Summary

HUNTERS IN THE SKY: MIDWAY, IWO JIMA, MORE

Source Archive Films by Getty Images
Title: HUNTERS IN THE SKY: MIDWAY, IWO JIMA, MORE
File Number: TAP-8BM Beta SP
Color: B W Color
Type: Newsreel
Year: 1942 - 1945
Subjects: Aerials; wars; military; aviation; airplanes, WWII color footage, Pacific Theater
Description: 19:00:09:10 - 19:30:07:06 B W Sound 1940s Army signal corps footage of WWII covering air & naval battles at Midway Atoll & Iwo Jima, as well as general topics including innovative fighter planes w jet engines & combating malaria in Mediterranean. Titles: "Military Operations on All Fronts," "Fighter Kills," & "Malaria Control on Corsica." First half of reel is good color footage w no sound & rough, home movie feel. 2nd half of tape is B W "Combat Bulletin" from the US War Dept. Signal Corps, w narration. 19:00:09:10 - 19:01:35:09 Color Silent 1942 Midway Islands, Central Pacific-- Map indicates US military base. VS aerial fighter plane flies. Cockpit POV other planes. CU pilot in cockpit. AV island. Ocean, island BG. VS supply & crew ships & aircraft carriers in ocean. VS crew services amphibious fighter plane floating on ocean. VS soldiers of 6th Defense Battalion march carrying American flag & unit flag. (marines maneuvers battles tropical patriotic) 19:01:35:13 - 19:02:12:05 Color Silent 1942 Midway Islands, Central Pacific-- Fade in from American flag to birds flying in sky. VS CU seagulls walk in sand on beach. Male & female seagulls feed together on beach. 2 female birds stand near each other on beach (goonys, albatrosses, boobys). Female bird preens. Flock of seabirds fly over beach. (tropical animals nature patriotic) 19:02:12:28 - 19:02:54:25 Color Silent 1942 Midway Islands, Central Pacific, rest & relaxation (R&R)-- Silhouetted soldier sits on edge of docked ship at sunset. Silhouetted soldier smokes while watching other man play accordion. VS soldier plays accordion & sings. Silhouetted soldier reclines w face toward sky. 2 silhouetted soldiers smoke. Sailor sits at shore accordion playing soldiers BG. Good OTS Silhouetted soldier in helmet w rifle looks at ocean at sunset. GOOD mostly silhouetted American flag waves in breeze at sunset. Clouds in sky at sunset. Good moody, ponderous-type footage. (tropics music dusk twilight) 19:02:58:06 - 19:04:05:16 Color Silent 1942 Midway Islands, Central Pacific-- VS airstrip. Officer addresses pilots during briefing on airstrip. Soldier refuels fighter plane. VS pilots talk casually under plane. Older mechanic checks plane. 19:04:06:19 - 19:04:19:00 Color Silent 1942 Homefront-- Middle aged woman looks up from her knitting to serviceman star hanging on her window. Talking head middle aged woman, possibly soldier's mother. Young woman in red dress smiles & talks on telephone. Young woman wears what appears to be engagement ring, but it could also be wedding ring. (family sweethearts love, fiancs engagements long distance romance) 19:04:20:07 - 19:06:51:15 Color Silent 1942 Midway Islands, Central Pacific Battle of Midway-- Pilots talk casually under fighter plane. VS fighter planes take off. Officer in aviator sunglasses points. VS soldier looks at sky through binoculars. VS cannons fire skyward. VS soldiers operate cannon from sand bag pit. VS fighter planes in sky. Debris falls. Fighter plane passes low overhead. Smoke from bombs on horizon in BG on neighboring island. VS burning hangar building. Explosions. GREAT Soldiers run for cover past burning plane. 19:06:51:16 - 19:11:58:07 Color Silent 1942 Midway Islands, Central Pacific Battle of Midway-- Soldiers raise American flag on flagpole amid smoke. (good, patriotic) Flames & smoke from explosion. American flag waves amide heavy black smoke (perseverance). Buildings burn, water or fuel towers BG. Cannons fire. VS fighter planes nosedive. Jeep drives past fire. Smoke on beach. Medic soldier on beach. Smoke over fire-damaged buildings (destruction). CU fire on oil spill. VS fighter planes in sky. VS AV ships in ocean. Plane flies past aircraft carrier. VS planes take off of aircraft carrier. Soldiers load & fire cannons. Spots of smoke in sky. Sailors on ship. VS happy pilots emerge from cockpits. Pilots pose together. 19:11:59:25 - 19:12:36:18 Color Silent 1942 Midway Islands, Central Pacific aftermath of Battle of Midway-- Interior of fire damaged hangar. Bird sits on sandy beach smoke from explosion BG. CU bird (blackfooted albatross?) frame of destroyed building BG. Soldiers stand guard before burning building. Black soldier w fighter plane wreckage. Laysan albatross stands on plane wreckage. GI rest hand on piece of wreckage thick black smoke BG. (animals destruction) 19:12:38:17 - 19:14:50:23 Color Silent 1942 Midway Islands, Central Pacific aftermath of Battle of Midway-- Fighter plane POV planes in flight. CU pilot in cockpit. AV islands. AV sinking fighter plane. VS soldiers help crew out of large fighter plane. CU soldier smoking. Wire mesh stretcher loaded into aircraft. Stretcher passed out of aircraft carrying seriously injured crew member. 2 not seriously injured crew members ride away in ambulance smiling. VS ruined US medical facility. (medicine injuries cooperation) 19:14:52:14 - 19:16:47:20 Color Silent 1942 Midway Islands, Central Pacific funeral for those killed in Battle of Midway-- Chaplain prepares for ceremony. VS soldiers & sailors, most in dress uniforms, line up around several coffins draped w American flags. Chaplain delivers sermon. Soldiers fire 21 gun salute. CU soldier w. eyeglasses salutes. Ships on ocean. Burials at sea performed. Soldier w binoculars watches sky. Black smoke behind American flag on flagpole. (rituals death religion, patriotic heroes) 19:16:49:05 - 19:17:36:02 Color Silent 1942 Hand paints over the following statistics stenciled onto posters: 4 Japanese carriers sunk 28 Jap battleships cruisers, destroyers sunk or damaged 300 Japanese aircraft destroyed. Final paint mark is red V for victory. (text facts, V-Day) 19:17:38:24 - 19:19:20:21 B W Sound 1945 Iwo Jima, Japan-- Credits & titles superimposed over map of Pacific region. AV clouds over island. VS ships bombard island. Fleet of fighter planes attack Mt. Suribachi. Fighter plane lands on aircraft carrier. American fighter plane that has been shot down crashes into ocean upside down. 19:19:20:22 - 19:23:32:19 B W Sound 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima, Japan-- VS AV battleships & destroyers in ocean. VS landing craft containing marines in water. VS American battleships fire on island. Map of island, w arrows pointing to coast battle site. Tanks onshore. VO narrator says silt-like soil hampers equipment. Explosions aboard battleships, OCIs. VS injured soldiers. Dead soldier aboard ship. VO narrator says photographer who shot preceeding scenes amoung the casualties. Sailor assists wounded soldier w crude bandage on leg. Tanks attempt move on shore. VS soldiers run for cover. OVTs used to move supplies. Ship POV marines run uphill BG. (death) 19:23:32:21 - 19:23:53:06 B W Sound 1945 Titles superimposed over map of North America. VS P-59A jet-propelled fighter plane takes off maneuvers on runway. 19:23:53:07 - 19:24:58:26 B W Sound 1945 Text of (Isaac) Newton's Third Law of Motion highlighted in physics book. VO narrator says a balloon can demonstrate this law. Boy blows up balloon. Diagram of cross section of balloon w arrows indicating internal pressure rearward & forward pressure when balloon open. Boy releases balloon & it flies across room. VS diagrams of rocket or jet engine demonstrating same principle. (science engineering design technology innovation) 19:24:58:28 - 19:26:24:19 B W Sound 1945 P-59A jet fighter plane parked on airstrip. VS CU jet nozzles of planes. CU pilot in cockpit. VS planes takes off. VS plane flies. VS several jet fighter planes parked on airstrip. VS P-80 "Shooting Star" jet fighter plane flies in sky. 19:26:28:15 - 19:27:56:26 B W Sound 1945 Western Front, Rhineland area, Germany-- Titles superimposed over map of Europe. Amazingly dramatic dogfight footage. VS AV pilot POV during fighter plane raid. Shooting, explosions, & smoke. One bridge is fired upon twice. VS planes shot down, crashing. German ME-163 jet fighter plane under attack. (nose dive crash battles) 19:27:56:27 - 19:28:31:02 B W Sound 1945 Corsica, France-- Titles superimposed over map of Mediterranean Sea, w Corsica prominently labeled. Signs pointing to depot & warning of "days lost to malaria." VS army medic & nurse attend to soldiers in malaria ward of infirmary. Soldiers given shots & pills. (insects disease pests doctors) 19:28:31:03 - 19:28:44:21 B W Sound 1945 Corsica, France-- Man's hands collect water sample containing mosquito larvae. Petri dishes containing mosquitos & larvae at various life cycle stages. Researcher uses microscope in laboratory. CU hand using tweezers. VO narrator mentions August both as month of Napoleon's birth & of rapid mosquito reproduction. (science scientists insects disease pests) 19:28:44:22 - 19:30:07:06 B W Sound 1945 Corsica, France-- VS methods of curbing malaria carrying mosquito population, such as: drainage- large log removed from stream, crew of men use hoes in swampy area oil- soldier sprays oil through hose onto stream pesticide- 'Paris green' mixed w lime applied to drainage ditch w simple duster machine. Soldiers prepare bomber plane to spread pesticide like crop duster. Bomber plane takes off spreads pesticide dust. (insects disease pests, larvicides, insecticides, dangerous chemicals)
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