I obtained this WWII training film:

"Emergency Rescue Equipment - the Signaling Mirror"

from the US National Archives, and put it on YouTube - here it is.

( I kept the movie leader to preserve the ambiance - the film starts 11 seconds in.)

For a finer movie experience, I suggest you go to the video on YouTube itself by either double-clicking on image here at the ETS forums, or using this URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmnRrCVBaP0

and use the icons at the bottom right of the YouTube frame to select 480p quality and full screen (the 4-arrow icon)





I believe this is the signal mirror training film first previewed on August 3, 1943, describing how to use the ESM/1 mirror using the aiming principle invented by Larry L. Young of the National Bureau of Standards and implemented by Wentworth M. Potter of General Electric. of General Electric.

The film title screens indicate this was produced by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Field Photographic Branch, for the Liaison Committee on Emergency Rescue Equipment established by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (ERE), and the mirror it spends most time on is the General Electric "cross-in-glass" mirror. This all matches the reference I found [5] to the August 3, 1943 film, including the "80,000 per month" figure at 01:15 into the clip.

Here are the historical references I've found:

In his March 31, 1943 report[1] on the Miami trials of the prototype of the GE mirror implementing the cross aiming device invented by Larry L. Young of the National Bureau of Standards [2][3], Lt. Commander Earle F. Hiscock "strongly recommended" that "a motion picture be made, if possible, to illustrate the mirror and the proper method of holding."

The June 5, 1943 Recommendation No. 2 [4] of the Liaison Committee on Emergency Rescue Equipment that the tempered glass signal mirrors made by General Electric be procured for all airborne and Marine Services also recommended that" brief movie shorts" be prepared to instruct personnel.

The August 12, 1943 report of the Liaison Committee on Emergency Rescue Equipment [5] mentions that "A preliminary showing of the instruction film on the signaling mirror, in preparation by Field Photographic of the OSS, { Office of Strategic Services - Ed.] was run off on Tuesday 3, August" and also mentions the "80,000 per month" figure mentioned in the film I found at the National Archives.

The October 1944 issue of the Air Sea Rescue Bulletin [6],[7] appears to mention that this film is in their library.

The record at the US National Archives for the film I found and put on YouTube [8] seems consistent with my hypothesis.

[1] Letter from Lt. Comdr. Earle F. Hiscock, Principal Traveling Inspector; to: Chief, Merchant Marine Inspection, March 31, 1943; Subject: Tests on lifesaving and other rescue equipment at Miami, Florida, from 22 March to 26 March inclusive (letter at the US National Archives)

[2] "Heliographic Signaling Mirrors", by Richard S. Hunter
Pages 24-29, 48 Air sea rescue bulletin. v.3 no. 3 1946 Washington, D.C.

http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015010566720;seq=86;view=image

"Within a few days of the receipt of the request for assistance, however, L.L. Young, then of the Bureau staff, had devised the rearsight method for aiming mirror flashes, and had shown that it was accurate and could be readily provided for in the manufacture of small mirrors."

[3] Larry L. Young US Patent 2395605 Feb 1946 "Light-Directing Device" Filed Dec. 7, 1943 { Clearly the mirror design in this training film }

http://www.google.com/patents?id=pqVWAAAAEBAJ

[4] Number 2, Emergency Rescue Equipment, Coordinator of Research and Development, U.S. Navy and Liason Committee of Emergency Rescue Equipment (established by the Joint U.S. Chiefs of Staff) June 5, 1943.

"Two companies are not prepared to manufacture tempered glass signaling mirrors, which tests show, are satisfactor as to general type and quality.
These companies are the General Electric Company and the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company.
It is recommended that immediate steps be taken to procure such tempered glass signaling mirrors for the use of all airborne and Marine Services.
It is further recommended that the Services take steps to instruct their personnel in the use of this mirror by practical demonstrations, brief movie shorts, or other graphic methods."

[5] "Further Developments in Emergency Rescue Equipment Already Recommended:
Signaling Mirror, tempered glass type, Recommendation No. 2"
{ see [5] - Ed.}, page 6,
Bi-Weekly Report No. 3, August 12, 1943, Emergency Rescue Equipment, Coordinator of Research & Development, U.S. Navy and Liaison Committee on Emergency Rescue Equipment (Established by the Joint U.S. Chiefs of Staff),
Emergency Rescue Equipment Section, Room 2500,
Temp. Bldg. A, 2nd and T Streets, S.W. (limited distribution)

"A preliminary showing of the instruction film on the
signaling mirror, in preparation by Field Photographic of the OSS, { Office of Strategic Services - Ed.] was run off on Tuesday 3, August, for the information of some of the people who attended the Special Meeting (see Item I).

A recent check of procurements for the signaling mirror indicates that the following requisitions have been recieved
at Wright Field.

Bureau of Ships 200,000
Army Air Forces 275,000
Army Ground Forces 40,000
Bureau of Aeronautics 20,000
(Bought through contractor)

The General Electric Company and the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company are prepared to make delivery at the rate of 80,000 mirrors a month."

[6] October 1944 issue of the Air Sea Rescue Bulletin, V1N4, p. 54
http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?seq=3...;u=1&num=54

listed as "MG-3324: "Signaling Mirror", "Describes the aiming principle, and steps in the operation of the tempered glass emergency signaling mirror (ESM/1) with the cross aiming device", 15 minutes running time. The footnotes
translate to: "date of release unavailable", "Motion picture produced by Coast Guard or Government Agency other than Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Office of Education".

[7] loc. cit, page 50
http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?seq=40;view=image;size=100;id=mdp.39015039408987;q1=mirror;u=1;num=50;page=root;orient=0

[8] Here is the entry from the US National Archives for the film I found:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. NATIONAL ARCHIVES & RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Description 1 of 1
SIGNALING MIRROR, THE: EMERGENCY RESCUE EQUIPMENT, ca. 1941 - ca. 1945

ARC Identifier 39989 / Local Identifier 226.B6087

Moving Images from the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Office of Strategic
Services. Field Photographic Branch. (01/04/1943 - 10/01/1945)

Motion Picture, Sound, and Video Records Section, Special Media
Archives Services Division, College Park, MD

Item from Record Group 226: Records of the Office of Strategic
Services, 1919 - 2002

Details Creator(s): Joint Chiefs of Staff. Office of Strategic
Services. Field Photographic Branch. (01/04/1943 - 10/01/1945)
Type(s) of Archival Materials: Moving Images
Contact(s): Motion Picture, Sound, and Video Records Section, Special
Media Archives Services Division (NWCS-M), National Archives at College
Park, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD, 20740-6001. PHONE:
301-837-3540; FAX: 301-837-3620; EMAIL: mopix@nara.gov.

Coverage Dates: ca. 1941 - ca. 1945
Part Of: Series: Motion Picture Films, compiled ca. 1942 - ca. 1945
Use Restriction(s): Undetermined

Specific Records Type(s): motion pictures (visual works)
General Note(s): Filmographic title.
Contributor: Producer, Liaison Committee on Emergency Rescue Equipment

Sound Type: Sound

Variant Control Number(s): NAIL Control Number: NWDNM(m)-226.B6087

Index Terms: Subjects Represented in the Archival Material:
Contributors to Authorship and/or Production of the Archival Materials:

Department of the Navy. (1798 - 09/18/1947), Sponsor
Joint Chiefs of Staff. Office of Strategic Services. (06/13/1942 -
10/01/1945), Distributor

Lifecycle Tracking Information
Accession Number(s): NN3-226-88-2

Scope & Content
INSTRUCTIONAL FILM: Demonstrates use of small, hand held glass mirrors
as signaling devices for lost service persons. Gives instructions for
and demonstrates sturdiness, maintenance, operation. Explains
construction. Uses illustrations to explain aiming principle and
effective range.
Copies
All Copies Copies 1 - 1
Copy 1
Copy Status: Preservation
Contact(s): Motion Picture, Sound, and Video Records Section, Special
Media Archives Services Division (NWCS-M), National Archives at College
Park, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD, 20740-6001. PHONE:
301-837-3540; FAX: 301-837-3620; EMAIL: mopix@nara.gov.

Media
Media Type: Film Reel
Color: Black-and-White [color:#3333FF][/color]