soldiers attending banks of teletype machines. Animated map displays paths of orders being transmitted to U.S. Air Defense Centers in San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, New York, and Atlanta. View from control room, of several U.S. Air Force F-94 Fighter Interceptor aircraft on an airfield ramp. A controller activates a Klaxon horn and pilots on alert, in the Fighter Interceptor Squadron ready room, jump up and scramble to their aircraft. A pair of F-94s taking off. One is number 51-5385. Next, a U.S. Navy F-9 fighter plane is seen taking off from an airfield. It displays tail code AE. It is followed by another F-9 aircraft.
The barrel of a 120mm M1 anti-aircraft gun is seen with a white ring and the name "Buddy Bill" painted on it. Another shown is named "Bashful-Baby." A soldier is in the process of painting a name on his gun barrel. View of the M51 Skysweeper anti-aircraft gun. Closeup of the radar dish atop the gun. View of the numerous controls of the gun. A Skysweeper gun set up in a desert setting, test site. An officer approaches the gun crew and gives an order. A gun crew member lowers the gun barrel, while two others retrieve shells for it. Hand of operator seen adjusting settings on gun controls. An aircraft (drone) is seen in flight overhead. The gun begins to automatically track it. A gunner presses a firing switch and the gun begins to fire shells. Black flak clouds form as shells explode in the air. several rounds are fired, the drone is struck and fall, burning, from the sky. Change of scene shows a Nike surface to air missile in a launch position. A soldier stands near a sign at a test site, reading "Launch Area." Soldiers slide a Nike missile across a set of rails, hook it up to a launch stand, turn on various control switches, and quickly leave the area. Aerial view of several Nike missiles laid horizontal on similar rails. Closeup on the ground of a Nike missile being raised to an uptight firing position. A rotating radar antenna. An Army technician at a battery of controls in a Nike operation center. Soldiers at a plotting table in th operation center. One wears a headset and announces countdown to firing. A visiting Allied military officer observes the activities. A clock on the wall records the countdown. A field grade Army officer with a headset stands near the soldier during the countdown. A hand actuates the firing switch and the Nike missile is seen launching. Men track it with elaborate camera equipment. The Army controller then announces time to intercept, as a dial in the control room shows the countdown progressing. . View of a B-17 target drone aircraft in flight at high altitude. As intercept is announced, the Nike strikes the B-17 which explodes and falls. Views of Nike test launch. View of the B-17 drone leaving contrails as it flies at high altitude, and then exploding and burning after being struck by the Nike missile. Pieces of the aircraft fall off as it burns, including two of its engines. Army Master Sergeant Stuart Queen, host of the "Big Picture" television program, wraps up the presentation.
Miners arriving above ground on a rail car. Open coal cars filled with coal. A steel furnace. A commuter railroad train. A man operating a tracked crane at a city construction site. Workers and equipment at a road and tunnel project. Home builders starting on foundation of a new house in the suburbs, with view of a new suburban neighborhood being built in background. Views of various construction activities: a mobile home; a high rise building; a residential house. Factory workers on an automobile assembly line are seen assembling engine, transmission and other parts to chassis. Salesman showing a car to prospective woman customer a a new car dealership. Bushel baskets of vegetables, fruits, and assorted produce at a sidewalk market. Several shoppers seen on Connecticut Avenue, in Washington, DC. Businesses seen include: The Camalier & Buckley shop, Raleigh's haberdashery and the Mayflower hotel (in the background). New automobiles stored in a yard, including many station wagons, and a sedan car being offloaded from a truck. Man doing major bodywork repairs on a car. Doormen in red uniforms assist patrons in taxis at a hotel or apartment building.
U.S. Public Health Service Outpatient Clinic. An ambulance entering a yard. Businesses advertising their prices with price posters in shop and store windows, including: A radio and television store; A drycleaner and laundry; Furniture store; Carpet store; mattress store, grocer; butcher; and dairy. Workers carrying their earnings statements. Exterior view of woman outside post office after she collects retirement income check from U.S. Post office, at Brooklandville, Maryland, 21022. A telephone booth in front of the Post office.
The history of aviation. An early model aircraft with rotor attachment between each wing is parked at an airfield. The airplane does not successfully take off.
Oscar Hammerstein introduces the song "You've Got to be Taught" from his show "South Pacific" during The National Conference of Christians and Jews Brotherhood Week. Richard Rodgers plays "You've Got to be Taught" on the piano while William Tabbert sings as the character Lt. Joseph Cable from "South Pacific." The lyrics address racism and prejudice, and how they are taught rather than innate.
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.