This silent, 16mm home movie shows a trip across the Pacific to Hawaii from San Francisco, and then on to Guam and Shanghai. The film offers glimpses of the aftermath of World War II’s Pacific Theater (TRT 12:03). It was shot by an unknown American who was in Shanghai, China in 1946-1948 time period. It is part of a group of 16mm movies shot by an unknown American who was working for the OMEA, or Officer’s Moral Endeavor Association, a sort of non-governmental, YMCA type group operating in post-WWII China.
The film starts with a view of the San Francisco Skyline from the Bay. Coit Tower is visible (0:09). A boy in a cowboy outfit dances spasmodically (0:22). A family picnics, blowing kisses (0:27). A visit to the San Francisco Zoo: a giraffe, an elephant, monkeys, a bear, lions, young tigers playing (0:36). Rocks project from the water (2:04). Children peel lobster or crab over newspaper (2:37). A view of Kuhio Beach, Waikiki, and Diamond Head with beachfront property unencumbered by high rise development (3:09). Palm trees line a street (3:35). A Douglas C-54 Skymaster plane takes off from an airport. The emblem of the United States Air Force Air Transport Command is visible (3:43). An aerial view of Honolulu and Diamond Head (4:03). The Pacific (5:28). Swimmers in front of Diamond Head (5:42). Aerial view of islands or coral atolls (5:52). A view of the Pacific from an airplane wing, with propellors visible (6:48). The wing is marked ATC, presumably Air Transport Command (7:12). A palm tree on Tumon Beach, Guam (7:33). A small church, with military vehicles. Then, the ruins of a much larger church located in Agana, destroyed in World War II (8:23). A military base, flying an American flag (8:44). Children walk towards a sign naming the village of Dededo (9:06). An ox pulls two people in a cart (9:17). A building silhouetted in the sunset (9:23). Shanghai, possibly the U.S. embassy (9:46). The flag of the Nationalist Government of the Republic of China is flying (9:54). Aerial views of Shanghai: ships at harbor, the Broadway Mansions hotel, old Beisuzhou Road (10:08). A Buddhist temple, with pagoda (11:40).
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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
