U.S.S. ABBOT  ⭑  DD 629

Operations Against Japan

Color film from final push on Japan, July-August 1945

This 11-minute color film is the complete reel from which are taken scenes of Abbot bombarding the Kamaishi steel plant. It includes scenes of Abbot off Honshu, spectacular seaplane operations, miscellaneous bombing missions over Nagoya, and scenes of Admiral Sir Bruce Frazier of the Royal Navy and Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, commander in chief in the Pacific, at the Allied forward headquarters.

A complete list of scenes and subject index are below, compiled by the National Archives. The National Archives holds the original film, ARC identifier “79429 NAVAL BOMBARDMENT OF HONSHU, 08/07/1945.”

Shot List

• BOMBARDMENT OF HONSHU
  1. [Long shot] Running shot-task force underway.
  2. [Long shot] Battleship fires salvo against Honshu Island; 20mm mount in foreground (SV).
  3. [Long shot] Smoke rises from explosions on Honshu.
  4. [Medium shot] Lookouts view of Honshu through binoculars; land in background.
  5. [Long shot] Smoke rises from explosions and fires on Honshu (SV) (UX).
  6. [Long shot] Honshu; destroyers stern and wake in foreground.
  7. [Long shot] Battle formation underway.
  8. [Long shot] Destroyer underway; Honshu in background.
• PREPARATION FOR BOMBARDMENT OF KAMAISHI HONSHU; USS MASSACHUSETTS (BB-59) 6/14/45
  1. [Long shot] DD underway; coastline in background.
  2. [Long shot] Coastline; talker in foreground.
  3. [Medium shot] 16" guns trained and elevated high; BB underway in background (SV).
• ADM SIR BRUCE FRAZIER, RN, AND FLEET ADM CHESTER W. NIMITZ, CINCPAC, 8/15/45
  1. [Medium shot] ADM SIR BRUCE FRAZIER, RN, and other British officers get out of car before CDR in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas Headquarters at Guam.
  2. [Close-up] Sign over headquarters entrance.
  3. [Medium shot] CU ADM SUR BRUCE FRAZIER and Fleet ADM NIMITZ exit from building followed by other U.S. and British Naval officers, and converse in front of Pacific Ocean Areas Headquarters (SV).
  4. [Medium shot] Automobile carrying ADM SIR BRUCE FRAZIER drives out of scene.
• SC-1 SEAPLANE OPERATIONS ON USS NASHVILLE (CL-43) 7/26/45
  1. LA [Medium shot] Pilot climbs into Curtiss SC-1 Seahawk on catapult.
  2. [Long shot] SC-1 catapulted.
  3. [Medium shot] SC-1 taxis alongside and catches onto sled.
  4. [Long shot] Pilot attaches crane hook to SC-1.
  5. [Medium shot] Crewman eases SC-1 onto cradle.
  6. [Long shot] SC-1 lands and taxis.
  7. [Medium shot] Crane lifts SC-1 and sets it on ship as crew members fold SC-1 wings.
• GUN CAMERA - ATTACKS ON NAGOYA; USS BENNINGTON (CV-20) 7/30/45
  1. [Aerial shot] Tracers and rockets strafe ground targets in Nagoya area.
  2. [Aerial shot] Smoke rises from bomb explosions on beach; planes fly past.
  3. [Aerial shot] Tracers and rockets strafe Japanese buildings and positions (SV).
  4. [Aerial shot] Smoke rises from ship burning nearby (SV).

Subject index

• ABBOT, USS (DD-629)
• AERIALS, bombings
• AERIALS, explosion
• AIR CARRIER, CV (ref.)
• BB, scns. abd.
• BB, underway
• BENNINGTON, USS (CV-20)
• BOMBARDMENT, Kamaishi, Honshu
• BOMBARDMENTS, Honshu
• BOMBS, explode BUILDINGS, for., Jap.
• BUILDINGS, for., Pacific Ocean Area Headquarters
• COMM., talker, afloat
• CRANES, misc.
• CRUISER, scns. abd.
• DESTROYER, DD, underway
• DESTROYER, DD, underway
• FIRES, ashore, island
• FRAZIER, ADM SIR. BRUCE
• G.L., Britain, mil. pers.
• G.L., island, Honshu
• G.L., islands, Guam
• G.L., Nagoya, Japan
• GUNS, 16" trained
• GUNS, 20mm
• GUNS, pts., mount, 20mm
• INSTS., optics, binoculars
• LOOKOUTS, USN
• MASSACHUSETTS, USS (BB-59)
• NASHVILLE, USS (CL-43)
• NIMITZ, ADM WILLIAM
• OFFICERS, USN, mil. act., ashore
• PLANES, catapulted, CL (SC-1)
• PLANES, crew, pilot
• PLANES, fold wings, CL (SC-1)
• PLANES, in flight
• PLANES, land, CL (SC-1)
• PLANES, SC-1, catapulted, CL
• PLANES, taxiing, CL
• SHIPS, burning
• SHIPS, crew (CL)
• STRAFING, targets
• TASK FORCE, underway
• TRACERS, gen.
• VEHICLES, cars
• WAKES, ship