This issue of the U.S. Naval Workers Digest, a WWII industrial incentive newsreel shown to those involved in the war effort, consists of a couple of segments. The first is entitled ATTACK / COUNTER ATTACK! and the second WINGS OVER LEYTE. The first film looks at amphibious landings in the European and Pacific Theaters of war, emphasizing the incredible amounts of supplies and material that go into making victory possible. The second film shows the naval battle of Leyte Gulf and also contains a fascinating look at the development of civil aircraft from WWII bombers and other aircraft.
The first segment, MN-3705-G, ATTACK / COUNTER ATTACK!, is a 1945 Naval Workers Digest for the Bureau of Aeronautics that predates September 2 (:24). It opens with the wings of a Grumman F4F4 Wildcat unfolding before taking off (:24-:34). The New York Times are shown (:45-:57). June 6, 1944, D-Day, shows an ocean of ships (1:04). Liberation troops march in Paris in August (1:06-1:25) and in Belgium in September (1:26-1:33). The after effects of an amphibious attack on Japan in 1944 are shown (1:34-2:00) as soldiers wade to boats (2:01-2:10). The USS Hull (DD-350) battles waves [she would sink December 18, 1944 in Halsey’s Typhoon] (2:11-2:43). Hellcats are loaded (2:45-3:04) while pilots are briefed before boarding planes (3:05-3:22). An off-ship camera shows a Hellcat taxiing off (3:23-3:40). Battleships prepare to bombard targets (3:42). OS2U Kingfisher seaplanes are catapulted to aid in directing the fire (3:46-3:54). The battleship guns fire on Japan (3:55-4:25). Planes lay a smokescreen (4:25-4:39) to hide LVT-4 Water Buffalo and LVT-1 Alligator landing vehicles (4:40) under additional cover fire (4:50-5:20). More troops land (5:14-5:38). Troops leave the USS Eberle (DD-430) (5:39-5:42) as planes drop emergency equipment (5:44-5:59). Troops push equipment past earlier damage to Japanese emplacements (6:00-6:20). Heavy equipment is hard to bring ashore (6:25-6:35). Japanese bombers (6:37) cause pilots to spring into Grumman F6F Hellcats (6:41-7:13), FM-2 Wildcats and TBM Avengers (7:14-7:28), and Curtiss SB2C Helldivers (7:29-7:33). Japanese planes destroy ours (7:35-8:50). Ships burn (9:07-9:13).
WINGS OVER LEYTE (9:35) covers 1944 events and predates the end of the war. Shown is the first International Civil Aviation Conference in Chicago on November 1, 1944, with delegates from 51 different nations (9:53-10:40). Assistant Secretary of State Adolf Berle addresses the group (10:41-10:51). Plans to convert the Boeing B-29 Superfortress to passenger planes are detailed (10:57-11:30). Another potential conversion is the Lockheed Super Constellation (11:31-11:48). The Martin JRM Mars seaplane sets weight records (11:49-12:10). A Fairchild C-82 flying boxcar is loaded (12:12-12:53). A well-dressed woman learns to fly an ERCO Ercoupe, a two-passenger plane (12:55-13:15). A Piper Cub arrives and another takes off from the deck of a landing boat (13:17-14:11). The Philippines Campaign is discussed, showing Wildcats filling a deck (14:13-14:32). Shown is Captain David McCampbell, the top F6F Hellcat ace (14:33). A Japanese vessel is bombed (14:45-14:57) and detonates in a spectacular explosion — one of the more impressive moments caught on camera in the Pacific War. US pilots are rescued at sea (15:00-15:24), including 22 by one OS2U Kingfisher. Crippled, it’s purposely blown up so the Japanese don’t get it (15:25-15:49). Planes fly to Leyte, Philippines (15:50- 16:09) before the assault forces on amphibious craft move in (16:10-16:40). General MacArthur wades ashore with President Sergio Osmena, General Basillio Valdez, and General Carlos Romulo on this first day of the invasion, October 20, 1944 (16:41-16:52). A map illustrates the attack (16:54-17:37). Actual footage of bombing is shown, including a Japanese plane spinning down (17:38-18:12). The crippled USS Princeton was forced to be sunk (18:13-18:27). A Wildcat lands (18:28).
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