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Red Cross News (1943)

1943 · Short film · 10 min

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Synopsis

This WWII era Red Cross film shows some of the organization's work during the conflict, including some of its most traditional activities -- teaching young people to swim, and learning artificial respiration. The launch of a new Liberty Ship SS John Barton Payne is shown. Its namesake was former chairman of the Red Cross. The new hospital ship SS Hope is also shown going into commission. Norman H. Davis, the chair of the Red Cross is shown returning from a tour of American Red Cross operations in Europe. American troops are shown in combat in the Pacific during the island hopping campaign, with medical corpsman administering aid in jungle hospitals. This includes astonishing footage of emergency surgery in extremely primitive conditions, and Red Cross supplies including blood plasma being given to the wounded. The film ends with a segment about the rehabilitation of the wounded, with a Navy hospital train bringing in hundreds of patients to Halloran Hospital (now the Willowbrook State School). The film highlights the significant role of the American Red Cross in various activities, from teaching survival swimming skills to boys and girls, to providing support for the armed forces. It details how the Red Cross equips children with life-saving techniques, demonstrates the launch of Liberty Ships and the USS Hope, and emphasizes the importance of blood collection for wounded soldiers. The narrative follows U.S. task forces in the South Pacific, the heroic efforts of medical…

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Details

Running time
10 minutes
Collection
Ephemeral Films

Subjects on the Internet Archive

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