Chapter 13 of the U.S. Air Force’s The Air Force Story, “Expanding Air Power, June 1943” (SFP 263-13), recounts the training program at Tyndall Field in Florida and the June 1943 Allied invasion of Pantelleria. The film opens with a shot of Tyndall Field, Florida, where the first international students (French and Chinese) begin their training. American gunnery trainees march past planes (02:14). There is a series of profile shots of the various American men training at Tyndall, including former mayors, athletes, and scientists. The men are housed in the Miami Beach hotel The Governor (04:48). The men march and sing (05:42), study in classrooms (05:58), and complete physical training that includes jumping jacks (06:23), running, and going through obstacle courses. At the end of the program, the men’s friends and families gather for the graduation ceremony (07:12), which features General Hap Arnold (07:18) as the guest speaker. Some men receive special awards and honors during the ceremony. The men finally graduate and celebrate (08:13). The film then cuts to a shot of a harbor where Allied forces prepare for Operation Corkscrew (08:30). Jimmy Doolittle goes over the plans for the operation. Pilots load into a truck (09:15), which takes them to their planes. B-17 and B-25 bombers take off (10:20) and fly in formation. The bombers drop their loads on the coastline (10:52) in a concentrated attack. The bombing continues, despite active enemy anti-aircraft guns (11:40); one American bomber takes a hit (11:48) and falls from the sky. Warships head to Pantelleria (12:30), and Allied forces move trucks and tanks (12:85) onto the island in preparation for the invasion of Sicily. The film concludes with shots of B-17s flying in the sky (13:48).

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