https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/6c7240ef-ffcc-4fec-ab27-23d7559657f2 This WWII era Red Cross film shows some of the organization's work during the conflict, including some of its most traditional activities -- teaching young people to swim, and learning artificial respiration. The launch of a new Liberty Ship SS John Barton Payne is shown. Its namesake was former chairman of the Red Cross. The new hospital ship SS Hope is also shown going into commission. Norman H. Davis, the chair of the Red Cross is shown returning from a tour of American Red Cross operations in Europe. American troops are shown in combat in the Pacific during the island hopping campaign, with medical corpsman administering aid in jungle hospitals. This includes astonishing footage of emergency surgery in extremely primitive conditions, and Red Cross supplies including blood plasma being given to the wounded. The film ends with a segment about the rehabilitation of the wounded, with a Navy hospital train bringing in hundreds of patients to Halloran Hospital (now the Willowbrook State School). The film highlights the significant role of the American Red Cross in various activities, from teaching survival swimming skills to boys and girls, to providing support for the armed forces. It details how the Red Cross equips children with life-saving techniques, demonstrates the launch of Liberty Ships and the USS Hope, and emphasizes the importance of blood collection for wounded soldiers. The narrative follows U.S. task forces in the South Pacific, the heroic efforts of medical personnel in primitive conditions, and the provision of vital supplies like bandages and plasma. The text also covers the journey of wounded soldiers returning home and the rehabilitation programs that help veterans discover new talents through arts and crafts. Overall, the American Red Cross is portrayed as a crucial support system, aiding in survival, recovery, and boosting the morale of soldiers and civilians alike. 0:00 - Importance of swimming skills for survival, training for boys and girls. 1:05 - Demonstration of staying afloat using duffel bags as emergency equipment. 1:24 - Learning to tread water and shed clothes quickly as part of life-saving courses. 1:36 - Swimming with full equipment simulates infantry crossing streams. 1:48 - Improvising water stretchers using duffel bags. 1:55 - Red Cross "learn to swim means learn to live" program. 2:09 - Liberty Ship launch in Panama City, Florida. 2:32 - Ship's library and recreational facilities furnished by the Red Cross. 2:54 - Saluting the USS Hope, the Navy's newest hospital ship. 3:28 - Norman H. Davis, National Chairman of the Red Cross, returns to report on overseas activities. 4:22 - Importance of blood collection and providing plasma to save lives. 5:08 - U.S. task force moving closer to Tokyo in the South Pacific. 5:53 - Men fighting and dying to keep America free. 6:07 - Red Cross efforts to save wounded soldiers in primitive conditions. 6:44 - Bandages and blood provided by Americans through the Red Cross. 7:36 - Medical advances reducing death rates among the wounded. 7:59 - Journey home for the wounded, some transported by airplane or barge. 8:31 - Rehabilitation centers and the role of the Red Cross in teaching arts and crafts. 9:00 - Arts and crafts help veterans discover new talents and shape their lives. 10:00 - The American soldier faces the future with confidence and courage, supported by the Red Cross. 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 http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjvMuGYV8sY Mirrored from Periscope Film (https://www.youtube.com/@PeriscopeFilm) Sat, 13 Jun 2026 05:30:45 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://peertube.dngr.us https://peertube.dngr.us/lazy-static/avatars/41a6fee9-7f57-42d0-a5fc-5db4f1af2e31.png https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/6c7240ef-ffcc-4fec-ab27-23d7559657f2 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://peertube.dngr.us/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.