 My name is Jackson Beck and tonight on the Words at War program I will play the part of Fred Herman, Abel Seaman, who wrote a book called Dynamite Cargo Most of what you'll hear was written as notes aboard the British cruiser Silla in the Arctic Ocean 44 torpedo bombers coming in U-chaps below lie prone for a bit he says sounding as if he was sorry to humiliate us We chaps below are lying prone and feeling no humiliation Scotty the old man the Capebird Negroes the salesman the Russian women and the rest All of us crouched down like Muslims at prayer I'll bet there's a lot of prayers being said to People certainly pray when they're as helpless as we are now And let me tell you when you're one of 300 shipwrecked sailors Huddled in the cruise mess room of a British cruiser and that cruiser is being attacked by wave after wave of Nazi torpedo bombers You feel mighty helpless Especially when some cheerful young twerp up on the bridges treating you to a play-by-play description of the attack over the loudspeaker I wonder what'll happen if we're hit. We ever get out of this place The others are wondering too. They're all panicking The only one who doesn't seem scared is the Russian girl Caution you here comes another chap heading in for us now. He's already termed steady now all of you hold hard It was more of a sensation than a sound the deck under us seemed real and lift the lights went out Someone screamed a vile ugly curse little close for comfort that one, but amiss is as good as a mile. They say this British nonchalance Gosh I wish she could speak English or I could speak Russian you chaps all right Don't pay any special attention if the lights go out Electricians will rig up something now steady once again because here comes another fellow No, no anti-aircraft got that one. I think you might try to relax now Chats probably won't have another attack for three or four minutes. My hands are clammy. I'm scared At least I was so just now when I looked in the direction where that Russian girl is Now I'm not scared anymore She's beautiful And something more I wish I could talk to her ask her to read these notes I'm making tell the story of how I Fred Herman happened to be huddled here aboard a British cruiser Having the bee jeepers bombed out of me and looking at a girl. I can't see in the dark Yeah, I think she might be interested in hearing it. She looks like the sympathetic sort Words at war are the series that brings you radio versions of the leading war books Presents tonight at dramatization of dynamite cargo by merchant Marine man Fred Herman A story not of little heroic tin gods But of ordinary human men who daily risk their lives and sometimes lose them along the submarine alley of the Murmansk run Words at war is presented by the national broadcasting company in cooperation with the council on books in wartime Yes, I can talk straight now, but I couldn't that night in the Jersey City bar. I could sing though Not good but loud Ready her man Scotty Oh, it's got a lot to see you. What do you do in Freddie Milan celebrate? That's exactly it I've been on the beach for a week. What's on a short run for a year. Is it a date? You know what I do? No, man, what did you do and what's her name? Nothing like that me I went down to the Navy recruiting station. I walk in and say, okay, Uncle Sam Give a look you want me and did they look what do you mean? They said sure thing some we can use a guy like you sign here But I tell them I want 24 hours to think it over That's why I'm celebrating Scotty. I thunk it over. I'm going in This is a time when all good men must come to their country. I'm on it is it's noble yard While even by a wee snort on it. Hey there barkie barkie fill them up Ah golly, it's good to see you Scotty. Why I haven't seen you since When was the last time we sell together? Let me see Buenos Aires in 1939 or 40. I think here we are Here's to you Scotty old pal and to me and the United States Navy. Hey Scotty I know what let's you and make it down together tomorrow and join up. What do you say me? Freddie man. I couldn't do that I've already signed on for a voyage to the beautiful port of Mermansk in Russia Russia You mean you're on one of them Liberty ships running munitions to Russia. That's right. Oh for gosh sakes What you want to do that for that's awful awful? Hey, but the money is good. It is. Hey You get $100 a month base pay us an AB plus $100 war bonus 125 more if your ship touches the British Isles another $60 if she touches Iceland another $125 for Russia and then the Russian government adds another hundred dollars to that when you arrive there, you know Scotty I must be very drunk. Why do you say that? Because I can't figure straight Adding up those figures of yours came to $610. Well, that's what it is Freddie $610 plus 15% of your base payers penalty money if your ship carries more than 50 tons of explosives Scotty Scotty you ought to feel ashamed of yourself me man. Why because you've just talked to the United States Navy out of a darn good sailor And so with Scotty I sailed aboard the SS Jason a new 10,000 tonner loaded to the decks with dynamite with tanks and trucks tied down on the decks themselves The very interesting cargo as any Nazi submarine commander will tell you we had an interesting crew too There was Scotty and the old man who'd come out of retirement on a Texas ranch to skipper a Liberty ship along submarine alley There was ensign Hawley of the naval armed guard devout divinity student with a naval commission It was Swanson the soda jerk who was one of Hawley's crew There was the salesman the professional agitator who was again everything There was little Willie who came from Texas and had a terrific yen for a song called Avalon Yeah, we had some interesting times together the bunch of us There was that foggy night between here in England when we couldn't see a thing those of us off watch hadn't slept a wink Too jittery. We felt sure we'd lost our convoy. I was trying to read Sandberg's life of Lincoln I had to sit and suffer while Willie's record moaned about Avalon Say fellas, you might have to play it again. Oh Willie for crying out loud not again. Oh just once more It's my favorite record, you know, oh no kid. I willy my lad. I've lost count the new but for the first few days I kept track and you had played that woman thing no less than 63 times You made a hundred and sixty three Scott. Oh go on. You guys are kidding me. I'll play it again It'll keep your mind off things, huh? You playing that blasted thing again, huh? Oh I'll lay you off the kids salesman mind your own business Herman I'm fed up with that record and you and everything aboard this lousy seat near the new salesman What are you trying to be funny? I just come back from taking a look the fogs lifting They're in a sign of a ship the old man's lost the convoy. Oh, don't overwork your upper plate Donald soon be here and we'll find the convoy again. Yeah The old man don't know a thing about navigation. I tell you in the Nazi subs will be around any minute The old man's fault. Why didn't the stupid old fool stand as Texas Ranch? Now here's about the easy money and he comes to running. Why are you at sea salesman because it's my patriotic duty See my my my isn't the salesman idealistic though. He don't even want the dough I lay off the wise stuff you're thinking go back to your capitalist reading capitalist reading You dope. This is Sandberg's life of Lincoln. So what Lincoln started the Civil War, didn't he? I'll tip you off Herman. What was the Civil War fought for anyway? Do you know who's to make more dough for Rockefeller and Morgan? You look those guys are just about given up wearing three cornered pants when the Civil War was You're probably in their pay you think I'm wise to you and I'm wise to you you flat mug sour puss They're just a boss fighter a cup fighter a captain and mates fighter a mess boy fighter You're just scum. That's guys like you take control of honest juniors of honest men to make trouble for them Why don't you hit me Herman? Don't worry yellow belly. It's only a size that's saving it. I get out of here You you know what I think I think the old man probably feels worse about getting lost from the convoy Than we do. No skipper likes to lose a convoy. I agree with you. You mind your own business punk We'll see how smart you are tomorrow morning when the subs show up stupid bunch of Well, the salesman was wrong about the subs catching us little Willie was right about how sensitive the old man was Next morning. We were plowing along feeling awful lonesome with the rest of the convoy heavens new wear Then the flagship oven to view when the British commander of border broke out a string of signal flags What does it say mr. Hawley a director's to consult the Bible sir st. Luke chapter 15 verse 6 You have your Bible handy mr. Hawley. Oh, yes, sir. I always carry this pocket edition captain Chapter 15 Verse 6 says here it is and When he come at home he calleth together his friends and neighbors saying unto them Rejoice with me Or I have found my sheep which was lost The old man didn't say a word He didn't need to We could see the bits of broken pride falling from his eyes But he didn't get us lost again and two weeks later. We made our landfall in the British Isles We didn't stay around England long few days later. We were on our way to Russia Okay, Nick. I'll take over. He ain't a minute too soon brother. I'm frozen Passing on an order to you No man says for the guy in the bow of starboard side to stay close to that gunman by young Swanson a soda jank You know ready to move in just in case I get it thinks the kids a jerk instead of a soda jerk. Maybe Can you handle a 20 millimeter gun? What you think I've been doing when Hawley's been practicing up his gang even my eyes shut Well, you better keep them open for the next four hours brother. We'll be getting ours any day now So long We'll be getting ours any day now That's what we've been saying ever since leaving England joining what was undoubtedly the biggest convoy in history We'll be getting ours any day now Standing watch gives you time to think time to think of many things I'd long since learned why wages are high in the Russian run the deadly slow pace of the convoy necessarily held down to the speed of the slowest ship in the group the constant danger of collision with so many ships traveling so close together through Fog and through night the tedious never-ending scanning of the water for a submarine wake The business of never removing your clothes and sleeping with one eye shut on the other on your life preserver The nerve-racking waiting waiting waiting for the crash of the torpedo You'll feel sure will come at some second of some minute of some hour of some day or night Yes, the wages are high along submarine alley, but They heard it on the bridge, too Who came on the double every one of battle stations the Navy on guard man the ships Ensign Holly making the rounds trying to stuff his Bible into his pocket Maybe the danger sharpened my vision I don't know but I can see through the night much clearer than before the convoy of merchant ships stretched out in six or seven long columns with The screen of destroyers and corvettes on the parade's blanks the flagship Silla a British cruiser in the center of the formation The small aircraft carrier in the rear where she'd have room to maneuver now the destroyers and corvettes were breaking the line But fanning out closing in we were all zigzagging so you'd never have the same ship off your beam for long What is a Freddie lad an air attack darned of I know Scotty was the explosion. I don't know Then we all saw the ship belching flames and smoke from her home She was in the same column as us a big Russian and some Holly came with official news He's been torpedoed for being attacked by you boats look at those poor souls aboard or jumping into the water Some of them are women too. I saw them when we burst in the British Isles the old man What about to pick them up ensign? No, he won't merchantman the convoy can't stop her man makes too good a target rescue work if any will be done by the warships The next to get it was an American Liberty ship After horror Britisher, we left their crews in the water and went plowing away from there for dear life He was sitting down below it's towards morning some days later Every night they'd been repeated submarine attacks We knew our turn was soon coming for in a matter of hours. We'd be in range of German land-based planes So we sat there smoking or drinking cold coffee We weren't talking with Yuri on edge Little Willie started the phonograph his favorite song No one paid any attention at first and suddenly the salesman jumped up And I tell you never to play that blast the thing again. You punk. I'll show you It was over as quick as that Willie looked at the pieces of Avalon on the deck gave his trousers a hitch and went out I don't know why one of us didn't brainless salesman. I Followed the kid I found him looking at something which he tried to hide when he saw me coming Then he showed it to me. What do you think of her Fred? Nice looking babe He grinned and turned pink She was a nice looking babe It was probably about 19 and she got herself dressed like a turkey for the roasting to have the picture taken She wasn't what you'd call a babe though She had nice eyes her expression made me feel Kind of homesick. I met her in Texas. Look. Here's a bunch of letters. She's written me. That's nice Willie You should have them tied up in blue ribbon. Oh gosh, I don't think that'd be right would it? Anyway, I ain't got no ribbon so this cord will have to do as you know, you're on your way to Russia No, I didn't tell her that but I figure when I get back. I'll take a train down to Texas and see her I Guess she'll be surprised at all the dough I've made Maybe we'll get married What's her name kid Rosalind Rosalind say? I'm awful. Sorry about the record Willie. Yeah That's all right. It was my favorite though on a car to her You see Rosalind works in Galveston in a coffee pot called the Avalon They came that morning Michael 1 11's and Yonkers 88's they did what our old timers knew they'd do high-level bombing first I heard Edson Hawley explain the Nazis idea to young Swanson They always start with that high-level bombing trying to split us up Their hope to scare some of the cargo ships out of the convoy formation and then run them down later You all right Swanson, huh? Oh, yes, sir. Yes, sir. Good boy Trust in God and do your job All he was right they broke out of the overcast half a hundred hankos fanning out across the convoy But only two of them interested us one following the other they came plummeting down out of their dives heading straight for the Jason Swanson opened up with this 20 million. I watched it. It's a childlike face I don't look like a zombie in a Boris Karloff movie. It's too young for the part That's what made it horrible the second plane came screaming down a Swanson set a stream of fire into its belly Chewing it apart it flopped and crashed into the sea But Swanson kept on firing his gun pointed at the empty sky cut it Swanson He came running cut it cut it you're wasting ammunition But Swanson paid no attention his hands were frozen to the gun's action And he hung there bucking up and down with the gun's recoil We'll beat you grab his hands and yank them loose. I'm strapping her man. He's going off his head. Yes, leave me alone The kid was fighting crazy. We dragged him loose. I slipped into his harness while I ensign got him out of the turret Yes, you've heard the expression hell on earth, but brother you don't know what it means You can't know till you've been on the Mimansk run One after another the ships began to go You could guess their car goes by the sound of the explosions and the smoke that belched up. I Saw fragments of ships rise high into the sky and men too Things that had once been men the sea was an inferno of blazing oil Mine sweepers and Corvettes tore around looking for survivors. I Don't think there were many Another hankle came tearing into the Jason who are so close I could see the pilot's grinning face I aimed that gun right for his nose and let him have it I'm sure I saw the blood begin to spout But he kept right on grinning as he swooped over us and crashed into the sea then I did what Swanson had done I kept on firing after him. That'll do Herman. He's down down. I'll go away, Holly I'll send that guy to kingdom come. He's a dirty, murdering Nazi. Stop it. Stop it. Don't waste ammunition Besides Not ours to judge and dispose God disposes listen preacher you expect to get back from this trip alive. That will be as God wills it Well, brother, you'd better pray that God was for me to get this guy coming in at us. Get away from me. Holly I make me nervous And that's when we got it The Jason's engines were stopped her lighting and communication system knocked out Water was pouring in from the wound on his side and we were quite alone Throughout the night the black gang labored to fix the engines No soap The first streaks of dawn came over the horizon the old man announced simply well She's a crippled duck. We can't move Make ready to abandon ship Before we abandon her we'll set charges to blow her up nuts to that. Yeah, it was the salesman nuts to that Let's get off this tub as fast as we can and Nazis will be back here any minute. You want to get us all killed Prepare the charges mr. Ephraim. Hi. Hi, sir. Hey look fellas over there Well, he had spotted a ship when we saw she was a british it we all went crazy I'll say we hurried the salesman wasn't such a heck of a hurry to get off that he fouled up the lines and the davits Where our boat hung We couldn't get it down. Take it easy salesman. Take it easy now easy. Does it easy? Yeah Well, why in places don't you do it then sure man? I'll do it now. Let me out it Look at the old man Piece of wire ready Come on back there you old coward That's what are you supposed to be the last one over this ship cut it salesman Hadn't been for your clumsiness. We'd be away now with the other boats Hey, look fellas a plane a hanko. He's diving in on us. Come back will he knock behind the bridge knock you Would he adopt that nothing? I'll get that lousy I'm left while the others tried to lower the boat I went over to willy He was lying in a funny position at the base of the gun Well, then I think Didn't I fred? Yeah, willy You've got him kid You drove him off. Anyway, where were you hit kid? In the belly, I think Yeah Put your arms around me I'll carry you no fred Thanks a lot. I don't think so Fred Yeah Do you think You'll ever go to Galveston, I don't know kid Guess maybe I will well If you do a rivulet of blood was coming out of his mouth and starting to freeze He laid his head back against the gun base and closed his eyes I pulled willy's rubber suit up around him as a sort of a shroud While I was fumbling around I came across rosalind's picture in the bundle of her letters I took them with me and I left the sinking ship that makes 87 attacks in three days Not a few days and we'll be in russia. So don't worry too much chats Or I say you chats down below I've just been challenged through a game of drafts by one of my senior officers Checkers the americans call it He's a bit of an expert at the game. Well, I'm afraid I'm rather a dog First you are bringing a large draft board with numbered men and squares and as we make the moves up here I'll call them off to you so that you may follow the game take your minds off things a bit, you know Shall we do it? Very well We'll be ready to begin in a few minutes Meanwhile, cheerio If that don't take the cake Next time I hear the phrase british nonchalance I don't know what it means We've been aboard the cruiser scilla for three days now 300 of us shipwrecked sailors torpedo victims The cape bird negros the salesman the old man ensign holly and his crew the russian women Canadians glossed of fishermen britishers from severn and from clad And we put up with three days of the most hellish bombing you can imagine We're scared stiff all of us All of us except the beautiful russian girl lying next to me But we can't do a thing about it except lie here and take it Yeah, we'll take it all right And I know that if we get out of it, all right, we'll be back to take it again And not just for the money either I know that now These 300 human beings are not clutching desperately at the edge of eternity for money Watching them, you know, there's something bigger more important egging them on Something so terrific that it'll drive them out to sea again and again and again german torpedoes are no Maybe I'll finish these notes when I get to russia If I get to russia I hope I do because Gee, she's beautiful Yes, I'll offer her a cigarette She took it smiled Well, at last the ice is broken It's at least three days from here to mermansk Who can tell Maybe my little story will have a happy ending after all