This startling U.S. Navy color film, Advance Base, narrated by WWII journalist Quentin Reynolds, was filmed by Marine Combat Cameramen and Seabees (:33). Color WWII combat footage includes bombing, a dead Japanese soldier, burning out enemies then shown dead, dropping a hand grenade in and blasting enemy troops out (:43-1:16). Gruesome dead bodies are hard to look at (1:18-1:46). Japanese equipment is recovered (1:47-2:14). The Navy practiced setting up mobile and fixed bases in Davisville, Rhode Island. The Advance Base Proving Ground provided training opportunities (2:15-3:05), including Rhino barges (3:06), creating a portable pier (3:33), assembling drydocks (3:43), refueling at sea (4:01), and using bulldozers with a revolving saw attached (4:11). The Seabee Construction Battalion practice building to create advance bases (4:27-5:06). Overseas, the fleet begins to move (5:07-6:06). A destroyer destroys an enemy ship (6:07-6:22). More firefighting is shown as amphibious vehicles unload troops (6:23-7:04). A medic bandages the head of another, some are on stretchers, and the wounded are treated (7:05-7:46). Marines wait while bulldozers work (7:47-8:20). Communication lines are laid (8:22-8:26). A U.S. Tank Landing Ship (LST) is destroyed (8:27-8:46). More supplies and troops are delivered by the USS Winslow (DD-359) (8:47-9:09). Reserve materials are built up (9:10-9:30). An airstrip is created (9:31-10:17). The base serves to let Marines fresh from battle get rest (10:22-10:30). A soldier shaves in a foxhole while another reads (10:33-10:43). Gas and oil barrels are unloaded (10:45-10:59). The troops advance through the jungle where battle scenes and wounded are shown (11:00-11:58). A Japanese tank emerges, fires, and the fuel dump explodes the base into flames (12:00-12:27). The troops move artillery into place (12:29-13:00), including grenades, shells, mortars, Molotov cocktails, shrapnel, and bazookas (13:01-13:05). A plane drops fire bombs on the Japanese (13:06-13:21). The island is once again conquered (13:22-14:00). The base is improved on as more ships anchor there and more equipment is made (14:01-15:00). Marines learn about poison gas and wearing gas masks (15:01-15:27). Men relax by diving off a captured Japanese landing craft (15:30-15:40). Medical Corpsmen openly spray DDT to kill pests (15:41-15:55). An uncontaminated water supply is set up, working with the now freed island natives (15:58-16:32). A fun sign for a jungle sawmill listing both the 19th Marines and 25th Seabees is shown (16:34-16:58). The airfield is surfaced (17:04), pilots chat (17:12), and planes are repaired or used for salvage (17:22-17:38). Bombs are taken from bomb dumps and loaded (17:40-18:12). Pilots dash for planes and a dogfight begins (18:13-19:02). The constructed island base is shown from above (19:05-19:49). A sign for the First Tank Battalion is shown as equipment and ships are loaded for a new assault (20:17-21:12). Respect is paid at a cemetery (21:15-21:34). Troops board the USS Perry (DD-340), [which, tragically, will be sunk by Japanese mines on September 13, 1944] (21:36-22:44). Footage is shown of a Japanese kamikaze plane destroy a US ship (23:29-24:11) and additional attacks are shown (24:12-24:50).

Quentin James Reynolds (April 11, 1902 – March 17, 1965) was an American journalist and World War II war correspondent.As associate editor at Collier’s Weekly from 1933 to 1945, Reynolds averaged 20 articles a year. He also published 25 books, including The Wounded Don’t Cry, London Diary, Dress Rehearsal, and Courtroom, a biography of lawyer Samuel Leibowitz. His autobiography was titled “By Quentin Reynolds”.

We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: “01:00:12:00 — President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference.”

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