Makeshift military airport

Identifier
irn1002301
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • RG-60.2710
Dates
1 Jan 1945 - 31 Dec 1945
Level of Description
Item
Languages
  • Silent
Source
EHRI Partner

Creator(s)

Biographical History

George Stevens (December 18, 1904 – March 8, 1975) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and cinematographer. During World War II, Stevens joined the U.S. Army Signal Corps and headed a film unit from 1943 to 1946 under General Eisenhower. His unit shot footage documenting D-Day — including the only Allied European Front color film of the war — the liberation of Paris and the meeting of American and Soviet forces at the Elbe River, as well as horrific scenes from the Duben labor camp and the Dachau concentration camp. Stevens also helped prepare the Duben and Dachau footage and other material for presentation during the Nuremberg Trials. In 2008, his footage was entered into the U.S. National Film Registry by the Librarian of Congress as an "essential visual record" of World War II.

The Special Coverage Unit (SPECOU) was placed under the control of the Supreme Headquarters' Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF). The SPECOU consists of 45 people: writers like Ivan Moffat, William Saroyan and Irwin Shaw; cameramen like Dick Hoar, Ken Marthey, William Mellor, Jack Muth; sound operators as Bill Hamilton, who comes from Columbia, assistant directors, as Holly Morse, who has worked with Hal Roach.

Scope and Content

Men moving off in twilight silhouetted against sunset. Group of men kneeling in twilight. Officer in combat gear reading orders. American flag on left shoulder, men in this unit appear to be paratroopers. Planes have names such as "Windy City," "Bobbie Ellen 3," "Dinky," "Philadelphia Express." This is a portable metal runway. VS of men under wings of plane. LS, pan of plane landing. Jeep towing small artillery pieces. LS of many planes and/or gliders in BG of very flat area. DC3 taxiing for takeoff, towing glider, apparently with paratroopers. Series of shots of DC3s pulling gliders into air. Shot of paratrooper with knife in his boot, GI shaving at mirror of jeep. VS of two-star general (may be General Gavin). Glider "Olga 3" being loaded. "Old Couchez Avec is back again, C.C. Capt. J. A. Finley" written on glider. VS of men climbing into gliders. One ties on yellow scarf. Detail shots of gliders with tow ropes, DC3s lined up. Paratrooper colonel CU. Man signaling takeoff of gliders being towed by DC3s.

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This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.