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One of a series of newsreels produced for the troops during WWII, the Army-Navy Screen Magazine was a short film program, generally running about 20-30 minutes in length. It typically included some serious coverage of the war on various fronts, along with an entertaining musical number or cartoon.

This one features three segments. The first, “Standing Room Only”, shows gas rationing and how the war effort takes priority in transporting materials and troops. Crowds are shown at a train station, and a “No Gas” sign is shown at a service station while lines of people wait to board a bus. Train rail cars loaded with tanks and military vehicles and troop trains are on the move. Women are shown aiding the war efforts servicing and maintaining train engines including the massive GG-1.

“On to Fortress Europe” shows preparations made to invade Sicily, troops boarding ship, invasion fleet underway, and loading invasion barges. Gen. Eisenhower is seen at his HQ on Malta speaking to his officers. The 7th Army leads the invasion of Sicily, with Canadian Soldiers took the center of the attack. 7th Army soldiers hit the beach from landing crafts along with General Patton. Soldiers wounded during the invasion of Sicily are shown being evacuated by aircraft to hospitals. Italian POW’s with hands raised are guarded by American soldiers, and captured German soldiers from the 15th Panzer Division sit behind barbed wire. An American soldier greets his relatives in Sicily.

Finally, at the end of the newsreel is a segment about Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians and the “Hit Kit” committee. This committee selects songs for the news magazines’ musical program. Several songs discarded until “In My Arms” is selected. Then the standard bouncing ball with cartoon characters is shown as the group sings “In My Arms”.

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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 and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com