HOME MOVIES: 16mm

Shot by an unknown member of the U.S. Navy, this 16mm silent home movie shows unique views from 1945. It begins somewhere in a Pacific harbor, probably Yokosuka, Japan, at :26, with images of a cruiser at sea. The ship's number is not visible but it might be USS Los Angeles. Visible on the rear deck at :35 is a crane used for seaplane retrieval. At 1:30 is what appears to be images of Japan, with damaged buildings evident. At 2:05, a large harbor is seen, with what appears to be USS Montpelier CL-57 visible in the foreground. At 2:49 a large submarine tender is seen. At 3:13, a warship with its gun barrels removed is seen, and at 3:32 a smashed Japanese battleship is seen, apparently disabled and abandoned at anchor. At 5:42, members of what appear to be the Royal Navy and Army officers are seen on deck. We'd love to ID these people so if you know who they are -- please let us know in the comments. At 7:00, a wrecked harbor, probably Yokosuka, is seen, with an airplane hangar (likely for seaplanes) visible. At 8:30 the camera turns to activities aboard a warship, from the armament it is likely a light cruiser but its identity is unclear. At 10:17 a speech is made to the assembled crew. At 12:13, the ship nears what might be Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the end of a long journey.