General quarters sounded as USS Yorktown pilots gather in flight ready room and t...HD Stock Footage

The Color of History
Oct 2, 2026

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General quarters sounded as USS Yorktown pilots gather in flight ready room and take off to attack Marcus Island.

View of general quarters alarm as the USS Yorktown (CV-10) in the Pacific Theater during World War II prepares for attack of Japanese forces on Marcus Island. Men run up and down stairs and close hatches and watertight doors while pilots gather in the flight ready room. The U.S. Navy fliers wear their flying suits and get ready for the attack. A sailor responds to an intercom call to flight ready room three and orders pilots to man their planes. The pilots board the planes. The fighter planes. A radio plotting room to keep track of all the planes. The planes fly low and suddenly climb up. View of Marcus Island. The planes bomb Marcus island. Smoke due to bombardment. The bombing of the enemy boats and supply ships. A ship is destroyed. Smoke on the island. The planes in flight return back after the victory. A sailor nicknamed Smoky tracks the flyers to check that none of them is missing. Location: Pacific Ocean. Date: August 30, 1943.

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