 proudly we hail from New York City where the American stage begins here is another transcribe program with a cast of outstanding players and featuring as Molly pitcher Rose Mary Rice public service time has been made available by this station for your army and your Air Force to bring you this story as proudly we hail the women's Army Corps out of the yellowed but inspiring pages of American history comes the story of a woman who didn't hesitate to aid her country even to the extent of joining in actual combat this is the story of a woman whose heroic deeds and service have been shrouded in mixed fact and legend but whose emerging spirit has been a constant symbol to the women of America this is the story of Molly pitcher after this important message our first act curtain will rise if you're a woman over 18 and under 34 years of age your help is needed in the women's Army Corps you're needed to serve alongside the men of the United States Army why not visit your local United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station have a talk with the local recruiter and learn all the facts remember your country needs you now and now with Rose Mary Rice in the title role your army and your Air Force present the proudly we hail production Molly pitcher there was nothing really special in what I did there was need of me and I was there it was a time of emergency it was my duty Molly pitcher the daughter of John Ludwig was born in a dairy farm between Princeton and Trenton, New Jersey on October 13 1754 she was christened Mary but was nicknamed Molly by friends and neighbors when a child historians although sketchy about many things concerning her all agree however that she was brusque but kindly when she was 15 her gracious kindness her patience with children and her willingness to work won her a position in the home of the well-known Dr. William Irving and his family in Carlisle, Pennsylvania that same year Molly Mary John Casper Hayes a barber with a shop near the Irving home to secure their marriage for the future Molly had continued working at the Irvings but now six years later in 1775 there was little security of any kind throughout the 13 colonies petitions to London for fair treatment adequate representation and a limited self-government had been answered by warships and troops colonists had been fired upon punitive decrees had been issued there was nothing left now but a fight for full freedom and independence Molly I'm joining an artillery unit tomorrow John you're what I'm enlisting it's time John you're not a soldier a man becomes a soldier but you're not you're the best barber in all of Pennsylvania Molly a moment now yes you are in all of Pennsylvania here now put down these basins and let me tell you what do you know about artillery nothing Molly dear absolutely nothing please put down these basins now tell me Molly dear tell me why you must stop being a barber the best in Pennsylvania to do something with artillery my dear I wouldn't know a cannon from a shepherd shears well then but I learned years learning to be a barber the best barbers yes dear I know the best barber in Pennsylvania it's true John others can learn to fight others can learn about cannons no Molly no my dear this will take all of us it means every one of us men women and even children every one of us but why you this means more than my being a barber or a grocer or anything else it means my very right to be a barber or a grocer or anything else I want to be but no one or anything in London this is no longer London or the King or his government we've been fired on in Boston people like us because we have dared ask for for a voice in our own affairs for a measure of freedom John I don't want you hurt in God's care and with your love well I'll even learn about artillery John's leaving hung like a heavy weight on Molly's strong shoulders they had talked more about the issues facing not only themselves but the thousands and thousands of others who must now face the same problems but Molly felt she couldn't work in Carlisle anymore with John away this was a time of decision Mrs Irving yes Molly the children are taking their nap fine I don't know how you do it oh they're good children perfect children but just perfect enough to be little terrors but why they will take their nap for you and no one else I don't know I like to tell them a story first little sticks I just think you're a magician with children I Molly you've been crying is something wrong well yes ma'am I said anything I know what it is here wait until I put this old yarn down there now Molly you sit down right here I you don't have to tell me I know exactly what it is John is left for the war and you are lonesome and you miss him and it's only three days since he's gone and you're worried and so on yes ma'am yes yes I know you go home each night in the shop is closed and you don't hear the sound of his honing his raises for tomorrow and you can't cook for yourself because he's not there to eat with you and you can't get to sleep because you don't know where he is or how he is and you suddenly feel as though you're part of the world had dropped away yes ma'am I don't want to stay in Carlisle excuse me that's quite all right Molly my dear it's very understandable you've been so kind I don't know what to do exactly but but staying in Carlisle isn't what I want come and then dry your tears we will go see the doctor he may have an idea free he did have that old reprobate Salis Turner in there again he always needs at least an hour with that gouty old fool oh Salis probably is still trying to convince the doctor that the only cure for gout is to wean infants on brandy and thus develop a tolerance for spirits my remember you have a home here with us if you want it yes ma'am I'll remember are you free will come in come in I I have just rejected Silas Turner's new invention a specially shaped spoon for feeding brandy to babies well this is important it really is no well by the looks of Molly's reddened eyes I can see that it's about John what no bad news already oh oh no sir thank heavens no will but Molly is distressed about his leaving and just about doesn't know what to do here here here there's no you just standing there come on both of us sit down sit down that's it now Molly is my patient what is it my dear Dr. Irving things aren't quite the same for me since John left I won't cry anymore because of his leaving I know he had to go but I go on child I know how important it was for him to go but here in Carlisle I'm always reminded of his leaving everything here reminds me of how happy we've been remember Molly we have been very happy about you and John he's one of the finest young men we have ever met and you were as close to us as our children but today thousands of fine young men like John are out in the woods and the fields and the mountain passes defending our rights and fighting to gain us happiness and dignity of free people however best you feel you can serve our cause and aid John you yourself must decide whatever you decide Molly dear we will help you and when John one day returns always remember we'll be waiting for both of you thank you for my heart sir I feel I should go back to my father's farm John is near there and I want to be near John he may need me from every record of these historical events we can find it was obvious at this point that Molly had adjusted to John's leaving to join the forces fighting for freedom as she left the Irving family in Carlisle her determination to be near her husband was uppermost in her mind she was back home now at her father's farm yes father to do still two gallons left this too much leave for this batch I'm Molly but we have enough now oh extra batch won't hurt good yeah but you're working too hard no I'm not tired I know I know but every day you wake up with the sun get more done that way you get more done and I have nothing to do now you do not father now you are here I'm an old man I do nothing the milk is your work the chickens you take care of the garden kitchen everything there father there's another batch finished good Molly but now is enough we don't need more no I want to keep busy I know but you must sometime rest no father I don't want to rest when I do I I keep thinking that somehow I should be where John is helping him come here come here put your head on my shoulder I don't know I don't know you can understand now father why why I couldn't stay in Carlisle but I couldn't stay where I'd be reminded every minute that John was away that we were separated that he might be in danger and I wasn't there with him Molly leaps in today tomorrow many thousands like John young men old men away from home fighting fighting for a word a big idea we could never talk about in Europe I know it I know it so well and what am I doing to help what oh father nothing nothing nothing maybe it would be better you should stay in Carlisle there was a good job with the doctor no father here I'll be closer to where John is and then if he needs me I can help I'll go to him for a month to month and even year-to-year no one could tell exactly where the elusive and swift moving American forces would be usually outnumbered by British and hired Hessian troops possessing superior strength and firepower the scattered units and armies of General George Washington relied on ambush surprise attacks and strategic withdrawals to confuse an enemy accustomed to the more orthodox methods of warfare then three years after John had left and Molly had returned to her father's farm she had news father John is only 30 miles away and the British have left Philadelphia and he's a canineer and they're retreating towards the coast and he hasn't been hurt and General Washington expects to meet the British somewhere near free home wait Molly and father this runner said that he'll be back sometime after nightfall and I can ride with him to John and it's a wagon with two horses now wait now I can go see John first you take a breath help him because I first you take a breath father I'm come come in hold it one two three out one two three out now talk I was out at the roadside rounding up old fatty that that stubborn hand with the limp when up the road comes as a team of horses and a wagon and an old man driving I don't know who looked more tired thinner and old here the horse yeah so well what they needed was was feed and water and I gave them enough for the horses and the old man saw so he said he was a runner and he was up this way to pick up some men who had gone home to get over their wounds it might be well by now and he was going to take them back he said to Washington's army over near free and what about John father he told me about John Molly so many rumors we hear no no no I know this isn't a room and the runner said he knew a John Hayes who was a canineer with an artillery unit and he told me what he looked like and I know it's John all right I know it Molly maybe you should better wait a few days father of course not after all this time and John now so near but leaps in it will be dangerous there's battle coming for sure and I hope I can get there on time there there's no place for a father if John can be there I can't do sounds wonderful Molly but maybe a woman is in the way I know I won't be father I'm going there to happen I'll happen any way I can rosemary rice featured as Molly pitcher in this proudly we hail production will return in just a moment for the second act here's the most important message for young women listening to this radio program if you're between the ages of 18 and 34 and qualify you can prove that this is a woman's world too how by enlisting in the whack women's army corps by joining right now when you're needed most and when the opportunities for advancement are greatest you'll be serving your country well and yourself too you'll have opportunities for some of the finest specialized training in the world training which will serve you well should you elect to return to civilian life you'll enjoy the same pay allowances medical care vacations and opportunities for travel as the men in the service but most of all you'll have the inner satisfaction of knowing you are serving your country when the need is urgent so serve as American men serve do your part in keeping America strong visit your local United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station and enlist in the whack women's army corps do it now you are listening to proudly we hail and now with rosemary rice in the title row we present the second act of Molly pitcher after almost three years of waiting and hoping Molly pitcher at last feel she's definitely located her husband John Casper Hayes who had enlisted in an artillery unit in late 1775 a runner for the american revolutionary forces meeting Molly by chance at the roadside near her father's farm has offered to give her a lift to freehold where washington's army awaits an attack from british and hessian troops john the runner said was there i am here good right on time can we put this in the wagon expect so what is it it's really two boxes both are full of red cold meat and sausages makes this something like a bit of a holiday they're sure big one box is for you and your passengers you have any and the other the others for my husband oh well here ma'am let me take oh let me help you oh my goodness ma'am are you sure you're not bringing your husband a half dozen cannonball i hope my fresh bread isn't that bad now there we are both are in back just behind your seat yeah thanks a money ma'am well i guess we better get now may i ride up on the seat with you oh sure sure here just step on this ma'am all right thank you i can make it there's an old blanket up there you can wrap around you it'll keep out the night chill oh thank you i found it well ma'am we ain't uh we ain't gonna go fast but we'll travel at a steady pace that's good all right you two let's get come on come on will the trip take long oh well we ain't taking any direct road and the roads we take ain't so good i know but i will pull up for a spell to water and feed the horses you see grease that back right hub i see but then there's a stretch of road up ahead of peace there that ain't good ride i see it i would slow up there you see all those lads sleeping back are just fresh over some wounded they ain't able to take much down when do you think well uh now as near as i can tell we might hit freehold smack in the four noon i hope we're there before anything starts oh i feel the same way ma'am had us a load of 40 muskets and 400 weights of powder and back there should be mighty useful when we get the freehold you've got your heart pretty well set on finding your man ain't you man yes i have yeah well he's there all right ma'am he'll likely turn a pretty cartwheel when he sees you and i've wanted so much to see him too i've always believed that that there's so much that all of us must do john taught me that and i've never forgotten it are you still at it haves still at it adams but i have five kegs open now i ain't never saw a man fuss here about his powder kegs uh my dear ma'am i hate trying to open these at the last minute i have enough open now to conduct a little battle of your own i don't know why i need a cannon a cannonballs you'll meet the enemy head on throw powder in the faces i may have to do it with this heat today this old cannon will be useless after an hour's firing hey that's enough to melt a musket speaking about this heat what are we supposed to do just sprawl out here in this field and bake well general greens aid said we'll get it at high noon shortly thereafter well what's taking them so long they know we're here it may be their uniforms had to be pressed all our men out there in the open they'll be baked and fried by the time there's action yeah this is the day for a swim but where do we get the water by the way huh oh over there back up you're that silly looking things well complete with an artistically battered pewter pitcher oh see hey look there you know that old man beetleized in his wagon and unless this heat has already affected me there's a woman standing up in front it is a woman all right seems to be looking for someone too looks like she's seen him huh and that big package she's got somebody's going to feed well today she's heading straight across the wait bless the lord it's Molly now how can a man run like that in this heat just look at that package of food she's carrying no no look at that hey they don't care who knows the most charming scene i've ever witnessed on a battlefield hey that stopped them well that kiss was something the red coach should have seen might even held their fire till it was over hear the two come running back package oh they better be careful oh what a run and this package is no ladies fan oh man my wife Molly Molly this is Adams and this is more in honor ma'am doubly so man how do you do more is extra polite whenever somebody's got food package oh lightness ma'am is bread on the water yeah i think oh john bread bread of course i have fresh bread in there and cold meats the sausages maybe open it now oh let me oh fine come on let's let's sit down right here next to this elegant piece of equipment all right is that yours can enjoy well molly dear i can't claim it as a personal possession but i've been a good nurse made to it as we're waiting for it to melt in this heat but here everything's ready i i hope you're all hungry can you imagine let's take a look here fellas the blazing sun beat down on the widely deployed american troops as they waited for the british and hessian forces of sir henry clinton to strike more than a mile from the great open field clinton kept his army cool in the protection of willow and beach groves washington's army had to be met and defeated to permit the british a safer retreat to the coast on june 28 1778 in the searing heat of mid-afternoon british and hessian forces marched out of their protective groves in perfect formation here they come hey back to our post and good luck thank you man john what shall i do lie low molly my dear very low molly molly keep down watch your ears now john john can i help what should i do nothing dear john you need water i'll get it up there at the well no no ma no molly stay down i'll bring it i'm all right john let me take some to adam's over there he's been hit now increased her trips to the well for water the pewter pitcher traveled from wounded man to tired rifleman and soon the shouts went up here's molly here's molly with the pitcher molly with the pitcher oh molly and thus one of america's greatest nicknames was born in the heat of battle molly pitcher but now molly stopped her water fetching and rushed to the side of her fallen husband victim of a wound and heating exhaustion molly not much just this heat here here's water rest john dear rest now first the swab charge true to the heights of middle town beaten back by the sheer spirit of the american troops sparked by the courageous example of molly pitcher and although honors came to molly from many sources it was appointment as an honorary sergeant in the american army by general george washington which touched her heart most and the words of molly pitcher still live on to inspire the women of america today there was nothing really special in what i did there was need of me and i was there it was a time of emergency it was my duty thank you rosemary rice for a very stirring portrayal now here is an important message to the young women of america a brief word to young women why not get an early start with a job that gives you the feeling of being of real service to your country you'll enjoy that feeling in the women's army corps and you'll be doing a job that will be a little different every day you'll be getting the finest specialized training in the world in the career field in which you're best qualified so don't let opportunity pass you by remember today young women between the ages of 18 and 34 can best serve their nation by working side by side with the men of the services visit your nearest united states army and united states air force recruiting service and get all the details today this has been another program on proudly we hail presented transcribed in cooperation with this station by the united states army and united states air force recruiting service this program featured rosemary rice this is kenneth fanghardt speaking and inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on proudly we hail