SHOOTING WAR: WORLD WAR II COMBAT CAMERAMEN (TV)

Summary

A documentary film about the experiences of American videographers recording combat operations during World War II.

In 1941, the state of war photography is unprepared to deal with the scope of World War II; the attack on Pearl Harbor is mostly relayed through filmed re-enactments, special effects, and splices from old newsreel footage, courtesy of Hollywood filmmakers Gregg Toland and John Ford. He attempts to release a feature-length film portraying the United States as unready for the vast global conflict, but the government deems it inappropriate for release. At teams, real footage from the attack is eschewed in favor of more dramatic and effects-heavy recreations; the goal is not an authentic portrayal of the event but a rallying cry to propel the nation into war. Meanwhile, the United States Navy launches operations in the Pacific theater of the war. Harold Kempe recalls shooting footage of the newly-constructed B-25 bomber squadron departing from San Francisco aboard the USS Hornet aircraft carrier in 1942. He recounts that a sneak attack by Japanese boats prompted the Hornet to launch its bombers prematurely, and Kempe records footage of the planes taking off despite a greatly reduced runway distance. The subsequent bombing raid over Tokyo does little damage but is effective at affecting the morale of the enemy. In response, the Japanese launch an attack on the United States fleet in the Pacific, but they are intercepted and a battle occurs just off the coast of Midway Island, a pair of tiny but strategically important atolls. This leads to the Battle of Midway, the first major naval battle of the war. Ford records footage of the battle and is wounded in the process, winning an Oscar for his film. Kempe records footage of the American fighter squadron, who manage to destroy over a dozen Japanese fighter planes despite being unsure of their position. Ford also records footage of the squadron pilots, most of whom do not survive the battle, and shoots footage of their memorial service on board the Hornet. The American victory at Midway turns the tide of the war and sets the tone for subsequent conflicts in the Pacific.

In October of 1942, the Hornet arrives at the Battle of Santa Cruz near Guadalcanal. Footage from its sister ship, the Enterprise, provides a good example of the types of aerial combat experienced in the Pacific theater, including the brutal effects of aerial bombardment. One bomb blast on the Enterprise is recorded on camera, but the cameraman is killed in the process. Kempe recounts abandoning the Hornet after it sustains heavy damage, and records footage of American destroyers being engaged by Japanese bombers. The attack is successful, and footage is recorded of the destroyers sinking the Hornet. Kempe discusses techniques for recording fighter plane takeoffs and crashes. By late 1942, the military starts officially training combat cameramen, most of whom have experience as photographers in their civilian lives. Culver City Studios in Hollywood serves as a training facility, and just over 1,500 men complete their training there. Many go on to serve in the Air Force, accompanying strategic bombing raids over Europe. There they serve as bomb spotters and record plane damage for military analysts. Doug Morrell records the first major bombing raid over vital oil fields in Ploesti, Romania on August 1st, 1943, although it and all subsequent raids on the facility are unsuccessful. He recounts the challenge of shooting aerial combat footage, including the difficulty of reloading film in a high-altitude scenario. He recounts running into flak and having to break formation to escape enemy interceptors, and then having to bail out of the craft when it catches fire. Daniel A. McGovern also recounts serving aboard a bomber and recalls shooting footage of his own bombers’ crash-landing.

Cameraman Norm Hatch recalls the American attack on the island of Tarawa on November 20th, 1943. Over his footage of the landing, he recounts mechanical difficulties with the landing boats used by the American marines and how they were exhausted by the arduous trek onto the shore. He records footage of the intense gun battle on the shore, noting the advantage of the highly-entrenched Japanese gun emplacements. However, the Japanese ground troops are unable to properly coordinate their attack and cannot drive the Americans back to the ocean on the first day. Most Japanese troops fight to the death and only a few prisoners are taken. Another cameraman, John F. Ercole, recounts similar difficulties as Hatch and most of his footage consists of dead or wounded American soldiers being carried away or tended to. At this time he meets film actor and then-Navy Reserve officer Eddie Albert, who helps to organize troop evacuation at Tarawa. Footage from Tarawa also demonstrates the ineffectiveness of the American bombing raid prior to the land invasion, as the types of shells used are not appropriate for penetrating the Japanese entrenchments. Ercole is horrified by the many dead bodies left behind in the fighting and shoots footage of them; 6,000 people die during the attack on Tarawa, with another 2,000 wounded. Hatch’s footage at Tarawa is shown in theaters back in the United States, accompanied by a filmed interview with Hatch himself.

In Europe, the Signal Corps manages to shoot striking wartime footage despite lacking the equipment necessary for more complex shots. There, Hollywood film director John Huston shoots his wartime documentary “The Battle of San Pietro” in the late months of 1943, narrating the footage himself. He attempts to use a single small battle in the Italian countryside as representative of the rest of the war. According to former Signal Corpsman Ed Montagne, a great deal of Huston’s footage was staged by United States battalions, intercut with real combat footage. Huston uses some camera trickery to simulate a real war experience and make the combat look more intense. Montagne points out these techniques, but expresses his admiration for Huston’s work and his finished product. By 1944, combat photographers are present in most areas of the war, including the South-East Asian theater. Cameraman Dave Quaid recounts being stationed in the deep jungle, accompanying General Frank Merrill on “Operation: Galahad,” the march to a Japanese airfield at Myitkyna, Myanmar. The thick jungle makes travel virtually impassable, forcing the troops to hack through the underbrush and create a path for their supply train. The terrain is so rugged that their mules are unable to pass, forcing the troops to bear heavy equipment loads through the jungle. Quaid uses risky techniques in order to get better shots of the marching troops. On the way there is a tense engagement with a hidden Japanese patrol; both sides exchange fire despite being unable to see each other. During the fight, Quaid travels outside of his troop formation to get a shot of a killed enemy soldier; he recounts that he was spotted by Japanese troops but they were so surprised at his presence that they did not fire on him. The grueling march takes a total of six days, and they are able to take the airfield by surprise. Quaid shoots footage of the bombing raids on Myitkyna.

In June 1944, American marines land in the Marianas region, moving into bombing range of Japan. Filmmaker Richard Brooks records a documentary of the invasion and recounts a conversation with General Holland M. Smith about the possibility of cameramen carrying sidearms; General Smith refers to the combat cameras as “the eyes of the world” and states that “there are no cowards in front of a camera,” even ones bereft of film. Ercole is also present and records footage of wounded soldiers being transported, noting the importance of American tanks in the combat operations there. Ercole also records footage of the long and drawn-out attacks on Japanese soldiers hidden in various cave networks turned into miniature strongholds. Most of the Japanese die rather than surrendering to the Americans; the few who do surrender are mostly civilians. Ercole narrates over footage he shot of a woman emerging from a cave with an infant child; she spots him filming and, mistaking his camera for a sniper rifle, throws the baby over a cliff and then hurls herself off of it. The footage of the dead child floating in the water is not released until long after the war.

Footage shows paratroopers preparing to land at Normandy on June 6th, 1944, in what would become known as D-Day. Carl Voelker recounts recording footage with the bombing squadrons early in the attack. Footage from Walter Rosenblum is also shown of the naval bombardment, although there is not enough light for accurate fire. He recounts accompanying the amphibious infantry landing, describing it as “a very frightening sight.” Signal Corpsman and the Coast Guard shoot footage of the landing, but virtually all of the Signal Corps’ footage is lost when it is accidentally dropped into the ocean. Most of the surviving footage shows the battle’s aftermath, depicting weary American soldiers. On June 7th supplies come to reinforce the American soldiers, and they suffer a bout of inclement weather. Rosenblum captures footage of supply boats being sunk by the choppy waves and of soldiers attempting to swim out and rescue each other. The infantry advances into the Normandy countryside, encountering tall and plentiful hedgerows which stymie their advance. Doug Wood discusses the footage he shot during the advance and shows footage he compiled of American modifying their own tanks in order to plow through the hedgerows.

Rosenblum shoots footage of the battalion sent to liberate Paris, noting the French countryside and the many dead French soldiers they encountered. French civilians greet the Americans warmly even though some of their people were accidentally killed by American bombing runs. Filmmaker Russ Meyer, then serving in the Signal Corps, recounts recording footage of French tanks accompanying the American advance and the reaction of French civilians to their arrival. He also records a brief combat with a small German troop, as well as a later, lengthier engagement in which they suffered heavy losses. Meyer notes that he is able to shoot footage of the horrific wounds suffered by French tank operators, believing that he would have been unable to do so if they were American. As the American troops approach Paris, a Communist-led underground is able to halt German troops long enough to prevent the destruction of the city. Fighting breaks out in the streets of Paris between French resistance fighters, American troops, and German soldiers, creating a chaotic scene in which many civilians are caught in the crossfire and unable to escape. Resistance fighters take the opportunity to attack and harass French collaborators, including shaving the heads of women said to have consorted with German forces. Many Allied troops pass through Paris without stopping as they continue their advance. Fred Bornet recalls the reactions of French citizens in the streets of small towns, ecstatic at the arrival of the liberation forces. Bornet even “directs” several of the onlookers in order to elicit a more exciting reaction.

Optimism takes hold about the war in Europe, but the Pacific theater continues to be as grim and brutal as ever. Samuel A. Sorenson, a navy cameraman, talks about the reactions of Pacific theater soldiers he would film, noting that for some it was their only escape from loneliness. In September of 1944, naval and aerial bombardment of the island of Peleliu takes place on an unprecedented scale. It proves to be ineffective and the marines are sent in for an amphibious landing. Sorenson notes the extreme difficulty of the landing and the high casualties suffered by both the marines and the Japanese defenders. Quaid continues to record footage in the South-East Asian theater, such as that of a botched supply drop. Quaid is struck by a falling supply crate and is forced to sit out the remainder of the war as his broken leg is treated. Meanwhile, in northern France, bad winter weather slows the American advance near the Ardennes Forest and allows the Germans to build up their troops there. Meyer recounts the extreme cold and the tactics used by American troops to hide in the forest. The Germans sneak attack the scattered American troops there on December 16th, 1944. The ensuing battle, the Battle of the Bulge, represents an attempt at a major advance by the Germans, but it ultimately does not last. In total, over 600,000 troops are involved in the battle; 20,000 American troops die and another 20,000 are wounded. One cameraman, Jim Bates, rides aboard a tank during the battle and is put in charge of its machine gun; he films simultaneously while operating it, even after being wounded. Wood is accidentally caught in a command post after it has been evacuated, and he ends up driving through the Malmedy massacre, in which at least several dozen American prisoners of war were rounded up and shot by members of a German Panzer division.

By late December 1944, air operations resume. On January 1st, 1945, a major aerial battle takes place, forcing several cameramen, including Melvyn R. Paisley, to take up combat roles while filming aboard American bombers. This battle represents the single greatest loss for the Luftwaffe in the entire war. Paisley is decorated with a Distinguished Service Cross for his actions there. The Battle of the Bulge officially comes to a close on January 7th, 1945, leaving Germany in a vulnerable position. In 1945, Italy deposes Benito Mussolini and joins the Allies against the Axis forces. Montagne captures footage of the remnants of the German forces in Italy surrendering to the Americans. He then captures footage of the bodies of Mussolini and his supporters being hung up in a public square, surrounded by a huge crowd. Montagne is known for a shot he recorded of the bodies of Mussolini and his mistress Clara Petacci posed together at the morgue. On March 6th, 1945, Bates captures footage of combat between American and German forces in the streets of Cologne. Often innocent civilians are killed in the crossfire. Bates also records footage of an American tank shelling a German tank and killing its crew.

It is not long afterward that the war ends in the European theater. The war cameramen have one final task: recording footage from the death camps being liberated by American troops. Rosenblum recounts the horrors he witnessed at Dachau, such as a train of boxcars filled with emaciated corpses. Arthur Mainzer records footage at Buchenwald following a successful bombing raid and is struck by the terrifying sights of stacked corpses and severely malnourished prisoners, as well as lampshades and book covers composed of the tattooed skin of dead prisoners. A few days later, German citizens of the nearby town of Weimar are given a tour of the camp and many are deeply shocked by what they see, some refusing to look at it. Mainzer himself notes that at the time there were those who refused to believe that the concentration camps were real; the experience has a significant impact on his own life; he returns to France and asks a woman he met there to marry him in a formal ceremony, accompanied by members of his camera unit and French citizens longing for normalcy after the long German occupation.

In February 1945 at Iwo Jima, American troops continue to advance on the Japanese mainland despite heavy resistance. American troops attempt to raise a flag at the summit of Mount Suribachi as a positioning measure, but it is too small to be easily visible to the American troops. Hatch recounts that the commanding general ordered a larger flag be chosen and he and several other filmmakers (who died during the attack) captured images from the assault. The raising of the enlarged flag proves to be one of the most iconic and enduring images of the entire war. There is some controversy about the nature of the shot and who took the footage. Iwo Jima proves to be a costly attack, with over 7,000 American soldiers killed and 21,000 Japanese casualties. In the Spring of 1945, the Japanese set fires which destroy most of the city of Manila in the Philippines, killing over 100,000 civilians. Don Honeyman captures footage of this action and the subsequent street fighting with American troops. He also captures footage of the American troops’ amphibious landing and the shelling of a legislative building being used as a Japanese stronghold. In Okinawa on Easter Sunday, another attempted attack on the Japanese mainland is staged, and Coast Guard cameraman Lloyd Durant decides to shoot footage of other wartime cameramen during the attack. The fighting lasts three months and costs many casualties; Durant records footage of a cameraman being evacuated after being permanently blinded by shrapnel. He then records footage of kamikaze attacks on American naval units; they account for the majority of the naval casualties at Okinawa. In the summer of 1945, Allied B-24 bombers launch a number of raids on the oil refinery at Balakpapan in Borneo. Jerry Anker records footage from the ensuing amphibious landing, consisting of American-led Australian troops. His snapshot of his friend, also a cameraman, recording the landing amidst a chaotic battle scene ends up becoming famous long after the war’s end. He also shoots footage of an Australian soldier firing a flamethrower into a cave and watching as a Japanese soldier emerges, completely engulfed in flames.

The final assignment for combat photographers in World War II comes at Nagasaki, where they survey the aftermath of the second atomic bombing by the Americans. McGovern is among the photographers on hand and recounts the devastation he witnessed, as well as a run-in with a local scientist grieving over the death of his wife before himself succumbing to radiation poisoning two days later. McGovern feels responsible for showing the world the true horror of the atomic bomb, symbolized through the “shadows” left behind by people disintegrated by the blast, as well as the horrific radiation burns suffered by Japanese children. Includes commercials.

Details

• NETWORK: ABC
• DATE: December 7, 2000 9:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 1:56:03
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: B:61965
• GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
• SUBJECT HEADING: TV - Public affairs/documentaries
• SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 2000
• COMMERCIALS:
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  • TV – Commercials – “Cast Away” motion picture
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  • TV – Commercials – “Proof of Life” motion picture
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  • TV – Promos – “20/20”
  • TV – Promos – “Annie”
  • TV – Promos – “Bowl Championship Series”
  • TV – Promos – “Dot Comedy”
  • TV – Promos – “Junior”
  • TV – Promos – “Madigan Men”
  • TV – Promos – “Monday Night Football”
  • TV – Promos – “Norm”
  • TV – Promos – “Primetime”
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CREDITS

• Steven Spielberg … Executive Producer
• Richard Schickel … Producer, Director, Writer
• Doug Freeman … Co-Producer
• Pan Film Productions, Inc. … Researcher
• Melvyn R. Paisley … Researcher
• Lars T. Andersen … Researcher
• Arthur B. Rubinstein … Music by
• Tom Hanks … Host, Narrator
• Stephen E. Ambrose … Interviewee
• Russ Meyer … Interviewee
• Walter Rosenblum … Interviewee
• Joe Longo … Interviewee
• Doug Wood … Interviewee
• Arthur Mainzer … Interviewee
• Doug Morrell … Interviewee
• Fred Bornet … Interviewee
• Harold Kempe … Interviewee
• Daniel A. McGovern … Interviewee
• Norm Hatch … Interviewee
• John F. Ercole … Interviewee
• Ed Montagne … Interviewee
• Dave Quaid … Interviewee
• Richard Brooks … Interviewee
• Carl Voelker … Interviewee
• Reuben Weiner … Interviewee
• Samuel A. Sorenson … Interviewee
• Jim Bates … Interviewee
• Melvyn R. Paisley … Interviewee
• Don Honeyman … Interviewee
• Lloyd Durant … Interviewee
• Jerry Anker … Interviewee
• Eddie Albert
• John Ford
• John Huston
• Frank Merrill
• Benito Mussolini
• Clara Petacci
• Holland M. Smith
• Gregg Toland