 Starring Madeleine Carroll as Amelia Earhart on the Cavalcade of America sponsored by Dupont, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. As these words are spoken, 2,200 women are now piloting civil air patrol planes. Others are ferrying bombers to distant places. Thousands of American women are pouring through the gates of factories, shipyards, and airplane plants after a hard day's work. Today we know that there is hardly a job that a woman cannot do. And if there is one woman who proved that fact once and forever, it is America's greatest woman flyer whose thrilling story we tell this evening. For her courage, her skill, and her persistent efforts to prove woman's place in aviation, Cavalcade salutes Amelia Earhart. You want to know about Earhart? I know plenty about Earhart. Mister, that's one lady you can't think about too long. She'd break your heart. Well, you come to the right guy, or guys, I should say, because I'm speaking for all the mechanics. Call me Johnny. I'm the man who cleaned the spark plugs in her plane before she took off the first time. I'm the man who checked the wires on her ship time after time. I'm the guy who fixed a propeller on that big job she took into the Pacific when she never came back. Behind the guy she walked over to that day in 1922 when I was standing next to a plane, wondering why I wouldn't run. Having trouble? Yeah, all the time I'm having trouble. Mind if I watch? Nope. Pretty engine, isn't it? Mind if I ask you what you're doing in this hangar? Nothing, just, uh, well I come here from the office now and then, watch the planes take off and land. Doesn't it bore you? It boars me something terrific. You're a mechanic? What are you? Nobody. Just trying to get up in the air. You got me money? Little. You knew anybody would take up a passenger? Do I know any sister, the pilot, and this feeler starving to death. Come on. Hey, here's Frank. Wait a minute. Hey, Frank, come over here, will you? Yeah, what's up? Well, I just wondered if I could buy a ride. Oh, sure. The motor's still warm. Come on, right this way. Is this the plane? This one? It looks so little, doesn't it? Big enough to fly. Scared? Oh, no, I just meant that, well, they look so sturdy from the ground when they're flying over you. Oh, when you get close, you see the skin and bones, right? Well, get in. Say, do I climb on the wing? Yeah, on your toes. Uh-huh. Don't put your heel through the fabric there. Right. That's it easy now. All right, move over now. I'll sit right next to you. It feels so alone in here. What's under this floor? I mean, what's holding it? Uh, just goodwill, I guess. Give her a spin, Johnny. Your shakes you up, doesn't it? Hold on. Going into the wind. Look over the side. The ground is rushing under us, but I can't see the wheels. Are we off the ground? Now we are. Pick your clouds. Smells like rain. You like it, huh? To live up here. Why not? Here, take hold of the stick. You still with it? Just pull it back and see. Take it easy. Just push it forward now and the nose will go down. Let me fly it. Oh, it's got to go down now. It'll cost you too much money staying up any longer. What would it cost to learn? Five hundred to a thousand. Wow. Got that much money? There's old planes. They laugh when they take them. They were really something. Every time a plane went over, the kids used to yell their heads off with excitement. That was about the time they put four-wheel brakes on Buick's. That's when Earhart was working in an office, saving her money. When she piled up a hundred, she'd come around and fly it off. When she was broke again, she'd just come nights and sit around a hanger shooting a bull with the boys. What's up? Come here, but don't make any noise. What are you looking at? Look there under the wing. Something wrong with the wings? No. See that fly? You're starting that again. Yeah, I see the fly. Last week, it was cats landing on their feet. Now it's flies again. I'll brush him away, and when he comes back, you see how he makes that upside-down landing. See if I'm not right. Okay, okay. There he goes. Now don't move. He's coming back. He's going to land on the bottom of the wing. You haven't got that fly trained, have you? He did it. He barrel-rolled. He didn't barrel at all. He nosed himself up, then laid over backwards. I saw... Crazy arguments like that till midnight. She talked herself to sleep. Just planes, planes, planes. So her eyes changed in those months. Being around planes seemed to make her breathless. Beautiful. She wanted to grab the world by the tail and swing it over her shoulder. She could swing her, I couldn't. With both fists. I came all the way here to tell you this, and now you won't listen. Miss Earhart, I own this airline. I'm in business. There is one idea my passengers must never get. That air travel is unsafe. All a passenger would need is to see a woman in the pilot's seat and he'd faint first and then come to me for his refund. In other words, a woman is undependable, scatterbrained, a congenital nitwit. No, not at all. Just say that as far as piloting goes, a woman is a congenital woman, that's all. But I'm a good pilot. I beat the altitude record. I'm competent. Ask anybody who's flown with me. I know you're competent, but you're a woman. What are you telling me? To go home and scrub pots? Isn't it time to unlock the kitchen and let women out into the free air? Young lady, you can have all the air you want, except in my planes. Listen, mister, I can fly a plane as well as any man. I intend to work in the sky and nowhere else. At least tell me I'm not competent or that I have bad eyes, but don't chain me to the ground because I'm a woman. Flying simply isn't a woman's business. It's just like shipbuilding or riveting or fighting wars. They just aren't for women. And who says that? Well, look around you. Look at the world. Yes, indeed. Look at the world. And think. Try and imagine how much richer it would be now if half its population, if all its women were freed to do their part of the world's work. The world has been walking on one foot, working with one hand when it has two, blinding one of its eyes, stifling half its brain, yes, and flying with only one of its wings. Do look at the world, Mr. Brown, and hold your breath, because it's changing right now. Well, Earhart went around saying that to a lot of people. She didn't get nowhere. He had to take another office job. To me, that's like caging a bird. I can see her looking out of that office wind at the weather. Earhart was a cloud sailor. She lived in weather and changed the wind. Her hair was cut for flying. Her eyes was pure. They were made for sharp sight, for gauging distances. She must have gone nuts in that office, especially on that clear November day. It was about five o'clock. Got to lock the office, Amelia, coming. Hey, Amelia. What? Oh, oh, sure. I was just getting ready. Hey, you're getting to look like a walking fog. Why can't you forget flying? That's not easy, Vera. It's as though I told you to start walking with a limb to forget you can run and roll it over a chair. Well, what's there about a plane that gets you that way? You know, I knew a boy once in Riviera Beach. He was the same way about flying. What is a duty anyway? It's just the idea of flight, that's all. Do all pilots get this way about it, or are you just plain romantic? Well, I never met a pilot who would admit it, but there's one thing about flying that really gets them. What's that? It's hard to describe, Vera. Flying isn't only exciting. It's beautiful. You don't know what the world looks like until you've seen it from up there. It's a wonderful sight. You feel transparent when you're up there, as though clouds are passing through you. You don't know what a feeling it is just after dawn, when the air is so clean and the propeller bites into it. You don't know what it is to open your mouth in the sky and devour distance. Distance has a taste, Vera. It has a feel, a texture that the Earth destroys with its ruts and roads. I'll take it. Hello? Yes, this is Miss Amelia Earhart. You say my name was given to you by George Putnam? What's that? Me fly across the Atlantic alone? Yes, I know. No woman's ever done it. What do I say? I say yes. Yes, sir. I'd like to very much. You are listening to Madeline Carroll as Amelia Earhart on the Cavalcade of America sponsored by the DuPont Company. As our play continues, Amelia Earhart is nearing the end of her solo flight across the Atlantic. Can you tell me where I am? I can. You're in Derry, sir. In Derry? Oh, London Derry. Yes, sir. I haven't helped you. It is a woman. Whose house is that over there? It belongs to the Galleers. I wonder if I could stop there. Have you come far? I've come from America. Well, it made a change. I don't have to tell you that that trip made her famous. So famous, in fact, that a cop stopped her for speeding a couple of weeks later, and he wouldn't let her go to the league. Took her home with him, met his wife, and had some milk and chocolate cake with him. You try that sometime with a motorcycle cop. Man, a couple of years went by, and then a day came that I'll never forget. Looking over a nick and the propeller of a new plane, she come over to me. I looked at her and felt something terrific was up. There's a big dancing going on in her eyes. How's it going, Johnny? Think we need a new prop? Nah, she'll do fine. She's a beautiful plane. You know that, Erard. She sings. That's the only word for it. I take her off the ground, and she just starts making music. When I up there in this plane, I feel like the wings are growing out of my back. All I have to do is lean, and she banks. I raise my head and she climbs. Hey, hey, you're excited about something, aren't you? I mean, you look like a parade's about to start. I'm going to be married, Johnny. You? Isn't that funny? I never thought of you as anybody's wife. I mean, I always think of you up in the air. You don't seem very happy about the news. Yeah, I'm happy in. Just wondering. What? Tell me, Johnny. I want to know what you think. Well, just whether a woman can go flying all over the place and still be somebody's wife. I mean, make both things last. You don't think it can work, do you? I don't know. Can it? It's got to. I'm going to be his wife and I'm going to fly. It's got to work because it must be true that a woman can live out her personal dreams and still be a wife. I mean, women must have a right to lead the way once in a while to search for new things instead of sitting home waiting for men to do the work of the world. Isn't that true? Well, I hope you go on flying because I'd hate to see this plane put away in my thoughts. What would you say if I told you I was going to take this plane around the world? Earhart, you're going to fly around the whole world? As soon as I can get ready. What do you say to that? What do I say? I say, wow. Put the map in your hand, Miss Earhart. That's it. Thanks. That's good. How many years do you think it'll take, Miss Earhart? Oh, I don't know. I've got a rubber boat along. How much food do you take? Enough, I hope. Tell me, Miss Earhart, are you doing this just for a lark? No, I'm not doing it just for a lark. Well, what are you trying to prove? I'll tell you what I'm trying to prove. Miss Earhart. Yes, what is it? Well, you're coming to the office for a second, please. It's very important. I'll be right there. Excuse me, please. Miss Earhart, I've got some bad news for you. Bad news? What's the matter? The other backers and I have come to the conclusion that we've made a mistake. Mistake? I don't follow you. What do you mean? Simply this. We've given this very careful thought and consideration and we feel we must withdraw our support as sponsors of your flight. Withdraw? But why? Well, frankly, Miss Earhart, when we got behind this thing, we thought we were all going to benefit. But apparently, we made a serious mistake. Every newspaper in the country is criticizing us. We feel it advisable to withdraw. I see. I'm sorry. I know this comes at the 11th hour when everything is ready. And I know it's embarrassing to you, but all I can say is you must abandon this flight, Miss Earhart. And, of course, we'll assume all the expenses that have been incurred to date. I'm sorry you had to make such a decision. But I don't agree. This flight will not be abandoned. I shall assume full responsibility myself. And, gentlemen, I'll be ready to take off in an hour. That was Earhart for you. She went ahead with the flight. Then came that day in New Guinea. Lied in the name of the town. We're fighting the chaps there now. On July 2nd, a nice peaceful spot. Hot, though. All you could see on that runaway in 1937 was cameras and newspaper men. Do you remember the photographs? I'm the guy in the overhauls with his head in the engine. Earhart was about to take off on the last leg of the round-the-world trip. You remember? She'd already passed Brazil, Africa, Arabia, India, Australia. Now she was shooting for California. Newsmen started to move away from the plane. I stuck my head into the cabin. Everything okay, Earhart? You all set? Be a good boy now, Johnny. And remember me to your monkey wrenches. Okay. I'll see you when you come down. If I come down, you mean? Is that a nice thing to say? Just don't bank on anything. I figure my chances are ten to one. I didn't hear a word you said, Earhart. Well, take the air, lady. The world is yours. Bye, Johnny. Bless you, Earhart. That's the last any of us ever saw of Amelia, Earhart. You know I wonder sometimes when I'm alone at night what she must have done out there. I hear a voice. I'm on the other side of that ship, so clear. Is it, Bill? Five o'clock, Earhart. When does the sun come up out here? I can't see a thing. Sun's up half an hour. Well, when is the night going to end? Is there any clearing anywhere? Black. Black all around. What's that down there? Hey, pull up! Oh, I didn't know we were so close to the water. The altimeter shot. Very. Maybe he can get an idea of where we are. And rather let him sleep, Earhart. No, Bill. Wake him. Don't talk like that. We're through, Earhart. We've got gas for five minutes flying. I'm lost. The wind is so strong I can see it. Look down, Bill. Look into the sea. There must be an island somewhere in the sea. The world is so full of useless islands. Look down, Bill. The port motor's dying. Bill, look down. Find something down there. There go the engines. They're going down. I'll try and stretch her out. A long glide. I'll make it long. Maybe we'll hit a reef. Oh, heaven. At least it's quiet now. Bill, you don't regret it, do you? Get the rubber boat launched as soon as we touch the waves. I'll try and get her in without turning over. Listen to the waves. It's raining into the sea. Thank you, Madeleine Carroll. Ladies and gentlemen, in a few moments, Miss Carroll will return to the microphone to present our guest of the evening. Meanwhile, we have a story of chemistry from the DuPont Company. Upon the speed, accuracy, and continued performance of machines of all types, depends the nation's war production. So you see why machine operators are mighty important in this war. But in many an industrial plant, a well-designed lighting system is robbed of complete efficiency by dingy ceilings, walls, floors, and machinery. In other plants where surfaces are properly painted so as to reflect light, quite a bit is still lost, blotted up by dark floors. Operators at the machines don't see as well as they might. The result is more accidents, something to be prevented at all times, and there's an enormous waste of electricity when conservation of manpower, materials, and electricity are more important than ever in our history. Two years ago, illuminating engineers and DuPont paint technicians began intensive studies of this factory lighting problem. One result of their studies is three-dimensional ceiling. Introduced by DuPont, three-dimensional ceiling is a way of spotlighting machinery with especially chosen paints, light in color and high in reflecting power. DuPont's new technique of painting machinery and colors so that workmen have full vision without eye strain is rapidly being adopted throughout industry. Some manufacturers report production increases running to as much as 15%. Along with greater operating efficiency, there is less fatigue for workers, and there are correspondingly fewer accidents. Now, these three-dimensional ceiling studies have been applied to working surroundings as well as to machinery. A ray of light isn't allowed to stop work, as you might say, just because it strikes a flat surface. Instead of being absorbed by a dark surface, it is reflected by a light one, getting the last bit of value out of every bit of light. The whole room becomes a giant light reflector. The workers see their work better without glare, without strain. Practical application of three-dimensional ceiling production plants proves beyond question that it is often possible to get as much as 100% more usable light for each watt of electrical energy. So we can report to you tonight that this DuPont development, which has already improved production, working conditions and morale, and decreased the number of injuries, has now reached the point where it offers industry still another benefit, getting the last bit of value out of every ray of light and every penny's worth of electric current. We invite inquiries for complete information from engineers and manufacturers. Three-dimensional ceiling deserves a noteworthy place among the contributions of DuPont chemists and engineers to better things for better living through chemistry. And now our star, Miss Madeleine Carroll. Mr. Carrier, tonight I would like to present our guest, Mrs. D.A. McNeil of Ellington Field, Texas, the first woman aircrew chief in the world. Women like Mrs. McNeil are working day and night in flying fields stationed all over America. Upon their skill and accuracy of judgment, the safety of our planes and the lives of those who fly them depend on them. These are the women who keep the planes in the air. This is D.A. McNeil. Down at Ellington Field, they call me the Captain Cherokee, because I make my living selling Burma cattle on my ranch outside of Houston when the war came. When I first entered service at Ellington Field, I was a little skeptical about women mechanics. It was not considered a woman's work. That attitude has changed. We were there to do a job. Upon our work rested the responsibility of human lives. The moment a plane is grounded, it is met by an inspector and checked from nose to rudder. Then it is sent to the hangers where the necessary pairs are made by women before it is ready for the air again. That responsibility is ours and we take it seriously. The first time we stand on the field and see a plane take off, we must know that there is no mistake. We must be sure that everything from hydraulic pressure to the smallest boat is right, because I am interfering with planes. They are depending on us. I have a husband and armed forces and a little girl two years old. When a plane goes out, every woman who has worked on that plane must think of these things as I do and of what depends upon her work. I have to wear wings on my lapel. I am working for that. But until then, I am proud to do the groundwork that keeps our men in the air. As a pioneer, a media airhawk first saw women's place in aviation. There are many branches in the field open to women today. I want to make an appeal to you tonight. Go to your post office. Secure the information regarding women needed in various branches of this one great service. Women are needed in machine shops as laid workers and workers on delicate precision instruments. We women can keep our men in our planes flying by doing the groundwork. Thank you. Good night. Ladies and gentlemen, next week, Cavalcade will be proud to honor the men of our merchant marine in a new radio play called Torpedo Lane, a story based on the actual experiences of the heroic men who carry the goods over the seven seas fighting submarines beneath and bombers overhead. Our star will be the popular stage and screen star, Dean Jagger. Don't forget next week, Dean Jagger in a merchant marine play entitled Torpedo Lane on the Cavalcade of America. On tonight's program, the orchestra and musical score were under the direction of Don Borey. The part of Johnny was played by Frank Reddick. Cavalcade wishes to thank George Palmer Putnam for material made available in his soaring wings. This is Clayton Collier, sending best wishes from DuPont. This program came to you from New York. This is the National Broadcasting Company.