Likely dating to the early 1940s, this fascinating, silent, black-and-white home movie chronicles the lives of crew members working on several different oil tanker vessels. It likely dates to the WWII era or just prior. The film centers around three tanker ships: SS Swift Arrow (c.1940s), the SS Esso Providence (1940-1954), and the SS Esso Bayonne (1937-1953). SS Esso Bayonne served as an important fueler in the Pacific Theatre, and SS Esso Providence served in the Mediterranean and survived a direct aerial bomb hit during the invasion of Sicily. The film shows the crew, and the ships’ stops at fuel transfer stations and pipeline terminals, and the film ends as the SS Esso Bayonne docks at a refueling station managed by what is likely Colonial American Oil Co.

Film opens, coastal steamer ship in waters of bay likely pulling away from docking area; city coastline in background shows signs it is commercial or industrial city/ area with factory smoke stacks dotting the skyline (0:08). Crew on board: Man in chef hat and another in newsie cap sit side-by-side and look at camera while sitting on ship’s upper deck (0:13). Small kittens crawl on shoulder of one of the crew members while he smokes a cigarette (0:27). View of American Calmar Line cargo ship, probably a Victory Ship, from the deck of SS Swift Arrow (0:42). he deck of the Calmar ship appears to be stacked with lumber. (FYI Calmar Steamship Company was a proprietary subsidiary of the Bethlehem Steel founded in New York City in 1927.) Crew members sit shirtless or in white tank tops on upper-deck of ship, gather around 1930s-era radio (0:43). Listening to radio, probably war news. Lifeboat drill. Crew wear life vests, uncover and lower down safety boat from ship’s upper deck, ship’s name written on side of small boat (0:50). Caution sign warning against dangers of smoking and using lighter written in English, German, Spanish (1:20). Bird’s eye view details of ship, large American flag spread out across middle section of ship so that anti-submarine warfare and patrol aircraft will recognize the vessel as friendly (1:31). View of sailboat sailing passed ship, some members of crew row over to greet sailboat (1:47). Maintenance work aboard ship: Crew members paint ship’s funnel (2:14). Close-up of kittens playing with each other (2:43). Another steam cargo commercial ship passes the SS Swift Arrow (3:08). Commercial ship SS Esso Providence docked at port (3:11). Scenes from coastal port town, small humble one-floor homes, donkeys carrying wood jugs on their backs, women pose for camera, young child plays by seashore – perhaps Venezuela or somewhere else in Latin America (3:18). View along dock (3:58). Scenes of crew members aboard Esso Bayonne: On the job fixing mechanisms, one many plays golf on upper deck of SS Esso Bayonne (4:09). A crewman carves what might be a model ship, while an officer shoots the sun for navigation. Inner gears and mechanisms that make the ship run, ship’s engine room, mechanics at work oiling, greasing, maintaining engine (5:06). Man in kitchen polishes silver cutlery, another man suds and washes dishes in bucket (6:15). Various commercial boats, tug boats in harbor of industrial port city, a large steamboat is visible in the distance (6:38). Crew play marbles or toss coins on upper deck of ship, another man proudly holds large fish by its tail (7:05). Choppy waters: Large waves crash onto deck of ship (7:30). Mechanic fixes machinery and adds oil and grease (7:57). Men scrub, clean upper deck (8:34). Radioman in radio shack / communications shack adjusts radio transmitter (8:38). Ship captain surveys and observes waters through Sextant navigation instrument (8:49). Signage with ship’s name SS Esso Bayonne (9:06). “Ship sails at 6 a.m.” sign (9:15). Ship pulls into oil loading port belonging to Colonial Beacon American Oil Co. (9:22). Tugboat pushes the ship into its berth and crew secures the ship. Film ends (10:19).

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com