Watch The Big Picture - Pictorial Report No. 11

Experience the American Journey through our country's visual heritage in this historical recording provided by the National Archives of the United States. From the U.S. Army's "The Big Picture" television series, 1950-1975. For this pictorial report, three subjects are covered by Signal corps camermen in Washington, D.C., the Panama Canal Zone, and North Hempstead, Long Island. The first, "United States Soldiers' Home," takes place not far from the busy center of our nation's capital--in a quiet and pleasant suburb. Here, many men who have served faithfully in the Army or Air Force, are spending their days of retirement. THE BIG PICTURE camera looks at the Soldiers' Home through the eyes of one of its residents, First Sergeant George Burns. From Washington, the television camera swings South to the Panama Canal Zone to see young soldiers in training. They are officers from Latin American countries who are attending a U.S. Army School. The final subject is one of utmost importance to each and every citizen. It is a civil defense story that takes place on Long Island. As the camera moves through the area, a test air raid is being planned--to be centered around the village of Great Neck where a simulated A-bomb attack will take place. For this test, the Army Signal Corps is cooperating by providing civil defense authorities with a television camera in a light plane above the bombed area. A tactical unit of the television division of the Signal Corps Pictorial Center does the televising.

This historical recording from the National Archives may contain variations in audio and video quality based on the limitations of the original source material.

The content summary for this video is adapted from an historical description provided by the government agency or donor at the time of production release.