 The Cavalcade of America sponsored by Dupont, maker of Better Things for Better Living through Chemistry, presents Pat O'Brien in Iron Camels. Tonight, Cavalcade brings you the story of a modern Casey Jones, a story about the railroads and the railroad men of the Army Transportation Corps, and the vital part they played in the winning of Tunisia. It is a true story based on a detailed report from a correspondent in North Africa. It was adapted for Cavalcade by Sue Taylor White as a play for one of Motion Pictures' outstanding personalities, Pat O'Brien. And so tonight on the Cavalcade of America, Pat O'Brien as Lieutenant Colonel Steve Carey of the Army Transportation Corps. I don't suppose there's hardly anybody who wouldn't say that's one of the most thrilling sounds in the world. The working song of a big steam locomotive. Today you can hear that sound in places where there's, well, there's never been any other form of transportation than a horse or a camel or a man's back since the dawn of time. The sound of an American locomotive installed and operated by the United States Army Transportation Corps. Now, just because I'm an officer in the Transportation Corps, I'm not going to claim we win all the battles single-handed. Indeed, the Army's a team, and it's the teamwork that counts. But you must remember this. Every gallon of gasoline, every bomb and bullet in shell that you folks at home turn out has to reach the fighting fronts before it's any good to any of us. And that takes men, and wheels, railroads, and railroad men. Nowadays, an Army marches on its ammunition trains. In the North African desert, they call them Iron Camel. Just behind the front, the Casserine Pass. Remember that name? Casserine Pass? That's where the Germans licked us. That's where the Germans licked us. Almost. It was a hot night, and I was in a little hut next to our tracks doing some paperwork. The men had worked like dogs all day, laying a double track right up to the front lines. And we were all dead tired. Every so often, an ammunition train would rumble past us. Taking a load of shells up to the artillery, boys, or a hand to get out of the Germans as fast as they could shove it into the guns. So we knew we'd done our job, and we'd done it right. And we were feeling pretty good. There was only one thing I noticed I didn't like. The sound of that artillery fire seemed to be getting nearer, and that was liable to mean trouble. Uh, say Colonel. What do you want, Collins? You're a busy Colonel. No, busy? No, no, of course not. I just see you're looking at the scenery all night long. Yeah, it's beautiful, ain't it? What do you want? Colonel, I got a feeling... Listen, this is transportation, not the medical corps. Oh, I ain't sick, Colonel, but do you hear that artillery? Of course I hear it. Well, I got a feeling we're gonna start moving backwards. Yeah, well, suppose you go to sleep somewhere and stop demoralizing the armed forces. Okay, sir, but here comes a courier, and I'll bet he didn't come up here to pass out medals. Colonel, carry. That's right. Give it here. All right. Tell him we're on our way. Yes, sir. Collins? I know, sir. Shut up. We've got four locomotives. Detail men to get them hot and hype all the hell out of here. Yes, sir. But two damn hogs you're as cold as the back of my neck, sir. We're not leaving good American steam engines for the master race to play with. Come on. Yes. Where's that French section, boss? There he is, leading the band. Hey, Ro! The reason to our concert is you're beautiful. Some music, eh? Yeah, yeah, but look, we're pulling out, Ro. Out? I want all those air-abs on board a train and out of here in one hour. You help Collins warm up the two coal engines. Yeah, but where we go? The front lines are so close already, mister. We're not going to the front lines. We're going away from them. The Germans are breaking through the Casserine Pass. No, monsieur. Yes, monsieur. The American army is in retreat. Your force are the section hands. I don't lose any, and let's move. Move your hand, will you? I can't see that plow. What happened to that other range? All right, that'll come a little this way. Better drop slow now. Collins. Collins, where's Collins? Right here, sir, right here. We've got this engine hot and ready to scram. Put Blackburn on and send her out. Go on over to number six and see what's holding him up there. Yes. Blackburn, get aboard and take her out. Yes, sir. Hop on. Come on. All right, get aboard, Joe. Where's Max? Give her that gun, Blackburn. Well, that one's gone. What's the matter here? Collins, what have you done? We'll never get these two babies hot. Captain Times said, hey, they're getting awful close with that artillery. All right, sir. Now look, we leave this one number seven behind. Take off her side, Roz. I don't want any jewel we left on her. Burn out her pistons and do the same with number seven. Colonel Kerry. That's right. Over here, I'm Colonel Kerry. The Germans just broke through the pass. What do you mean, broke through? Isn't anybody fighting them anymore? Fight them all the way, sir, but there's no telling when they'll be down on us. Boy, I can feel like ground shaking now. All right, Collins. Let's see one of your burning torches. Come on. Ain't we getting out? We'll pull out on the last engine. Those two cold hogs have... Well, they got to be made useless. Hop up here. Well, here's the torch. All right, give me gas. You got a match on you? Here I'll light it, sir. More oxygen. Stand by. Here goes a good testin'. Boy, look at that steel burnin'. This is one locomotive that ain't going to carry no Germans very far. Say, sir, why don't we just blow up these two engines and scram? I got a fan. We'll be back here soon, Collins. I'd rather fix the burn piston than put an exploded locomotive in it, kid. Oh, they're shooting at us, sir. We've got more oxygen. But, gee, maybe they're only over that hill there. More oxygen. Oh, that one nearly potted my hair. One over number seven. See if they got steam up. She's still cold. Tell Smith to burn her pistons. And I mean burn, see, like I'm doing that here. Scoach her guts out. And get everybody who isn't working aboard number eight. She's the only one left to get away on. You sure we got time to burn her out, huh? Young fella, the only thing I'm sure of right now is that the German Army is coming through those hills. Now get going. Yes, sir. Collins. Yes, sir. You ready to pull out of here? Yes, sir. You all right? Well, I'd been better, Colonel. Is that Smith in the camp with you? Right here, sir. We've burned out number seven, and this one's hot and ready to go, sir. All right, boy. Give her the gun. Go ahead. Well, ain't you coming? This is the last iron camel out of here. I'll cut across that bend out there and make sure all the men are cleared out. You two slow down beyond that gully and pick me up there. Get her rolling. Go ahead. I'll be right around the bend. Okay, sir. So long. Well, let's go, Smithy. Start her rolling. Okay, Sergeant. Who, me? Yeah, you. Now start her rolling. That's in order. Oh, now look, Sergeant. I don't... Now listen, Private First Class, I don't want no arguments. I gotta look out of this window here and watch for the kernel. You gotta do the driving. Well... Well, if that's the way you want it, Sergeant. Yeah, that's the way that I want it. Hey, hey, wait a minute. What are you doing turning on the steam? Are you crazy? That's what I mean, Sergeant. I tried to tell you... I tried to tell me what? Arcane. I never drove no locomotive in my life. I don't care if you're... You don't know how to drive this thing? Uh-uh. And you're in the Army Transportation Corps? Ah, what can the government be thinking of? Well, I... Oh, Sergeant. No, look, sir, I don't think this is no time to stand on ceremony. I think you better drive. Do you think I'd be asking you to pilot this pig if I could do it myself? Oh, I get it. You can't eat... You can't either! No! And we ain't got no time for go-corresponding school courses. Get out of my way. What are you gonna do, Sergeant? I'm gonna learn by trial and by error. Oh, what's this thing here? Uh-oh. I think it was an error. Oh, yeah? So concentrate on silence, okay? Now, here's something. Yeah, hold on. I'll give this one a pull. Wow. There, see? We're moving. Hey, we're going backwards. Hey, Sergeant, we're going to the German lines. Shut it off! All right, all right. Stop all the time criticizing. Here we go, frontwards. I hope. Ah, well, now you did it all right. Boy, sure feels good to be getting out of here. Hey, Sergeant, look back there. Are those German tanks coming around that hill? I ain't got no time to look back if the German tanks are a few more interested in looking straight ahead. Boy, look at us go around this old town. Hey, there's the Colonel up ahead. Slow down. Yeah, that's what I was thinking myself. Where's the break, I wonder? The break? Wait a sec. Oh, here, I'll pull this. Ah, stop pulling the whistle. Here, I'll try this handle. I think we're in a rut, Collins. All we do is make noises. Well, come on, do something. We're gonna pass the Colonel. Well, hold on, I'm gonna pull everything. Boy, you sure stopped here, Collins. Yeah, I sure did. Well, there's the Colonel. Oh, Colonel, what are you trying to do, flatten the wheels? Oh, I mean, Sergeant, we're sort of experimenting. Hop in, Colonel. Well, stop experimenting. All the men got out on the other end. The Germans won't find anything there, but scrap. Gotta go now, Collins, and fast. Well, Colonel, you see, uh... We're a sharp man, Colonel. We never run one of these before. You never... Get away from that throttle. Yes, sir. Say, uh, where we heading for, Colonel? That is, if you don't mind telling us. Oh, I don't mind telling you. You're going to Met Louie. You boys feel tired? I don't feel nothing in this cement mixer. Because if you do, you'd better find something to lean against and get some sleep. Well, I was thinking of sleeping in Met Louie. Well, forget it. As soon as we hit Met Louie, every man that can stand up is gonna load the machine shops on the flat cars and shovel. Oh, the machine shops? Are we going to be cut off in Met Louie, too? We're being swamped. We're in retreat. So loosen your belts and relax, boys. You got the hardest job in your life is waiting for you ten miles down that track. I don't see them on the cars. Oh, the starting machines are on the last flat car. With the radius in place. Wait on the line there. All right. Now, look. Take your air abs over and go over the whole string. Make sure everything is last down tight. Pulling out in an hour. Hey, the Germans are getting the reins. Yeah, you better make it 40 minutes instead of an hour. Go ahead. Colonel Kerry! Hey, Colonel, we just got a call on the field telephone. The Germans have cut the tracks on both sides of us. We can't roll this stuff out and Captain Allen's asking for orders, sir. Oh, he is, huh? Yes, sir. If you want to blow up the machine before the Germans get here, well, I've got three squads all set to go to work. Well, that's thoughtful of you, Collins. I'll tell you what. Take your squads and roll out those trucks in that shed over there. Get hold of the rule and load everything off the flat cars and out of the trucks. Yes, sir. But I'd just like to remind you, sir, there ain't no roads here in this part of the country. We'll cut across the desert. Then you don't want no demolition squads now, huh? Listen, Collins, we're not going to blow anything up as long as we can move a muscle. Too many guys worked hard to turn this stuff out, and too many guys gave their lives sailing it across the ocean. I'll get that stuff out of the trucks. We'll blow it up when it needs to be blown up until then it's moving day and moon. Transportation Corps, we are attacking. Germans are destroying all railroad track as they retreat. Repair of track is essential to success of our movements. You are to rebuild track of the front lines at maximum possible speed, keeping pace at all times with moving front. You will be under attack by German air forces, but we will give you as much air protection as we can spare. Acknowledge, sign, Johnson, Adjutant, General Headquarters. Well, we build it. Track and track and more track and even bridges. I remember one bridge especially in Tunisia. We had built a line all the way up to this river, and then the bridge stopped us cold. It was ripped up by the Germans, so you couldn't get a kitty car over it, let alone a locomotive. Up ahead, our army was battling the Germans. On our side of the bridge, our trains were waiting filled with ammunition and supplies that the boys just had to have. Yes, we worked days and we worked nights. It was near mature. You remember that name? The Germans were throwing everything they had at our boys, and here were train loads of supplies waiting to cross that bridge. Well, finally, one afternoon, we had track laid almost the whole length of the bridge and on its approaches. Hey there, Ro! How's it look? Yeah, one hour more, Colonel. I believe we will be finished. Nobody can work like out of section high. Yeah, I was kind of afraid I'd have trouble with them. Different kind of people and all you never can tell. Just let me keep handling them and there will be no trouble. Don't suppose they could stop that singing, do you? Makes it kind of hard to concentrate. Unnerves me sometimes, you know? I think it will be better to keep singing, Colonel. You see, they... Here comes the Luftwaffe again. Everybody down, take cover. Roll down, take cover. Time to take cover and stop that singing. Stop him! Stop him! They better get down in the ditch, Colonel. Coming. Come down here, Colonel! Sir! If they blow up that bridge again, I'm gonna go crazy. Oh, listen to those Arabs, are they nuts? You are listening to the Cavalcade of America, sponsored by Dupont, presenting Pat O'Brien as Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Kerry of the Transportation Corps U.S. Army. Our play Iron Camels is the story of the railroads and railroad men and the part they played in the campaign in Tunisia. Colonel Kerry and his men have worked day and night to repair a blasted bridge over which ammunition must be carried to the American troops. While they work, again and again, the Luftwaffe attacks. Here they come again, right with you, sir. Get down, they're striping us. They're happy now, so they sing louder. As I was saying before, Colonel, I think better you allow them to sing. Yeah, yeah, I feel better myself with this singing, I guess. Collins, anybody get hurt? No, no, everybody's okay, sir. We're gonna have clear track in half an hour, sir, right through to the front. Oh, that's wonderful. Go to the field telephone and notify headquarters they can start those ammunition trains coming through. The stretch is clear. Right, sir. Colonel, you better get going. Holy cats, those honey planes are coming back again. You think they let a man finish his job before they... Yeah, look, look, there. American planes. Scare your men, Roll. Most things there. They are fighting off the Germans. Everybody down, dig in, all of you. There's a plane falling, it's one of ours. Jump in here, Roll. Poor kid, look at him up there. Any room in that trench? Jump in, you lunatic. Look at him. He's trying to pull out. Colonel, he's gonna smash up on our tracks. Oh, kid, whoever you are, straight in the house. Straight in the house. Boy, don't fall. Oh, he must be hurt bad. He's not bailing out. He's hitting straight with the bridge gunner. Poor guy, don't hit that bridge. Don't. Trying to turn away from the tracks. Look at that kid before he starts burning. Yes, sir. Roll, grab this wing with me. Yeah. Turn her over. All right. Fire the engine's burning. She's gonna explode. Everybody, push up. All right, get him out of here. Roll, grab the cockpit cover. Come on, pull. Pull out. Let me smash the hatch. Go ahead and be careful. Don't hurt the kid now. He's moving. He's alive. Roll, get him throwing sand on that engine before the tanks catch fire. Let me, Mr. Yes, sir. All right, grab under the arms. Yes, sir. Up now. He can't move his legs, sir. He must have got it in the legs. Up with him. Smith grab his legs. Yes, sir. All right, let's get away from this thing. Roll, get everybody clear before she blows. Everybody move. We're safe here, sir. She won't blow this far. It comes first aid now, sir. Yeah. All right, let him down. Yeah. There. Now we pull that plane off the tracks before she blows. But she... Okay, sir. I'm with you, sir. There she goes, sir. Yeah. And there goes our track. Oh, sometimes I get awful discouraged, Collins. Look at that hole. Look at it. Yes, sir. I didn't have time to tell you, sir. Headquarter said over the phone that it was wonderful how we got the track clear. They did, huh? Yes, sir. They also said they were sending the ammunition trains right through, sir. Well, that's really big of them. We ain't never going to get that hole filled and track late in time for no trains. What a war. All right, Collins, here's the tick. Yes, sir. That plane wreckage won't be cool enough to move in the morning. I want a shoe fly thrown around that section. We're about to track about, well, say 30 feet around the plane, start your fly back there by the lens. Right, sir. Roe. Roe, coming, monsieur. Listen, Roe, get your gang, bring you new ties, haul up the rails and angle bars. If you need anything, just holler. Forget those boys going. You understand? Hey, monsieur. Hello. Well, Collins, I think we're going to break a record laying track. Yeah, I'd like it very much if those ammo trains would go right through. In fact, if we don't break a couple of records, the United States Army is going to start moving backwards again for lack of ammunition. And if they move backwards, we're going to have to blow up that bridge. And if I have to blow that bridge up after all the headaches we had building it, I'm going to leave the transportation corps and pick up a cannon and go hunting Germans. So let's say some smoke around here. Oh, it's going forward, monsieur. Fine, fine, great. But must those Arabs make that beautiful music all the time? Roe, tell each and every one of those boys that the Colonel is a lover of Arabian music and that after the war he's going to buy himself an album of Arabian records and play them morning after morning in memory of those wonderful people. Now let's lay some track. Well, the sun went down that day and we kept at it, feeling the tracks for vibration and the balance of the approach of those ammo trains. News came through that the Germans had bound our forward ammunition depot. Our artillery up ahead had four-hour supply of shells and no more. Oh, I tell you frankly, if our boys had to retreat again because the supply trains were held up, I honestly, I think I'd have eaten my helmet strapped and all because I didn't intend to blow up the rails we'd laid if I could possibly help it. It was, well, it was about midnight. I was checking rail widths when the new shoe fly we'd almost finished. Collins came running to me. The wrecked plane was still smoking. Colonel, the trains are coming down the line. The tracks are buzzing like an electric razor. Role! Role, what do you say? We're working so fast we can. These spikes can only go in when they are pounded. Roger, Sledge. Come on, Collins. Grab a hammer. Let's bang in a couple. Here you are, sir. I'll hold the spike for you. Okay. And he started now, Collins. Grab a sledge. Sir, she's coming up fast, sir. Bang that spike, boys. Bang it. Yes, sir. We hear you, pal. We hear you. Yes, sir. Come, sir. I'll tell her back to Role. Oh, that wouldn't be it, Major. We got them all pounded in here, sir. How's it, Role? Cigarette, Role. Thank you, Monsieur. How about you, Collins? Well, I don't mind if I do, sir. Well, boys, we made it. We made it. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. She's passed through, and here we are, sitting on the sand, and everything's quiet. And the moon shines as though nothing had happened. And in a record book somewhere, a notation goes down. Track bombed out. Track cleared. And that's the end of it. What a war. You know, Role, that singing is beginning to sound nice. I think I'm getting used to it. That is because you know the song, Monsieur. What do you mean I know the song? Well, Monsieur, I teach them that one with Sergeant Collins. You know about Monsieur Casey Jones, who has another father on this old leg line? Listen. Well, how do you like that? Casey Jones. Yeah, this is some war. A fighting Frenchman. Americans. And an immortal Arabian section gang singing Casey Jones in the middle of the African desert. Oh, I tell you, Role, if we lose this war, there'll be an awful lot of brotherhood gone to waste. So, Brian, ladies and gentlemen, Monsieur O'Brien will return a little later in the program. Meantime, here is Gain Whitman with a message from DuPont. Ordnance used to be thought of as guns and ammunition, and that was about all. But today, the Ordnance Department of the Army handles just about everything connected with the design, procurement, manufacture, distribution, maintenance and salvage of all the tools with which the Army fights. Not only ammunition, for example, but the boxes the ammunition is packed in, the trucks that carry it to the guns, the guns themselves, and if they happen to be mounted in tanks, the tanks too. Ordnance is a $2 billion business with more than a million trained men. $2 billion are your dollars and my dollars. When we buy war bonds, some of the things we help to buy are the fighting weapons of ordinance. We back the attack. These are the dollars and the weapons that liberated North Africa and Sicily. These are the dollars and the weapons that will invade Europe and end the war. There is no better argument for buying bonds in the third war loan than the Ordnance exhibits which are being shown in various cities in the country. The best known company names in American industry are represented in the Ordnance shows. One manufacturer who used to make bottle caps is now turning out ammunition cases that can be stored at the bottom of a river without leaking. A refrigerator company is making giant siege guns. As you walk from one interesting exhibit to another, you think, so that's why I can't buy a new saw. They're making armor plate and when you see the armor plate shield that protects the pilot of some of our bombers and think how many lives may be saved, you get a lump in your throat and decide you can wait for a new saw. Wait a long time if need be. These scores of manufacturers supplying army ordnance are virtually a list of DuPont customers. In some cases, DuPont ammonia was used in treating the steel. In others, a DuPont finish was used on it. The rayon that goes into a parachute designed to carry a demolition bomb to earth. The three-dimensional use of colored paints that speeds wartime production. The lacquer that coats a shell case. The laminated cellophane in which a rifle is packed for shipment. Those and with a hundred other contributions of chemistry are among the wartime tasks of DuPont, better things for better living through chemistry. One of the DuPont better things for better living through chemistry is speed easy. A product many people are using to utilize extra rooms for war workers. If you have a spare room that might be used by a war worker, remember it's easy to freshen up dingy wallpaper or any wall surface with a coat of DuPont speed easy. The remarkable new wall finish that thins with water. It hides in one quick coat and dries in an hour. Speed easy comes in eight beautiful pastel tints for every room in your house. Try DuPont speed easy. And now here is Pat O'Brien, star of this evening's cavalcade. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you. I do hope you found as much pleasure in this story as I did when I first read the scripts some weeks ago. It serves to make us conscious of the job the railroads are doing in this war. We don't ordinarily think of the railroads at the front. And while the story of iron camels was fictionized, all the essential facts are true. Besides being a triumph of arms, Indonesia victory was a triumph of men working together to keep the supplies rolling. American railroad men fighting French and Arabs. And this was an important contribution in the conquest of Sicily and the fall of Italy. Next week, cavalcade brings you another popular motion picture star, Randolph Scott. Our play, The Vengeance of Torpedo Eight, is a story of heroism in the Pacific. How the men of the United States Navy Torpedo Bomber Squadron avenged the death of 42 of their comrades over Midway. I invite you to be its guest again next week when we bring you The Vengeance of Torpedo Eight. The story of adventure and daring starring Randolph Scott as Lieutenant Harold Larson, U.S. Navy, on the cavalcade of America. Tonight's musical score was composed and conducted by Robert Ambruster. Attle Bryan appeared through the courtesy of RKO Pictures where he is currently starring in the Iron Major. This is James Bannon sending best wishes from cavalcade sponsor, the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. Welcome again to you from Hollywood. This is the National Broadcasting Company.