Task Force (film) footage documenting the rise of naval aviation as well as Technicolor footage filmed during the war in the Pacific, including the Battle of Midway, the Japanese attack on and a kamikaze attack on USS "Franklin". Encouraged by the offer of support from the U.S. Navy, when the production received permission to proceed with a film, a decision was made to shoot the first segments in black-and-white to merge into the original footage of the , the first American aircraft carrier, and . Principal photography began in late 1948 on the escort carrier, to replicate USS "Langley", as well as Naval
Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II "Shōkaku", "Zuikaku", and the new carrier which had an armored-deck, sortied to meet the Americans in the Philippine Sea. The resulting clash was the largest carrier battle in history. The battle did not turn out as the Japanese had hoped. In reality their decisive battle ended in total defeat for the Japanese and resulted in the virtual end of their carrier force. On June 19, a series of Japanese carrier air strikes were shattered by strong American defenses. On the same day, "Shōkaku" was hit by four torpedoes from the submarine and sank with heavy loss of life. The "Taihō"