Thunderbolt Movie (1945 production) WW2 - P47 Groups

Creator(s): Department of Defense. Department of the Air Force. (09/26/1947 - ) (Most Recent)

Series : Special Film Projects Relating to Military Activities, compiled 1947 - ca. 1970, documenting the period 1942 - 1970
Record Group 342: Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations, 1900 - 2003

Production Date: 1945

Access Restriction(s): Unrestricted
Use Restriction(s): Unrestricted

Scope & Content: This film captures footage of the air war over Italy during World War II, focusing on the life and death struggle of a P-47 Thunderbolt squadron. In addition to showing how the pilots' activities seriously crippled the Nazi fighting ability, hastening the sweep of Allied forces into Rome, footage also shows the suffering of non-combatants on the ground (i.e., children who played near a burned corpse, destroyed buildings, etc.). The film was directed by William Wyler and John Sturges, with an introduction by Jimmy Stewart. The narrators were Lloyd Bridges and Eugene Kern.

Contact(s): National Archives at College Park - Motion Pictures (RD-DC-M)

Access Restriction(s): Unrestricted
Use Restriction(s): Unrestricted