 The DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware, makers of better things for better living through chemistry, presents the Cavalcade of America. Tonight's star, Robert Cummings. Our play, Navy Blue. The story of Lieutenant Victor Blue, United States Navy. Tonight's DuPont play begins on the bridge of the United States gunboat, Suwami, in Buena Vista Bay off the coast of Cuba. You understand your orders, Mr. Blue. As soon as we are safely to the channel, you will board the ammunition ship Gussie and our convoy and supervise the unloading of our cargo at Caiba Rien. I know I don't need to remind you of the importance of this operation. Arms, ammunition, and medical supplies for our ally is sure. General Gomez, if we lose Gomez, we may lose Cuba. Yes, sir. I'll keep that in mind. And please inform Senior Ramirez that Cuban pilot we took down at T-west. Tell him to take over. It's essential that we make Caiba Rien before nightfall. I believe he's out on the boat taking soundings, sir. Taking soundings? I thought he knew every rock and shoal on this coast. But we don't have to worry, sir. It's the Gussie. She's heavily loaded in her draft, maybe too great for the channel without a dredging operation. But there's no time for that. Why didn't he tell us all this at T-west? Well, I don't think he understood as good we were to convoy her all the way through, sir. Well, we are, and we must. We'll never free Cuba from Spain unless all these expeditions succeed. Well, there's Ramirez now. I guess he's got the soundings. Ahoy in the boat there! Laura Matlatter, one of you men. Aye, sir. He's there. He does it? Up here, Ramirez. Let's see if he's got bad news. Sir, there might be another way. Excuse me, Mr. Blue. Well, Ramirez, can you recover that? I've finished taking the soundings and charted our course into the bay. Good. Take over, General Ramirez. Mr. Blue, signal the gasey to follow us in. All right, sir. Excuse me, señor capitán. But this is not possible. What's that? The gunboat I can take over the bar, yes. For the cargo ship? No. Señor Ramirez, do you see those two columns of smoke beyond the point there? Above the mangrove tree? Exactly. There are two Spanish gunboats anchored over there. And if they take a notion to patrol, it's into the harbour, and we're caught out here alongside this floating powder keg. Sir, if I may make a suggestion. Yes, Mr. Blue? If we could get word to General Gomez ashore, he might be able to arrange transport from another harbour. And how are we to get word to General Gomez, Mr. Blue? Well, I had in mind a small sailboat, sir, that could be maneuvered in water too shallow for the Spanish patrol boats to navigate. But they can pick you off with their Mauser rifles. They have a greater range than ours. I could shove off after dark and make it ashore, sir. Through 20 miles of treacherous shoal waters in total darkness? And we don't even know for sure where Gomez's headquarters are by this time. I was counting on getting that information at Kaibari Inn. Excuse me, Captain. Yes, Senior Ramirez? We could go ashore in the Santa Margarita. I know a man there, a Pacifico, who would lead us together, Gomez. You think you can make it in the longboat, Mr. Blue? Well, sir, I can take a Ramirez and an abacus. How many more will you need for crew? At 12 is the most I can carry, fully equipped in arms. I'll need that many to pull oars if the wind fails, sir. Well, I don't like to risk that many men, but I have no choice. Very well. You will assemble your crew and be ready to get underway at sunset, Mr. Blue. Aye, aye, sir. Go and good luck. Thank you, sir. At sunset, we hoisted our makeshift sail and headed for the channel. We turned back and saluted as our mothership hauled down the infinite evening colors. She looked lonesome as she rode the swells of after Convoy Vessel. Ahead of us, and to the west, two columns of black smoke showed against the red sky. The enemy gunboats still lay at anchor beyond the point. I pray they'd stay there until we could complete our missions. And at 1 a.m., we hauled sail in a shallow lagoon near shore. Ramirez sat tensely at the helm, straining his eyes toward the dark undergrowth at the water's edge. I feel like a starboard, sir. That's allowed now. Now, listen to me, men. When we get ashore, stay close together. But be ready to separate and take cover if necessary. Now, if you're fired upon, don't return the fire until you shoot the enemy. Not a cubity. Is that clear? Aye, sir. The landing is just ahead. All right, secure the boat riding. Check your equipment, men. Rifle's ready. Who's that? What did he say? He asked me to come ashore alone. And then I'm. Will you trust him? I'm not sure. Do you know Mr. Alvarez? Yes. Tell me about Alvarez's house. Yes, sir. He says he can show me to the house of my friend who knows where his general is going. I go with him. If all goes well, I send up a player. You come ashore with the men then. Yeah, and if all doesn't go well. In that case, there will be too dead to send up the player. And you better get ready to fight your way or so. But this is enemy-held territory. I don't like the idea of taking the men through the village. What's your worry, Lieutenant? I don't know who you are. I only wish I believed that. You know something, Lieutenant? So do I. I was hesitant about letting Ramirez go ashore on arms. But there was no alternative. We remained in the boat. Our hands on our rifles. Our eyes fixed on the sky. A dim halo of light above the dark trees indicated the direction of the village. At ten minutes past one, silence was broken by the sound of gunfire not more than a half a mile away. Something is happening ashore, sir. I wonder what it is. We'd better get our feet on the ground. Come on, men, we're going ashore. Quiet as you can, then. Now, can you all hear me? Aye, sir. Your orders are to separate and pick cover in those trees. Remember your firing instructions. Be sure it's the enemy. If you hear a blast on this whistle, hit the road and follow me. Riley, come on. We're going to do some scouting. Aye, aye, sir. Hold it. Riley, you hear that? It sounds like a whole battalion marching straight this way. Hit the ditch, Riley. I'm going to lie low. I'll be searching these bushes. Order from their officer. The soldiers broke ranks and plunged into the bushes beside the road, swinging broad-blade machetes as they went. A blade whistled past my ear, and I fell a draft on my neck. One of them left into the ditch, left in a foot away from my hiding place. Soon they passed beyond us, deeper into the thickets. I looked up to see if there were more coming, and at that moment I saw a flare rising brightly into the nice sky above the village. There's one there is a signal. Call us well, he thinks. What do you think, Riley? Shall we run for it now with our hands over the machete, or wait until they pick up their rifles? I say, hit that road now, sir. All right, here goes. On your feet and out of here, men, on the double. Let's go. Go ahead and make them a double. President Ricardo for sir. Fine. Now listen, men. It's just plain luck we outran that Spanish patrol. They thought we'd have better sense than to walk straight into an enemy-held village. From now on, keep out of the open. Each man be his own tactician. Are you all right, men? Sure, sure. You saw my flare? Yes, yes, we saw it. Good. I was afraid the trees might be too high, and you would miss the signal. Well, we'd be here anyway. The only other way to run was into the water. Fine. You're at trouble? Trouble. A flock of soldados came down the road. We never got our heads chopped off by machetes. Soldados? You saw their uniforms? No, no, we just heard them. You didn't ask for them? Why, any reason why we shouldn't have? To turn them blue. This village has been re-taken by the Cabranoes. But there was a whole battalion chasing us. Those were our allies, General Gomez's soldiers. He sent those soldiers right here in his village. What? See? He sent those soldiers personally to look for you. Why does he look for me with machetes? Do you know something? General Gomez is very angry with you. Why with me? You'd better come and meet the general. Yes. Yes, I'm very anxious to meet this general Gomez. All right. I'll take you to him. Only one thing, Lieutenant. Yes? Don't be upset if he shoots you a little. General Gomez? Here's the lieutenant of the whole United States. Victor Blue, United States Navy, sir. My Lord, we lost you, Lieutenant. What you lost, you find, General. Go ahead. At the hour, General. Please sit down, Lieutenant Blue. I'm a little mad on you, Lieutenant. Yes, sir. I'm very sorry, sir. There must be some mistake, General. Exactly. A very big mistake. Here, look at that. Did you ever see such a big mistake? Well, sir, I think it's a hunk of mortar shelter. You see, this is a present from the United States Navy to his good friend, General Gomez. I don't understand, General. It landed through the top of my house. You mean when the village was being bombarded by our fleet? Only I am not in the village at the time, Lieutenant. The enemy was in the village. But did this fall on an enemy? No. It passed over the village, landed through the house of Gomez, your friend. Well, I assure you, sir, it was an accident. Did you personally shoot that gun, Lieutenant? Oh, no, not I, sir, but I know that such mistakes can't happen. This war is seeking us a great many things. About ourselves, about our enemies, and about our friends, General Gomez. The same with Cuba, Lieutenant. How can Gomez fight a war without bullets, without medical supplies? Well, that is what I came to see you about, General. My ship is in convoy of an ammunition ship lying outside the bank. And we have provisions for you, too. The whole ship? Just for us. You make joke on Gomez. For what you say that, sir? Well, excuse me, it is hard to grasp all at once. But we heard you were badly in need of supplies, sir. However, there is something else that I can't believe. Well, you don't tell me too much all at once. I got pierced in my eyes now. You want to make me weak? You don't imagine what this means for our cause, or for me, Lieutenant, and for Cuba. You, as a Navy, will think Gomez is one big fool. Oh, General, Gomez, our Navy, you know, our fighting men think you and your liberators great, too. Ten months fighting, Lieutenant, sleeping in wet tents. Rain, rain, rain. Rain all the time, and half my army sick. Finally, I take this town. And those Spaniards have taken to the hills, grabbing everything they could not destroy. So we must share the little we have with the civilians here. And this is how Gomez welcomes the friend who has come to Sable. General, the ship is lying outside the banks, but the bay is too shallow. It's impossible to bring her into Caballion. Ah, so, so is a joke after all. But wait, wait, I have a solution. We take the ship to Aceraderos on the south coast. Then what's the break who will arrange transport over land to me? Yes, sir. I will convey your message to my commander, sir. You are a caballero, Lieutenant. A horseman of the sea. I am ashamed that I ever doubted the friendship of U.S. Navy. What is a little shelter in my house? It's a joke, a friendly joke, huh? You make joke on Gomez like all friends shooting at each other a little bit, huh? You, you must believe me that we never meant to fire on you, Javelin. Huh? It's not a joke or certainly not, sir. But I was so sure. I, I send my soldiers with machetes to make joke on you in exchange. You are no matter. Now I embrace you. Adios, Lieutenant. Buena suerte. Cobalibre. Cobalibre, sir. The march back to our boat was without incident. We shoved off and navigated the lagoon under oars and presently hoisted sails. Dawn was just breaking when we slipped into the open waters of Buena vista venae. But then in blue. Yes, sir, Mary. The column of smoke established. It looks like one of those enemy gunboats. Uh-oh, and she's coming fast. I don't think they sighted us yet, sir. Maybe we can make the ship before they close, close in on us, huh? Well, not from the oars. There's not enough wind to make it under sail. All right, then. We better get ready to fight. Rest your oars, men. Check your rifles. How do you make that distance now, Ramirez? About a half a mile. I wonder if they know their rifles have greater range than ours. It's not they'll probably circle us, keeping us out of range until they can size up our weapons. I think you're right. That's the meaning she speaks. Any suggestions, Ramirez? But I think we better pray for Ramirezco. You know something, Ramirez? I was just thinking the same thing. To my double cavalcade of America, Robert Cummings is starring as Lieutenant Victor Blue in Maybe Blue. The small boat of Lieutenant Blue with its crew of 12 men returning to their ship from a mission ashore in Cuba has been sighted by an enemy gunboat that is now bearing down on it. Ramirez? That's the thing. Is it my eyes or have they stopped making smoke? They're right in here. I don't understand this. It's that miracle, Lieutenant. She's stopping. But I'm dead in the water. Wait. Maybe it's a trick. No, no. Those Spaniards have their own way so long. They've grown careless with the engine room watch. So poof! The fires go out and stretch to no steam. We've got the gravity. That's as we can. You think we can make it before they get up steam? No. There is sure to be another gunboat there. That is the way they patrol these waters. Yes, and we lead them straight to the Tijuana and our ammunition ship. They alert their other gunboats and we do some badly needed bullets for Cuba Libre, not to mention American Libre. There is one way we might manage, Lieutenant. What's that? I know this harbor. Over there, see? Way over. There are shallow shore workers where they would not get to follow us. Where would that take us, though? East. Only about 20 miles out of our way. To the point, huh? You know what the difference is? There's a strong current there. Blood tight. We might be swept around the point and find ourselves between two enemy boats instead of face to face with just this one. Well, I'd rather go down that way than risk betraying our ship. We're with you there, sir. All right, men. Break out those oars and roll. Come on. We'll never make it this great. Break your back there. Pull those oars. Ramirez. Ramirez. Yes, Lieutenant? There's the open sea. We've made it. We've made it. But we're losing headway. The men are too fast. We never master this current. Men, rest your oars. Listen, you all will be very straight to that end. That is my intention, Ramirez. Come about. Sir, I do not... Then don't. Come about, I say. Your enemy craft flying through, get ahead. Continue on the course, Ramirez. Aye-aye. Well, we'll make the inlet come about again. See you two alongside the smaller enemy vessel. Aye, sir. What do you make of them above Dexter Alley? Dexter's dirty. Break two oars. Of course. Why did I not remember? Remember what, Ramirez? Today's the festival for Spanish sailors. She's the custom for the officers and crews of Spanish ships to fraternize and visit the other ships and take breakfast together. And they'd naturally get together on the bigger ship of the two, huh? Still do not understand. It should be a wash and a smaller one. She had to break it, does that it? Even if they're a ladder out, maybe they've baited a trap for us, sir. Well, if it's a trap, they'll be in it and we'll be on top of it. Backwater with those oars, men. Bring your steady under that ladder. We're boarding the ship. Every man of us. Someone must stay with his boat here, Lieutenant. Let it drift. If we succeed, we won't need it. If we fail, we'll be dead. The bridge. I heard. Johnson, take the ladder up. Send the party below the engine room and start lighting off the boilers. I heard, sir. I'm going to try something else here. He's finished. Can you hear someone singing? Yes, I do. Board this ship, too. There you go down there. There you go. Me, me, babe. If you make it on your own power, or shall I throw you a tow line? Yes, sir. What happened? Captain, I have boarded your vessel and claim her as a prize of war. My crew will get her underway to a place I will beg to designate. Meanwhile, I must place you under arrest. What, sir? I don't do no thing. Over three months, I'll take you by the day. I feel good, sir. I can sing alone in my cabin. I need some celebration. I'm out of the invisible Spanish Navy. Hey, that's right. A pistol. Now, Captain, get up to the bridge. Go on March 8th. Hey, straight ahead, Captain. Hey, straight ahead. Well, that's a very fine signal lamp you have there. Captain, I want you to signal to the watch on your sister ship. I warn you, my pilot speaks your language and knows the code. So don't play a trick. What do you wish I say, senior artist? Say this, Captain. Ship boarded by overwhelming superior... Hey, I don't think I can... Captain, just do as I tell you. Go right, go right. I blink. Resistance is useless. Five, Captain, your vessel. Surrender at once. Repeat the message. Hey, wait a minute. He flashes answering signals. Yes, I see it. What does he say? He says he will fly. Friday, Johnson, go below. Find the gun lockers. Take your side arms and a mouth at each man. Aye, aye, sir. He's covered in an overshadow. The other ships are coming on deck. Hey, he's got a megaphone. Looks like he wants to pull out of her. Hey! Fill the mask off! Ahoy, the ship! I'm by English. Yes. Then you'll sink. Riley. Aye, aye, sir. The rifle's at risk. Shall we open fire? No, we'll board her and drive him into the sea. She's a fine fly. That'll want to dirty up her deck. Our bankers. Our bankers. Full steam ahead. Full steam ahead. Reverie. Aye, aye. Put your helm down. And I'll steer for a break. Aye, aye. The other ships saw us preparing to get underway. They dropped their rifles. We could see them. They had no idea how many of us there were. But that is if we were a full complement for their vessels. Now under my command. As we tour ahead, getting speed, we board down on them. Ahoy! Ahoy! First command. Then the officers on the other ship gave way to panic. One after another they jumped overboard and started swimming to the shore. Not until their last man had hit the water did I order a marriage to Aldercourt. He spun the helm and our vessel healed over precariousness. All of our ships sank to the hull of her ship. Before a few moments both ships rocked and trembled like big vessels drawn on a reef in a forced hand gale. And then they righted themselves and drifted apart. With only a few sisterly strategies to kill for their brief and piloted counter. I sent half a man to board the other vessel and get her a turn of it. On our voyage back to the bank, we sighted our small boat adrift and secured it in tow. Lieutenant Blue reporting, sir. Good job, Blue. How did it go, boy? Officer and crew present accounted for, Captain. No casualties. And you found Gomez? Yes, sir. General Gomez requests that the ammunition cart will be set ashore on the south coast where General Cebrecos will arrange transport. Excellent. Very good. We'll do it. Thank you, sir. However, I would like to ask you just one question, Mr. Blue. Yes, sir. Mr. Blue, I think you want a mission to find out from General Gomez where to dump the contents of that powder keg we're conveying him. You come back with two shallow draft Spanish vessels. Vessels that are no earthly use except for patrolling those cursed shoalwaters in Buenos Aires, Quebec. Uh, you'll excuse me, sir, but you'll have to admit that one of them had an excellent signal lamp and a very fine telescope. But how can I explain this to the admiral? You're on an intelligence, not a battle mission. Well, sir, you know how narrow the dividing line between operations can be. Between intelligence and espionage, for instance. A few American sailors in a robo-capture two Spanish patrol vessels. How can I call that espionage? Well, if you don't mind, sir, I repeat, one of them had an excellent light signal lamp and a very fine telescope. These are invaluable aids in intelligence work in the fleet, sir. Possibly we may construe it that way, and that will square the mission as an intelligence operation, sir. Thank you, Mr. Blue. I'm beginning to catch your drift. Wouldn't be surprised if you got advanced a grade in rank for this. Yes, sir. How away to the end of this war finds you a full lieutenant, Mr. Blue. In the years to come, Victor Blue was to be advanced not one, but five grades in rank. The young junior grade lieutenant, who recited for extraordinary heroism in the Spanish-American War, lived to serve his nation in World War I, which he entered as a commander and from which he emerged as a rear admiral and holder of the coveted distinguished service medal. Victor Blue then went on to become chief of staff of the Pacific Fleet, to climax the colorful career of valor and distinction in the highest tradition of the United States naval service. Thanks to Robert Cummings and the Cavalcade players for tonight's DuPont play, maybe Blue. Next week, the star of the DuPont Cavalcade will be Ninja Rogers. Our story, 700 boiled shirts, is the romantic saga of an old man-tucket sailing ship and a girl who wouldn't be left behind. Be sure to listen. Nice DuPont Cavalcade, Navy Blue, starring Robert Cummings, was written by Robert Taubman and was based on material from the book The Spy in America by George S. Bryant. With Robert Cummings tonight, you heard Arnold Robertson, Santa Cortega, Carlos Montalbaum, George Petrie, Kenny Delmar, and Daniel Aco. Robert Cummings is currently starring in the Broadway play, Faithfully Yours. Music was composed by Arden Cornwell, conducted by Donald Borey. Tonight's program was directed by Albert Ward. This is Cy Harris speaking. Don't forget, next week, our star, Ninja Rogers. The DuPont Cavalcade of America comes to you from the Velasco Theater in New York and is sponsored by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. Makers of better things for better living, for chemistry. Next, it's Hollywood Theater on NBC.