Guest
Want to support this channel and help us preserve old films? Visit Visit our website This newly-discovered, silent, color World War II-era film contains never-before-seen footage of President Franklin D. Roosevelt as he observes training drills and meets with decorated officers, as well as shots of soldiers training in how to operate artillery from the WWII Browning 1919A4 .30 caliber light machine gun to M3A1 37mm anti-tank gun. We strongly suspect the film actually dates to Sept. 25, 1942, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Camp Pendleton as part of a 12,000-mile military inspection trip and dedicated the new base, which was to be the Marine Corps' largest West Coast training facility. During World War II, Camp Pendleton was home to numerous training schools for landing craft, amphibious vehicles and communication, beach battalions, and medical field services. Films opens, brown terrier dog buries face in sand (0:08). This may in fact by Fala, a Scottish Terrier, the dog of United States president Franklin D. Roosevelt. Text: “Commander in chief observes amphibious operations” (0:13). FDR talks to military personnel slightly out of view from car window (0:22). First aid drill, soldiers help “wounded” soldier on gurney (0:43). Text: Admiral Leahy and Major General Price (0:57). Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief William D. Leahy (left) and Sterling Price (right) chat with cigarettes in hand, use binoculars to observe drills; footage goes dark but appears to be drill of LCVP/ Higgins Boats landing on coastline (1:09). Text: “Rear Admiral Davis and President Roosevelt” (2:10). Glenn B. Davis (?) speaks to Roosevelt through same car window, wide shot reveals line of military officials and personnel loitering near President’s vehicle (2:21). Text: “Rear Admiral Davis, President Roosevelt, and Col. Roosevelt” (2:38). Roosevelt continues to sit in same spot in vehicle while Davis and Col. Roosevelt speak to him (2:54). Text: “Rear Admiral Davis” (3:27). Rear admiral Davis stands on high lookout perch and observes amphibious drills on coastline below; Other decorated officers seen standing, chatting nearby (3:31). Text: “President Roosevelt and Maj. Gen. Price” (3:47). Once again Roosevelt stays in front passenger seat of car while Price speaks to him through window (3:58). Text: “Admiral Leahy and Col. Wharton” (4:03). Leahy and Wharton stand by table and take vitamins, medication (4:14). Soldiers perform various artillery drills in cleared field while officers look on from high perch, artillery includes grenade launchers, WWII Browning 1919A4 .30 caliber light machine gun, M3A1 37mm anti-tank gun, WWII-era armored car with gun (4:52-9:04). Montage shots of target practice, loading artillery into M114 155 mm howitzer (9:05). Military officials clamber into Willys M38A1 military Jeeps (11:01). Camera pans training camp, military barracks at Camp Pendleton (11:24). Sheepherder stands on lush green hillside overlooking base, flock of sheep graze in grassy hill (11:33). Shirtless soldiers unload planks of wood from Chevrolet G7107 WWII Army Truck, officers supervise soldiers building wood tables for base camp (12:00). Sign for Camp Pendleton pool, all soldiers must shower before entering pool; Next shot soldiers standing in white boxers and briefs stand at edge of pool and jump in row by row from platforms of different heights (12:22). Soldiers perform drill operating M2 flamethrower, torch desolate field (13:11). Soldiers kneel in a row for drill using M1 bazooka (13:47). Off-duty soldiers launch raft boat into ocean and begin to paddle out through waves (14:17). Film ends (14:33). Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we've worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you'd like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit
