" ACTION HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WAR " U.S. NAVY AT BATTLE OF SANTA CRUZ SS JOHN BURKE EXPLOSION 78334

View our Amazon store here: https://amzn.to/3XQHsVD

Want to learn more about Periscope Film? Visit   / periscopefilm  

Telenews presents this short WW2 combat film, "The Navy at War". It's a silent film, which seems to indicate that it was sold to the home market. Telenews originally ran from 1948 to 1949, producing fifteen minute segments similar to this one. (A later iteration ran 1954 – 62 as a syndicated newsfilm service for television.) Highlights from the Pacific theater are presented in black and white. The film captures scenes from the Battle of Kula Gulf and the Battle of Santa Cruz. Kamikaze planes race for aircraft carriers and shells sing through the air in the night. The film concludes with the somber ceremony for Loyce Edward Deen as he and his aircraft are buried at sea. These images were photographed by the combat cameramen of the US Navy (:26).

Pearl Harbor -- aftermath footage of ships and black smoke on the water (:48). Footage follows from the Battle of Kula Gulf (1:03). In 1943, Japanese troops landed at Vila. U.S. and Japanese ships entered combat off Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands. Long range guns flash in the night (7:15). The Battle of Santa Cruz (1:34) follows in October of 1942. This was the fourth aircraft carrier altercation in the Pacific campaign. Ground support runs towards the camera (2:27). A Japanese bomber comes under fire as a wing is blown off (2:36) and sinks into the water (2:45). The B5N2 Type 97 carrier attack aircraft (3:07) dodges bullets. Fighting vessels are light up only by the bright white hot shells shooting through the night sky (3:14). An F4U Corsair loses a wing as it attempts to land on the carrier deck (4:17). A Hellcat lands too hot and crashes (4:43). A good shot from the side shows the pilot climbing out of the cockpit (4:56). Another sits under waves of smoke and flame (5:21). Ground support and pilot are pictured next to the burning craft (5:31). An escaped missile is flung across the carrier deck (6:01). The SS Burke ammunition ship was hit by Kamikaze bomber resulting in a massive explosion on December 28, 1944 (6:15). The vessel was on route transporting ammunition to Mindoro, Philippines. The massive explosion is caught on film as waters rise (6:15). Wreckage and white smoke streams down (6:22). The USS Franklin (6:49) became the most damaged US carriers to survive the war. Big Ben was one of 24 Essex Class carriers built during WW2. USS Franklin is hit on March 18, 1945 (7:11) as it launched an attack against the Japanese mainland. Puffy smoke clouds billow out (7:15). Crew shoot fire hoses at the burning holes from two bombs (7:24). Close shots show the crew jumping from the USS Franklin (7:35) to a rescue boat. A wounded soldier receives aide from a medic (8:19). An aircraft carrier sits smoking after a Kamikaze attack (8:57). An Essex class carrier is hit (9:23) and explodes (9:28). US bullets sing for a Japanese plane (9:47). Scenes from the Battle of Okinawa follow as a Japanese plane swings in close to the USS Alaska (10:13). Smoke erupts after a hit (10:29). Shaky ground view footage shows crew aboard the carrier (10:50). A Japanese plane is struck and sent into the water (10:57). Streams of explosions fill the air with black and white puffs of smoke (11:16) as US forces fire back a strong offensive. Water shoots up like angry flowers after a long winter (11:20). Bright shells soar through air (11:59). A plane is struck in the sky (12:00) and explodes in the water. Another spins in flames (12:26). The final segment opens with the Grumman TBF Avenger (12:43). The wrecked plane is inspected upon returning to the USS Essex (12:49). Fingerprints are taken from Loyce Deen's body, the deceased pilot is still trapped within the craft (12:59). Loyce was decapitated by Japanese flak while fighting over Manila Bay. The decision is made to drop him off the edge of the craft and bury him at sea (13:04). A funeral service is conducted with the craft situated at the carrier’s edge (13:14). A sheet is draped over the cockpit hole covering Deen’s badly mangled remains. Somber soldiers hang their heads (13:23). Crewmembers push the craft into the sea (13:52).

Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we've worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you'd like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below.

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