Combat America
Encyclopedia
Combat America is a 1943 Allied propaganda film of World War II:
Initial footage depicts aircraft flying over American mountains, with Gable narrating that this is what they are fighting for. Bob Hope
also appears in the film, and the film mostly depicts 351st Bombardment Group life at RAF Polebrook.
Combat footage begins three-quarters of the way into the movie and includes take off and return of aircraft. The film depicts a wall poster with target names and, for confirmed kills, swastika stickers. Footage at the end of the film includes a B-17 in an uncontrolled dive with a portion of the horizontal stabilizer missing and shoot-down of Messerschmitt Bf 109
s. Intercut with the combat footage is close-up footage of machine gun firing from a B-17 waist gun port.
Gable flew 5 World War II combat missions from May 4-September 23, and during one of them, his shoe was struck by an anti-aircraft shell. Gable's film crew included MGM cameraman Andrew J McIntyre; "1st Lt. Howard Voss, a sound engineer; Master Sgt. Robert Boles, a cameraman; Master Sgt. Merlin Toti, an other[sic] cameraman; and 1st Lt. John Mahlin, a scriptwriter."
- "1st Lieutenant Clark GableClark GableWilliam Clark Gable , known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor most famous for his role as Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh...
is hereby directed to proceed to England ... for making a combat film dealing particularly with the combat phases of aerial gunnery ... ".
Initial footage depicts aircraft flying over American mountains, with Gable narrating that this is what they are fighting for. Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
also appears in the film, and the film mostly depicts 351st Bombardment Group life at RAF Polebrook.
Combat footage begins three-quarters of the way into the movie and includes take off and return of aircraft. The film depicts a wall poster with target names and, for confirmed kills, swastika stickers. Footage at the end of the film includes a B-17 in an uncontrolled dive with a portion of the horizontal stabilizer missing and shoot-down of Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
s. Intercut with the combat footage is close-up footage of machine gun firing from a B-17 waist gun port.
Gable flew 5 World War II combat missions from May 4-September 23, and during one of them, his shoe was struck by an anti-aircraft shell. Gable's film crew included MGM cameraman Andrew J McIntyre; "1st Lt. Howard Voss, a sound engineer; Master Sgt. Robert Boles, a cameraman; Master Sgt. Merlin Toti, an other[sic] cameraman; and 1st Lt. John Mahlin, a scriptwriter."