Project Crossroads Reel 11 · Part 1

Description

Summary: Film coverage of Project Crossroads, a project of the two atomic bomb tests in the Pacific in 1946 and including Able Day test of an atomic bomb drop from a B-29 on 1 July 1946, and Baker Day test, the underwater detonation of an atomic bomb on 25 July 1946. Included are B-29 operators, damage to the target fleet, and personalities including Maj Gen Curtis LeMay, Gen Joseph W. Stillwell, Vice Adm S.H.P. Blandy. Good (Basic: Orig neg) Reel 1: 1) AELS of Bikini Island. 2) Aerial of B-29 No. 354 (Atom bomb drop aircraft) in flight to the left while opening and closing the bomb bay doors. 3) B-29 No. 354 in takeoff to the left. 4) B-29 No. 354 crew putting on their Mae West vests and parachutes and boarding the aircraft. 5) Placing and removing a shroud around the bomb bay door of the B-29 No. 354. 6) Starting engines and closing bomb bay doors of B-29 No. 354. 956' total footage in reel. Reel 2: 1) Civilian and military VIPs deplaning from Air Transport Command C-54 aircraft. 2) Fire truck hosing down B-29 No. 354. 3) ACUs of pilot, bombardier and copilot in B-29. 4) Major General Curtis LeMay talking to the press. 5) Gen. Joseph W. Stillwell and party deplaning from Air Transport Command C-54 aircraft. 953' total footage in reel. Reel 3: 1) Scenes of USS Mt. McKinley. 2) ELSs of a simulated atomic blast cloud with a ship in the foreground. 3) Vice Admiral W.H.P. Blandy inspecting the battleship USS Nevada. 4) DB-17 drone aircraft on takeoff, landing and aerials, also showing a ground control operator and the control operator in mother aircraft. 1054' total footage in reel. Reel 4: 1) Two aerial cameras coverage of Able Day atomic bomb blast and cloud, 1 July 1946. 2) Interior of a photo plane showing racks and technicians working with and operating a large number of cameras. 3) Takeoff of B-29s and a C-54, the B-29s include photo aircraft and B-29 No. 354, the bomb dropping aircraft. 968' total footage in reel. Reel 5: 1) Flyover and landing of B-29 No. 354. 2) Crew members of B-29 No. 354 deplaning. 3) Interview with Major General Curtis LeMay. 4) Interview with crew members of B-29 No. 354. 677' total footage in reel. Reel 6: 1) Aerial of Eniwetok Island. 2) Aerials of Kwajalein Island. 3) Arrival of Major General Curtis LeMay in a B-29. 4) Crew of B-29 No. 354 putting on Mae West vests, parachutes and boarding aircraft. 880' total footage in reel. Reel 7: 1) Coverage from three cameras of atomic bomb blast and cloud on Able Day, 1 July 1946. 2) Removing camera equipment and air sampling equipment devices from DB-17. 994' total footage in reel. Reel 8: 1) A TBM-2 flying boat setting on the water. 2) ALS of the target ship and a simulated atomic cloud. 744' total footage in reel. Reel 9: 1) Aerials of B-29 No. 354 in flight to the right. 2) Aerials of Able Day atomic bomb cloud. 548' total footage in reel. Reel 10: 1) US Navy personnel on target ship transferring bedding and supplies and personal effects from the ship by a cargo net and sling. 2) Securing and batting down the hatches on board the ship. 3) US Navy personnel saluting the flag as they leave the battleships USS New York and USS Nevada. 4) US Navy captain walking on the deck and saluting as he leaves the USS New York. 5) US Navy personnel on board ship practicing the covering and shielding of their eyes preparing for an atomic blast. 901' total footage in reel. Reel 11: 1) Loading and unloading crates and boxes of mice, goats and pigs. 2) Shearing goats and applying slash burn ointment to the sheared area of the goats and placing the goats in stanchion on board deck of the ship. 993' total footage in reel. Reel 12: 1) US Navy personnel securing and locking doors and bulkheads and evacuation of the battleship USS Pennsylvania. 2) Several US Navy captains on the bridge of an aircraft carrier. 997' total footage in reel. Reel 13: 1) LST No. 861 being used as a mail ship showing Navy personnel sorting mail and canceling stamps. 2) Coverage of the German cruiser Prinz Eugen as part of the target fleet. 3) Aircraft carrier USS Saratoga, part of the target fleet. 1003' total footage in reel. Reel 14: 1) Staff conference of members of the Able and Baker Operation Crossroads staff. 2) Evacuation of the battleship USS New York. 1074' total footage in reel. Reel 15: 1) Coverage of Able Day atomic bomb blast cloud. 903' total footage in reel. Reel 16: 1) Takeoff of B-29 photo aircraft. 2) Takeoff of B-29 No. 354, the A Bomb drop aircraft. 3) Aerials of the Able Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 701' total footage in reel. Reel 17: 1) On board USS Mt. McKinley showing plotting center and control room. 2) Of the signal bridge on board the USS Mt. McKinley showing signal personnel hoisting signal flags, using a semaphore flag and also using signal light. 3) Vice Admiral Blandy on an inspection tour of the aircraft carrier USS Independence. 4) On board the USS Kenneth Whiting showing the assembly of recording instruments and a conference of scientific personnel. 875' total footage in reel. Reel 18: 1) Aerials of Able Day atomic bomb blast and of the cloud. 930' feet total footage in reel. Reel 19: 1) Aerials of Able Day atomic cloud and the target fleet after the bomb blast. 979' total footage in reel. Reel 20: 1) Technician taking water samples. 2) Technician operating radioactive meter at bow of boat entering target area. 3) Able Day cloud from bow of ship. 4) Aircraft carrier USS Independence listing and on fire. 790' total footage in reel. Reel 21: 1) The target fleet showing a battleship on fire. 2) Scenes of the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga. 3) Aircraft carrier USS Independence on fire. 4) Scenes of the battleship USS Pennsylvania. 5) LSs of atomic bomb Able Day blast cloud. 6) Of the target scenes and footage of the target fleet. 665' total footage in reel. Reel 22: 1) Scenes of the target fleet. 2) Scenes on board and of USS Mt. McKinley Operation Crossroads control ship. 750' total footage in reel. Reel 23: 1) Cameraman operating and working on camera. 2) Atomic bomb blast Able Day cloud. 3) Observers of the atomic bomb cloud wearing dark goggles. 4) Placing white rats into metal box containers. 762' total footage in reel. Reel 24: 1) Aerials of Operation Crossroads support fleet. 2) Shipboard scenes of damage to target fleet. 3) Aircraft carrier USS Independence on fire and smoking. 4) Fire boat or salvage vessel hosing down a battleship. 994' total footage in reel. Reel 25: 1) A salvage vessel hosing water onto aircraft carrier. 2) Aircraft carrier USS Independence on fire. 3) Salvage vessel hosing down the battleships USS Pennsylvania, New York and Nevada. 4) Scenes of the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga. 5) Footage showing the damage to the ships in the target fleet. 867' total footage in reel. Reel 26: 1) Coverage of the footage of the ships of the target fleet. 2) Cameraman loading film into and preparing cameras. 3) Spectators putting on dark goggles. 4) A church service on board deck of a ship. 5) Secretary of Navy James B. Forrestal boarding a ship and greeting a number of foreign representatives and observers. 1021' total footage in reel. Reel 27: 1) On board the USS Fall River showing ship personnel protecting their eyes and then watching atomic bomb blast on Able Day. 2) Footage of the target fleet including the battleship USS Pennsylvania, the aircraft carrier USS Independence and the heavy cruiser the USS Pensacola. 948' total footage in reel. Reel 28: 1) Navy Secretary Forrestal and Vice Admiral W.H.P. Blandy at a news conference on board ship. 2) Secretary of the Navy Forrestal leaving the ship. 3) Coverage and showing the Able Day atomic bomb blast. 847' total footage in reel. Reel 29: 1) An interview with civilians and US Senators and Representatives including Norrell from Arkansas, Bradley from Pennsylvania, Bates of Massachusetts, Isaac from California, Anderson from California and Senator Gordon from Oregon. 2) Aerial of Able Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 1031' total footage in reel. Reel 30: 1) A round table news and radio broadcast by several civilian personnel. 912' total footage in reel. Reel 31: 1) An interview or statement by Senator Gordon from Oregon and Senator Hickenlooper from Iowa, Rooney from New York, Engel from Michigan and also scenes of the members of the Naval Affairs Committee from the US Congress. 584' total footage in reel. Reel 32: 1) Navy Secretary James Forrestal arriving on board the USS Mt. McKinley and talking with Vice Admiral W.H.P. Blandy. 2) Damage to the target fleet including damage to the following vessels: USS Arkansas, USS Salt Lake City, USS Saratoga, USS Independence and a German cruiser Prinz Eugen, also scene of the bow of a ship going under. 933' total footage in reel. Reel 33: 1) Damage to ships in the target fleet after Able Day blast including aircraft carriers USS Independence and USS Saratoga and other ships, USS Pensacola, Arkansas, Nevada and the German ship Prinz Eugen. 973' total footage in reel. Reel 34: 1) Film coverage of the damage to the target fleet after Able Day blast. 2) Footage on board showing damage and effects of atomic bomb blast on a floating dry dock. 3) Showing damage to and footage from on board USS Arkansas. 997' total footage in reel. Reel 35: 1) Film coverage of General Joseph W. Stillwell and party in a launch observing the damage to the target fleet after Able Day blast including vessels USS Arkansas, USS Nevada, USS Salt Lake City and the Japanese battleship Nagato. 977' total footage in reel. Reel 36: 1) Film coverage of the target fleet after Able Day blast showing goats, mice and pigs on board the ship and the ships USS Salt Lake City, USS Saratoga, USS New York and USS Nevada. 746' total footage in reel. Reel 37: 1) Return and landing of B-29 photo aircraft and including B-29 bomb drop aircraft No. 354 to Kwajalein Island and showing the landing and parking of the aircraft. 971' total footage in reel. Reel 38: 1) Film coverage showing the operation with the flight control operator's plotting board. 2) Filmed scenes of a quartermaster supply warehouse on Kwajalein Island. 3) Aerial coverage of Able Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 768' total footage in reel. Reel 39: 1) Aerials of the Able Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 2) Transfer of a flag draped coffin onto an LCM, transfer the coffin from the LCM onto an island, and services in a US cemetery on Kwajalein including the rifle squad and taps. 3) Replacing propeller on B-29 No. 354. 739' total footage in reel. Reel 40: 1) Film coverage on board USS Mt. McKinley showing a staff weather briefing including Vice Admiral W.H.P. Blandy, Major General William E. Kepner and Rear Admiral W.S. Parsons and other military personnel. 2) CU film coverage of a hand leafing through and looking at the Operation Crossroads operational plan book. 3) Film coverage on board the USS Burleson showing goats in crate. 688' total footage in reel. Reel 41: 1) Film coverage from a camera tower on Aomoen Island of Able Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 2) Film coverage from a camera tower on Enyu Island showing footage of the Able Day atomic bomb blast and cloud with the target fleet visible on the lagoon. 571' total footage in reel. Reel 42: 1) A radiological survey around the waters of Bikini Island after Able Day blast. 2) Aerials of Bikini Island and LSs of the aerials of the Able Day atomic bomb blast cloud formation. 931' total footage in reel. Reel 43: 1) Film coverage from the camera on Enyu Island of the Able Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 980' total footage in reel. Reel 44: 1) AL and MS of damage to the target fleet on Able Day atomic bomb blast showing several aircraft carriers on fire. 750' total footage in reel. Reel 45: 1) Film coverage of operations and film technicians working in a broadcasting studio on board ship. 2) US Navy captain looking through the operational plans book. 3) US Navy personnel evacuating the battleship USS Pennsylvania and the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga. 1000' total footage in reel. Reel 46: 1) Aerials of the target fleet after Able Day atomic bomb blast and including the aircraft carriers USS Saratoga and USS Independence. 2) Aerials of Bikini Island. 786' total footage in reel. Reel 47: 1) Aerials after Able Day atomic bomb blast of damage to the target fleet in Bikini lagoon and including the ships USS Independence, USS Bunker Hill and USS Shangri La and also aerials of Bikini Island. 969' total footage in reel. Reel 48: 1) Aerials of the target fleet and including after Able Day atomic bomb blast and the aircraft carrier USS Independence. 762' total footage in reel. Reel 49: 1) Aerials of the target fleet after Baker Day atomic bomb blast and showing the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga starting to sink. 688' total footage in reel. Reel 50: 1) Aerials of the Baker Day atomic bomb blast and cloud on 25 July 1946. 2) Film coverage of the target fleet during and after the Baker Day bomb blast. 915' total footage in reel. Reel 51: 1) Aerial of Baker Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 972' total footage in reel. Reel 52: 1) Aerial coverage of Baker Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 2) Two natives on an island looking out at the target fleet and the support fleet in the bay. 3) Film coverage from the ground camera of Baker Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 990' total footage in reel. Reel 53: 1) A ground camera coverage of Baker Day atomic bomb blast and the cloud. 1003' total footage in reel. Reel 54: 1) Film coverage of the target fleet in the lagoon before Baker Day atomic bomb blast. 2) Film coverage of technicians installing cameras on a camera tower on Bikini Island. 3) Film coverage from two cameras of Baker Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 4) Film coverage of the target ship after the Baker Day atomic bomb blast showing the aircraft carrier sinking. 890' total footage in reel. Reel 55: 1) Film coverage of the countdown sequence and sequencing equipment in the Operation Crossroads sequence control center on board a ship. 942' total footage in reel. Reel 56: 1) Film coverage of the target fleet after Baker Day atomic bomb blast and several ships including the aircraft carrier USS Independence and the submarine SS Parche. 795' total footage in reel. Reel 57: 1) Film coverage from two cameras covering the Baker Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 750' total footage in reel. Reel 58: 1) Film coverage of Baker Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 963' total footage in reel. Reel 59: 1) Film coverage of Baker Day atomic bomb blast and cloud and also showing the target fleet in the Bikini lagoon. 845' total footage in reel. Reel 60: 1) Aerial film coverage of Baker Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 972' total footage in reel. Reel 61: 1) Technicians measuring for radioactivity with a Geiger counter. 2) Technicians and scientists getting and securing water samples. 3) The target fleet after Baker Day atomic bomb blast including aircraft carrier USS Independence and the battleship USS Pennsylvania. 4) Aerial film coverage of the target fleet after Baker Day atomic bomb blast. 936' total footage in reel. Reel 62: 1) Technicians and personnel lining up and setting up a large mount of camera in front of a B-29 in preparation for taking of the pictures. 2) Film coverage along Eniwetok Island beach showing litter of broken down and destroyed equipment and aircraft. 3) Aerial film coverage of flyover and during the landing on a Pacific Island airstrip. 4) Aerial film coverage of the sinking of the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga. 966' total footage in reel. Reel 63: 1) B-29 photo aircraft taxiing and takeoff. 2) Takeoff of a B-32. 947' total footage in reel. Reel 64: 1) Aerial film coverage from one film camera showing Baker Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 941' total footage in reel. Reel 65: 1) Aerial film coverage from three cameras showing Baker Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 2) Aerial film coverage of the target fleet showing damage and condition of the vessel after Baker Day atomic bomb blast. 968' total footage in reel. Reel 66: 1) Aerial film coverage of damage to the target fleet after Baker Day atomic bomb blast in Bikini lagoon. 990' total footage in reel. Reel 67: 1) B-29 photo aircraft starting engine and taxiing, also B-29s and two C-54s landing on a Pacific Island airstrip. 915' total footage in reel. Reel 68: 1) Aerials of the target fleet showing in particular the aircraft carriers USS Shangri La and USS Independence and the submarine USS Parche. 891' total footage in reel. Reel 69: 1) Aerial film coverage from three cameras of Baker Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 2) Film coverage of damage to the target fleet after Baker Day atomic bomb blast. 788' total footage in reel. Reel 70: 1) Aerials of B-29 in flight. 2) Aerial film coverage of Baker Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 849' total footage in reel. Reel 71: 1) ALS film coverage of the target fleet after Baker Day atomic bomb blast. 712' total footage in reel. Reel 72: 1) LS aerial film coverage of damage to the target fleet after Baker Day atomic bomb blast. 934' total footage in reel. Reel 73: 1) AMCU of damage to the target fleet after Baker Day atomic bomb blast also including damage to the aircraft carrier USS Independence. 951' total footage in reel. Reel 74: 1) AMCU film coverage of Baker Day atomic bomb blast on the target fleet in Bikini lagoon. 2) Aerial film coverage of Bikini Island. 3) Aerials of aircraft carrier USS Saidor. 805' total footage in reel. Reel 75: 1) L and MS high speed aerial film coverage of Kwajelein Island showing the airstrip and facilities on the island. 807' total footage in reel. Reel 76: 1) Aerial film coverage of Able Day atomic bomb blast and cloud. 689' total footage in reel. Reel 77: 1) Baker Day atomic bomb blast and cloud from a camera on an island with the target fleet visible in Bikini lagoon. 603' total footage in reel.

Collection

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

Series

Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities