Historic Military Fires

Dramatic scenes of fire outbreaks during wartime, showcasing military actions, destruction, and firefighting efforts across various locations from the 1940s.

Fire and Explosions Rage at Heavily Damaged Airfield

Sabotage In The "Queen Elizabeth" -- The scene just after the fire had started in the liner, showing firemen fighting the outbreak from an escape. Home office officials have been called in following the mysterious fire on board the "Queen Elizabeth" at Southampton today, Friday. The C.I.D. have set up a head-quarters on board. One of the crew gave the alarm when he saw smoke pouring out of the liner's hospital section (to which the fire was confined). The city's whole fire force helped by engines from other districts put out the blaze after a two hours' battle with the flames, handicapped by dense, acrid smoke. March 08, 1946.

Jap Bombs Fire U.S. Oil at MidwayBombs from carrier,based Jap planes set this oil tank on fire during a raid in early June. Gooney birds (foreground) appear unruffled by the excitement. Marine Corps fighting planes with the aid of ground fire destroyed 40 of the attacking Jap planes. September 08, 1942. (Photo by Associated Press Photo).

West Loch Disaster, Pearl Harbor - Men watch as USS LST-39 is afire in Pearl Harbor circa May 21, 1944.

From Hill To Hell: A flame throwing tank of the Sixth Marine Division lays down a stream of fire on an Okinawa hillside as the leathernecks mopped up the opposition enroute to Naha, the capital of the island, 300 miles from the Japanese homeland. June 04, 1945. (Photo by Official U.S. Marine Corps Photo).

Nazi tank fires Russian Church in the directs region. October 11, 1942. (Photo by Keystone).

A Sea Of Flame, A Pall ***** Smoke -- Burning fuel oil from shaltered tanks on ships hit in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor makes a lurid sea of flame in the Harbor, December 7, 1941. And smoke billows, black and heavy, into the sky. Hardly visible through the murk is a U.S. battleship (center) and the hulk of the capsized USS Oklahoma barely breaks surface to the right of it. March 12, 1942. (Photo by Associated Press Photo).

Nazis Capture Some Scorched Earth -- An evacuated Russian village, set fire to by the inhabitants was among the "Great" battles won by the Nazis, during the war on the Eastern front. August 14, 1942. (Photo by Keystone Press Agency Ltd.).

Fire and Explosions Rage at Heavily Damaged Airfield

Photograph of Japanese Planes in Action Over Pearl HarborJapanese planes in action over Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7 1941. The USS Narwhal (SS167) in foreground was not hit.

Allies Blast City Of Cassino -- Subjecting the city of Cassino, Italy, to one of the war's greatest aerial bombardments, Allies seek to remove the German strong point which has long blocked the road to Rome. Billows of smoke from bursting bombs and burning buildings rise from the doomed city. Germans are still blocking Allied advance through the ruins. March 20, 1944. (Photo by Associated Press Radiophoto).

Fire in the city of Changsha, capitol of the Hunan Province, China. The Fires were started retreating Chinese soldiers when the Japanese troops were about forty miles away.The office of Messrs. Jardine Matheson & Co. a British concern, about to go up-in smoke. The British flag may be seen on the wall. December 22, 1938. (Photo by Sport & General Press Agency, Limited).

Tanker explosion at Los Angeles. July 01, 1947.

The U.S. destroyer lies on the sea bed after the Japanese airstrike on Pearl Harbour, Hawaii. Date: 2nd January 1943

08/31/1913. A catastrophe. Terrible fire in New York, which caused numerous victims.

Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Coastal Command In July and August 1944 Mosquitos of No 248 Squadron and No 235 (newly converted from Beaufighters) were operating together on escort and anti-shipping strikes along the west coast of France. On the evening of 9 August a dozen Mosquito VIs from No 253 Squadron and a pair of Mk XVIII 'Tsetses' from No 248 Squadron encountered four Dornier Do217s over the Gironde estuary. This photograph shows a Mosquito orbiting the funeral pyre of one of two Dorniers destroyed in this distinctly one-sided engagement.

Sweden, Blekinge, Blekinge, Karlskrona, Karlskrona, external marina (depicted, town).Sweden, Blekinge, Blekinge, Karlskrona, Karlskrona, External War Gogs (depicted, City)

Smoke rises Over Stalingrad -- Clouds of smoke rise from besieged Stalingrad in this aerial picture which reached London and the United States via neutral sources, Despite repeated German bombings like this, the Russian city still holds out. White markings on the photo were not explained. September 27, 1942. (Photo by AP Wirephoto).

R.A.F. Daylight Attack On Le Trait In Occupied France. The full weight of R.A.F. bombs falling amongst shipping and shipyard buildings. Shipyards at Le Trait, on the seine, in enemy occupied France, were attacked in daylight on March 25th. By aircraft of Bomber Command, R.A.F. July 2, 1942. (Photo by British Official Photograph).

Royal Air Force- Air Defence of Great Britain (adgb), 1943-1944. Firemen spray foam over the wreckage of a burning De Havilland Mosquito at Predannack, Cornwall, after it caught fire over the airfield and crashed from 200 feet following a practice flight. While firemen covered the aircraft with foam an attempt to release the trapped fliers was made, but it was found that, in the crash, the observer had been thrown across the pilot and it was difficult to get at their harnesses in the excessive heat, (see CH 18732). They were eventually cut free by a medical officer. The observer, Flying Officer Scobie, survived though badly injured, but the pilot, Flying Officer J L Clifton, was killed.

During the attack on Sakishima Gunto by a Task Force of the British Pacific Fleet, a Japanese suicide plane exploded in the sea alongside one of the ships of the Force.A Japanese suicide plane explodes in the sea alongside one of the aircraft carriers of the British Task Force which attacked Sakashima Gunto recently. May 31, 1945. (Photo by Royal Official Photograph).

"The Sea Is On Fire!" Heavy flame-throwers used for the defence of English Channel ports in 1940, were capable of several hours continual firing. November 21, 1955. (Photo by Imperial War Museum Photo).

Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landings, 7-9 August 1942 - Fires burning among Japanese facilities and seaplanes on Tanambogo Island, east of Tulagi, on the invasion's first day, 7 August 1942. This view looks about SSW, with Gavutu Island to the left, connected to Tanambogo by a causeway.

Retreating Nazis Leave Burning Tankers Behind ,, In Bengasi Harbour, the British found these two tankers burning fiercely when they re,occupied the city. The ships were hit by Allied bombers. December 10, 1942. (Photo by AP Wirephoto).

Victim Of U-Boat Attack -- A column of smoke and flame rises from this tanker torpedoed by an enemy U-boat this photograph was made from the avenging bombing ***** which rushed to the scene to search for the *****. May 29, 1942. (Photo by News of The Day).

A Great Explosion And Fires Among The Buildings Resulted When Fire Bombs Were Hurled At The Enemy Position At Farneto, Northwest Of Bologna, Italy, By Republic P-47 Thunderbolts Of A Figher Group. These Buildings Were Reportedly Billets For German Troops

A United States tanker torpedoed by an Axis submarine. Despite a raging fire which sent columns of black, oily smoke billowing into the sky, crew members were able to bring the flames under control and the tanker was towed to port by a United States Naval ship. The tanker is now in an east coast ship yard being repaired and soon will be back in active service aiding the nation against its enemies - World War II

World War II, Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941.

10/31/1915. The War at the Dardanelles. Blow up of a sunken ship that constituted a danger to navigation.

Bombing of a building housing secret documents near the junction of Scheveningsche Weg and Carnegie Plain in the Hague, Holland. Exploding M76 incendiaries scatter pyrotechnic gel. Peace Palace in background.

The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941 (December 8 in Japan). The attack was intended as a preventive action in order to keep the U. S. Pacific Fleet from interfering with military actions the Empire of Japan was planning in Southeast Asia against overseas territories of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States. The attack came as a profound shock to the American people and led directly to the American entry into World War II in both the Pacific and European theaters. The following day (December 8) the United States declared war on Japan. Domestic support for isolationism, which had been strong, disappeared. Clandestine support of Britain (for example the Neutrality Patrol) was replaced by active alliance. Subsequent operations by the U. S. prompted Germany and Italy to declare war on the U. S. on December 11, whic

Madrid, 08/29/1905. Fire on San Enrique Street, in Cuatro Caminos.

U.S. Superfortress Blast Japanese Installations in Hankow - Smoke rises from the dock area of Hankow as B-29 Super-fortresses of the 20th U.S. Army Air Force blasted the Japanese-held communication, storage and supply center in China on Dec. 18, 1944. The Superfortresses were followed by more than 200 "bombers and fighters of the 14th U.S. Army Air Force in the first joint operation of the 20th and 14th Air Force. The attack resulted in heavy damage to Hankow from which the Japanese have staged big offensives in central China. February 02, 1945. (Photo by U.S. Office of War Information Picture).

Photo collection Service for army contacts Indonesia. DLC Kuala and Banten (II). Kuala and Bants: Scorched Earth .... In practice, this amounted to Chinese homes and stores were burned down. Indonesian properties were spared. August 1947. Indonesia, Dutch East Indies, Sumatra

Smolensk Burns Operation Barbarossa - German Invasion of Russia, 1941 - 15th Infantary Division of the Thuringia-Kurhessen Division

12/06/1941. Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

A bomb damaged house is brought down with high explosives to reproduce the destruction of a building by bombing during tests on the Morrison indoor shelter in 1941.

Anefo photo collection. Repro Rotterdam bombing 1940. 1940. Rotterdam, South Holland

Russian Bomb Helsinki - The result of a bomb in Helsinki. December 09, 1939. (Photo by Sport & General Press Agency, Limited).

Photo collection Service for army contacts Indonesia. DLC Contact with the W-Brigade. Demak. The shops and homes of the Chinese were laid by the TNI in the axis. August 1, 1947. Demak, Indonesia, Java, Dutch East Indies

The Royal Navy during the Second World War Firefighters busy on board HMS FORMIDABLE after a Japanese suicide plane had crashed on the flight deck whilst she was operating off the Sakishima Islands in support of the Okinawa landings. The rear part of the aircraft carrier's island can be seen, it is badly scorched whilst the flight deck is covered in foam and water.

Japan, Chugoku Region, Hiroshima, Atomic explosion on 6th August, 1945

Photograph showing the destruction of the former naval base on Heligoland, Germany, on 18th April 1947. Heligoland had been a stronghold for German military forces during both World Wars and was destroyed by the British Armed forces, using 6700 tons of high explosive, as part of the post-war reconstruction of Germany. The great cloud of smoke shown in this picture was red with disintegrated sandstone and rose to an estimated height of 10,000 feet. Date: 1947

Rescue efforts after The Great Cyclone, Tornado and Fire at Louisville, Kentucky March 27, 1890

Incendiary bombs are dropped over the city of Kobe, Japan from American B-29 Superfortresses, as the landing piers and buildings of the city are burning below, 4 Jun 1945

U.S.S. Bunker Hill - Aircraft Carrier. July 16, 1945. Two Kamikazes in 30 seconds hit the USS Bunker Hill on May 11, 1945 off Kyushu, Japan. Dead -- 372. Wounded (Photo by Associated Press Photo).

Allied War Chiefs Meet In Tunis -- Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder (right) walking through the wrecked harbour at Tunis during his visit to the town so on after it was occupied by the Allies. With him is S/LDR. Lancaster, personal staff officer to Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham. Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, Commander in-Chief, Mediterranean Air command met Allied war chiefs during his visit to Tunis and the Tunisian front line airfields. July 12, 1943. (Photo by British Official Photo).

Photo collection Service for army contacts Indonesia. DLC Soebang and surroundings. A home is on fire. December 1, 1947. Indonesia, Dutch East Indies

Anefo photo collection. Marvo 6s2. January 15, 1949

Photograph of a man watching the destruction of the seawall after a hurricane. Florida. Dated 1947

British sailors fighting flames in Canton, when fires were lighted by fleeing Chinese. The sailors fought unceasingly to save the post office, which was gutted, and the Customs Building, and to prevent the fire from spreading to British property. December 4, 1938. (Photo by The Associated Press of Great Britain Ltd.).

Quartermaster Warehouse Fire - North And East Side, 1391St Aaf Base Unit, Santa Maria, Azores, 6 August 1945.

Burning buildings during Watts Riots, August 1965

Fireball Rises From Burning Ship

Anefo photo collection. Museum and equestrian center burned down in Borger (Dr.). The burned farm and largely collapsed complex .. largely collapsed complex. July 7, 1967. Borger, Drenthe

Tough Going -- Scenes like this were commonplace on the beach at Iwo Jima on D-Day. This photograph was made "by a Coast Guard Combat Photographer who came ashore from his LST with the Fourth Marine Division to record their landing. His Remark, sent in with his pictures, "War is Hell". A Jap transport, riddled by Naval shell fire, is on the right. March 6, 1945. (Photo by Official Coast Guard Photograph).

Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands, July 1, 1946A secret photo released on July 29 showing the atomic bomb exploding over the target fleet in Bikini Lagoon.

USS West Virginia alight in Pearl Harbor, Classic Photography

A Dutch city that is engulfed in smoke and flames after German airforces dropped several bombs on it. Taken during the invasion of Holland 1940.

Secret of Britain's Anti-invasion Defences Revealed- Oil Defences, UK, 1944 A demonstration of the oil defences which would have been employed, had an invasion of Britain occurred. Clouds of smoke dominate the scene, but also clearly visible are pools of burning oil on the surface of the water.

Dead Marines Float Along Shore Of Tarawa -- Bodies of dead U.S. Marines, Killed as they waded ashore from stranded landing craft under murderous Jap shellfire fro the invasion of Tarawa Island in the Gilberts. Smoke still rises from destroyed Jap installations. Note two damaged "alligators" - track - propelled amphibious craft - on and near sea-wall. January 24, 1944. (Photo by AP Wirephoto).

Pouring forth from her blazing decks, thick black smoke from the burning gasoline and exploding bombs and rockets darkens the sky around the stricken U.S.S. Bunker Hill. June 21, 1945. (Photo by ACME).

1944 Banjaluka bombing. Oblique aerial photograph showing buildings in the medieval castle at Banja Luka, Yugoslavia, burning from an attack with rocket projectiles by Bristol Beaufighters of Nos 16 and 19 Squadrons SAAF. German troops had established a stronghold in the castle, following the reduction of which the town was captured by Partisan forces.

USS West Virginia (BB-48) afire forward, immediately after the Japanese air attack. USS Tennessee (BB-43) is on the sunken battleship's opposite side. Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941

The smoke Bolmar black from the 3 vessels at the accident at the hair bay ..

Japanese soldiers pass through bombed areas of Nagasaki , Japan after the atomic bomb was exploded in 1945.

Aerial view of Oil fire in Bayonne, New Jersey - June 4, 1930

A Darwin building after the Japanese bombing. May 18, 1953.

Bomb Obscures Fleet -- The atom bomb explodes under water in Bikini Lagoon July 24, with vapor waves forming at bottom of water and cloud mass, obscuring the target fleet. A portion of the atoll is seen in foreground. July 27, 1946. (Photo by AP Wirephoto).

Department Of Air -- R.A.A.F. Liberators during the past few weeks have consistently pounded Balikpapan, rich oil centre on the south-east coast of Borneo, in preparation for the latest Australian landings. This photograph, taken by a R.A.A.F. cameraman, shows a panoramic view of the township with heavy smoke rising to the sky from oil wells set ablaze by Liberator bombs. July 3, 1945. (Photo by Australian Official Photograph).

Invasion Of France (French Military) - O-Day (June 6, 1944) - French Military. October 30, 1944. (Photo by Sport & General Press Agency Limited).

Smoke Billows From Marcus Island After U.S. Raid -- Smoke billows high into the air from fires set by planes from a U.S. Naval task force during the raid of Sept.1. Fires started on the island were still burning the following day. Eighty per cent of the military installations were reported destroyed. September 10, 1943. (Photo by AP Wirephoto).

Jap Ships Caught in Truk Harbor -- Japanese ships caught in Truk harbor seek to escape attack by U.S. Navy carried-based planes on the enemy's Caroline island base Feb. 16. Two of the ships, and probably three, are burning from the bombing. Eten Island is in the foreground, Moen Island in the background. February 28, 1944. (Photo by Associated Press Photo).

Bombing od east london fuel tanks during world wra two 1941

Dunkerque C-129 - The French battleship after being partially scrapped, circa 1945

Marcus Island Devastated -- Fires burn fiercely on the Japanese Marcus Island at the height of the attack Sept.1. It was estimated by the Navy that 80 per cent of the military installations on the island were destroyed. Seven Columns of smoke (left) Mark pyres of Jap Bombers parked on runway. September 10, 1943. (Photo by AP Wirephoto).

Aerial view of Oil FIre in Bayonne, NJ June 4, 1930

Texas City Fire Aerial.

D. Day - 6th June 1944 - Invasion Of France - France War Files (See Also: Normandy, France); (See Also: Military General Pluto Pipeline). September 28, 1943.

Anefo photo collection. Grand Prix Zandvoort 1970. Grand Prix 1970 of the Netherlands for Formula I cars. Zandvoort; Piers Courage car flew in fire after crash; burnt car and his body. June 21, 1970. Noord-Holland, Zandvoort

07/18/1917. Yesterday's fire in Pueblo Nuevo - "la Concepción" Flour Factory building that was destroyed by fire.

The photograph shows the battleship 'Arizona' which was sunk by a Japanese aircraft in Pearl Harbour, 1941. Date: 21st February 1942

Dealing with a fire caused by Japanese incendiary bombs during a raid on Singapore. January 28, 1942.

Photo collection Service for army contacts Indonesia. A building is on fire. A soldier tries to extinguish. December 1948. Indonesia, Dutch East Indies

Petroleum Weapons Against Invasion- a Demonstration of Anti-invasion Defences, UK, 1945 A demonstration of 'Fougasse', somewhere in Britain. A group of flame-throwing tanks can be seen lined up on the left hand side of the photograph. They are firing across a river or waterway. A large cloud of smoke can be seen, rising up from the columns of fire. The original caption states that this weapon 'released one ton of burning oil when fired. Developed by the Petroleum Warfare Department in the summer of 1940, it was installed within three weeks of the conception of the idea'.

Challenge to the Coast Guard. This image depicts devastation by fire of American port facilities and waterfront properties. Coast Guardsmen are trained to fight these fires with the best of fireboat and warf Equipment.

Hospital Ship Sunk By Bombs -- These pictures are the first to he released showing the hospital ship "Ramb IV" on five and sinking after she had been bombed in the Mediterranean on 10th May 1942.She had left Tobruk with 600 wounded soldiers, the Red X markings plainly showing on her sides when near Alexandria, enemy aircraft attacked her.The pictures were taken by one of the survivors."Ramb IV" was originally an Italian hospital ship but was detained in 1941 for use by British and enemy wounded. May 29, 1943.

Anefo photo collection. Major fire in height Kadijk 121. September 15, 1960

U.S. Marines Advance on Tarawa U.S. Marines advance between ***** trees on Tarawa in the South Pacific Gilbert ***** to take a hill, in the early stages of the fighting on the Japanese held atoll. In a three-day battle, U.S. forces seized Tarawa and the adjacent Gilbert Islands of Makin and Abemama and killed or captured 5,700 Japanese soldiers. January 16, 1944. (Photo by U.S. Office of War Information Radiophoto).

Photograph of a bombing of London during the Second World War

1923 Japan Great Kantō earthquake : Total devastation after devastating earthquake in Tokyo. Archive Photograph of 1920s Japan earthquake damage and effects in Tokyo

1953 May 25. Frenchman's Flat, Nevada. Atomic cannon test--History's first atomic artillery shell fired from the Army's new 280-mm artillery gun ... The fireball ascending

events Second World War WWII Japan Atomic bombing of Hiroshima 6.8.1945 the destroyed city after the bombing,

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