[Zippo" napalm flamethrower]

Year Published: 1969

Creator: U.S. Navy

Description: Dating to 1969, this silent footage shows tests of the "Zippo" napalm flamethrower, as well as what are apparently members of SEAL Team One in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. The U.S. Navy equipped modified LCM-6 (Landing Craft Mechanized-6) river assault boats—specifically known as Monitors—with flamethrowers during the Vietnam War. These specialized fire-projecting watercraft were widely nicknamed "Zippo boats" after the famous windproof cigarette lighter. During the Vietnam conflict, SEAL Team One conducted unconventional warfare, reconnaissance, and direct-action raids in the rivers and jungles of South Vietnam, earning the enemy nickname "Men with Green Faces". The location where this footage was shot is unknown, although it is likely the Mekong River. The men in the film are also unidentified; the fact that their faces were not obscured is somewhat puzzling and might indicate the the footage was shot for internal use by the armed forces. At the time this footage was shot, SEAL Teams were fielding 12-man platoons, each comprising two squads of six men; most SEAL missions conducted in Vietnam were squad-sized operations. Navy SEALs, supported by riverine patrol boats and swift boat operators, waged guerilla warfare against the Viet Cong in the swamps and jungles. After about six years of combat, the relatively small group of SEALs accounted for 600 confirmed Viet Cong KIA and 300 more probables. Numerous others were captured or detained. Three SEALs received the Medal of Honor from actions they took during Vietnam. The last SEAL platoon departed Vietnam in late 1972. Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we've worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you'd like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink 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, 2k and 4k. For more information visit https://www.PeriscopeFilm.com

Online Copy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMMno5QTkoY

Metadata Source:YouTube