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Glenn Edwin Battson film collection, circa 1945
Overview of the Collection
- Collector
- Battson, Glenn E
- Title
- Glenn Edwin Battson film collection
- Dates
- circa 1945 (inclusive)19451945
- Quantity
- 2 reels (2,000 feet) : sound, black and white ; 16mm
- Collection Number
- PH0923
- Summary
- Two films produced during WWII,The Life and Death of the USS HornetandThe Fight for the Sky: Our fighter pilots versus the Luftwaffe in Western Europe
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
The original films are not accessible due to preservation concerns.
- Languages
- English
Historical BackgroundReturn to Top
These films were produced during World War II by the United States Office of War Information (OWI), a government agency responsible for promoting patriotism, boosting morale, and encouraging citizens to become active participants in various branches of war work. OWI produced more than 8,000 films between 1942 and 1945.
The USS Hornet (CV-8), a Yorktown -class aircraft carrier, was one of the first carriers lost during the Pacific Theater of Operations. The carrier launched the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo on April 18, 1942 and it was awarded four battle stars for its performance in the Battle of Midway, the Buin-Faisi-Tonolai raid, the capture and defense of Guadalcanal, and the Battle of Santa Cruz. The Hornet was sunk on October 27, 1942 in the Battle of Santa Cruz.
Some scenes in The Fight for the Sky were filmed in East Anglia, England where many air bases were built by the United States Air Force and the Royal Air Force; a region chosen for its close proximity to continental Europe. The German air force, the Luftwaffe, was responsible for bombing Great Britain and Northern Ireland between 1940 and 1941.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Two films,The Life and Death of the USS HornetandThe Fight for the Sky: Our fighter Pilots Versus the Luftwaffe in Western Europegiven to Battson during his time as a SeaBee during World War II.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
Produced by the U.S. Army Air Forces, U.S. Office of War Information, and Willard Pictures.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact the Special Collections division of the University of Washington Libraries for details.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reel | item | ||
| 1 | 1 |
The Life and Death of the USS Hornet 1 reel (1,000 feet) : sound, black and white ; 16mm
Various workers during ship building. Ceremony at theUSS Hornetwith Secretary of the Navy, Frank Knox, speaking to enlisted men on October 20, 1941. Launch of ship. Pilots training at sea. Footage of various men of Torpedo Squadron 8. B-25 bombers on board before striking Japan. Scenes from the Battle of Santa Cruz as well as the subsequent evacuation and destruction of the carrier.
Participant: Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox.
|
circa 1941-1945 |
| 2 | 2 |
The Fight for the Sky: Our Fighter Pilots Versus the Luftwaffe in Western Europe 1 reel (1,000 feet) : sound, black and white ; 16mm
Description of various plane models used by the Air Force. Training and daily life of pilots. General Doolittle giving orders to officers which are passed along the chain of command to the enlisted men. Mission briefing before the pilots take off. Scenes of aerial maneuvering and dogfighting; attacks on land targets such as trains and radio towers. Noteworthy pilots honored in final portion of the film.
Narrator: Ronald Reagan ; participant: General James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle.
|
June 21, 1945 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Moving Image Collections (University of Washington)
Personal Names
- Battson, Glenn Edwin
- Doolittle, James Harold, 1896-1993
- Knox, William Franklin, 1874-1944
- Reagan, Ronald ()
Corporate Names
- United States Government
Titles within the Collection
- The Fight for the Sky: Our fighter pilots versus the Luftwaffe in Western Europe
- The Life and Death of the USS Hornet
