IT SEEMED LIKE YESTERDAY

[Music] in shipyard at quincy massachusetts 1923 stan's skeleton-like structure of incompleted battle cruiser lexington though almost half finished gigantic vessel is doomed to scrap heat by worldwide naval arms agreement change in plans plus petition from workmen and battle cruiser lexington becomes aircraft carrier lexington in her time largest thing afloat she's launched october 3rd 1925 and put in command of captain a.w marshall crew of new ocean queens stands at attention while flag is raised over carrier's deck and nation's newest fighting vessel joins the fleet on test maneuvers planes warm up on the world's largest sea going airport as navy prepares for peacetime tests of its fighting wings it's something new in warfare and lady lexington is equal to terrific task of launching airborne battlecraft from rolling and pitching surface of open seas navy brass are watching extreme right admiral nimitz high over deck of ship planes for her hold fly in beautiful formation signaling boldly that lady lexington's first maneuvers have been success and then comes war in shining waters of coral sea [ __ ] kamikazes have pierced the graceful ladies battle armor deep in her hull stores of explosives ignite blasting out the heart of the fighting queen of the seas [Music] listing dangerously sinking fast she must be abandoned and before long her blazing remains are lost beneath swirling waters her tragic end was not in vain however for the fight she fought snagged the [ __ ] advance south eastward from new guinea big blow to nippon big step toward tide of american victory communists in cradle days square-faced molotov leads unkempt joseph stalin on inspection tour of russian farming operations it's 1930 and communist leaders are attending 16th communist congress to push progress of russia's new agricultural revival few farms are now privately owned as farmers have been banded together to work all farmland in coordinated groups for good of people strength of state and power of communist party at meeting of people's commissariat of foreign affairs are top russians of times here's litvinov and here's russian leader krastinsky mapping destiny with karakan they sow seeds for communism's greatest harvest in nationwide war against mounting death and famine [Music] ruth hannah mccormick in 1930 when famed congresswoman was republican nominee for united states senate standing next to her here is another well-known american woman alice roosevelt longworth [Applause] and here with her son and daughter miss mccormick seems to enjoy her losing battle is this fellow's face familiar well sure because it's the smiling face of reginald denny one time heavyweight boxing champion of raf british born denny entered motion pictures in 1919 was once leading baritone of opera company too the young lady is bibi daniels when dallas born bibi was one of hollywood's biggest stars in 1930 miss daniels married actor ben lyon moved to england to live and bring up their daughter one time a child actress today motion picture immortal this handsome youth is jose ramon samaniegos better known to you as ramon navarro hollywood actor idol of moviegoers yesterday and here's navarro with actress alice terry and movie magnet marcus lowe as low set sail for european vacation once poor boy low made movies by the score and dollars by the millions [Music] also here to see him off is famed shakespearean actor david warfield and as if he's not celebrity enough louis b mayer joins the party to give mr lowe a truly royal send-off ala hollywood [Music] it's spring of 1930 and at hannover new hampshire students of dartmouth but who else shamelessly reveal what the well-dressed student wears there's not a miss america in the crowd or for that matter no mr america either while these bookish boys put their noses to the grindstone they leave their knees to the breeze yes they're all dressed up some of them except they look as if they've forgotten their trousers oh well boys will be boys and at dartmouth in 1930 they did what they could to look like them too the bells of riverside it's 10th of september 1930 and then biggest bell in america starts journey to laura's fellman rockefeller carillon atop picturesque riverside memorial church above the hudson on manhattan island trip of 400 feet takes just five minutes weighing more than 20 tons bell was made in england is next to last to be placed in four octave carillon its tone is low c and one more bell low d almost as big has yet to be hoisted into place all told caroline will soon house 72 bells to fill the manhattan air with music from heaven the crew of the british r 101 gets set for a first and final flight destination disaster among the doomed is british air minister thompson center in cardington england 1930 most of these men have a date with death but in the elevator up the mooring mass there's no hint of the holocaust to come from mass to ship the crossing spans into another world the r101 is off on its maiden journey first stop on the schedule italy but fate is flying too bove france next morning this was the pride of britain's air force the world's mightiest aircraft now a charred mass of metal and motors in the torn and twisted wreckage 47 dead stunned british officers who inspect the remains searched for the cause of disaster that flung the queen of britain's air force from the skies and sent nearly half a hundred of her crew on the long last voyage come on out to california in 1930 and watch a new world record set it's los angeles may 10 and the 220 straight away goes to george simpson simpson the winner is to run against the field in the hundred yard dash and here they come as frank wyckoff flashes down the center path to win the hundred in the new record time of nine and four tenth seconds bowling's better half here in 1930 is mrs rj mccutchen of pueblo colorado best woman bowler of her time in fact she even beats most men strikes are a dime a dozen to bowler mccutchen and when there's a one pin standing down her alley well she gets that too the men are good but women's champion mccutchen strikes her opponents out like mushrooms miniature golf courses have popped up all over the nation there's hardly a vacant lot in america that hasn't been turned into a pattern of paths for putting these are depression times and with plenty of time but not enough money to put the fees of rusher links americans from maine to california go goofy over miniature golf yes in 1930 millions of depression-dazed americans were mighty sad they had to wait in line to rent a ball and putter and play miniature golf in fourth annual aquatic forum fort lauderdale florida best divers in america show the stuff they'll take to coming olympics in finland national title holder al patnick gives warning he'll be hard to beat for top olympic laurels already an olympic champion of recent games here's claudia eckert still informed a cinch to cop booby prize in any diving contest here comedy diver dwight maine does the wrong way car again in slow motion here's mane with his flying swan or dying duck [Music] you have to be good to look that bad clarence lyndon crabb better known as larry buster crabb twice member of united states olympic swimming team here's buster in late 1920s when he was still student at university of hawaii he was soon to set five world swimming records win still greater fame in movies author will james wrote book about smokey in 1926 and here a few years later in greenwich village new york is horse who played smokey in movies he'll post the mrs harry payne whitney stopless planning statue of buffalo bill on horseback yes smokey heroic horse [Music] the original rebecca in rebecca of sunnybrook farm here's actress violet hemming setting sail for british home one of england's best-known stage performers in early 1900s miss hemming got her start as wendy and peter pan with maud adams troupe first appeared in new york in 1908 marshall field third chicago's department store tycoon and cyan of family fame for philanthropies windy city's field museum is among family's greatest philanthropic gifts [Music] beautiful ann harding fathers her house bet it's baby lion mikas baby too when these films were made miss harding was at height of career or screen actress later was to turn to stage an even greater triumphs [Music] it's 1928 and you're looking at the birth of a landmark the george washington bridge spanning the hudson and connecting new york with new jersey the bridge took three years to build [Music] channel span of the construction is 3500 feet with total span between anchorages 4760 feet all towers are completed here and cables are in the process of being strung when the bridge is finished it will have a deck width of 115 feet and will lie 250 feet above high waters of the hudson at its center the george washington bridge was officially opened october 24 1931 in a ceremony that attracted national dignitaries and state officials this is franklin d roosevelt then governor of new york state about to cut the ribbon that officially opened the huge span to the public climax of three years of actual construction work this is the overwater link between new york and new jersey the george washington bridge distance runner joy ray and clarence tamar compete in a marathon from 59th street and 7th avenue in new york to long beach long island both barrel chested joey and the veteran damar are favorites but approaching 5th avenue the pack is tightly bunched the contestants are headed for the queensboro bridge and they cross it with joey ray leading [Music] one of the most famous runners of the 1920s ray stays in front all the way to the finish and crosses the line with plenty to spare the winner my pal joey ray [Music] 1928 and in hudson river 150 canoes paddle furiously in race around new york city passing unfinished george washington bridge they head downstream toward new york bay and battery with manhattan skyscrapers in the background notice kayak type paddle used by leaders race isn't going to prove anything but this is 1928 when nothing mattered much anyway as long as you were having a good time on east river leg racers scoot under brooklyn bridge heading northward toward choppy waters and the finish line it's close race between these two with 148 others strung out behind them and here's the finish and paddler from yonkers new york strokes his way to victory he's george carlin [Music] daytona beach florida april 1948 and america's auto track champion frank lockhart is about to race to his death in a speed rod along the daytona sand flats lockhart gets his car up to 200 miles an hour and it's picking up even more speed as a tire blows as the car turns over an uncontrollable fury lockhart is thrown clear to the sand the champion is rushed to a nearby hospital where his injuries are to prove fatal speed claims another victim [Music] jolting jaunt here over haldon england in late 1920s one of juan de sierva's freakish looking autogyros gives a good account of itself in demonstration for the british but then something goes wrong hey look out bang up flight ends in crack up landing but things could be worse pilots okay but looks as if planes being hauled to scrap heat it's 30th of december 1928 and chicago's board of education shows windy city women how to be the most beautiful things in the world chicago gave its waterfront a successful face lifting now the same is being done for its feminine population [Music] most of the equipment you see looks pretty modern doesn't it well here in 1928 it was new and novel [Music] the slide for washing suds away from a lady shampoo and even this electric hair dryer old stuff today but fabulous and fancy in 28. bathing suits before and even before that in the late 1920s gathering of models shows evolution of bathing attire up to that time and by looks of the latest beachwear this is long time before the bikini first monstrosity went down to the sea way back in 1910. no wonder she knew whether she was wearing a bathing suit i guess she's wearing those high shoes in case she gets daring and goes waiting this later model is a little better well it looks more like a bathing suit still later suit is still v-necked but the stockings are getting shorter and here's a 1920 bathing beauty and beach togs all the way up to her neck and here at last is a bather who doesn't wear stockings or maybe she's forgotten them fashion's fanciest in 1928 in heyday of the wall street boom and the pandemonium prohibition this is how the well-dressed woman looked well she claims she's dressed after you finish gaping at the shapeless drape of that fur trimmed evening wrap take a look at the modern furniture all angles isn't it and if it means anything to be all angles our model is a bit modern herself what did women do with their figures in those days answer they put them in pretty potato sex but wonder what they did with the potatoes [Music] here's french aircraft factory in operation during first world war when flying machines were mere putt-putts compared with swift sailing giants of our modern skies but here in 1914 is where warbirds were given wings and here's the then latest thing in aircraft engine sensational radial motor as propeller turns so does power behind it contact this 1914 monoplane saw plenty of combat over france it's the blerio wheels borrowed from some bicycle no doubt this strut strewn job the farming is another 1914 fighter plane which pioneered war in the air another 1914 dreadnought of the sky is the now flimsy looking kodron the newport 1917 pursuit ship could do 140 miles an hour and sported engine cowlings something new those days looking very much like the famed flying jenny here's the spad type of airship american eddie rickenbacker flew to victory after victory against german flyers lesser known aces flew such battle wagons of 1917 as the breguet one of the better bombers of first world war it still looks like so much wire and paper though another sky truck of the time is the caproni giant biplane with six landing wheels though its looks are somewhat more modern than its contemporaries biggest bomber of times is this tri-motored skyship of huaza with one of its three engines the pusher type and gas tanks mounted under upper wings this was the beginning and it will no doubt end with rockets to the moon [Music] september 1928 al wilson instructs lindy in rudiments of piloting old style pusher plane lindy was youngster when this styleship was popular america's number one airman can fly anything with wings he's off on spin with another happy landing and at los angeles air meet the lone eagle leads three musketeers of the air in demonstration of stunt flying lindy's in lead plane in lead plane again lindbergh leads army flyers through thrilling paces and then february 20th 1929 on board airplane carrier lindy gets down this serious work it's his first try at takeoff from ship at sea after watching how it's done he's all set to try it himself fast becoming world's most all-around flyer lindy conquers problems of naval aviation as smoothly as he licked the atlantic ocean it's 1929 and the zmc2 first all-metal dirigible ever built is eased out of our hangar for maiden flight big ship constructed by detroit aircraft corporation of gross point michigan is filled with helium at airfield and nation's capital navy crew is ready in gondola to take her up and up she goes small compared with other dirigibles over time zmc 2 carries crew of four make speed of 62 miles an hour and even though she's all metal she sure flies famous flying first it's february 17 1929 and on snow-covered airfield at concord new hampshire leo tremblay 20-year-old student of aviation makes successful attempt to fly a glider being towed by automobile yes he really got the thing into the air and though flight isn't long trembling proves it can be done and stays in cockpit for another try it's bold flying with aviation still in the infant stages of 1929 but with so many new worlds to conquer and lindbergh's famous leaf of the atlantic still so fresh in memory the air is filled with pilots flying everything with wings [Music] cut loose from tow line trembling piloted his glider in three mile flight nice flying for 1929 [Music] it's 1935 weaver field honolulu hawaii and the first outstanding woman flyer amelia earhart putnam prepares to fly the pacific carrying 500 gallons of gasoline and heading toward california at 155 miles per hour the plane and its pilots successfully navigate 2400 miles of ocean to land safely at oakland california [Music] a later trip is to bring tragedy to a lady lindy but this time amelia earhart putnam who in 1928 through the atlantic conquers another ocean little does she dream that the continent is later to be spanned by passenger planes in 10 hours and less as she predicts cross-country flights of 48 hours of transportation the world has ever known women are quick to realize that it offers luxury and comfort and beauty equal to that of the more accustomed travel mode in the united states there are as fine airlines as in any part of the world so when you plan to come to california or go east be sure to fly with us on our 48-hour coast-to-coast service at alhambra airport san francisco california summer of 1935 four engines of massive china clipper warm up plane's crew of six is ready for historic flight under command of captain edward music car load of gas is taken aboard as ship prepares to wing her way across the broad pacific first stop honolulu ground crews of big flying boat get land wheels away and she's off on record-making journey a veritable paul bunyan of the skies ahead lies hawaii manila in the philippines and finally the far off coast of china and nothing below but water 8 000 trackless miles of rolling tossing ocean high over yet unfinished golden gate bridge the china clippers soars to new heights new distances in aviation 1000 horsepower thunderbolt it's september 1935 propellers turn and pilot gets into cockpit of yet untested plane as ship is raised from runway and wings into the air rafts are coming off craft that has long been called the mystery plane and then the mystery unfolds as its owner backer builder and pilot howard hughes brings the plane in from its test flight for a landing at the dangerous speed of 75 miles an hour it's only 1935 yet millionaire sportsman howard hughes has flown over 300 miles an hour [Music] here's john archie lejeune maine commander of the united states marines here in his washington office in middle 1920s he directs peacetime operations of boys in blue and looks at some of numerous trophies his hard fighting corps has won john lejeune major general of marines george eastman big businessman and philanthropist famed as inventor of kodak and kodak film here posing in the 1920s eastman gave more than 75 million dollars to various philanthropic organizations and he began it all as an amateur photographer in 1924 is victoria theater rovia the grand duchess cyril treatment of the tsarist russian throne with their homeland and hands of revolutionists zarina is living in exile but is nonetheless royal and regal as befits an empress even without an empire here's mary roberts reinhardt all set for trip to europe in the 20s among america's best-known writers she won wide acclaim for her book the circular staircase former trained nurse she is also known for humorous magazine stories plus a long list of interesting travel books mary roberts reinhardt woman of letters [Music] in middle 1920's grace coolidge is first lady of the land and honorary member of the scouts here on white house lawn she tries girl scout cakes and finds that scouting has sure taught the troopers how to cook a cookie [Music] in 1925 at rosland virginia mrs calvin coolidge again officiates this time to award prizes to leading scouts and troops with her our founder juliette lowe and mrs herbert hoover all three of them dressed in the latest girl scout fashion of the day doing that dance called the rocking chair truck it's the middle 1920s from the looks of the drapery this dancing damsel calls a dress dance takes its name from steps supposed to imitate motion of rocking chair of course wonder whose joints provide the rocking chair squeak [Music] this is considered fancy footwork for the times but from here it doesn't look like work of any kind [Music] young people of new york are all hopped up about the newest rage in sidewalk entertainment it's the pogo stick suddenly american youth's most popular way of doing something different skates and bikes were old hat to these boys and girls and if you couldn't bounce with the best you just didn't belong but the fad faded and skates and bikes came back air going lawnmower designed to clip clouds while on the wings of the wind this cockeyed contraption of the 1920s can't even cut grass but then it's not a lawnmower but a designer's dream of a plane that will rise vertically and then fly away dream turns into nightmare though it just can't get off this earth philadelphia 1924 smedley butler quits marines to become director of safety in city of brotherly love but friendly relations with philadelphia's mayor kendrick are brief butler is marine general once again and leads core in review for president and mrs calvin coolidge with general lejeune at his side then war whole hemisphere away calls marines into action on foreign soil april 1927 butler and colonel miller lead detachment of marine corps units from san francisco destination china problem civil war assignment protection of american interests in east and here's battleground the general butler's men in blue police ever watchful over american property and persons in war-thorn orient with danger over general butler comes home in civvies and in trouble after calling benito mussolini hit-run driver and reported death of child baloney says bull jawed italian premier [Music] sorry says united states secretary of state henry stimson to enraged italians and at quantico virginia marine barracks general butler places himself under arrest for slander and awaits court martial which is later canceled famous for calling deceitful mussolini names general smedley butler then writes book calling war a racket [Music] this headpiece of early 1920s has crown of metal the lion plunge against notre dame perhaps the fuzz on this chat hoe looks almost as good as it did on a squirrel but it can't sit up and beg [Music] this model's crowning glory has three admirable points and also yes in early twenties malady spurs went right to her head according to this new york hat show anyway but from manhattan to boston it's from head to toe for beantown showing of latest in boots [Music] it's late 1920s now and shoes are varied in style and ornamentation or are your eyes on those abbreviated skirts is the shoe show remember and here's fancy footwear of satin and jewels hunting boots no doubt and speaking of sportswear sport model shoes of the day are two-toned patent leather and gray kids but for evening wear here's rhinestone buckle with hand painted shoe attached [Music] in september 1924 an rj cudahy literary digest publisher launching magazines full of voters who will cast their ballots in the presidential election between calvin coolidge republican and democratic nominee john w davis millions of postcard ballots go out to americans of voting age result of poll this year is accurate to within two percent again in 1928 with republican herbert clark hoover running against al smith a happy warrior literary digest poll has put small fraction off the actual vote it's gigantic effort involving hundreds of digest workers and thousands of working hours with repeatedly chief requirement only the expert and experience need apply latest calculating and sorting machines are used so tremendous is this job of predicting how 40 to 60 million americans will vote not only for presidents but special issues too literary digest sends and receives such great volume of mail that it has its own post office and staff of postal clerks but then things go wrong magazine polls voters are starting on 1932 hoover roosevelt race certified results show that america still wants a republican in the white house predicts victory for herbert hoover but when nation votes in november franklin roosevelt wins and literary digest closes and collapses locked stock and pole [Music] april 27 1930 and king albert and his queen are guests of honor and chief spectators at 100th anniversary of belgian independence albert first is third ruler of house of saks coburg to wear crown as head of youthful constitutional monarchy once part of lowland countries belgians declared themselves free and independent pageant in style of roman holiday marks full 100 years that belgians have had country and king of their own and it is partly king albert's courage in 1914 that makes possible this joyous and exciting day in 1930. as royal couple leave stadium that day here's last glimpse you'll see of king albert of the belgians beloved monarch in brussels hero round the world [Music] it's 23rd of february 1934 killed by fall from cliff near namur he'll salute his adoring subjects along these streets no more and belgian hearts are as empty as the saddle of king albert's horse soldiers and sons of soldiers he led into battle 20 years before pay their last respects to their royal leader as albert king of the belgians takes leave of the land he loved director for poland negri emil jennings and maurice chevalier here at his bungalow on malibu beach is ernst lubich once an actor himself lubitz came to america in 1922 to direct movie starring mary pickford here in 1930 he's with actress ona monson and others keeping in trim for a career of continued success [Music] here's world famous author gilbert keith chesterton in 1930 brilliant british writer is visiting america and holy cross university at time of his death six years later he was considered one of greatest writers in the world holy cross gives warm and joyous welcome to creator of a veritable library of biographies and historical novels gk chesterton [Music] italy cheers an idol in naples square october 1930 countless thousands celebrate eighth anniversary of fascist march on rome and rise to power of man named benito mussolini from high balcony italy's idol looks down on his admirers and the smile on his face is the smile of a man who is sure as well he might be now because so far so good legs diamond typifying the glorified gangster era of the late 20s arrested 17 times acquitted 17 times suspected of every crime in the book legs diamond led a charmed life temporarily returning from europe in 1930 he became the target of an aroused public and rival gangsters and the venera was in sight as diamond is again in custody it's ironic that peace officers had no part in terminating his career released from charges diamond was shot up by opposition mobsters in october 1930. legs survived this shooting but in albany new york rival gangsters killed him in this rooming house a public enemy in life his death started a reform wave that drove gangs into hiding or prison cells this was legs diamond it's 1930 and sir thomas lipton perennial challenger for sailing yacht honors arrives in america to try again so thomas's ship shamrock v is racing enterprise american entry at newport rhoden at the halfway mark the shamrock crowds on sale as the enterprise leads by two minutes the shamrock on route to the finish line has lost still another minute and once again sir thomas lipton is a gallant loser as his ship fails in its challenge this is enterprise american defender which out sailed shamrock v but they're solace for the millionaire sportsman in new york where mayor james j walker presents him with a cup honoring him as the world's gayest loser from speeding ships to flying feet travis honored new york and a two-mile steeplechase for racing athletes is underway unusual track and field event requiring speed stamina and jumping ability is a highlight of the day's sport winner of the event is the free nermee flying finn national distance champion willie rotola [Music] in 1930 it's another step up military ladder for macarthur now major general he becomes nation's seventh military chief of staff and youngest to receive such honor swearing him in is major general e.a krieger [Music] then at military post in san francisco chief of staff macarthur inspects west coast troops with generals craig and caldwell with world war one well behind him macarthur guides our military operation in world at peace in manila philippine islands in 1935 he watches philippine president kazon sign 10-year plan for island defense and military training first step in america's operations to give philippine islands their independence free and clear but then macarthur is called back to war [Applause] ten years later august 30th 1945 he steps from plane at atsugi airport japan on orders from president truman to accept terms of surrender from defeated japanese the dartanian of the aef in world war one is the victorious five-star general who led allied troops from australia to tokyo and victory in world war ii [Applause] on board uss missouri macarthur accepts japanese plea for cessation of hostilities and reads terms of unconditional surrender while allied officers stand at attention and leaders of bowed nation listen it's great moment in history greatest moment perhaps in the life of douglas macarthur born in arkansas military barracks at 13 an obscure student at west texas military academy a one-time military aide to his father in japanese capital he now finishes job of winning war in pacific half of world but he does more than win the war at his headquarters in tokyo he's military governor of the defeated japanese and as such is still fighting to win and keep the peace july 4th 1946 he returns to manila for some unfinished business it's independence day in philippine islands the philippines are free nation now and thousands cheer general douglas macarthur who for nearly 50 years has led the fight for freedom everywhere