New Guinea Campaign: Allied Air Operations Lae-Salamaua - Restored 1943

Boeing B-17G bombing run by Greg Bishop, on Flickr

WWII MARINE CORPS AVIATION FILM "PACIFIC MILK RUN" SBD DAUNTLESS 75102

A creatively scripted but blatantly anti-Japanese propaganda film made during WWII about "milk runs" — air combat missions with little enemy air opposition — being carried out to destroy Japanese military bases in Micronesia.   Presented in narrative story format, a flyer is writing a letter home, often using slang terms and some military jargon to describe to a friend "Joe" what a milk run is all about.   His SBD Dauntless airplane, for example,  is called Hot Tamale and he writes, "Hot Tamale sounds good.  She's got a voice deep in her throat like Talula Bankhead ... same kind of temperament, too."   B-25 Mitchell bombers are referred to as "big jobs" and F4U Corsairs as  "Zero butchers."  From the narration we learn that the U.S. forces have conquered the Gilbert Islands but have only taken two islands in the Marshall Islands and that there are "easily 100,000" more Japanese soldiers occupying the Caroline Islands.   From a map of Micronesia seen in the film the viewer is led to believe that the milk runs in the movie are being conducted from either Majuro or Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands.  Shows the day-to-day activites of an American base on an unidentified island and makes good use of air combat documentary footage.  Viewers of the program should be aware. however, that racist slurs such as "Japs" and "Nips" are often used to describe Japanese combants, which was the attitude of many American soldiers towards the enemy at the time and indicative of the historic struggle in the Pacific that was being waged.

Features formations of U.S. B-25 bombers, TBF torpedo bombers,and F4U Corsair fighters, in flight. U.S. Marines flying Douglas SBD Dauntless aircraft. A map shows the Japanese-held Gilbert, Marshall, Marianas, Caroline, and Solomon Islands in the Pacific. Marine Corps SBDs taking off and landing on a coral runway. Marine aircrews at breakfast mess. Intelligence officer confers with Marine Major General. Marine aircrews being briefed about a mission. Pilot and rear gunner board an SBD and take off on a mission with other SBDs as well as F4U Corsairs, and B-25 Mitchell bombers. SBDs peel off to attack Japanese targets. View from cockpit of a B-25 in formation with others. B-25s dropping bombs. Japanese aircraft rise to defend against the U.S. aircraft, including Zekes (Mitsubishi A6M Zeros); Nates (Nakajima Ki-27s) and Tonys ( Kawasaki Ki-61 aircraft). U.S. Corsairs engage the Japanese aircraft in dogfights. Marine SBD bombs a Japanese transport ship. U.S. aircraft formations returning from mission. An SBD lands and parks. Crew chief is briefed by pilot and begins repairs of battle damage. Marine aircrews play baseball and later drink beer.