Watch The Big Picture - Soldier in Panama

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. Protecting the Panama Canal has for many years been a vital mission of the United States Army. This is the story about the men on duty in Panama--one of the Western Hemisphere's most critical defense areas. Viewers will see some of the more unusual aspects of life in Panama. THE BIG PICTURE camera will cover many varied scenes in this tiny republic which is about the size of the State of Maine. From the new university near Panama City the camera travels to the ruins of the Church of San Domingo. It is here that the exploits of the buccaneer Sir Henry Morgan are recalled. Among the many interesting people that the soldier in Panama sees in his travels, are the Montunos, whose villages are in the interior. As one of our country's most important outposts, indispensable to our defenses and to the collective security of the Americas, the Panama Canal must be kept open and operating. This is the mission of the United States forces shown in this program; the mission of the "Soldier in Panama."

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.