German prisoners of war take a break from their work on the airfield at Annecy, France, during world War 2. A tethered sheep feeds on the grass. One of the prisoners talks amicably with a French guard. Some prisoners eat a snack, as they stand about being photographed by the cameraman. Scene changes to repatriated American flyers (who had been interned in Switzerland) sitting on the ground beside a parked C-47 transport airplane. The C-47 has tail number: 41-7845. Several French civilians, including some children, mingle with the Americans.
Large group of American airmen repatriated from internment in Switzerland, pose against backdrop of an Army canvas-covered truck, at Charmilles Hotel, Lake Annecy, France, during World War 2. A woman walks along the edge of Lake Annecy. Camera pans from her across the lake and mountains in background. Formation of clouds over mountains. Two Frenchmen hold baguettes of bread and stand in front of Charmilles Hotel. They walk through the gate.
U.S. soldiers examine a wrecked German aircraft in Sicily during World War 2. Soldiers examine a wrecked German Heinkel He 111 medium bomber aircraft. Soldier finds picture and ID tag of German crewman in wreckage of the aircraft. Soldiers inspect wreckage of another aircraft, this time Italian, almost completely burnt out.
U.S. soldiers lower and fold up a flag of the Kingdom of Italy, from atop a tower overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, at Cape Rasocolmo, Sicily, Italy, 15 km from Messina, during World War 2. They examine a large searchlight mounted on a tracked vehicle. They rotate it. The American soldiers uncover a grass camouflaged listening device (used to locate planes before the invention of the radar). A U.S. Army Sergeant occupies the operator's position and checks its movement controls. Soldiers pull grass camouflaging another large piece of equipment related to artillery (perhaps a type of radar). Scene shifts to view from hills overlooking the waterfront with town and port facilities. An American soldier takes photographs of the scene. Sequence shifts to views from a boat (unseen) moving slowly in the water off the coast. Buildings seen perched on the hillside and summit. Unusually shaped rock formations in the water at base of the cliffs. View from hilltop, of farmland in valley below.
Scenes of destruction at the Messina harbor and ferry terminal, in Sicily, in the aftermath of attacks by bombers of the U.S. Army Air Forces 86th Fighter Bomber Group in World War 2. Views of destroyed ferry boats. Interior of one ferry, with superstructure beams hanging down, and charts, maps, books, and furniture strewn about and partially underwater. View topside of complete distruction. A sign posted in German warns that photographing of the ferry to and from the port area is strictly prohibited. Destroyed rail cars at the port. Pieces of field artillery mixed with debris. A destroyed ferry slip.
Destroyed trains in railroad marshaling yard at Messina, Sicily, resulting from U.S. Army Air Forces bombing during World War 2. Cracked, broken and destroyed buildings in the city of Messina. Shattered trees and debris-filled areas. Two armed provisional Italian police, wearing white armbands, walk past partially destroyed commercial buildings. They turn and walk toward the camera. Closeups of each, and of armband identifying them as Civil Police, written in English and Italian.
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