 The latest weapons, coupled with the fighting skill of the American soldier, stands ready on the alert all over the world to defend this country. You, the American people, against aggression. This is the Big Picture, an official television report to the nation from the United States Army. Now to show you part of the Big Picture, here is Sergeant Stuart Queen. It can truly be said that today the sun never sets on the American soldier. For over the wide stretches of the world, somewhere, at some time, day and night, he is performing his duty to this country. For example, it is now 345. In military language, that's 1545 hours. Let's visit some of the military installations here in the United States and elsewhere in the world and see what the men and women of your army are doing at the precise moment of 1545. At this very moment, at 1545, a practice warning alert is being sounded somewhere in Long Island, New York. And the men of Battery C, 505th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, one of the many links in the steel ring of America's defense, go into action, as though this were the real thing. Training and preparing themselves for any eventuality that might occur, for any intruder who might erupt from the skies. Although these men are stationed in the peaceful United States, they are on combat status day and night, seven days a week. For their mission is one that vitally concerns all America, protection against destruction from the sky. Yes, theirs is a long vigil, but a necessary one. At 1545, too, at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, men of the Signal Corps, the eyes and ears of the army, are learning the rudiments of split-second electronic warning devices and of high-speed communications. For modern global warfare requires a worldwide communication system which must outspeed the fastest plane and out-distance the supersonic rocket. At the same time, in the Pentagon in Washington, fully-trained Signal Corps personnel are operating the complex mechanisms which link Washington with the Far East, with Europe, and with other outposts of our far-flung bastions of defense. It's 1545 at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, too, home of the Corps of Engineers, where army recruits are being trained in a multitude of combat and technical skills, which contribute to the engineer's bag of traits. Here, for example, a demonstration is being conducted on how to lay a hasty type bridge across a ditch, or tank trap to permit the continuous and uninterrupted movement of armor and other heavy vehicles. While here, a small class of trainees is learning the basic principles of repair, maintenance, and the operation of one of the many types of engineer earth-moving equipment. At this moment, too, men of the 79th Engineer Group are learning how to handle the DeLong Pier, a floating, portable pier that can be towed into position, sink its own piles, and raise itself out of the water to any desired level. This new device can save many days of costly and time-consuming construction in future military operations. Meanwhile, at another part of the post, other trainees are working with carrier pipes, learning how to apply hot bends. Speaking of pipes and hot bends, at exactly 1545 today, this soldier is learning how to work with a different kind of pipe. While the rest of his buddies get off a few licks on a hot bend of their own, and as these musicians of the First Army Band practice for the Evenings Concert at Fort Jay, New York, down in Fort Benning, Georgia, these rangers are practicing the grim business of warfare. American rangers must be proficient in everything and prepared for anything. And everything includes everything from the use of the long knife and the bayonet to judo in hand-to-hand combat. In this kind of fighting, it's your life or your enemy's life and no quarter given. Everything also included survival in the jungle with the possibility of a light snack of Wrigley but life-giving snake meat. It takes a lot of learning and know-how to be able to descend a sheer cliff. This is called rappelling. Even the Ranger mascot is impressed. This one would impress even a Swiss mountaineer. But at this moment, the rangers aren't the only American soldiers who are being developed into the world's toughest fighting man. Close by at 1545, Army paratroopers are being trained in the vertical concept of modern warfare. This maneuver is called slipping. By pulling on his risers or slipping, a parachutist can control his descent. Everybody travels on the double in Fort Benning, Georgia, especially at officer's candidate school where the pace is fast and everything is streamlined. Streamlined right down to the very last hair. A man's got to be more than just a good soldier to graduate from infantry OCS. He's got to be a leader of men. The kind of a man soldiers will trust and believe in. The kind of a man they'll follow into battle. Before graduation, each candidate must prove his leadership qualifications by commanding a group of his classmates in a tactical situation under combat conditions. These future second lieutenants are engaged in a mock assault on an enemy fortified position located on the opposite bank of the Chattahoochee River. Across the nation of Denver and California, tanks and infantrymen are also conducting a mock assault, blasting a simulated enemy fortified position located in the hills. The time, 1545 of course, Pacific time that is. In the American Army, teamwork is the keystone to success and these tank infantry teams really practice at it. They know that this kind of practice teamwork may someday become the real thing. May mean the difference between life and death. In time of war, replacements must be made. Continents must be spanned. Oceans must be crossed. For a never-ending flow of men, equipment and supplies must be kept ever moving into the zones of combat. This is the job of the Army Transportation Corps whose mission is to move the army, its food, ammunition and materiel by every type of conveyance from truck to helicopter. That's why at 1545 this afternoon at Fort Eustis, Virginia, on a training dock located on the James River, men of the Transportation Corps are diligently training to acquire the skills and techniques necessary to accomplish the Corps mission. Learning how to load cargo into the holds of ships is only part of the job. The men also have to know how to stow the thousands of different sized crates of equipment, supplies and other material properly. How to make every inch count. But that isn't all. If a seaport isn't available, they must know how to unload the ships anchored off foreign shores. Offloading cargo into amphibious trucks is no easy job especially if the seas happen to be choppy or rough or if you're being strafed and bombed by enemy aircraft. As soon as the amphibious trucks or ducks as they are called are loaded, they speed quickly for the shore. Here they move up onto the beach to a dump area where the supplies are unloaded and stockpiled. Later to be shipped by rail to the various army depots where American soldiers are stationed. Since the shipment of supplies by rail is a responsibility of the Transportation Corps, many of the men have to learn railroading. Most of their training is accomplished at one of the big railroad yards like the B&O or C&O. Here under the tutelage of old-time railroad men they learn the ABCs of railroading. From the ground up and down to the last detail. A delay caused by a broken coupling could affect the progress of a major battle. But soldiering isn't exclusively a man's job anymore, not in the modern American army. This afternoon at Fort McClellan Alabama the women of the army are also learning the know-how of jobs that will contribute not only to their country's defense but to themselves as well. I was wondering when you get around to us women. For a moment there I was afraid you'd forgotten all about us. Learning how to live primitively in the field is also part of our training program because we wax very often perform a man's job and expect no preferential treatment. Like the troops we eat our chow out of mess kits which can be used for the satisfaction of the outer woman as well as the inner woman. This kind of exercise not only takes off fat it also puts on the kind of muscle we need for the art of self-defense. Remember when they used to call us the weaker sex? Wax must also be prepared to perform many jobs in many lands. If for instance any of us should be assigned to a far northern post we're trained to survive in severe subzero weather. Like these girls who at 1545 Alaska time are roughing it in special maneuvers to test arctic equipment in materiel for wack use. You sure got to give those girls plenty of credit because it can get mighty rugged up here in Alaska. Even for us guys especially me on account of I'm from Texas and all this working and training and maneuvering in 30 degrees below zero weather sure leaves me cold but I'm not complaining no sir because we got a real good compared to the Joe station way up in Tule Greenland. Talk about the rugged life even the Eskimos give these frozen wastelands in Greenland to go by and look at that weather well that's Tule, Tule Greenland at 1545 where you can't even see the nose on your face. I bet those Joe's wish they were stationed down in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii right now living it up with all those pretty gals on Waikiki Beach or maybe watching the sweet Lilani's do the hula if you ask me I kind of wish I was down there myself living it up my foot does this look like Waikiki Beach and what do you think we're doing here digging for clams in the sand? Yes 1545 and in Hawaii the same intense realistic training goes on only the scenery is different but until the Kremlin disarms and wear old pieces and establish fact every American serviceman must continue to receive the kind of training that will enable him to survive in the battles that may come in war some must die so that others may live the men who died on the once bloody island of Okinawa are proof of that today however Okinawa lies peaceful and serene surrounded by the calm waters of the pacific it is a perfect setting for this baptismal ceremony which at 1545 this afternoon is being conducted with holiness and with reverence and of course with the appropriate organ music and as these soldiers receive their baptism in the blue lagoon of Buckner nearby at another part of the island these soldiers are preparing to receive another kind of baptism learning how to hit the beaches the same bloody beaches where thousands of young Americans underwent a baptism of fire in a war that is gone but not forgotten like the war in Korea where at this very moment at 1545 the men of the 159th field artillery battalion are hey that's my outfit setting up some simulated preparatory fire before the inventory moves in you know it wasn't so long ago we were mailing out the real stuff for the commies now it's just an exercise some people may wonder why we keep on training like this the way i look at it is if you're a soldier well you got to be a good soldier the only way to be a good soldier is keep on soldiering what are these guys expecting Korea Marilyn Monroe is Marilyn Monroe yes Marilyn Monroe presented by courtesy of army special services who at 1545 tokyo time have arranged a ball game for the benefit of american gi son and japanese son another of the army's peace offensives not with cannonballs but with baseballs and with footballs like baseball football has captured the imagination of the japanese and it is fast becoming one of their most popular sports being a member of a football team however is no excuse from military training and when the paratroopers of the 187th regimental combat team stationed at camp chikamanga japan go on a practice jump the members of the football team are expected to jump with the rest of the regiment ordinarily the men would make the jump with their respective units and in full field equipment but today just for the novelty of it they're going to jump wearing their football uniforms probably the first time in football history yardage will be gained straight down within a few minutes the men are ready and enter the plane as a team for these men not only play as a team they fight as a team because of japan's proximity to russia and communist china and because she is coveted by the soviet union american troops stationed in japan must constantly be alert and prepared for any sudden move of aggression today at 1545 these americans are carrying the ball and holding the line so that the free world may live in peace the kind of a peace that would allow the world to open wide its doors to all who appreciate the beauty of scenic grandeur and respect the dignity of man like these american soldiers who with proper reverence respect the japanese religious shrines and in true democratic fashion the customs and traditions of the people even to eating such strange foods as sukyaki or kareebayaki or eintenbraten mit kartofoklas in germany we're at this very moment at 1545 democracy is still at work as our troops work closely with their former enemies the german police learning the techniques of riot control at this time too in spandau prison which can find some of germany's most infamous war criminals and is guarded alternately by american, british, french and russian troops an american officer receives command of the prison from the russians this is the only place in the world except for vienna austria where there is even an assemblance of amicable relations between the world powers here in vienna in front of the hapsburg house at 1545 another american officer is taking over this month's military control of the international sector from a stiff and impersonal russian officer those russians shaking hands with everybody and acting so nice and polite may fool some people but we know better that's why we never let ourselves get soft why we mountain troops in solfeld and austria keep ourselves in fighting trim like today it's 1545 and we're taking in some of the mountain sites but who's got time to look at the pretty waterfall especially when you've got to get across a mile high gorge on a shaky rope bridge or maybe only a single rope whoops don't worry folks he's just demonstrating how not to do it beautiful scenery isn't it yeah if you like waterfalls personally i like this kind of scenery better of course there's other nice things to see in paris at 1545 in the afternoon for instance there's the famous eiffel tower then there's the lubra where they've got some nice paintings and statues but me well i still like this but there's something else to be seen when you're in paris soldier something of vital importance to the civilized world it's shape supreme headquarters allied powers europe military headquarters of nato the north atlantic treaty organization an organization which was set up between the united states and 13 other democratic nations to frustrate any aggression by the soviet union or its satellites here at 1545 american servicemen and women are working together with the other free peoples of europe banded together in a common cause an attack on one means defense by all should mankind through our solidarity our prayers for peace and through the mercy of god be spared the catastrophe of another war then this organization will have served a noble purpose it will have demonstrated that an alliance for peace rather than for war is an entirely practical measure that the power generated in an alliance of such magnitude can bring competence not fear to the hearts of men yes all over the world the men and women of your army are alert and ready not only at 1545 but every minute of the day every day of the week every week of the year ever vigilant in the defense of the free world now this is sergeant stewart queen inviting you to be with us again next week for another look at the big picture united states army in action the big picture is a weekly television report to the nation on the activities of the army at home and overseas produced by the signal corps pictorial center presented by the u.s army in cooperation with this station you can be an important part of the big picture you can proudly serve with the best equipped the best trained the best fighting team in the world today the united states army