Synopsis
In this issue of the Army-Navy Screen Magazine series (No. 85), viewers are treated to a short documentary on the U.S. Navy’s Antarctic expedition Operation Highjump, a 1946-1947 mission to Antarctica to establish the Antarctic research base Little America IV, assess the feasibility of maintaining a permanent base, and further American understanding of the continent. The film begins with aerial footage of Antarctica, a map of the continent, and footage of men framing buildings and carving ice blocks during construction of the first Little America exploration bases (1929-1941). Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd and men gather in a tent during one of the early expeditions (00:48). A plane taxis on a snowy runway (01:30); a dogsled moves across the snow. Admiral Byrd, heading the Navy’s Task Force 68, and Real Admiral Richard H. Cruzen prepare to leave on Operation Highjump in 1946 (02:05). Viewers see the expedition’s ships, planes (including the amphibious Martin PBM Mariner), and helicopters (what appears to be a Sikorsky R-4). Men pose with equipment and arctic clothing. Several men work with huskies and wrap their paws (03:00); the film shows the huskies at their kennel in New Hampshire. The first units of the expedition set sail for Antarctica. A ship (presumably the flagship USS Mount Olympus, passes a massive iceberg (03:58). Whales swim in the arctic waters. A ship passes through an icefield (04:37). A helicopter takes off from one of the ships to go scout. The USCGC…
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Details
- Running time
- 16 minutes
- Collection
- Ephemeral Films
Subjects on the Internet Archive
- Stock Footage