During the movie, the Air Force sends out a message to members of the Ground Observer Corps asking for help in spotting the mantis. This was a real group that existed at least since World War Two. It was comprised of regular citizens who received basic training in spotting and identifying aircraft, but was discontinued in 1959.
The first stock footage of the aircraft carrier is the USS Antietam, CV-36. The operations clip is of the CV34 USS Oriskany, the first US carrier with an angled deck. The take-off scene was from the deck of the USS Philippine Sea CV47.The USS Oriskany (CV-34) was not the first US aircraft carrier to carry an angled deck. The first such carrier was actually the USS Antietam (CV-36), which was also shown in this movie. They were both Essex-class carriers and all ships in this class received the SCB-125 upgrade, which installed the angled deck; however, the USS Oriskany was the LAST ship in this class to get the new deck.
The footage showing the Eskimos fleeing from the mantis is actually from S.O.S. Eisberg.