General Henry H. Arnold, Commander of the U.S. Army Air Forces, seated in front of world map, reports that since start of World War 2, the U.S. Air Force has gone from number 7, to number 1, in the world. Defense plant workers are shown walking near their place of work. A college football game shown in progress. Individual young men who left civilian life to became pilots, bombardiers, radio technicians, and gunners, in the Air Forces. A commercial DC-3 aircraft taxing to park at an airport. Shown are people who make the Air Forces possible, including many men and women workers at factories and manufacturing plants making aircraft and parts for the World War 2 effort: Steel workers, a woman working on a plane fuselage, actor James Stewart (in uniform), a welder at work, a typist, a machinist using a caliper, and an older couple at home, who forgoe driving their private car, shown covered in their garage. The flaming wreckage of U.S. aircraft at Hickam Field, on December 7, 1941. Large formation of German Heinkel He-111 bombers in flight. Formation of Japanese Mitsubishi G3M (Nell) bombers. U.S. P-40 pursuit planes taxiing out from parking places. Assembly line in U.S. aircraft manufacturing plant. U.S. Army Air Forces B-17 Flying Fortress planes on assembly lines. Workmen work on engines and aircraft fuselages. At the Douglas plant U.S. Army Air Forces B-26 Marauder bombers being assembled. Workmen inserting machine guns into a wing.
College football game between University of Notre Dam Fighting Irish with Northern University Wildcats, South Bend. Game in progress. Crowd cheer in stand. Fighting Irish beats Wildcats with a score of 26-6.
The college football Orange Bowl of 1944 between Louisiana State University and Texas A&M University Aggies in Miami, Florida, at the Miami Orange Bowl. The crowd in the stands of Orange Bowl Stadium. Band and flag corps march on the field carrying flags of various nations. A large float of a bald eagle with a crowned young woman rides atop the float. The game in progress. A cheering crowd in the stands. Highlights shown include two rushing touchdowns by LSU's Steve Van Buren and a passing touchdown by A&M. Louisiana State University beats Texas A&M University Aggies by a score of 19-14.
College football Sugar Bowl game of 1944 between Georgia Tech and the University of Tulsa, played in New Orleans, Louisiana. A crowd in the stands. The game in progress. Georgia Tech University over the University of Tulsa by a score of 20-18
College football 1944 Rose Bowl game between the University of Southern California and the University of Washington, held in Pasadena, California. A crowd in the stands. The game in progress. USC Trojan's quarterback Jim Hardy throws three touchdown passes in the highlights. The USC Trojans win over the University of Washington Huskies by a score of 29-0.
Newsreel clip on the opening of the Astrodome in Houston Texas. View of the seats inside the new $30 million covered stadium. Houston Astros players and coaches work out on the field. A pitcher throws a practice pitch to a catcher. Judge Roy Hofheinz is among several men in suits on the edge of the field, watching, in the background. Camera pans across the Astrodome's translucent roof, 20 stories above the playing field. Announcer notes the 45,000 seats are upholstered and the building is air conditioned so baseball and football fans can watch games in comfort. Astros players #21 Al Spangler and #14 Bob Aspromonte take swings as coach pitches batting practice.