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

Support Our Channel : / periscopefilm
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.
Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. We collect, scan and preserve 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have films you'd like to have scanned or donate to Periscope Film, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the link 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 and 2k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFilm.com

[@robertcombs55]

That beautiful lil SBD saved our bacon at MIDWAY...a TRULY unhearalded Hero!

[@jamesbugbee6812]

A bird any kid would understand; sleek, w/ guns @ front & rear, & a big fat bomb 💜.

[@briancooper2112]

Torpedo squadrons sacrifice made it so Zekes would leave sbds alone to dive bomb carriers.

[@briancooper2112]

F4F,P-39,P-40P-38,F4U. Just to name a few.

[@CorsetGrace]

This is the first film I've ever seen that shows the rear gunners would get out and ride on the wings next to the pilot while they taxied in. Those tail draggers would be so difficult to see past their own noses on the ground but I'd never seen the gunners used that way before. Love this film.

[@capitolabill1921]

Never thought about the gunner being a spotter as well. Good call. USAF 6 yrs F-106, F4D and F4E.

[@pablocortes6950]

SBD Duantless....what an awesome era! Thank you for posting 🇺🇲💯

[@johnnyallred3753]

As a old marine I loved ""Pacific Milk Run" and the sbd !.

[@jeremybear573]

Watching these old films is my favorite way to get my weekend started!!

[@matrox]

You gotta admit WW2 was one helluva show.

[@RobertJones-ux6nc]

Ooh-Rah Marine Corps Aviation loved getting to work with them as an RTO from 1975 to 1983 as a Combat Air Controller from the with 1st of the 5th 1st Div. SEMPER FI Brother and Sister Warriors.

[@kenhulse5191]

my dad flew in one of these as a torpedo bomber in the pacific. He never talked about it but I have a picture of his planes and him in his "deadhead" leather flight jacket

[@Matthew-hc9vx]

Did he fly in VMSB 233?

[@gregoryjackway]

all them young men, may they RIP

[@TimNelson]

SUPERB aircraft, the SBD.

[@DunedinMultimedia2]

One of the best planes of the war. For comfort I would have chosen a flying boat - bunks, a galley and a "lavatory" for when you had to go.

[@gvtenant1385]

Thank You Guys from Siam; Stay Safe Everyone....Have No Regrets, Mentally Supported the Allies.

[@wallybeckett380]

The SNB was a real work horse in the entire Pacific Theater of combat. Nice film for all to see. Thanks. W

[@raywhitehead730]

Sbd

[@gadooooo1]

At 10:17 one bomb (last one on rt. Side) takes a tumble. I think the fins were missing it just flops.

[@rayl.clemonsjr.4210]

That was beautiful! Thanks fellas for taking me along for the ride.

[@BlueSky-qv7cd]

Coming from a pilot who's tried formation flying with other aircraft, I don't see how these guys did it hour after hour in the tropical heat, the concentration alone is enough to fatigue most people.

[@RonJohn63]

I wonder if the slow speed of those old planes helped.

[@jamesmueller1921]

Blue ,, thanx for your service ...

[@danielmocsny5066]

The SBDs probably spent most of the flight to and from the target cruising at altitudes high enough to overcome the tropical heat, due to the lapse rate (the drop in temperature with altitude through the troposphere). They may have been more comfortable in the air than back on the ground at base. Snow can fall on the high mountains of the tropics. Later during the Vietnam War, troops welcomed transport on helicopters, to get temporary relief from the oppressive heat and humidity at ground level.

[@MakerBoyOldBoy]

One SBD pilot was trapped by three Zeros. He knew his only advantage was a lowe speed and sharper turning radius. He frustrated the Zero's attacks by turning sharply away. He also engaged in turning combat where he gradually gained on the enemy and finally gained a sufficient lead to fire machine gun bursts and destroyed two Zeros. The third flew away. The pilot transfered to fighter school and shot down a further 12 aircraft.

[@timengineman2nd714]

SBD = Scout Bomber (built by) Douglas, but also = Slow But Deadly. It was a very accurate dive bomber, and had the "legs" to scout out in front of the fleet (or the marines ashore) and still carry a 500 pound (~227 Kg) bomb in case it spotted anything!

[@typacsk]

Thank you for posting this. I've been digging through like dozens of videos, trying to learn what those famous dive brakes actually sounded like.

[@stanleybest8833]

A work of art to drop bombs.

[@abundantYOUniverse]

This one is exceptionally great thanks!

[@snoyes2003]

No racist disclaimer needed. They both fought with no holds barred. They viewed us as barbarians, and we viewed them in the same way after encountering them.

[@raywhitehead730]

Not true, the Japanese thought of bushido, which is not racist...

[@dustbowlhammer7119]

Love it! History always makes everything sound so brief, so cut and dry, summing up all the big battles, but few can wrap their head around the kind of hour by hour ass whooping these pilots had to deliver!

[@LarryPeteet]

Reminds me of Black Sheep Squadron and Pappy Boyington played by 4'2" Badazz Robert Conrad

[@outlander-x]

excellent! a friend of mine flew the SBD...told me what it was like...pretty badass plane.

[@raywhitehead730]

Are you 90+?

[@PDZ1122]

You mean your friend flew it on a computer, right?

[@outlander-x]

@@PDZ1122 LOL you're kidding, right? An actual ww2 vet that sometimes hung out at the lake when i went sailing, and if i saw him, i would beach the boat and we'd hang out and he would tell me his war staries sometimes. His name was Rawn, would drive all the way from pittsburgh to go to highlandtown lake every week.

[@outlander-x]

@@raywhitehead730 LOL.🤣

[@outlander-x]

@@raywhitehead730 can you not have a friend who fought in ww-2, whilst being of a young age, yourself? do you, yourself, not speak to people older than you?😉

[@philbydoodle6199]

Awesome history +thanks for presenting this

[@raysmith7543]

Great video. Thanks for posting.

[@marl336]

Decades ago... Roy Malm. RIP. A marine rear-seat gunner on SBD's. Wish I knew more.... He was from Minnesota.

[@aviator4662]

I'm a Minnesotan myself and I love hearing about Minnesotan veterans of the second world war. Thank you for posting!

[@DrLumpy]

OK Joe, here's the dope on COOL beer!

[@JohnfromWaterFrontVillige]

I would love to take “Hot Tamale” for a flight around the islands 🌴

[@JuanAdam12]

Never knew the Dauntless was used as a land-based airplane during the war. Also, never imagined a Dauntless, a Corsair, and a Mitchell would be used in the same mission. Always thought of them as operating separately. Very interesting.

[@hbennett4436]

good

[@hbennett4436]

good

[@RonJohn63]

_Never knew the Dauntless was used as a land-based airplane during the war._ Yes, USMC VMSB squadrons. _Also, never imagined a Dauntless, a Corsair, and a Mitchell would be used in the same mission._ The US has been using "strike packages" for a long time!!! :)

[@jeremybear573]

Adam Goatfish SBDs were one of the primary planes taking off from Guadalcanal, also known as the "Cactus" Air Force because the Navy pulled out or had their home carrier damaged or sunk such as the carrier Wasp

[@matteo_oz3557]

yeah it possible because aall these three planes do different thinks. The corsair is a fighter anda a good gun shooter at low altitude, the b-25 is a low altitude medium loaded bomber and the dauntless was the only dive bomber that was large used for bombing ships AA and bunker that was really the best plane, becouse it is the only one with the most precise tecnique of bombing. The dauntles after the battle of coral sea end the Midway battle, was used not only in carrier but especially in atolls air base, becouse it was a small bomber, easy to fly, land and take off. It was used until the end of the war in the small carriers where the Helldivers were too big and heavy for the deck.The dauntless was the stuka version for the us navy, i think better armored and with better gun, it was a brilliant plane in is role, but like the stuka it need a fighter cover for is mission. The dauntless become a famous plane during the midway campain and especially when it was used in land in the "Cactus air force" in Guadalcanal, where it sunk a lot of japanese ships.

[@markrowland1366]

Tying down Japanese forces was good practice. When the Dutch abandoned their Islands to the Japanese, it took some fifty thousand to defend the small island of Temor. Some fifty Australians missed the call and found themselves in charge. For some four months, without radio, even believed to be captured or killed. As their enemy abused the islanders, the Aussies grew in confidence and support. Fed, nursed and supplied with intelligence, by their flock, they even wiped out the special forces sent to destroy them.

[@jgunther3398]

Cheese it you cats. Listen to the dope.

[@robothunter1035]

Yeah, yeah! We ain't no soaks. We come for a gas, and none of you mugs had better snap yer cap cause' weeze cookin' with gas here.

[@Sshooter444]

Dat was a swell picture, mac!

[@peterroberts505]

nice work

[@mcluvin28x]

I love the old commentary of the old days...I really like how propaganda includes "us". As if to unite us against a common enemy. It works though.

[@user-cn5yu2yj1m]

英語分からないけど映像はめちゃ凄いと思う。

[@johnpierson9796]

Great video. Thanks for posting. It's sad you felt the need to apologize for the language used by the people who were there and actually fought a brutal enemy. You sound like a modern politician and/or thought police person.

There's nothing wrong reminding the viewers this film was made in a specific context. No everyone is an history nerd like us or has all the clues needed to understand propaganda films from the time. Helpful to newcomers !

[@robertewalt7789]

And the Japanese, back in the day, didn’t think much of us gaijin.

[@korvtm]

@@robertewalt7789 Based on my last visit to Japan,they only waant us to visit,but don't stat too long and be sure to spend lots of money.Leave just before you run out of money,gaiijin.

[@brucewelty7684]

@@robertewalt7789 They still DON'T!

[@billk3921]

Robert Ewal

[@mcluvin28x]

4:09 Sir...you are absolutely right.

[@antony716]

Youre just thinking, Joe. Get off my back

[@ALRIGHTYTHEN.]

I guess the rear gunners weren't worth getting to know or for us to remember them now. They're not important, so we'll just call them the rear gunner instead of calling them by their name.

[@jeremyperala839]

Well they were enlisted scum, the officers weren't their buddies.

[@ALRIGHTYTHEN.]

@@jeremyperala839 I was referring to the film makers. They didn't know either members of the crew prior to filming and only bothered to mention the pilots' names.

[@jamespierson3667]

" but blatantly anti-Japanese propaganda film" You're serious aren't you.

[@gregsiska8599]

-Reminder to PeriscopeFilm: the US was at war with the Japanese when this film was made. Lol. -Can't see where the "Blatantly" is. There are no degrading references to the Japanese. They are depicted well in this film despite being the enemy.

@@gregsiska8599 "blantantly" as it is a very obvious propaganda film. Nothing wrong with it, but viewers should keep in mind to understand it fully and its historical value. Also they should keep in mind that as it is propaganda, it may be "slightly" different from how it was really on the field. I mean, "milk runs" weren't that smooth and sucess, and propaganda only shows the "success" side.

[@wdtaut5650]

@ Calling it a "milk run" was mildly sarcastic. It was combat and everyone, including civilian viewers, knew it.

[@wdtaut5650]

@@gregsiska8599 Today, "Jap" and "Nip" are considered degrading. Too bad. Get over it.

[@allandavis8201]

As much as I agree with everyone, 100% I think the disclaimer was/is aimed at the KZbin censors, even “historic” content is not censorship free these days.

[@mojah1]

Greatest generation

[@matrox]

14:05 No Bud Light!😂🤣

[@matrox]

13:35 Lord have mercy!

[@MrPlusses]

Pre war Japanese planes. Their landing gear doesn't even retract. No Zeros to worry about. Some of the Japanese pilots only had a few hours training.

[@generalspitfire01]

See we sometimes don't use their total number thing.... Yes we do say it but not all of the time.... When we use their names like the Corsair or the Mitchell..... Also we know how to modify the hell out of a plane.... For example the B-25 Mitchell.... We modified that bird to take off from a carrier

[@lonnijohnston6339]

No wonder these men & women were referred to as “The Greatest Generation”....

[@Crazyblocs]

Il y a t'il des droits d'auteurs ???

[@robothunter1035]

To beer! The cause of and solution to all of our problems.

[@plantfeeder6677]

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy"-Ben Franklin

[@steveandrushko75]

Those pilots were unbelievable

[@garymckee8857]

I always wondered how the gunner in the rear of the aircraft didn't shoot the tail off with those twin 30 calibers.

[@francisbusa1074]

Firing cut outs.

[@slowneutron6163]

And as far as the two A-Bombs dropped on the Island Nation Of Japan..................................................................should have been three. BYE!!!!

[@AngryHatter]

They blew the shit out of the water and trees!

[@generalspitfire01]

We know how to give a good nickname for certain things.... When you make us mad..... Prepare to say a prayer and hope we don't find you....

[@pugbug288]

Wish I knew what b25 squadron this was. My grandfather was a tail gunner in VMB-423 on Nissan Island.

[@HootOwl513]

Marines called the Mitchell a PBJ for [P] Patrol [B] Bomber [J] North American. For wartime security reasons there are no unit markings on Marine aircraft in this period. Tail letters came in around Korea. Semper Fi.

[@jamesmueller1921]

@@HootOwl513 ,, thanks for the info, at this rate, at my age, i am breaking even.. learn some lose some ... LOL

[@HootOwl513]

@@jamesmueller1921 We should never stop learning, Sir. BTW, there is a Marine PBJ-1J belonging to the Commemoratve Air Force, Southern California Wing, at Camarillo Airport in CA. It's the only known original PBJ-1J Mitchell still in flying condition. It's called "Semper Fi." The plane is painted in the 3 Color Pacific Theatre pattern: Gull Grey undersurfaces, Intermediate Non-Specular Sea Blue on the sides, and the uppersurfaces are [Dark] Non-Specular Sea Blue. Beautiful Bird. I've seen it in person. It served with VMB-413 or VMB-613. Not sure which. [I was with VMA-513 in the late '70s, but 513 was an F6F squadron in '44-'45.]

[@rickklein7792]

My father in law was an armorer for VMB-613 on Kwajelein. Bad ass 75mm in the nose of the PBJ. My dad was a quartermaster on CVE-1 USS Long Island. Ferried a lot of SBDs and F4Fs.

[@Matthew-hc9vx]

@@rickklein7792Are those two men still around?

[@Beaguins]

Imagine a wartime film that's blatantly anti-enemy!

[@waynepearson6684]

Yeah, the American propaganda was a little over the top, but the Japanese propaganda was not even close to what was going on. It cost countless civilian lives and military personnel. Unnecessary.

[@Beaguins]

@@waynepearson6684 I was sarcastically remarking on the show notes that call this video "creatively scripted but blatantly anti-Japanese."

[@roybaker6902]

What were you expecting, a Toyota or Honda commercial?

[@Omni0404]

1:41 - 1:56 lmaoooo

[@iamsean92]

narrator sounds like he's from NY.

[@IrvinGreene8008]

What does the SBD stand for?

[@cowboyfan35]

Irvin Greene scout bomb dive

[@michaelklein3148]

Irvin Greene Scout Bomber Douglas Aircraft

[@jamesmueller1921]

Irvin ,, if you're talking about farts,, Silent But Deadly ,, hope that helps ...

[@mcluvin28x]

Slow But Deadly

[@wdtaut5650]

@@michaelklein3148 You are correct.

[@raywhitehead730]

1944?

[@ashermil]

The script is exactly as corny as expected. Great shot through the open bomb bay doors.

[@ancientheart2532]

Gee...this is swell!

[@JohnJones-ct9pr]

it was wartime. Do you think that the Japanese did not have "racist" ways of describing "imperialist barbarian round eyed dirty gaijin pale faced " ?. Of course they did. Context is everything. But anyway did you spot the awfully "mithoginistic" comments about "when you handle them nice they give " !!!! lol.

[@rickoc3022]

Wasn't everything put out during WW2 blatant propaganda? There has been "blatant" propaganda since the very first rock was thrown in anger.

[@PhilbyFavourites]

Rick OC: So very true. We’ve become a different people, less resilient, to those who came before us. It would be wonderful if the human being could live in harmony. Sadly that’s not going to happen anything soon!

[@hansmueller3029]

Couldn't take the narrator. See ya round Joe.

[@philgiglio7922]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZy2aqejfbOZh7s That katanna won't be much use in the air.

[@AaronB99999]

That entire narration was made up. There was no Billy or Louie or Mike or "Hot Tamale." They probably never even talked to the pilots. They just took some cool footage and crafted a story around it. And the Japanese parts were even stranger -- like we're supposed to think that there was footage of the guys on the other end of the Marines' attack? Hilarious. All the audio (engines, gun sounds, etc.) is dubbed in too.

[@davidcroft9320]

Typically, the bloody sound track ruins a good film - WHY?

[@CaspianWint-dn6nj]

Blatantly anti-Japanese? Ummm....they were the enemy.....