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This black & white film is an episode of 'The Big Picture' series, entitled 'Citizen, Soldier, and Taxpayer, Too'. This episode is about "Operation Roll-Up" which was an effort by the United States Army to rapidly reclaim, refurbish, and redeploy equipment from World War II and use it in the Korean War. This episode dates to the early 1950s and was advertised this way: "Former Army Secretary Frank Pace, Jr. is the guest of THE BIG PICTURE to introduce a program of interest to every taxpayer. It's the story of the war the Army fights all the time -- the war against waste. Our cameras go to Japan for Operation Rollup, showing how we supply our troops with rehabilitated (but efficient) equipment and thereby save the taxpayer millions of dollars. We see how our troops are encouraged to be 'cost conscious' about their tools of warfare. It takes dollars to build and maintain an effective fighting machine, but the Army is making a continual effort to keep that cost to a minimum. The soldier; who is a taxpayer too, knows the cost of our defense effort."
Opening: U.S. soldiers on the move. Title: "The Big Picture". Captain Carl Zimmerman talks about the Army (:06-1:15). The Honorable Frank Pace, Jr., secretary of the Army, talks about waste and selective service bringing in new men. Pace stands up near a map of the world and points out spots where he has been and where our service men are (1:16-4:19). Korean peasants carry used shells and dispose of them. On June 25, 1950, peasants and farmers went about daily tasks. Map of Korea. Communist troops came down from the north and the United Nations became concerned. Korean mountains became a battlefield. American flew troops in from Japan (4:20-5:56). U.S. Capitol. U.S. soldiers get to Korea. Tanks on the ground. Explosion near soldiers. Military materials being made in a factory. Tanks on the line. Cargo is hoisted above ships. U.S. soldiers on the ground in Korea (5:57-7:24). Old equipment left in the Pacific Islands after WW2 would be harvested as materials to be used for new equipment for the Korean campaign. Tanks and artillery are collected in the Pacific Islands. Soldiers move old trucks out (7:25-9:11). Ships bring the supplies. Tractors, jeeps, and tanks. In Japanese plants, workers work on an assembly line to help fix and create new equipment from old materials in a form of recycling. Trucks being fixed on the assembly line. Japanese workers at work (9:12-11:22). Welding and rebuilding. Repairing and reassembly goes on. Trucks are rebuilt ready for a test that qualifies it for active duty. Troops in Korea walk. Three trainloads of equipment were loaded in ships to be sent to Korea (11:23-13:39). Reclaimed weapons assisted the Americans in Korea. U.S. Army fights in Korea. Men build rifles. Trucks and jeeps were salvaged and used. Men shoot from trucks in Korea. Mortars are fired. Machine guns fired in Korea. Tanks on patrol (13:40-15:18). Tanks being built in Japanese factories. Tanks in action in Korea. U.S. Army drives the Communists out of South Korea. Koreans cheer on U.S. troops. Rows of American trucks, tanks, and guns. Operation Roll-up saved the American public millions with this reclamation project. men work on the assembly line (15:19-17:13). Rows of tanks and jeeps. Many military vehicles rebuilt from old or previously ruined trucks and tanks. Japanese mechanics at work. Piles of tires brought back were reconditioned for new use. Military workers recap the tires with new rubber and new tread (17:14-19:11). Military men fix old shoes. Everything is being salvaged to save money. Captured enemy weapons and equipment. Gasoline cans are fixed and used again and again. Native women assist in fixing clothes in some areas. In warehouses in Japan, workers repair, sort, bundle, and return the clothing. Cable is stripped down and used where it is necessary. Korean laborers at work (19:12-21:45). In the United States, Russian T-38 tanks seized in the Korean War are cut up and forged into new weapons. Row of tanks. The Letterkenny Ordnance Depot in Pennsylvania has rows of surplus combat vehicles and tanks in storage (21:46-23:20). Older vehicles are stored in humidity-free cans and then taken out when needed. American workers. Jeep is lowered by a crane (23:21-25:10). The Honorable Frank Pace, Jr. speaks. He points to a sign that reads: "More Fighting Power Per Army Dollar." He talks about cost saving measures. Captain Carl Zimmerman wraps up the episode (25:11-27:47).
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.PeriscopeFi...