SEA-GOING FLY-BOYS Reel 5 · Part 3

Description

Summary: Documentary film on the 7th Crash-Rescue Boat Flight at Tripoli, Libya. The Flight maintains a 24-hour alert service for aircraft landing or taking off five miles away at Wheelus Field, Libya. This film covers helicopter pick-up of a paramedic from water and crash boat pick-up of the parachutist from the helicopter. Coverage is also given to crash boats at sea, activities of men while keeping boats in good condition, and an alert. Filmed 3 June 1954. Reel 1: SLATE: CAMERAMAN: MCCULLOUGH, 2 JUNE l954. TITLE: SEAGOING FLY BOYS, LOCATION: WHEELUS FIELD, TRIPOLI, LIBYA. 1) MS Iron gate, Air Force bus comes into scene left in bg, comes up to gate, stops -- airmen unload and come through gate, an airman bumps head on top of gate. 2) MS reverse angle of last scene, airmen walking through gate -- at last airman goes through gate, he locks gate and camera pans over to sign which reads: TRIPOLI, LIBYA, 7Th CRASH RESCUE BOAT FLIGHT. 3) MLS dock, crash boat in bg, airmen walk onto dock, sergeant takes roll call. 4) LS same camera angle, same positions, only men are now in sailor togs, roll is taken, men are dismissed for work. 5) MS troops in line in sailor togs -- these men are airmen in sailors' uniforms. 6) MS line of men in Navy uniforms -- man in fg wearing Air Force stripes. 7) CU tech. sergeant calling roll, crash boat with American flag flying in bg. SLATE: 2 JUNE 54. TITLE: SEAGOING FLY BOYS, WHEELUS FIELD, TRIPOLI, LIBYA, CAMERAMAN: MCCULLOUGH. 8) LS's to CU men are given alert, men are running down toward camera, one man throws line aboard crash boat, exits camera left. 9) CU mooring line tossed off of bitt into boat. 10) MS, LS men running down docks, enter scene camera left -- one man stops at mooring bitt, others continue on to boat. 11) MS men seated on hatch cover, lift cover, engineer sticks his head up, and ducks back down, to start engines. 12) CU water at stern of boat, water is calm then boils as engine starts. 13) MS INT phone rings, sergeant walks into scene, picks up the phone and speaks to radio operator, seated at desk, who writes down information. 14) CU radio operator writing message with his left hand, radio operator reaches up, switches siren on, then closes switch. 15) MS INT radio operator talking to boat by radio, tech sergeant in fg then marks map showing location of downed pilot, for radio operator's information. SLATE: 7/6/54. TITLE: SEAGOING FLY BOYS, TRIPOLI, NORTH AFRICA, CAMERAMAN: MCCULLOUGH. 16) ELS H-19 helicopter flying overhead, parachute can be seen dropping below helicopter -- camera pans down showing man hitting water and parachute folding. 17) LS helicopter can be seen hovering over the water, crash boat comes into scene left. 18) LS H-19 helicopter circled two crash boats as boats move in to man in water. 19) LS helicopter hovers over man in water -- man in water cannot be seen. Reel 2: 1) MS dolly on helicopter flying along right side of crash boat. 2) LS helicopter approaches from rear of crash boat, pulls alongside, boat superstructure in fg. 3) LS to MS approaching radar crash boat from the rear. 4) LS H-19 helicopter enters scene right, hovers over man in water, lowers paramedic, by means of hoist, to injured man -- paramedic guides hoist to man in water who is then pulled up to H-19 by means of hoist. Retake of previous scene. 5) MS two men from crash boat go over the side and assist paramedic to climb boarding net into the crash boat. 6) MS boarding net being brought aboard the crash boat. 7) LS crash boat crosses bow of another crash boat, bow of crash boat can be seen in fg. 8) CU airman first class in sailor uniform lighting up cigarette after completion of rescue. 9) MCU member of crash boat crew polishing brass aboard boat. 10) MCU same scene. 11) CU INT wheelhouse, hands on wheel of boat, wheel turns, hand shoves throttles forward. 12) MS & CU airman, member of crash boat crew, splicing rope. 13) LS to MS crash boat tied up alongside another crash boat -- crash boat casts off, passes by camera, heads out to sea, big wake can be seen as it is a full throttle takeoff. 14) MLS crash boat cruising down channel -- city of Tripoli can be seen in bg. Reel 3: 1) LS & MS crash boat in distance closes slowly into frame. 2) LS to CU crash boat in the rear comes in fast, spray can be seen shooting from bow of boat. Boat goes through and out frame left. 3) LS to MCU crash boat comes in fron scene loft, crosses close to bow of boat occupied by camerman. 4) CU through cockpit window showing helmsman's face. 5) MS full frame of crash boat cruising up channel into port, past city of Tripoli. 6) MS two airmen of the crash boat crew lounging by sign which reads: 7TH CRASH RESCUE BOAT FLIGHT. They hear siren, run through metal gate toward crash boat. 7) MS crash boat and dock, men run up and cast off lines into boat, jump aboard, crash boat immediately pulls out away from dock and heads down channel toward the open sea. 8) MS crash boat coming in channel past small fishing boats, Tripoli can be seen in bg, crash boat member throws line to men aboard another crash boat. 9) MS aboard crash boat, two men in shorts toss boarding rope ladder overboard, climb down ladder. 10) CU man at wheel, points to right. 11) MS man in shorts painting mast on crash boat. 12) CU same scene. 13) LS two airmen hosing and mopping down boat deck, look up and rush over to hatch, knock on hatch, lift hatch. 14) MS same scene. 15) CU map, man with pencil points out location of downed airman. 16) CU siren. 17) LS a group of airmen walk out of three story cement barracks, turn left, walk off toward bus in bg. 18) MS airmen boarding Air Force bus. 19) MS bus backs up, turns left, pulls forward and out of frame right. 20) MS two AP's at main gate Wheelus Field, Tripoli, bus approaches gate, AP looks at trip ticket, waves bus through gate. Reel 4: SLATE: 2 JUNE 54, TITLE: SEAGOING FLY BOYS, LOCATION: WHEELUS FIELD, TRIPOLI, CAMERAMAN: MCCULLOUGH. 1) LPS bus comes in camera right, passes camera -- camera pans on down road with bus, past native houses and buildings. 2) MS sign which reads: BENVENUTI A TRIPOLI, which means in Italian: WELCOME TO TRIPOLI: also there are Arabic characters above which is supposed to read the same thing. Bus comes into frame right makes right, turns past sign reading: WELCOME TO TRIPOLI. 3) CU WELCOME TO TRIPOLI sign. 4) LS arch of old fort where the Tripoli pirates fought with the U.S. Marines in the war with Tripoli. Bus comes through arch -- camera pans down street with bus, stops on large imposing building on palm lined street, bus exits frame left. 5) LS road at edge of harbor, bus enters scene right, goes out frame left. 6) LS crash boat pulling out from pier far across harbor. SLATE: 2 JUNE 54. TITLE: SEAGOING FLY BOYS, LOCATION: WHEELUS FIELD, TRIPOLI, CAMERAMAN: MCCULLOUGH. 7) LS from bow to stern of crash boat, radar antenna can be seen turning. 8) LS from bow, back alongside boat showing water spraying out. 9) LS from bow of crash boat, showing another crash boat cutting directly across the bow. 10) LS from bow of crash boat, following directly in wake of another crash boat. 11) LPS from stern of crash boat, showing another crash boat coming up from rear and passing to right. 12) MS crash boat warping into pier. 13) LS crash boats coming up channel toward camera, large davit crane can be seen in bg. 14) MS from pier showing crash boat coming into pier, man at bow preparing to toss line to pier. 15) MS to CU crash boat warping into pier, side view. 16) LS from bow of boat facing toward rear showing American flag at staff revalving radar disc in bg. 17) LS from middle of channel showing old castle which is the fort. It resisted the landing of the U.S. Marine Corps in the war with the Tripoli pirates. 18) LS pan of sea wall and shoreline of Tripoli. 19) MS sign over house at main gate of Wheelus Field, Tripoli, reading: WHEELUS FIELD. 20) ELS paramedic in water boat moves in to pick him up, two men on boat go over side and help paramedic on board. 21) LS H-19 helicopter hovering over boat. 22) LS crash boat entering Tripoli Harbor fron R to L, H-19 helicopter passes over boat from L to R. 23) LS crash boat moving into harbor, ships and city in bg. 24) LS EXT helicopter hovers over water, airman paramedic is lowered by hoist from the copter to the man in the water. 25) LS paramedic assists man in water into harness, man is then pulled up into H-19 helicopter, H-19 then leaves the area to the right. Reel 5: SLATE: 7 JUNE 54, SEAGOING FLY BOYS, CAMERAMAN: AIRMAN ROBERSON. 1) CU face of man who is wearing a sailor's hat. He turns his head, looks skyward, takes puff on cigarette. 2) CU man with sailor hat on looks toward horizon, lifts field glasses, looks through them, puts them down. 3) CU man at wheel. 4) MCU man, in sailor togs, splicing rope. 5) MCU reverse angle of above scene. 6) MS airman operating radar equipment aboard crash boat. 7) MS to rear of boat. Boat kicks up water as engine is engaged, prop starts to spin. 8) MS American flag flying from mast of radar boat. 9) CU Arab guard on dock. 10) LS paramedic in water, rescue boat comes alongside. The two men in boat go over the side on boarding net, helps paramedic climb boarding net, then follow him up side of boat. The two men then hoist the boarding net back aboard the crash boat. 11) CU very old Arab man in burnoose gazes at sky, moves head rapidly from R to L while following F-86 fighter streaking by. 12) LS a line of Gherri cabs, sign in fg in Arabic, English and Italian reads: CAB ATTURE, and the Arabic symbols for same. Two airmen walk in scene left, walk up to man standing by horse of first cab, talk to him several moments, then climb into Gherri cab. 13) MS two crash boats lined up side by side along the pier, several men come running across first crash boat over to second crash boat, unfasten lines. Crash boat immediately pulls out frame right -- camera pans down channel with crash boat. 14) MS from stern of crash boat showing wake of boat -- other crash boat and pier receding into the distance. 15) LS shot from crow's nest of the crash boat, another crash boat crosses the stern from L to R also LS as crash boat passes by on both port and starboard sides. SLATE: 7 JUNE 54, LOCATION: TRIPOLI, NORTH AFRICA, CAMERAMAN: MICHALSKI. 16) LS H-19 helicopter approaches to left of stern of crash boat, follows along about the same speed then swings over stern of crash boat and follows on the right side. 17) CU parachutist in water as he waits for helicopter pickup. 18) LS wheel of boathouse, man comes out and goes up ladder to crows nest. 19) MS man at wheel and radioman. Man at wheel points to right of the bow of boat, radio operator picks up microphone, lets crash boat operations know of exact location of pilot. 20) LS trees in fg -- camera pans right as F-86 Jet Fighter passes trees, F-86 taxis past C-47, camera holds on C-47. 21) LS C-47, F-86 taxis by C-47 and pass by C-54, camera holds on C-54, taxis by C-54. 22) LS RV two C-47's, F-86 taxis by from L to R. 23) LS SA-16 makes Jato takeoff, climbs out of sight from R to L. 24) CU face of Arab policeman as he watches bus go past in front of him -- head and eyes follow path of the bus. 25) CU retake of above scene. 26) CU another Arab Policeman, wearing white hat and hood, watches bus go by. 27) CU head and shoulders of two Arabs watching bus pass by, their head and eyes turn from R to L following bus. Reel 6: 1) MS sign which reads: WELCOME TO TRIPOLI. Group of Arabs walking toward sign, small boy on donkey enters scene from rear of camera, exits past sign. Several more Arabs, and an Arab boy on bicycle, come into scene past sign. Two airmen come into scene by WELCOME TO TRIPOLI sign. 2) CU face of very old Arab man as he looks at sky, turns head from R to L, watching plane going by. SLATE: LOCATION: TRIPOLI, NORTH AFRICA, CAMERAMAN: MICHALSKI. 3) ADS from H-19 helicopter, two crash boats standing by in water, they pick up medic. 4) CU DS from H-19 helicopter showing right wheel -- water can be seen below wheel of H-19. 5) MS's and LS's general street scenes in Tripoli showing Arabs and their carts and Gherri cabs. 6) MS Arab traffic policeman, under small umbrella, directing traffic. 7) MS old archway with old city in bg. 8) MS three veiled Arab women, dressed in white, walking toward camera also, general street scenes. 9) MS Gherri cab going through old tunnel in fort, city street scene can be seen beyond. 10) CU two Arab boys on bicycle alongside Gherri cab. 11) ADS the two crash boats pulling from R to L. 12) ADS from H-19 helicopter -- helicopter orbits around crashboats and films crash boats from various angles. 13) MS two men on crash boat in shorts and life preservers climbing down boarding net to assist paramedic in water. 14) MS paramedic after being helped aboard. 15) LS parachutist in water, hoist on H-19 letting paramedic down to man in water. 16) MS man in water being hoisted to H-19 helicopter. 17) LS different angle of same scene. 18) MS paramedic in water. 19) CU two men in large crash boat assisting paramedic up boarding net. 20) LS EXT old castle and the fort that resisted the landing of the U.S. Marines in the war with the Tripoli pirates -- camera pans left to show business buildings and street in the city of Tripoli -- dollies further on to show a sea wall and many more buildings. 21) ADS from H-19 helicopter showing crash boats speeding along water in formation -- camera dollies alongside crash boats. 22) ADS crash boats entering harbor of Tripoli. 23) ADS oblique, city of Tripoli, Libya. Various views and angles of scenes. 24) LDS from mast of crash boat showing wake from boat. 25) LDS from crow's nest of boat showing bow of boat, Air Force insignia. 26) LS from stern of boat showing curving wake behind boat. Reel 7: 1) ADS of man in water -- scenes are taken from H-19 helicopter. 2) CU airman starting out door of helicopter, being lowered to water to assist parachutist in water. 3) ADS, MS camera shooting straight down from helicopter to water below. Medic and parachutist exchange places in hoist harness, parachutist is drawn up by hoist to the helicopter door pulled in by hoist operator. 4) ADS, LS two crash boats come in L to R, pick up medic left in water. (Basic: Orig neg pic)

Collection

Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations

Series

Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities