More than two hours of rare films!

* The First Fighter Squadron in New Guinea 1942-1944 (Color 30:00)
In 1981 retired Air Corp's Lt. Col. Ken Gerrish donated home movies he shot during his service on Papua New Guinea between 1942 and 1944. As Engineering Officer he was responsible for maintaining P-39s for the 36th Fighter Squadron and P-38s for the Eighth Fighter Group of the Fifth Air Force. They were the first American Air Corps unit to operate on the island. This is a unique “Behind the Scenes” look at every day life on remote front line fighter bases, in this case set in one of the most primitive environments in the World. The fact that its in color makes it virtually one of a kind. You'll see P-39 Airacobras, P-38 Lightnings and B-25 bombers operating from muddy airstrips carved out of the jungle, along with the men who maintained and flew them. There are frequent contacts with colorfully dressed indigenous tribesmen, AKA “Head Hunters,” who had never had contact with outsiders at all until airfields were suddenly built near their villages. An added bonus are scenes of Aussie infantry who accompanied the 36TH FS when they relocated to a new base by ship. Gerrish added music and his own first person narration to his 16mm film to create this presentation. The content has been edited slightly here for brevity and to make it suitable for viewers of all ages. A memorable account.

* Film Communique 1943 (20:00 B&W)
Little Detroit - A huge marshaling yard is built from scratch in a Mediterranean port where massive transportation crates are unloaded from ships containing trucks, jeeps, bulldozers, road graders and other motorized transport. The equipment is assembled on the spot by specially trained troops and quickly sent on it's away to front line military units. A “gearheads” delight.
Troop Carrier Command - New Guinea Operations Airborne troop transport & supply was vital for maintaining combat operations where roads were few and combat units were isolated by mountainous terrain and dense jungle. The remote airfield at Wau was a critical forward hub linking New Guinea and surrounding Islands. See C-47s providing a wide range of services, accompanied by P-39s to protect them from the constant threat of Japanese fighters.
The Price of Rendova A massive amphibious assault, supported by air and naval bombardment is launched against the Japanese held island of Redova, stepping stone for seizing the nearby airbase at Munda, on New Georgia. After fierce fighting, and under constant Japanese air attacks, patches of muddy jungle are cleared for 155m “Long Toms” & other artillery that are used to shell Munda, across a narrow strait, before it was attacked and seized by Allied forces. Another now forgotten island battle in the Pacific that deserves to be remembered because of the sacrifices that were made there.

* World War 2 G.I.s “Baptism of Fire” (32:00 B&W 1943)
"In your first battle, your worst fight isn't with the enemy, it's with yourself," is theme of this gritty, no holds barred World War 2 training film, nominated for an Academy Award in 1944. Tens of thousands of American "citizen soldiers" were going into combat against a determined enemy for the first time. It was only natural to have fear of the unknown. How to forget all they had left behind in civilian life and focus entirely on the task at hand. Dealing with seeing comrades severely wounded or dying before your eyes. Explosions and gunfire all around you in the chaotic fog of war. Killing another human being for the first time. Fighting the impulse to just turn and run away from the carnage and more. The film follows three infantrymen into battle and records how each of them deals with those fears, each in their own way. This film is not a Hollywood glamorization. It pulls no punches in showing the horrific experience of close combat.

* Army- Navy Screen Magazine highlights – shown only to members of the Armed Forces (1942-1945, B&W, 60:00)

Somewhere in Italy American 10^th Mountain Division troops train for steep terrain assaults with an elite Italian “Alpini” unit that had recently switched sides from Mussolini's Fascists.
Fifth Army Mobile American Expeditionary Radio Stations. AES trucks in Italy were specially equipped to function as mobile radio stations, broadcasting popular records, radio shows like”The Shadow” and live USO shows with stars like Marlene Dietrich to front line troops. They moved forward as the campaign progressed and were avidly listened to. A taste of home.
Rescue - American and Filipino POWs are liberated and from Japanese camps and interviewed after enduring extreme hardships,including “The Bataan Death March.”
Iron War Horses U.S. Army Railroad Battalion troops are trained at a specially constructed base at Camp Claiborn, Louisiana, before being deployed to operate railroads overseas, including maintaining a wide variety of locomotives & rolling stock and quickly repairing bombed out track & bridges.
Seized from the Japs See captured Japanese films showing elite troops being trained for amphibious landings before the Pacific campaign was launched.
The Fighting Dutch Thousands of Dutch soldiers, sailors and airmen who escaped from occupied Netherlands or were stranded in the Far East after the Japanese occupied Dutch colonies were trained and organized into effective fighting units in the Pacific theater. Of particular note was an all Dutch B-25 bomber squadron shown here operating against the Japanese.
“Three Day Pass in India” American servicemen & women who may have never ventured beyond their town back in the U.S.A. are given useful tips on adapting to Indian culture when they get some time off from their duties.
I Was There A U.S. Army nurse describes her experiences during the fall of the Philippines to Japanese forces, accompanied by vivid documentary footage.
Burma Outpost Rare footage of daily life in an American forward observation post in Northern Burma, set in almost impassible jungle terrain. Elephants had to be used to get there and the base was supplied by air drops. Their task was to provide early warning of Japanese air attacks during the Burma campaign and the building of the Burma and Stilwell roads.
Munda Outpost After bitter fighting to take it from the Japanese, the strategically vital air strip at Munda, on the Island of New Georgia in the Solomons, was rebuilt using heavy equipment and subsequently maintained by the Afro-American 828^th Engineer Aviation Battalion. The field had been destroyed during fighting and had to be rebuilt from scratch. Scenes of a variety of construction activity & off duty daily life.
Private Snafu In the Aleutians, Iles of Enchantment (Oh Brother!) A humorous look at duty on the frigid Alaskan island chain. The Private Snafu cartoon series combined slap stick entertainment with useful lessons on life in the Armed Forces.