 picture. An official report produced for the armed forces and the American people. Now to show you part of the big picture here is Sergeant Stuart Queen. Recently United States Army motion picture photographers covered the highlights of an exciting and unusual maneuver. Operation Danville. The film they shot in Danville, Virginia is now being made into a documentary motion picture, which will show you how elements of strike the strategic Army Corps perform under simulated combat conditions. Operation Danville was the climax to a large-scale field problem known as exercise dragon head in which more than 11,000 strike soldiers tested their brains and their fighting skills against an aggressive force. Strike troops are geared to handle brushfire war anywhere on the globe. How well they are equipped for their role will be demonstrated by strike soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division. Join us now for a look at some of the footage on Operation Danville. The possibility of limited warfare anywhere is a continual threat to the uneasy peace under which we live. With headquarters at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, strike helps guard around the clock against this danger. Exercise dragon head is one of the regularly scheduled strike maneuvers designed to keep staff groups and soldiers ready for anything. The last act in this limited warfare problem occurs with operation Danville when 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers liberate that city from a mock aggressor. Danville, Virginia where more than 50,000 people live and work is the temporary setting against which strike troops play their serious roles. The people of Danville are busy, prosperous and content but not complacent. Although international tensions are somewhat removed from their lives, the prospect of war in this uncertain age is not. Danville has long been one of Virginia's primary industrial centers. Giant looms hum at the Dan River Mills, one of the world's largest textile manufacturing plants where more than 10,000 Danville citizens work. Danville is proud of its quiet residential areas which surround the business and industrial heart of the city. The many old homes are a reminder of the city's colorful past when it served briefly as capital of the Confederacy. Modern housing developments form newer sections of the city, a reflection of the growth and prosperity which is part of Danville's character today. The look of Danville is the look of America. It is a look toward enduring prosperity and continuing peace. When army officials asked Danville to become a part of Exercise Dragonhead, it was not surprising that the city enthusiastically agreed. The exercise would offer everyone a chance to see our modern army in action and contribute directly to the training of strax soldiers. Operation Danville would begin on a day much like any other. The city government operates normally on that day except that all city officials are prepared to become actors in a frighteningly realistic drama. Mayor Stinson and city manager Temple meet with Chief of Police James Garrett at the municipal building early in the morning. An impromptu conference marks the last time these men will see each other under normal circumstances that day. At one of the city's 14 tobacco auction warehouses, the morning sale is scheduled as usual for 10.30. Tobacco sales are a major factor in the city's economy with all of the leading tobacco manufacturers buying on the Danville market. The chant of the tobacco auctioneer sounds strange to the outsider, but to the farmers who bring their crop to market, it is the music of Danville doing business. The sale draws on into the morning as thousands of pounds of tobacco change hands. It is almost like any other day in Danville. Almost except for one big difference. Today the enemy will capture Danville. Of course they aren't really enemy. They are all aggressive soldiers dressed up to look that way. It gave me a real strange feeling just the same. Those fellows sure looked like they meant business when they moved into town. Didn't waste any time taking over either. Right away they picked up Chief Garrett and hustled him off to a barbed wire prison compound. I guess they figured they could police our city better than Chief Garrett and his men. There were sentries everywhere and all of them pretty tough looking. At the municipal building one detail walked in like they owned the place which they just about did that day and rounded up a bunch of our city officials. The mayor was taken prisoner right at his desk so was our city manager. It was all in fun but it made you think we take so much for granted most of the time especially our freedom. Some of the prisoners were treated pretty realistically like those aggressive soldiers almost believed in what they were doing. The city officials of Danville are fed the regular army field ration while confined in the stockade. Although prisoners of the aggressive force they are also guests of the United States Army which didn't let them go hungry. Aggressive troops patrol the streets of Danville much as an enemy force would do under a real combat situation. Martial law is declared throughout the city and many more prominent citizens are rounded up and herded into the stockade. Crowds gather to watch the enemy. In reality some prisoners would be shot quickly while the crowds would be ordered to disband and keep off the streets. Everything is different in Danville. Enemy soldiers are throughout the city and it is clear that the normal routine of most citizens will be sharply interrupted. The first sign that personal liberty will be curtailed comes with the posting of a curfew. Anyone on the streets between 8 o'clock in the evening and 6 the next morning without proper authority will be shot. After making their real intentions clear to the population the aggressors announce their friendship and peaceful intentions with propaganda. Some of Danville's citizens protest. Later in the day aggressor soldiers heard captive city officials and other prisoners out of their compound to witness the formal installation of the new military government. The enemy knows that it is important to impress a conquered civilian population with its power. Shift platform the aggressor high command prepares a policy statement for delivery to the populace. Greetings, Capitalist Satellite Government of Tarheel. It has become necessary for the Ridgland People's Army under my command to occupy the city of Danville. Whereas it is the intent of the Ridgland People's Army to eliminate the capitalist sponsored government of Tarheel from this great land and unite the People's Army of Ridgland and Tarheel into the People's Democratic Republic of Ridgland. Whereas philosophy inspired by foreign capitalist elements and instill the dynamic philosophy of vigorous and progressive materialism, aggressor leader and head of the International Circle Trigon Party troops. It is necessary to establish military government in this area. All administrative and judicial officials of the city of Danville and all other government and political functionaries residing in occupied territory will present themselves at the office of military government located in the Danville Municipal Building within 24 hours after publication of this proclamation. The patient is complete. Every service from water supply to fire protection is now handled by the enemy and subject to his discretion. Liberation is kindled when a lone strapped plane dips low over the city for a leaflet drop. Citizens of Danville, the leaflet reads, aggressors occupy your city but liberation is near. Friendly troops have launched an offensive which will drive the aggressor from your city. Be prepared to give any assistance possible to the friendly forces in their movement to free your city. Again small planes defy enemy guns to spread the message of hope over wide areas. Two hours a small advance unit of special forces paratroopers has dropped into a remote pasture 10 miles from Danville. These men are trained in a variety of skills which especially fit them for hazardous assignment. It will be their task to meet with local guerrilla units who will assist in Danville's liberation. Filler forces are valuable to American army units both as fighting allies and as primary sources of up-to-date intelligence. These men know their countryside well and will fight hard for it. The sound crackling roar of Air Force jets announces the beginning of the end as planes pound the Danville airport. Guerrillas swing into action to keep the drop zone free of aggressor troops as the time for the drop draws near. Many of these young fighters volunteered from the city's high schools to help the army. Equipment and men tumble from the sky as track troopers make good their promise to liberate Danville from the enemy. Skilled, tough and ready for anything these soldiers jump into combat backed by the finest training and most modern equipment possible. Aggressor is there in force and Strat must fight for Danville. By special forces men do their share of the fighting. Aggressor soldiers are caught off balance and badly mauled. Although they attempt to reorganize their units the momentum of the Strat force is too great. Aggressor casualties are heavy and the enemy falls back. The first American patrols enter the city shortly afternoon. Aggressor resistance is now confined to small isolated units scattered throughout the city. The main body of the Strat force sweeps into the heart of Danville's business district to retake the city. In combat this phase of an offensive would probably involve heavy street fighting in order to mop up all enemy resistance. The paratroopers waste no time in making their way to the prison compound where a firefight ensues with aggressor guards. Paratroopers rush the municipal building where guards have been left behind by the retreating enemy. Aggressor prisoners are carefully searched for any documents which might furnish useful information to Strat intelligence. Stripped of their weapons and forced to sit in one place on the pavement they are no longer so formidable. For those who don't enjoy sitting Strat soldiers offer another position. Mayor Stinson's first official act is to restore Chief Garrett's power as police chief. City officials are free to return to their posts now that the aggressor has been successfully driven out of Danville. Probably no group of military prisoners in history has ever been more cooperative. Everybody loves a parade and the city joins the army in celebrating its victory over the aggressor which participated in the fighting marched proudly with Strat soldiers. The Strat troop commander delivers General Ruffner's formal proclamation. To the people of the liberated city of Danville Virginia for some time the people of the city of Danville and areas surrounding this city have been under the ruthless rule of the forces of aggression and whereas the armed forces of the United States under my command aggressors and liberated the city of Danville and surrounding areas to restore to the citizenry of Danville the rightful instruments of governments and the freedoms and privileges enjoyed prior to usurpation by the aggressor now therefore by direction of the president of the United States I Clark L. Ruffner Lieutenant General United States Army Commander-in-Chief specified command midlandia do hereby progress your occupation and subsequently deprived of their office by the aggressor properties confiscated by the aggressor and criminal courts and educational establishments are returned to the jurisdiction and control of the citizens of this community local government laws and custom of this liberated area which were in effect prior to the aggressor occupation are restored to civil control signed General Clark L. Ruffner Commander-in-Chief specified command midlandia he is followed by General Sink commander of the strategic army corps soldiers of the strategic army corps to assist in the liberation of this great city without the very fine assistance of you good people and organizing and underground I'm sure that the problem would have been much more difficult your mayor was treated much better by the aggressors and Mayor Herndon presently on the stage there Mayor Herndon is the mayor of Fayetteville North Carolina they took him out and shot him I thank your city officials for being so kind to us and for fixing it so that we really got something out of this exercise which I'm sure we'll be of value in case we ever need it and I certainly hope that that time never comes Mayor Stinson speaks on behalf of the city I'm not sure whether this noose was intended to be a little tight or not yesterday it looked like it was very appropriate it's been a great day for the army and a great time for our city this has been a wonderful experience for us I hope that we never have this in reality you will recall it was 1865 that the city government capitulated before I believe that that was on the bridge that crosses the Dan and until now we have never been quite sure who controls our city but after today with the General Sink and General Beach the rest of the army I'm sure that we can render your service that you have not been accustomed to before it's been a deed of pleasure I'd like to thank all of the citizens of Danville the civic organizations the chamber of commerce and the other members that have made this occasion possible Operation Danville is not yet over for some soldiers members of the 41st civil affairs company who have taken a unique and important part in the exercise still have work to do it is their responsibility to see that all government functions at the working level are turned back to the people of Danville in good order civil affairs personnel assist local officials in planning the rehabilitation of damaged utilities transportation communication and civil defense facilities such work begins the moment the enemy is driven from the city strike troops remain in Danville for a few more hours to provide the public with a closer more leisurely view of the army for pint-sized artillery men there is no end to the fun paratroopers let the children see for themselves what it's like to make a parachute jump and feel the thrill of a happy landing things will quickly return to normal but Operation Danville left an impression the realism of Operation Danville was important it gives us a chance to see what we could do in limited war the next time might be for real we enjoyed having the army as our guest and even though it was all in fun waiting behind barbed wire makes a man appreciate being free it was very exciting and a little scary when the enemy troops took over the city it didn't seem at all like Danville no it didn't seem at all like Danville Virginia but it could be another place in another part of the world tomorrow or the day after strike as an important guarantee that your army can handle limited war if necessary strike skilled top and ready around the clock the big picture is an official report for the armed forces and the american people produced by the army pictorial center presented by the department of the army in cooperation with this state