WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 141 - AMERICAN VARIANT [Allocated Title]

An edition of the British official newsreel "War Pictorial News", produced by the Ministry of Information, Middle East aimed at an American audience (most likely US Forces).

I. 'GUNNERS OF HINDUSTAN.' This item duplicates Item I of WPN 141.

II. 'RUSSIA.' This item duplicates Item IV of WPN 141.

III. 'GLIDER TROOPS PREPARE FOR AIRBORNE INVASION.' Panoramic footage shows Waco CG-4A troop carrying gliders parked on a runway (South East United States ?). A hawser is attached to the towing mechanism on a United States Army Air Force (USAAF) Douglas C-47 Skytrain glider tractor (tug) which then takes off, pulling a CG-4A glider into the air (the tractor aircraft may be a Douglas C-53 Skytrooper which is virtually indistinguishable from the C-47 apart from its smaller entry door and wooden deck flooring). A C-47 takes off to camera towing two CG-4A gliders. Ground to air views shows large numbers of gliders and their C-47 tractor aircraft flying overhead. A C-47 tractor aircraft releases its towing hawser. CG-4A gliders raise dust on landing during (air-landing) military exercises held in an unidentified Southern US state. Brief footage shows USAAF commander, General Henry H Arnold watching CG-4A gliders landing on water in swampland. A CG-4A makes a perfect landing on water, the pilots of following gliders flare their aircraft too early and hit the water hard. US air-landing troops wade through swamps carrying M1.30-inch carbines. CG-4A "Dallas Doll" comes in to land.

IV. 'LATEST FILMS OF WAR IN THE PACIFIC.' Brief footage shows United States Navy (USN) Admiral Chester W Nimitz seated in his office. A map shows the Central Pacific area of operations. Exterior footage shows the jungle headquarters (Solomon Islands) of USN Admiral William F Halsey which appears to have been constructed out of bamboo. Interior footage shows Halsey receiving a message from Rear-Admiral Wilkinson USN. Brief aerial footage shows a USN Grumman J2F Duck general utility amphibian aircraft in flight. United States Marine Corps (USMC) LVT-2 (Landing Vehicle Tracked) Water Buffalo amphibious load carrier "Michigan Wolverine" drives out of the sea and up a beach during the US attack on the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. USMC troops disembark into surf from an LVT-2 amphibian. USN Construction Battalion (CB-"Sea Bees") caterpillar tractor (with bulldozer blade) pulls a stalled Willys HB GP Jeep from the surf. A USMC detachment moves inland.

35mm