This WWII film is a part of the series released by the U.S. Army Air Forces titled ‘Weekly Digest’. It shows various footage from WWII fronts including construction of the airstrip on Green Island, footage of the pilots of the first all African American fighter group, the 99th Fighter Squadron, and captured German soldier interrogations in Italy. The film was prepared by the First Army Air Forces Combat Film Detachment (:22). The first segment takes viewers to Green Island off the coast of the Solomon Islands in March of 1944 (:32). A new airstrip was built within striking range of Rabaul (:39). In the Russell Islands, shipping caravan’s and LST’s prepare to deliver supplies (:54). One of the groups to make the trip is a detachment of the Army Airways Communication System (1:02). Trucks and equipment pack into LST’s (1:12). A barrage balloon (1:25) for protection against low flying enemy aircraft (1:25). 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns (1:47). The vessels near Green Island (2:03) and line up to pass through the channel (2:09). A signal is flashed from the shore station to the convoy (2:19). Supplies are unloaded (2:36) and bulldozers mow through the jungle for the construction of the operations tower (3:11). Trees are blasted out with dynamite (3:33). Men begin digging with shovels (3:54). During the operation, there was little water available and the forces are seen hacking at coconuts for hydration (4:03). Power shovels scoop up coral (4:18). The operations tower is shown in progress of construction (5:15) as radio equipment, including generators, are unloaded (5:28). A temporary operating antenna is set up on a coconut tree (5:41). The top landing of the tower follows (6:08) as well as the set up of the radio transmitting and receiving equipment (6:19). Operations crews man their posts (6:41) and a signal is flashed out for incoming planes (6:48). The first plane to land is a Navy Corsair of the 17th Fighter Squadron (7:01). Repair work was necessary on this plane and a new engine is seen being unloaded (7:11). Footage follows of the first C-47 to land on the strip (7:30) whose flight crew included a nurse (7:40). The film moves to Dinjan, India and the fighter bomber group in Chabua (8:01). Men of the 529th and 530th squadron of the 311 Fighter Bomber Group in Dinjan with modified parachute packs (8:15). The standard parachute and its contents are viewed (8:38). This is compared to the modified pack (9:01) which included other items such as chocolate rations. On February 28th, 1944, a carburetor modification is shown on a P-40 in Assam, India (9:57). Troops of the 80th Fighter Group of the 10th Air Force are seen stationed in upper Assam (10:06). The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk (10:13) experienced difficulty with it’s air intake control system (10:13). The standard air duct is removed from the craft (10:29) and compared to the modified duct (11:04). Interrogations of captured German soldiers from the Monte Cassino bombings of March 16th 1944 in Presenzano, Italy (12:36). The 99th Fighter Squadron is seen in Capodichino, Italy on January 28th, 1944 (16:24). These men were of the first all African American fighter outfit (16:42) to see combat in WWII and they are interviewed about the eight enemy aircraft they had shot down in a single day. A troop delivers a congratulatory message to the men from the Commanding General of the 64th Fighter Wing (17:07). The pilots speaking about their achievements follows (17:33). Next, British and American paratrooper maneuvers enacted on March 20th, 1944 (19:18). The men were to engage in large scale maneuvers prior to D-Day somewhere in England and were flown in, in standard C-47’s (20:03). The Jump Master chews on a cigar which men of his unit had seen as a symbol of good luck (20:37). The unit stands up and hooks on command (20:54) and begin jumping out from the C-47 (21:02). A camera films from the chest of the Jump Master (21:06). The static lines are pulled back into the craft (22:34). One of the men receives treatment after being wounded by a descending paratrooper (23:38). Smoke pods were set out to guide planes delivering supplies (23:32). The C-47’s return to air drop supplies for the men (23:45).

The 99th was originally formed as the U.S. Army Air Forces’ first African American fighter squadron, then known the 99th Pursuit Squadron. The personnel received their initial flight training at Tuskegee, Alabama earning them the nickname Tuskegee Airmen.

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