 This is The Big Picture, an official report of the United States Army, produced for the armed forces and the American people. Now to show you part of The Big Picture, here is Sergeant Stuart Queen. Life for the American soldier who is a part of USERER, the United States Army in Europe, represents a varied and exciting picture. In addition to training and duties necessary to keep a modern military force in a continuing state of combat readiness, American troops, together with their dependents, are able to carry on many activities. Many of the subjects are quite American in nature. Others reflect an international character. Still others are part of the recreational backdrop provided by the respective country in which the American and his family find themselves. Life Abroad offers the Army family an opportunity to become well acquainted with the old world while maintaining its roots in the new. For the information and entertainment of USERER families, Army motion picture theaters regularly show newsreels which deal with the lives of USERER personnel on and off duty. Although these newsreels are specifically prepared for Army personnel and their dependents, The Big Picture again brings one of them to the American people. As a cameo report on the life of an American soldier in Europe. The 11th Airborne Division Band helps herald in a soapbox derby. Units of the 11th Airborne sponsor almost half of the derby entrance in competition at the Rosenauer Stadium. All soapboxes are transferred to the inspection lines where a group of trained men scrutinize the jazzed up jalapes that the youngsters piece together all by themselves. Axles are measured and each soapbox is carefully weighed in for each entry must conform with rigid mechanical specifications. After another the pint-sized drivers carefully wheel their peanut-sized racers to the starting platform. Tension is as strong among the kids as when Popeye loses his can of spinach in the movies. One second they're at the gate the next streaming down the ramp and out on the quarter-mile long speedway. Each of these juvenile hot riders is fitting his talents against the all important element of time. The competition is keen and each and every one of these youngsters is dead serious about winning this preliminary derby. Hardworking officials and even hardworking spectators all agree the racing youngsters put on a fine show one and all. Miniature race cars continue to burn up the track as hopes and dreams come true as other eager young minds await the next race. The winners are announced and the victorious lads take their proud places in the Augsburg soapbox derby winner's circle. Next off the championship final. Majestic Jänner Mountain near Berchtesgott in Germany towers 6,500 feet above sea level. It's a real vacation favorite of American servicemen and their wives who take advantage of this outstanding cable car construction the Jänner Bond to enjoy the majestic alpine view. It's a 10,500 foot unforgettable joy ride. These two-seater plastic bubbles shovel back and forth over the rugged slopes and valleys. They're really safer than the Autobahn although it doesn't always seem so. The higher we go the more beautiful the view as the crest of Jänner Mountain draws near. From the summit station it's a breathtaking view of the Alps. The snow covered peaks sparkle in the bright sunlight and the scenery is unparalleled. It's a real deal for the GI in Europe. This is really something to tell the folks at home. Just as exciting as coming up, maybe more so. A unique experience, an alpine adventure in the Jänner Bond. Ford C-119's that new Beberge Air Force base for the latest wrinkle in human bombs. This is a planned drop where the critical drop zone will be pinpointed with newly bombed target accuracy using a system called CARP or computed air release points. The manila will make a precision jump so critical in fact that a previously dropped computing team on the ground is even now measuring wind drift and other factors prior to giving the word. The stand up and hook up signal arrives via radio and the men prepare to move out 150 feet and at the normal interval of one man per second. These paratroopers will be on the ground in less than 60 seconds. Local farmers stop work to observe the action. Troopers in off. Specialist Anthony Lutzie, locksmith of the Verdun quartermaster supply depot whose open door policy makes locks as sometimes think. His job in the army is certainly unique but nevertheless very important. Must keys or forgotten safe combinations are Tony's cup of tea. With his bag of tricks there aren't many locks too tough for him. Here at this remote castle an ancient door poses a real challenge. Johnson and family among the many dignitaries attending ceremonies honoring General George W. Patton Jr. Remembrance Day is set aside by the people of Luxembourg honoring their World War II liberator. Prince Felix of Luxembourg arrives to officiate over the ceremonies. Soldiers of two nations pass in review. Ours as a token of thanks from a grateful people are placed at the Patton Memorial. A sincere tribute to a great soldier. What's new? The Army Pictorial Center demonstration team from New York shows just what mobile tactical TV can do and how it works at Baumholder, Germany. A cameraman demonstrates the 55-pound telescope TV camera. A camera that transmits a picture to a receiver one half mile away. It is then transmitted by way of a complicated electronic process through relay systems back to the combat commander as far as 25 miles away. In the control room one of multiple images from different cameras is selected for projection to the command tent. Europe gets a good look at combat TV. He answers the army's problem in creating an economical means of training tank gunners. Ammunition for the machine guns is the 30-caliber quick disintegrating type that offers maximum safety. In the mature battleground the targets are given a last-minute check by cables and iron bars. The targets are operated from a tower behind the firing line. Here the operator controls the movement of the targets allowing speeds up to 50 miles per hour. Expansion is the payoff of addition to army training methods. Construction of a pontoon bridge across the Rhine. The 498th engineer battalion wastes no time getting underway for this is to be an attempt to break existing records. Burke can split second timing keynote the race against the clock. Beside of the 750-foot river the first pontoon section has been moved into place. Lieutenant General John Onkel, seventh core commanding general is among the interested spectators. Excitement mounts as the span nears completion. Kin is driven into place and the bridge is completed in a record breaking two hours 28 minutes. No less pleased than his man is the man in charge Lieutenant Colonel John J. Pierce who leads his troops over the newly completed bridge. Celebration for the core of engineers is 182 years old this same day. At 20 foot long cake helps the bridge builders commemorate a job well done. An American scout camperee sponsored by the 505th Airborne Battle Group is in full swing. 24 from Nuremberg an impressive totem pole the boys carved all by themselves. B. Harris commanding general of the 11th Airborne Division is on hand for the festivities. Flags are raised marking the beginning of the presentation ceremony. The camperee shared with American scouts German patrols receive plaques as a symbol of unity brotherhood and friendship. On until recently a classified missile is ready to fire. Birds at Grafenweir Germany focus their instruments on a weather balloon sent aloft to determine wind speed and direction for exact and critical measurements required when honest John is fired. Officers of the 7th field artillery battery radio firing clearance the giant rocket waits motionless until the firing key is pressed and then mighty weapon in our arsenal of democracy. Soldiers just naturally congregate and the Frankfurt Zoo draws its share of vacationing GIs seals apparently are hollow at least they can eat fish all day long and come right back for more as indigestion. He just can't get over those young whippersnappers and he lets them know it. Perisodactyla you say it looks like a rhinoceros you're right that must be his latin moniker and speaking of Africa who's afraid of lions not me but the cubs are just as cute as they can be as long as they don't grow up the place where the people come to see the chimpanzees although the chimps think it's the other way around peace only a mother could love it where the quartermaster school maintains a training school for future guard dogs here rover and his pals learn obedience to commands and master many tricks that will make them valuable assets to the army during this phase of training they wear their regular colors but changed to the guard color and the war dog becomes a vicious attacker this is demonstrated on a well-patted soldier who pretends he's worried and he is his attack upon command fences don't even slow down a good guard dog perhaps on the way out as a new development makes its appearance medics are experimenting with this new type injection gun developed by lieutenant colonel rb linberg and major db hunter of the usurer medical laboratory the gun works on the hydraulic principle and is simple to operate the old way of loading the needle contrasts sharply with the new and more efficient method as many as 750 persons can be inoculated in an hour and pleasantly teed to open that could be a slogan but at the parachute packing section of the eason quartermaster depot the soldiers who pack them also jump with them after each use the parachutes are sent to this installation for extremely careful inspection repair re-inspection re-repair if needed and only then do they go to the repacking tables repacking is quite an art as pfc art frayson demonstrates same pfc art frayson climbs aboard a c1 19 to prove that he has faith in the parachutes he has repaired and repacked once each month the parachute is selected at random and each packer jumps and the chute opens just like it says in the instruction manual the children's driving school is held in the french sector of the divided city of berlin the youngsters are taught the abc's of traffic safety while being immune to the dangers of actual driving conditions german police and members of the safety platoon of the 287th mp battalion helped the kinder into the foot-powered midget cars and start them on their way along the miniature driving course complete with international road signs shows that the kinder driving school maintain an expertly conducted program and the kids learn a lot by the maze of traffic lights vehicles bicycles and pedestrians that combine into a realistic representation of the complicated european traffic pattern no tickets are given by the police here only information and help the young drivers of tomorrow get a head start today at the berlin kinder driving school on a three-day pass and then i saw eight of the most gorgeous gals you'd ever sit your eyes on everybody was running around and gawking at him like coon dogs i heard these gals were the winners of the european beauty contest you all can see why can't you but there was one that i thought especially had my eye on just talked to for a while and and the boys started to jump but i was concentrating on this one and gosh well anyway as i was saying y'all wow i think she kind of likes me the ladies got hungry and they was fed in the chow hall they was quite the ornaments for the place didn't eat like so like me led the pack when they paraded by in their bathing suits i guess there's no sense of me talking about those gals you all can see for yourself to make them honorary members of the 11th airborne division oh what a doll she done blew me another kiss garmesha's lake i've seen skiing enthusiasts take off for a fast turn around this beautiful lake an expert like these boys one ski is all you need you can cut some fancy capers seen a capsule report of life for our troops in usherer the united states army in europe as it is recorded for the newsreels by army signal corps cameraman now this is sergeant steward queen your host bought the big picture 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 army in cooperation with this station