PHOTOGRAPHY FIGHTS

Year Published: 1944

Format: 16mm

Description: Created for the U.S. Navy by the Treasury Dept. as part of the 6th War Loan drive, PHOTOGRAPHY FIGHTS is a docudrama that showcases the role of a naval photographic interpretation team in theater. The film begins and ends with a "typical" American couple who openly doubt the value of photography in the war, and then shows an interpretation team working on the front lines at Guadalcanal in the Pacific. An aerial photograph is analyzed to reveal that Japanese troops are constructing an air strip on an adjacent island at Munda. The film then suggests the destruction of the strip by showing scenes of aerial and naval bombardment. The film (according to a 1944 guide) "shows how under enemy action photographic crews work precious minutes getting and scanning pictures to search for signs of enemy emplacements and evidence of his movements. It shows what happens when well trained, discerning photographic interpreters can read from pictures shot by the crew." At the 9 minute mark, an attack is mounted on the new Japanese airstrip by carrier-launched airplanes. The film ends with comments by Commander Robert S. Quackenbush, Jr., the Director of Photography of the U.S. Navy. Quackenbush was one of the top people responsible for the establishment of a Navy school for photographic interpretation, just before WWII, under Admiral Stark. He was inspired by a trip to England in 1941, where he observed how the British were using photographic reconnaissance to great effect. The first American school was at the U.S. Naval Air Station, Anacostia, D.C. Quackenbursh led US photographic reconnaisance operations throughout the war. During Operation Crossroads, he was attached, with the rank of Captain, to the staff of Vice Admiral Blandy as senior officer in charge of all photographic operations during the atomic bomb tests at Bikini in 1946. He retired in 1957 with the rank of Rear Admiral. Make sure to check out the pin-up calendars and other girlie images in the background of the interpretation unit's command post at the start of the film and at the 4:40 mark!

Complete Record:

Transcription

I don't know I kind of like to hear the radio on yeah really bill I think we might get a new stove yo PA ìletís this one's simply ruining your pancake never get hot enough thing I don't understand is where the Jets got all those Islands we're taken away from them yeah says here the Johnson lawyers in the South Pacific taking pictures graphic interpretation whatever that is doesn't look like him not at all he ought to take pictures of himself I'll bet he's having the time of his life remember I used to run around with a brownie taking pictures of trees and clouds used to take some me too yeah he's lucky not like me he's doing what he likes to do instead of slaving in a factory boy through the Pacific with gun in camera now me I'll take the germ he can teach his camera no there must be some reason yeah he and his camera the devil is the Navy walk with a camera anyway there are two fill it with bullets and aim it at the jack long time as usual come on get all that around here we wait till the guns cause the spam mount but why is it I never get the word you you better step on a Johnson all the define souls are going fast uh-huh it's not too we're fishing for purple arts haven't you heard vauxhall stink anyway funny how long a jab can smell even through the gizmo this doesn't make sense that have another look you know the old man Blair speaking as usual yeah it's view as usual Johnson all right thanks yes sir oh no sir I'm sorry mckays Ron hasn't come to the printer yet yes sir I know I'll do my best sir halogen Olsen's it's racer I asked I go out and take your pictures I don't know why me i'm a fighter pilot you fellows can get them printed in the phone rings there's an air raid and you say as usual nothing ever happened for Carlos Prince coming they'll be ready in a minute sir Lana Troy an amp okay well you're closely sighs no long may you glory in your pride here they are oh thanks Burt those are risk my life fighting a thunderstorm because there's the [ __ ] on the island I'll [ __ ] on the island huh here's something I could really risk my life for it when a Jeff on the harlot all right have a look at that I float over that alec from stem to stern discuss never palm trees and mosquitoes yeah sure but look i'm looking to know i seed palm trees as usual all right now knock it off cause there are two patches here like this see now nobody ever made a rectangular patch except a man not a nap or a mosquito nor anything but a man and the color tone over here is just like the beach they must have been holding Carl from the beach and raiding your servicing it oh sure they start an airstrip all right somebody send you a bottle for Melbourne look at the way these two ends are lined up so that you get maximum length without much grading and you know that the wind blows him over here what's foolproof yeah all right macaire you get me that stuff tomorrow I'll prove it to you to be more horrible will be the beginnings of a dispersal strip here they'll be all the fun I know that I might just get me that stuff did you ever try to land an airplane on a bunch of palm trees that's where they're smart you can push a palm tree over the bulldozer they've got shallow roots so they finish the field knock out the trees and we're pron from here at a weak sauce I still think somebody says you'll bottle Melbourne tegel spam mountain as usual rebus oh this is all I could find nice well every little bit helps okay just gets here to those pictures all of good will do is we don't get this Shack fixed up yeah Pizza can t hurried up well that's it now where's Mackay fly as usual yeah this is it all right you see what I've been talking about here's where they've been working at the center of the field like this and here's the dispersal strip so now what do you think the cake I think I'll take a bottle from Melbourne to thanks give me crocodile no crocodile see are all right hurry it up then hello crocodile I want bureau that's really a nickel aloe vera give me operations after seven o'clock errs gets tougher hello operations this is Johnson a photo interpret today's photographic coverage confirms that [ __ ] airstrip yes of course I'm sure no ma'am I don't know why the Navy needs cameras seems to me they need to Don much Army Navy Air Force's Coast Guard it's money all the time gimme gimme gimme don't play no money don't grow on trees I don't know bill maybe there's a reason they there's a lot of things we don't know anything about maybe they need things like cameras and film whoops and paper and 10 and fat and old stuff in this and asking well we just don't understand why me I don't believe it photographic interpretation what sort of a war is that the picture which you have just seen shows what one man sitting at his good Sunday breakfast at home thinks about the war but you know otherwise you have also seen how another man in a jungle tent from a few small pictures moved a great fleet and caused the destruction of an airfield that airfield was munda and when we knocked it out Guadalcanal was materially assisted in those days when the going was tough but this is just one small story about naval photography there are countless others everywhere from Europe to Japan photography by reconnaissance and photo interpretation maps the way discovers the enemy's plans and so helps to save lives and speed victory photography its interpretation and use costs money make no mistake about that millions and millions of dollars your dollars go to train the skilled personnel provide them with fine cameras superb lenses and all the complicated mechanisms which they require to do their job photography is but one of many services which support the fighting man make his victory easier and certain consequently unless you continue to purchase war bonds these services will be harmed the road will be longer men will die whose deaths are not needed yours remains the continuing task and privilege of lending your money so that your army and navy can bring you victory


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