 The Cavalcade of America sponsored by DuPont's Maker of Better Things for Better Living through chemistry presents Guy Kippy, Wendy Barry, and Dick Foran in The Purple Heart Comes to Free Metal. Before we begin our play, here is a helpful suggestion for homemakers. Redecorating this spring can be done more quickly, easily, and economically by using speed-easy wall paint, one of DuPont's Better Things for Better Living. Speed-easy is quicker because it dries in an hour, easier because it goes on so fast, more economical because only one coat covers most soiled walls or dingy wallpaper. This year save time and money with speed-easy made by DuPont. Tonight our DuPont Cavalcade play written by Halstead Wells tells the story of a young sergeant returning to his New England village. Most of all, it's the story of Uncle Caleb, eager to honor this sergeant, Charkey, who is the first local boy that's won The Purple Heart. On the eve of Washington's birthday, this is a timely story because the award of The Purple Heart was originally created by George Washington on the 7th of August, 1782, at Newburgh, New York. This award was to acknowledge and encourage distinguished military acts. After the play, we shall hear from a soldier in the Army of the United States, aware of The Purple Heart and the Silver Star for gallantry. DuPont brings you Guy Kibby as Uncle Caleb, Wendy Barry as Jill, Dick Foran as Charkey. In The Purple Heart comes two free meadows on the DuPont Cavalcade of America. It's a crisp snow and sun Saturday morning. The houses are white, the winter trees are dark against the sky. It's a blue sky. Uncle Caleb is driving his cutter through Free Meadows, a village on the Dover Road four miles out of Exeter, New Hampshire. Jill Emerson, the new school teacher, is with him. I'm glad you're coming to Sufferton, I'd feel. Getting it up for my boy, Charkey. I've never been to a potluck supper before, Uncle Caleb. Mmm, young and pretty. My, you'll be like decorations in the church basement. Here, read this list for me. Jerry Harvey, Scallop Potatoes. Mrs. Merrill Hopkins, Scallop Potatoes. Mrs. Lynn Arthur, Scallop Potatoes. That's bad. Mmm, too bad for Charkey. And him, a sergeant coming back from North Africa on the 211 train. Mrs. Tyler lives here. Easy, Dolly. We'll stop a minute and see what she's fix. Whoa! Careful now. I can jump. No, it's been adrift. Of course, Charkey isn't really my boy. Never had a boy. I'd always kept a lookout for Charkey. Now, with that soldier coming home from war, would you feed him 10 pans of Scallop Potatoes and no pot roast? Hey, would you, Dolly? Even the horse thinks it's terrible. Oh, morning, Uncle Caleb. Morning, Mrs. Tyler. Come in. This is Jill Emerson. Oh, Uncle Caleb would bring you to the kitchen door. Something smells cooking, Mrs. Tyler. Oh, that's just for the potluck of the church tonight. Could you open the oven for us to look? Unless it might spoil what's cooking. Oh, you couldn't spoil this. It's just Scallop Potatoes. There you are, Uncle Caleb. Look. Yeah, I can see from here. Careful. Mrs. Tyler, Charkey's coming back with one of them awards for extra special bravery and being wounded in action. Yes, sir. He's got himself a Purple Heart Award. I just can't wait to go to church to see him. I was saying to Miss Emerson how you can fix my sweet potatoes the finest in three counties. Oh, Uncle Caleb, didn't you have a letter from Charkey hoping for a good dish of sweet potatoes? Tell you what I'll do. I'll fix the dish of those sweet potatoes and I'll cover it with melted marshmallows, browns on top. Bless you. The Scallop ones, I'll give my husband this noon. He's been eating them for 25 years. One more dish can't kill him. This is Miss Thompson. Well, let's get out. She's a sourced old girl on the eastern seaboard. She's just like her to bring plain lemon gelatin. Better not stand there under the eaves. The icicles is dripping. Uncle Caleb. Ace. Look what's cooling outside the kitchen window. What? Lemon gelatin. Any bananas cut in? No. Oranges maybe? No. Cherries? Not even nuts? It's just plain gelatin. You said it, Dolly. What are you after, Caleb? This is Miss Emerson. So you're snooping at my dessert, Miss Emerson. Didn't it take you fancy? I was admiring how clear it was. Hattie Thompson, are you planning to bring that for Sharky? That's very good for Sharky. What's he done in the war, huh? Now, Hattie. Is he a captain of a P.T. boat? Is he a pilot on a bomber? No. He's been sitting under a palm tree, that's all. He has been fighting. Fighting in Tunisia. Fighting in Clifford. Hattie, there's just one thing that could make up for all he's done. What? Minced pie. I've only one jar of minced meat left. And you won't get it. But this is jubilee potluck with speeches. Sharky's going to tell about how he won the Purple Heart. And I'm going to tell about the very first Purple Heart. The only one in all existence that General Washington gave when he started the award way back in Revolution days. Caleb, I'm all alone in the world and I've only got one jar of minced meat. And who do you think owns this one and only Purple Heart? The Cincinnati Society, right next to it, just four miles away. Yes, sir. And I got permission to bring that Purple Heart to the church. You told me it was like this. I might have... But now I haven't time. Not even an hour? No. There's Menden and Donnan for all afternoon. Miss Thompson, if I came next Saturday to help you so, couldn't you... Would you work all day? Yes. Would you expect me to give you lunch? No. Then I'll bake the pie. Well, Frank Champney. When's Sharky coming? On the 211. Hey, been shaving, ain't you? You seen the Reverend? He just passed and he was going into his bar and set the milk look like. Miss Emerson and me's been figuring how to ask him a delicate question. What's that? We want cider tonight. It's hard if I know how to ask the Reverend if he'll allow cider in the church. Uncle Caleb, you're going to need diplomacy. Well, Frank, you'll be coming yourself tonight. Yeah, I reckon the Mrs. and me, you'll bring a rib roast. That'll be wonderful. Well, when you see Miss Emerson, we had a boy overseas. That is, until we got a telegram from the war department. Bet you anything, he'd have a purple heart, too. Not that it matters. He couldn't wear it now. Well, what I mean to say is, we're counting on coming tonight. As long as we can't do anything for our boy, we like to do it for Sharky. That's what I mean. Didn't know you did your own milking, Reverend. Yeah, your milk real nice. Yeah, that's on your mind, Uncle Caleb. We've been talking about all the wonderful things the Lord has created. That's good talk. About maple trees and birds and cranberries and peaches. And apples. And about all the wonderful things that man can make with what the Lord created. Like applesauce, apple cobbler, baked apples, even squeezing apples for the juice. Well, what's the matter, Reverend? Did I say anything for you to take exception to? Uncle Caleb, reach that jug on the wall back of you. Cut this in? That's right. And that's the finest cider that the Lord and I ever created. Reverend, we'll see you tonight at six. It is a dime. A dime is 10 cents. Reverend Jade, soldier. How about you, buddy? Ah, you use it. Hey, I know what that one ribbon's for. That's the purple heart. Hey, tell me, how are things over there? Over where? Over there. All right. Yeah, I bet you could talk if you wanted to. Well, I don't. So, penalty at juice. Ah, I envy you fellows of chairs to fight like that. Every night when I get through this lousy job and get home to the missus here, the kids and her yelling, it makes me want to fight. Too old. But I like to hear about it. Machine guns, bayonets, killings. Yes, sir. Reverend Jade is a dime. The dime is 10 cents. Can you imagine that? It isn't bad enough to kill over there. You've got to come back and do it all over again for the folks back home. Well, here's home. When I get home, I just want to sit, sit and sit. All I want to do is see my Uncle Caleb. Maybe, maybe spare me a kneel for the ice on Great Bay. If the roads are blown clear, I'm going to ride my motorcycle. But for talking war, not for me, not by alongside. Hey, boy. Jill, before I forget it, I wouldn't say anything about that pop lock tonight. Keep it like a surprise. Hey, Uncle Caleb. Oh, boy, boy, boy. Let me take your bag. Oh, that's all right. Shocky. I want to carry your bag, boy. Hey, what's the matter? The rag we'd bother you? Huh? No, you've got tears in your eyes. You're safe. And home. Oh, I just can't wait to get back to the quiet of free medals. Not to have to talk to anyone except you, Uncle Caleb, and... Oh, this is Jill Emerson, our new teacher. Pleased to meet you. Pleased to meet you. Hey, you know you had up to something pretty nice I hadn't counted on. Thank you. Well, cry me and Jill and Shocky. I'll tell you what we'll do this evening. What's that? You and Jill and me will come into Exeter and we'll have us a time at the cozy corner. Three hours of ice cream and jukebox. What do you say, Jill? Well, I... Good. I know you'll come, Uncle Caleb. I just can't wait to see you dance. Shocky, I'm dancing right now. Well, look who's home. Hello, Miss Thompson. You made yourself the big hero, didn't you, Shocky? Oh, no. I just tried to do my job. Well, I'm coming to the church tonight to see you. What? Shocky, we're just having a potluck for you. Not for me, you aren't. Oh, come on, boy. Folks are counting on seeing you. Look at him. Just itching to come and tell all about it. How's that? Your speech. Everybody's coming to hear you tell how you won that purple heart. Hey, did you say I'd give a speech, Uncle Caleb? Yes, but not... Shocky, wait. Don't go, Shocky. Thanks for thinking of me, Uncle Caleb. But if you'd have been on the beach at Salerno, you wouldn't want to talk about it either. Wait a minute, Shocky. Shocky, don't go. Thanks for the band. I'll see you tomorrow. Where? Land of Goshen. The boy's right. I should have thought of it. Of course, he wouldn't want to talk. But what can we do? Blind old Grandma Everett coming out in the cold. The Champneys coming with a roast for Shocky instead of their boy. Young Dave Peterson's coming to play the harmonica. The Siders coming. And Shocky ain't coming. Yes, it won't be much of a jubilee. Not without Shocky. We've got to find him. Whoa, girl. See that fish shack out on the ice? Yeah. You wait here. I'm going out there. Oh, look. Someone's coming out of the shack. That's right. There is. But it isn't a soldier. Well, maybe Shocky's inside. Hello! Hello! Shocky there? Huh? Is Shocky there? No. Has he been there? Yep. Where'd he go? Back in the Exeter. Caught three years and went to Heaven Court. What time is it, Jill? Oh, four o'clock. What time is it? Why didn't we pass him on the road? It's four o'clock. No, we must have passed him on the road to Statham. How about it, Dolly? Two miles to Fremetters and then four miles to Exeter. Oh, you shouldn't be grudged, Dolly. Never made you proud, did I? And just figure this is your war effort. You are listening to Guy Kibby, Wendy Barry, and Dick Foren. In The Purple Heart Comes to Fremetters, on the cavalcade of America sponsored by DuPont, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. As our play continues, Uncle Caleb and Jill, played by Mr. Kibby and Mrs. Barry, are searching for Sharky. They want him to come to the popluck supper in his honor at the church because he's the first boy from the village of Fremetters who have won a Purple Heart. Sharky, played by Mr. Foren, has been dodging them because he's afraid he'll have to make a speech. But right now, Uncle Caleb and Jill come looking for him at the Cozy Corner Cafe. Can you see me there? He's at a table alone. Let's think of the jukebox. Can you come to the Cozy Corner? Five o'clock. Got to kind of work fast. Got to figure out how to handle him. He can't drive him. Just explain to him nice and careful like an ox. Let's go in. Hello, Sharky. Hello, Sharky. Well, where do you look out of breath? Oh, no, no. Been driving around to show Jill the countryside. You weren't hurting for me, were you? No, just looking on all the eyes. You should have come earlier. I've just finished a fine mess of ill. Too bad you weren't here, Jill. Yeah, I'm crazy for you. Aren't you going to the church supper? No, we gave that up. Too many people coming. Well, then we can all spend the evening together. Oh, sure, sure thing. Well, there's only one little thing that... Yeah? I got to stop by the Cincinnati Society Museum and pick up a soldier's coat from Revolution time. What for? It's got a purple heart on it, so out of thought. Only one in the world. You see, I promised to bring it to the church. But we won't stay. No, no, no, no. Wanna ride along with us? Might as well. Then we'll all come right back here to that ice cream and jukebox you were tanking for. Old place. George Washington used to come here. Don't bump your head on the ceiling. This is the tap room where he ate. And in here... In here is the desk where he sat. Getting dusk, isn't it? Now we can see it all right. Isn't it a beauty? Think I'll sit a bit and I'll lay this kind of... Sit down, Dale. Chucky, don't you want to sit? Okay. Dale, isn't it? There's nothing as still as early evening in an old house. Think of my elbow right where George Washington was. He must have had elbows, mustn't he? Did you know that Washington started the first Purple Heart? Yeah, I guess so. This old cult they found up in the barn was laying over a spinning wheel. Don't know whose coat it was. Don't know whose spinning wheel it was. But I always figured it was a story, something like this. A soldier and a girl. A soldier, maybe like you, Chucky. A girl like Jill, maybe. I figure he was wounded. Staying in bed two months in a farmhouse and not getting better. And every afternoon the farmer's girl used to come up and spin by him. But she liked to hear the click of the spinning wheel. Susan, keeping his mind from wandering far away and... bitter. Just like that quick, quick, quick in the dust sleeping up like this. Two months on my back, forgotten. You aren't forgotten? Who cares? Who cares for a soldier once he's fought and broken and the war is over? Don't talk. The battle where I fell and bled isn't even a mark and a map in the war. The men I fought with had passed me by and rushed to wives and homes. The country I fought for can't remember. Please, life, Jill, you need to rest. I'm a naked, a stink and a land happy again and greedy again in peace. You're wrong. Wrong, though, remember? Oh, God and General Washington? No, no, no. They're busy playing games. I can't answer the things you say from fever. The bitter things, but I still hope. All these weeks are the slow days past, one and then another. Another dragging by like wounded soldiers. I have hoped and believed that you wouldn't be forgotten. I still do. Oh, go on, spinning. I'd rather hear the dry click of the wheel. The wheel is honest. It just says life passes. Life passes to nothing. Come in. I'm looking for a soldier, John Stevens. Here he is. He has a visitor outside. Bring him in. Bring him in. You seem excited. I just want to look out of the window. Oh, it's snowing again. It isn't always winter. You'll be up by spring. Come May, you'll sit out in the sun. Come June, we'll walk by the river. Come in. Sir. I greet you with the gratitude of myself, Congress, the nation. What you did at, we knew at headquarters, but where you were we didn't know until a letter came from, uh, you are the girl. I took the liberty. Seems right. Right and you. I have come, sir, to award you the badge of military merit. The order of the Purple Heart. Thank you. I shall read the statement. In order to cherish virtuous ambition in the soldiers, as well as to foster and encourage every species of military merit, the Commander-in-Chief directs that whenever any singular meritorious action is performed, the author of it shall be permitted to wear on his facings over the left breast the figure of a heart in purple cloth or silk, edged with narrow lace or bindings. The road to glory in a patriotic army country is thus open to all. John Stevens, do you accept? Thank you, sir. Is there a piece of purple cloth in the house? My best guess is purple. Perhaps from the hem of it you could... From the whole of it. I'll cut a heart as big as the flag. Then the spring came, the soldier got well, got the girl. His bitterness went with the earth turning green. And knowing that folks remembered. It's a good thing, that purple heart. A proud thing to wear. And even to talk about. People like to hear. For instance, most of the free medicine works over in the shipyards now, and if the sailor comes home, they want to know how the sailing was on the ship that they built. Could you take it and give it back double? They got a right to know. Of course, some folks ask foolish questions, but they can't hold back the many for the few. At least that's the way I figure. Uncle Caleb? Yes? Uh, what time is it? Almost six. Six? Mm-hmm. So I'm not to keep them waiting. Huh? Shocky. Yeah, if we're going to that church supper, we'd better stop scoffing. Thank you, Guy Kibby, Wendy Barry, and Dick Foran for your performances and tonight's story about the purple heart. On the eve of Washington's birthday, Dupont salutes the thousands of Americans, the living and the dead, the wearers of the purple heart from 1792 to the present day. Guy Kibby will return to the microphone in a few minutes to present to us Corporal Emile Epony, member of the military order of the purple heart. And now, Clinton Collier, speaking for Dupont, tells us of some new and unusual wartime uses for nylon yarn. A few years ago, farmers driving along the country roads of Wilmington, Delaware turned to stare in amazement as a red coupé rumbled past with four or five pieces of rope dangling behind it. The ropes didn't seem to be there for any purpose. They were just hanging loosely, whipping and lashing the road surface as the car rolled over the back road. That was the first wear test of nylon ropes. More severe tests followed. Manila and nylon ropes of the same diameter were rubbed back and forth over a smooth steel bar. The manila wore out after 200,000 rubs. The nylon rope was still good after a million. Because rope made of Dupont nylon yarn passed its test so well, soon it was being used for non-stop pickups of air mail. Ordinary rope, braided materials, rubber rope, even steel cable had been tried for non-stop mail pickups, but all that were tried snapped or fouled the control surfaces of the plane. Nylon took the enormous strain, gave a little like a well-tempered spring, and lifted the mail sacs into the air so smoothly that the pilot of the plane didn't even seal a jar. And when snow kept regular mail planes from landing at Pittsburgh for 10 days, the pickup service using nylon rope functioned without interruption. When the Ohio River flooded airports with several feet of water, two men in a boat hung the mail bags in a bullet-shaped container between tall poles, and the pickup plane swooped down for the evening mail like a gull diving for a fish. Today, gleaming white nylon rope picks up mail and air express at more than 100 non-stop stations in half a dozen states, towns not on the regular air mail stops. Applications for the service are unfiled from 1,800 other communities. When the war is over, because of the pickup system, it may be possible to mail a letter in a small town in Maine and have it delivered the following day in another small town in California. But that will have to wait until the war is won. For today, the Army is using nylon rope to tow gliders. In a straight tow, such as the trip across the Atlantic, for instance, it helps to ease the jerks and snatches caused by bumpy air. Most of the glider operations so far, including the transatlantic cargo trip and the Sicilian invasion, have been straight tows with plane and glider leaving the field together. But non-stop pickups of gliders have been made. And perhaps before the war is over, they will prove to be of value in bringing in troops or removing them from areas where planes cannot land. Nylon rope is one of the many new developments which come to you as to plant better things through their living, through chemistry. And here is Guy Kibbey with Corporal Emile Epony, wearer of the ribbon of the Purple Heart and the Silver Star for gallantry. Corporal Epony, welcome to Cavalcade. Thank you, Mr. Kibbey. I'm sorry we can't provide the kind of potluck supper to welcome you that the folks in the play got up for Sharky. Something else happened to me the same as to Sharky. It's pretty important to me, too. And what was that, Corporal? Well, I found out just like Sharky did when the Purple Heart was awarded by George Washington. This medal sure goes back a long way. Yes, son, you're a part of a glorious tradition of our country. In what action did you win that declaration? In Tennessee, in the African campaign. And your Silver Star? I got that in the same show. Those are proud things to wear. We'd like to hear more about them, son. You see, I was a liaison between the first aid station and the infestee and the field. The going was pretty hot and thick that day. And I got tagged by an 88-millimeter shelf. And I guess, well, I guess that's about all. Well, son, I guess all you fellas are pretty much alike. You just can't get to talking about yourselves. But here, ladies and gentlemen, is the story as told by the War Department. For gallantry in action, while under constant enemy fire, Corporal Epony called to the side of a serious wounded soldier. And with the assistance of members of his litter squads, rendered first aid. Later, Corporal Epony assisted in successfully evacuating the soldier across the rain, constantly exposed to enemy fire. Son, we are grateful and honored to have you with us here tonight. Good luck to you, Corporal Epony. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, this the week in which we celebrate Washington's birthday is being observed throughout America as brotherhood wheat. In order to realize again the spirit of unity among people of different races, cultures and religions that makes our country strong. Our fight to win the war and establish a real peace will be endangered by any attempt to divide Protestants, Jews and Catholics by appeals to religious bigotry and hatred. Next week, Dupont presents Virginia Weidler and Jane Darwell in Junior Angel, a friendly, warm-hearted story of young Americans and their part in the war on the home front with Miss Weidler stored in the role of Ruthie Crawford, student's nurse's aide and Jane Darwell as nurse-boil. The play concerns in sprightly fashion the teenage girl and her fine and needed contribution toward winning the war by helping in our country's hospitals. It might also be the story of thousands of other young American girls of today who wait only to be told how they may serve. Cavalcade is pleased to remind its audience that Guy Kibbe will soon be seen in the Jack Benny picture The Horn Blows at Midnight. Dick Foran is currently appearing in the Broadway musical A Comedicate Yankee. Tonight's Dupont Cavalcade orchestra was under the direction of Donald Goree. This is Roland Winters sending best wishes from Cavalcade sponsor the Dupont Company of Wilmington, Delaware who invites you to join Cavalcade's audience again next Monday evening when Virginia Weidler and Jane Darwell will be starred in Junior Angel. This is the National Broadcasting Company.