Title:WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 141 - AMERICAN VARIANT [Allocated Title]
Film Number:WPN 291
Other titles:
Summary: An edition of the British official newsreel "War Pictorial News", produced by the Ministry of Information, Middle East aimed at an American audience (most likely US Forces).
Description: I. 'GUNNERS OF HINDUSTAN.' This item duplicates Item I of WPN 141.
II. 'RUSSIA.' This item duplicates Item IV of WPN 141.
III. 'GLIDER TROOPS PREPARE FOR AIRBORNE INVASION.' Panoramic footage shows Waco CG-4A troop carrying gliders parked on a runway (South East United States ?). A hawser is attached to the towing mechanism on a United States Army Air Force (USAAF) Douglas C-47 Skytrain glider tractor (tug) which then takes off, pulling a CG-4A glider into the air (the tractor aircraft may be a Douglas C-53 Skytrooper which is virtually indistinguishable from the C-47 apart from its smaller entry door and wooden deck flooring). A C-47 takes off to camera towing two CG-4A gliders. Ground to air views shows large numbers of gliders and their C-47 tractor aircraft flying overhead. A C-47 tractor aircraft releases its towing hawser. CG-4A gliders raise dust on landing during (air-landing) military exercises held in an unidentified Southern US state. Brief footage shows USAAF commander, General Henry H Arnold watching CG-4A gliders landing on water in swampland. A CG-4A makes a perfect landing on water, the pilots of following gliders flare their aircraft too early and hit the water hard. US air-landing troops wade through swamps carrying M1.30-inch carbines. CG-4A "Dallas Doll" comes in to land.
IV. 'LATEST FILMS OF WAR IN THE PACIFIC.' Brief footage shows United States Navy (USN) Admiral Chester W Nimitz seated in his office. A map shows the Central Pacific area of operations. Exterior footage shows the jungle headquarters (Solomon Islands) of USN Admiral William F Halsey which appears to have been constructed out of bamboo. Interior footage shows Halsey receiving a message from Rear-Admiral Wilkinson USN. Brief aerial footage shows a USN Grumman J2F Duck general utility amphibian aircraft in flight. United States Marine Corps (USMC) LVT-2 (Landing Vehicle Tracked) Water Buffalo amphibious load carrier "Michigan Wolverine" drives out of the sea and up a beach during the US attack on the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. USMC troops disembark into surf from an LVT-2 amphibian. USN Construction Battalion (CB-"Sea Bees") caterpillar tractor (with bulldozer blade) pulls a stalled Willys HB GP Jeep from the surf. A USMC detachment moves inland.
Production Details: Ministry of Information, Middle East (Production sponsor)
War Pictorial News (Production company)
Martin, Charles (Production individual)
Keating, Rex1910-02-142005-01British newsreel commentator, WW2 period (Production cast)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Arnold, Henry H (person)
Nimitz, Chester William (person)
Halsey, William F (person)
Wilkinson, Theodore Stark (person)
Keywords: operations, United States military - preparation (object name)
operations, United States military - amphibious (object name)
casualties, Japanese dead - battlefield (object name)
Gilbert and Ellice Islands (geography)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Subtitle language: Arabic
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 956 ft; Running time: 10 mins
