Dating to 1979 when a gigantic airlift was organized to evacuate Americans and other westerners from Iran, this Pan Am promotional film begins with Today Show host Jane Pauley interviewing Captain William W. Malcolm, was one of two Pan Am pilots who flew some of the 600 evacuees out of Tehran. The film goes on to show Pan Am’s historical activities in times of crisis, dating back fifty years to 1929 when Pan Am (then a fledgling airline) helped evacuate people from South Florida. A Pan Am Sikorsky S-48 seaplane is seen at 3:50, making one of the first air rescues on record. At 4:11, Santo Domingo is seen in the aftermath of a hurricane, with Pan Am aircraft bringing immediate aid. At 4:43, Managua, Nicaragua is seen after an earthquake in 1931. Doctors and nurses are seen arriving aboard a Commodore Flying Boat at Santiago, Cuba in 1932. A larger Pan Am flying boat is seen at 5:30.
With the outbreak of WWII (seen at 5:40), Pan Am aircraft were used as a vital link between Europe and America, carrying mail, medical supplies, and diplomatic material. At 6:30, airport development is seen in 15 countries. At 7:00, Pan Am equipment is seen in war livery, camouflaged for military service. Harry Hopkins, Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt all flew aboard Pan Am planes during the war, and made 18,000 ocean crossings. More than 200 employees lost their lives.
At 8:11, V-J Day celebrations are seen in Times Square. At 8:30, Pan Am’s work during the Berlin Air Lift is seen. Over 2000 flights were made by Pan Am in this time. At 9:00, Pan Am Stratocruisers are seen shuttling equipment in support of the Korean War. At 9:20, Vietnam service is seen with 20 jets being used to fly personnel and mail across the Pacific. At 9:40, R&R leaves in Honolulu are shown. A montage then follows to show Pan Am’s many emergency and humanitarian efforts in the 1960s. At 10:30, a major earthquake in Peru is shown, with a massive effort by the airline. At 11:00, another earthquake is shown in Managua, with a huge response by Pan Am. Other natural disasters are shown including Guatemala and the Philippines.
At 11:50, a Pan Am jet flies over the Golden Gate Bridge.At 12:00, the Civil Air Fleet is shown transporting military vehicles, and Pan Am’s air lift capabilities are illustrated. At 13:00, Pan Am operations of world airports are shown including in Liberia and Oman.
“We have to do more because the demands on a world airline are greater. Literally everything in the world effects Pan Am.”
At 13:30, the Iranian Revolution is shown, with Americans in grave danger. An urgent call was made to Pan Am, and the airline responded with a 747 arriving at Tehran’s airport. During the next 6 days, 4000 Americans were evacuated by Pan Am.
Pan American World Airways, known from its founding until 1950 as Pan American Airways and commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991. Founded in 1927 as a scheduled air mail and passenger service operating between Key West, Florida, and Havana, Cuba, the airline became a major company credited with many innovations that shaped the international airline industry, including the widespread use of jet aircraft, jumbo jets, and computerized reservation systems. It was also a founding member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global airline industry association. Identified by its blue globe logo (“The Blue Meatball”), the use of the word “Clipper” in aircraft names and call signs, and the white pilot uniform caps, the airline was a cultural icon of the 20th century. In an era dominated by flag carriers that were wholly or majority government-owned, it was also the unofficial overseas flag carrier of the United States. During most of the jet era, Pan Am’s flagship terminal was the Worldport located at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City.
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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
