This black-and-white Army Air Force Weekly News Digest dated November 27, 1944 shows several combat unit segments, including footage from Saipan (part of the Northern Mariana Islands), Ceram, Burma, Germany, and the Netherlands. The film opens with a title card: “11th AAFCCU, Saipan Salvage” (0:37). Footage of American forces working in a former Saipan electricity generating plant to salvage enemy weapons and material for recycling and re-use. The 1944 Battle of Saipan, one of the main World War II campaigns, resulted in American forces capturing the island from the Japanese. Techinicians dismantle generator engines (1:15); the building was reconfigured to become part of a signal depot. A damaged enemy radio tower (1:29); workers use acetylene torches to break it down. Searchlights and other materials in a junk yard; 105mm Japanese gun barrels (2:13), empty oil barrels, water and gas cans. At a junk ammunition dump, soldiers collect abandoned grenades and shells, including hand grenades from trees (2:45). At 3:12, title card and segment on Bombing of Ceram. Animation showing flight path from Noemfoor Island to Boela, Ceram (3:21). A-20 Havocs on a mission to bomb the Dutch East Indies fuel supply base of Boela, which occurred October 12, 1944 (3:35). Para-Frags, a type of fragmentation bomb, being released. The attacks were designed to choke off the Netherlands oil line to the Japanese. Title card: “Bombing bridges in Burma” (4:36). A map shows cities of Mandalay, Lashio, and Calcutta. Air footage of Burma Railway (home of the famous Bridge Over the River Kwai) bombings by B25 planes (4:55). Map and bombing footage of railroad bridge at Sinthe (5:17). Footage from October 13 bombing at Hsenwi (5:54); bombing of Bhamo at 6:36 with P-47 Thunderbolts. October 22 attacks on a bridge at Taungdwingyi (7:12). October 23 bridge bombing at Hsipaw (7:52). All these attacks were designed to destroy Japanese supply lines. Title card: “Aerial Propaganda, 10th AAFCCU” (8:36). Paper leaflets that were aimed at Burmese natives and Japanese troops as part of a psychological war campaign (8:44). Gifts were also dropped to ensure friendly prisoner-of-war treatment. Title card: “4th AAFCCU, Air Attacks Europe” (9:30). Map shows cities of Cologne, Brussels, and Aachen. Footage from September 29 attack with B-26 Marauders on warehouses near Julich, Germany to knock out frontline supplies (9:52). October 6 attack at Hengelo, Holland; 9th Air Force Marauder planes cross the Albert Canal (10:12). October 7 attack on supply houses and barracks at Euskirchen, Germany (10:47). Title card: “3rd & 4th AAFCCU, Interdiction” (11:16). Map with interdiction lines shown between the Seine and Paris. One of the bridges crossing the Seine, at Rouen (11:40), built in 1940, which was destroyed by air attacks; the Rouen Cathedral (11:48). A damaged bridge hit by the Royal Air Force. A map showing Pont de L’Arche (12:08), where a new pontoon bridge was built. Railroad and highway bridge destruction at Mantes (12:43). Destroyed railroad bridge remnants at Maisons de Laffitte (13:50). Map shows another line of interdiction along the Loire River (13:54). Destroyed road bridges at Beaugency. Steel plating bridge damage from 8th Air Force attacks at Blois (15:28). Rail bridge damage at Mont Louis (16:04). Tours, where it took three attacks to knock out the rail bridge. Damage from Cinq Mars bridge attacks at 17:08 and Samur at 17:24. Footage of Chalonnes’ concrete railroad bridge, which was attacked June 9. Title card: “3rd & 8th AAFCCU, Fighter Kills” (18:07). A Luftwaffle plane during fighter combat (18:16), with accompanying gun camera footage. A German Me-163 Komet fighter jet (19:07). Gun camera footage of bridges and air strikes. Prepared by Army Air Forces Combat Film Service.

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