 Lux presents Hollywood. The Lux Radio Theatre brings you Robert Taylor, Walter Pigeon, and Ruth Hussie in flight commands. Ladies and gentlemen, your producer, Mr. Cecil B. DeMille. Greetings from Hollywood, ladies and gentlemen. In through my office window one day last week, I've drifted the powerful roar of airplanes flying in formation. High above the sound stages, I could see flashing silver wings. The wings of the United States Navy. They flew in perfect alignment as though controlled by one master hand. And in front of me was the story behind that comforting sight, the script of the play Flight Command, which you'll hear tonight with Robert Taylor in the part of the Navy pilot. I was just as proud of those planes as though I'd been in command of the squadron myself, because I knew that every throttle was in the hands of a young American, with nerves of steel, a modern night of the sky who rides alone, but not quite alone. The course at his right hand is courage, and at his left a thousand horsepower. This is the frontier of the present and the future. And tonight in Flight Command, we bring you the thrilling drama of these young men who've chosen adventure for a career and wouldn't trade jobs with anybody. Our play is adapted from the Metro-Golden Mayor picture, and we present the same stars you saw on the screen, Robert Taylor, Walter Pigeon, and Ruth Hussey. You know, between rehearsals for several weeks now, I've been spending most of my spare time looking at screen tests before deciding on the final casting of Reap the Wild Wind. That's a very pleasant job, and I've certainly learned a lesson in beauty, because most of those tests were in color. As I sat in the projection room, one thing was driven home again and again. In the glowing color of today's motion picture screen, the girl with the peaches and cream complexion has a head start in the competition for stardom, and that's where Luxe Toilet Soap comes in. To be beautiful in color, you've got to be pretty nearly perfect. There's something about color that won't stand for imperfection, and helping to keep perfection perfect is the job of Luxe Toilet Soap, both with the lovely ladies on the screen and the lovely ladies off the screen. Now there's a tense and exciting drama waiting for us behind this curtain, so we'll raise it on the first act of Flight Command, starring Robert Taylor as Alan Drake, Walter Pigeon as Bill Gary, and Ruth Hussey as Lorna Gary. Over the naval air station at North Island, San Diego, creeps a blanket of fog, settling low along the ground, shrouding the control tower in a curtain of misty gray. Somewhere east of the field, a naval aviation cadet roars through the night, searching for the beam that will guide him home safely. In the control tower office, the radio operator tries vainly to establish contact. Navy 5-4-2-9 from North Island Tower, answer. Navy 5-4-2-9 from North Island Tower, answer. Anything from that aviation cadet? Nothing yet, sir. I've been trying to reach him since 7 o'clock. What time did he leave too soon? At 6. He should have been here an hour ago. Lloyd, what's the weather in the mountains? Decombre, thunderstorms and rain squalls. Drake must have caught that. I'm afraid so, sir. His radio couldn't get through that static. And he's either down somewhere or lost. Keep trying to establish contact. Yes, sir. Navy 5-4-2-9 from North Island Tower. Get a news, sir. That aviation cadet they're sending to replace Curley is overdue. An aviation cadet to replace Curley Wilson? That's a pretty big assignment, sir. I know it. When Wilson cracked up, the Hellcats lost one of the best players they ever had. Yes, sir. And now to send us a cadet. I thought Fighting 8 had the privilege of asking for his men, sir. We do, usually. This is a special case. He graduated in Pensacola yesterday. Does he answer yet? No, sir. Can't raise him. You've got to raise him. He can't land here. When you get him, send him back to Yuma. And telephone Commander Gary. Tell him there's a stray Hellcat loosing the phone. Yes? Lost where? Well, keep after him. I'll be over at the tower in a few minutes. Hello, Lana. Did Janet Wilson get off all right? Yes, I put her on the train, so that's over. I thought you'd like me to pick you up. It's pretty late. Can you mom now? I can't do it, dear. Our new cadet is coming in. How was Janet holding up? Not too well, I'm afraid. Oh, she'll be all right. One of these days, she'll find someone to take Curly's place. She loved him very much, Bill. No more than Curly loved her. If she had gone first, he'd have taken it standing up. If my number had been Curly's, you wouldn't have taken it the way she did. You couldn't. I wouldn't bet on that, Bill. Lana, what's wrong? Oh, I don't know. I'm just... I know, you're tired. Giving all you've got to Janet Wilson for two whole days and nights? It's like a blood transfusion. Do you mind if I take time out to say you've done a swell job as usual? You take time out and come home like a good husband. I'm sorry, Lana. There's a kid out there on the fog. We've got to bring him in. You run along, I'll see you just as soon as I can. All right, Bill. Good night. Night, dear. 429 from North Island Tower, answer. Navy 5-429 from North Island Tower. North Island Tower from Navy 5-429. There he is. Get a bearing on him. Give me that mic. North Island Tower calling Navy 5-429. We've been sitting on tax for an hour. What's your position? That's what I want to know. Storms in the mountains, then cruising through fog for a couple of hours trying to find a hole. That won't take you back to Yuma. Fog's on the ground here. There's no field clear you can reach. Keep talking. We'll get a bearing on you. Navy 5-429 testing. You get it, kid? Yes, sir. Navy 5-429 testing. North Island Tower calling Navy 5-429. Come on in. Head west, true. We'll check on you. What's up? Is Drake in trouble? Yes, sir. I'm trying to bring him over the field. Oh, if I only had my gadget working, we'd bring him into that soup and sit him right down beside the hangers. Maybe, Jerry, but would he be right side up? Listen, there's his motor now. Take that hand mic outside. Spot him over the field and tell him to bail out. Yes, sir. North Island Tower from Navy 5-429. I must be getting close. Can't see anything. Can you hear my motor? We hear you. You're approaching the field. I'll spot you where your plane can't crash anything. You'll have to bail out. Bail out? Can't do that? Forget it, Drake. You're over the field now. Fly west. Can you see the field lights? How do I sound? I think she can get down through this. Call the ambulance and crash truck. I've got the field spotted. I'm letting down. He's too far east. He hit the control tower. Pull him up out of there. Pull up, Drake. Pull up. You're heading for the tower. Close. Let me have that mic. Drake, this is Squadron Commander Fighting 8. Don't try that again. Trying to 2,000, fly due west. And when I tell you, hit the silk. The winds from the west, you'll drift in over the field. Drake, answer. Drake and Navy 5-429 flying due west. What's your altitude? 1800, sir. Do what I tell you. Go on up. Yes, sir. Imagine that guy arguing in this fog. All right, Drake. Where's the winds shifted, sir? All hands out. Have patrols cover all the seaweed area of the station. Get the ambulance rolling. Be sure they have an inhalator. I just want to use the phone. Excuse me. No, no, no, come here. Listen, listen. I'm an aviator. Flyer, Navy, savvy. Sorry to butt in like this, but I'm from the Naval Air Station. I just bailed out and landed in the ocean. Could I use your phone? Certainly. Are you all right? A couple of minutes ago, I wasn't so sure. I thought I'd landed in China. John, get a towel. Oh, sure. I get. Tough luck landing in the ocean. That doesn't mean a thing in my outfit. What is your outfit, Mr. Drake, Alan Drake. I'm one of the Hellcats. Oh, you're one of the Hellcats? Yeah, you've heard of the Hellcats, haven't you? Well, yes, indirectly. Best outfit in the fleet. Remember that serum rescue plant to Costa Rica two years ago? That was Dusty Rhodes. He's a Hellcat. And our skipper, Bill Gary, he's tops. But maybe you've met him, living at the air station like this. Yes, I seem to remember meeting him somewhere. I've certainly heard a lot about him. They say he's got the sweetest life. Why? Oh, yeah. Then there's Jerry Banning. You seem to know them pretty well. I don't really. I just know about them. See, I'm only out of Pensacola since yesterday. But say where's that phone if you don't mind. Right there. Thank you. When you're ready, I'll run you over to the station. Oh, now, I've been enough of a nuisance already. Oh, it's all right. Well, now, Mr. Drake, if the Hellcats are so terribly good, and I'm sure they are from all you say... They're great. Well, you must have had a pretty high record at Pensacola to come right into them. Well, I worked pretty hard. Everybody works hard at Pensacola keeping pace with the defense program. But you see, fighting ain't asked for their men. Think of my luck getting asked for by the Hellcats. Well, I'm sure you must have rated it. Well, I'm sure of this. I'm knocking on wood. I don't know much more about the Hellcats than you do, but I'll learn all right. With a break like this, a man ought to be shot if he doesn't go places. Well, here's the first place, Hellcat. Naval Air Station, North Island. North Island. The Hellcats. Should I pinch myself? Well, thanks a lot. You've been swell. I'd like to be seeing you sometime. Oh, we'll be seeing each other. Right now, you'd better jump in there and report. Say, wait a minute. What's your name? Hey, I don't know your name. Experience. What happened tonight makes the first of those look pretty sick and proves the second. Just what was your idea up there? You heard my order to bail out, didn't you? Yeah, but I thought I could bring her in. How could you bring her in? You couldn't see the field lights. You couldn't even see your wingtips. You thought, well, that's something. You've got to think in this outfit mostly fast, but first you've got to obey. I know that, sir. I didn't want to crash the plane. That's all. It's not a matter of what you want or don't want. You had orders. The Navy can build a dozen planes for every good man we can find to fly them. You know good to his dead? Does that make any impression? Yes, sir. Good. Glad to have you aboard, Drake. Thank you, sir. You're the junior pilot around here and you're under the guns. So just obey orders and fly the best you can. With your eyes open and your mouth shut. Aye, aye, sir. You'll find a room ready for you in the BOQ. I had some dry things laid out, pajamas and an outfit for tomorrow. You better hit your bunk now. You've got a stiff week ahead. We put you through it before you take your place in squadron formation. Yes, sir. Thank you. But do you suppose I can meet some of my new shipmates tonight? We've heard a lot about them at Pensacola. Oh, all right. You'll probably find some of them in the officer's lounge. Good night, Drake. Yes, sir. Good night. Oh, and, Drake, if it'll make you sleep any better, there isn't a man in the fleet who could have landed that plane tonight. Well, thank you, sir. I'll sleep fine now. Hey, fellas. Hey, I just met him. Just met who, Martin? Look at that, Pensacola. He was going in to report to the skipper. Well, what's he like? Oh, he's a well-put-up sort of a fella. I'm sort of his hero. Why, did you make a face for him? Well, he seemed a bit shy, so I went up to him and said, my name's Martin. Guys, you should have seen the way his eyes stuck out and his voice kind of dropped to a whisper. Nice fella he is. What he said, are you mugger, Martin? I guess he'd like to meet the rest of you, too. Maybe we ought to get into our dress uniforms with swords. Now, listen, that guy just fell into the drink in a parachute. Give him a break. We're not going to do a thing to him. I just can't wait to meet a flyer who thinks he can sit down and soup. It used to be that the Fighting Eight picked its own men. What ever happened to that idea? The skipper says we'll still be able to ask for our men. This is a special case. I suppose this green apple doesn't make the grade. Did we ever keep anyone who didn't make the grade? Here it is, fellas. Good evening. My name's Drake. Hoping I'd find some of you up. I'm sorry I messed things up getting in. Hi, Pensacola. I'm Jerry Banning. Glad to know you. This is Payne, Murphy, Vindell, and Martin you've met. Yeah, we met a while ago. Glad to know you. And Mr. Rhodes, our executive officer. Dusty Rhodes? All roads are dusty to a sailor. How are you? And Woodward and Townsend and Lord. How are you? How are you? Well, I guess I don't have to tell you how glad I am to be aboard. How are you? Didn't seem so an hour ago. Why? That landing you tried. We thought you were tired of it all. I think I could have let down through that soup. No! What did you say up there? Say, Jerry, maybe you were wasting your time with that fog device, sure, and Benning? Yeah, maybe. Sure, if you want to bring anything in through the fog, just stick Pensacola in the cockpit. You'll get it, Townsend. Yeah, new kind of robot. Only this one talks. Wait a minute. After I spotted the control tower, the next approach would have been a cinch. A cinch? How come? Go ahead, Pensacola. Well, having spotted the tower, I swing around climbing until I'm on a reverse course, and I hold that for a minute. Then I change course 45 to the right, hold that 10 seconds, then swing left until I'm on my original heading. Then what? I'm heading back to the tower and clear of it, so I let down. Pretty soon there's a clear spot in the fog, so I sit right down in the middle of it. There's nothing to it. Wait a minute. Where'd that clear spot come from? Did you bring it with you? Me? No. The warmth of the Hellcat's reception. It burned right through the fog. Good night, fellas. Wait a minute. I'm confused. I thought we were doing the ribbon. Stitchie, did you walk into that one? Yeah. You know, it looks like we've bought something from Pensacola. Everybody set here? All set, Dusty. All right, fellas. Remember, we were firing for a record this morning. Let's go out and hit that target every shot. Hey, what's Pensacola doing out there on the line? He's got everything on, but he's shooting. It's Dusty. It's Drake going to fire with us this morning with only five days shaking down. The skipper will decide that. I sure relax. The skipper isn't going to send up a green man when we're shooting for a record score. Hello. Why aren't we firing machine gun practice this morning? Hello, Pensacola. Did you say we? Sure. Don't I fire with the squadron today, Mr. Rhodes? Well, it's up to the skipper. But I'm afraid you need a little more shaking down. Well, maybe. But I'd like to know what a guy has to do around here to get out of the first grade. Experience. That's all you need, Pensacola. You can't fly in the squadron without experience. You can't get experience without flying in the squadron. When you were practicing carrier landings out on the field a couple of days ago, you looked mighty cute with your plane standing on its nose. I cut when I got the signal. Mr. Payne was a landing officer. He can tell you. What do you say, Mr. Payne? What say, Mr. Payne? I say pipe down, Pensacola. Oh, that's well. First I can't shoot, now I can't talk. I'm sure glad I came. Look, Mr. Payne, was it my fault or yours on that signal? You look. Will you forget that you knocked them all dead at Pensacola? You're in the fleet now working on actual war problems. It happens we're firing in competition this morning for a record score. A man a week out of Pensacola isn't ready for my money. And if I were the skipper, you wouldn't shoot today. Well, that's one break for me. You're not the skipper. All pilots, fighting eight, man, you're playing. There we go. All hands up. On the line. Oh, Commander Gary. Yes, Greg? I was hoping I might be flying with a squadron today. I've had a good shaking down, and I'm sure like a chance to get my teeth into things. Of course you're flying. This is squadron competition. Win or lose, we'll do it with all hands in the air. You fly number two in my section. Thank you, sir. There's a target plane just taken off, sir. He'll be trailing a fabric sleeve up there. It ain't so hard to hit, sir. It shouldn't be. Just like shooting ducks. And don't worry about your score. Take it easy the first time, I always say. Your shipmates will carry you the first practice or two. Pretty good, honey. Good. They've never been beaten. You're going to see real shooting, sir. Maybe we'll all see some shooting. Maybe when that sleeve gets back, you'll be able to cook it for spaghetti. Let's go. That target last time? Watch yourself. I ain't telling my eye. Stay clear of that sleeve. Target practice, final score. Fighting eight, a grand total of zero. What happened, sir? Oh, nothing much. Mr. Drake wanted to hit the target with every shot. That's all. Cutting it close. All he cut it so close one time that he hit the target with a plane. Take it easy, men. Here he is. Missed that up good, I know, but it won't happen again. Uh-huh. You were ready all right, Pensacola. I said it won't happen again. You said it won't happen again. Or through competition firing until next year. You can't out-talk the scoreboard, kid. If you'd only taken it easy and not tried to shoot that sleeve to ribbons. You didn't have to do all the shooting. We were up there too, you know. Hasn't anyone in this outfit ever made a mistake before? Yeah, yeah. Forget about it. On the first run, I did all right. I hit that sleeve plenty. Yeah, and on the second, you mistook it for a night shirt. You realize you don't near killed yourself? Well, it was our mistake, not his. We should have figured out some way to keep him on the ground. Maybe it was your mistake for asking for him in the first place. Uh-huh, uh... Hey, wait a minute. You asked for your men, don't you? Mostly. Well, then you asked for me, didn't you? Didn't you? What's the difference? Who asked for who? Come on, who's going to challenge? Wait a minute. I want to get this straight. Was I asked for in this squadron or wasn't I? Tell me, was I asked for? Well, Pensacola, since you're so demanding? No. It's nice to know where you stand, anyway. In just a moment, Mr. DeMille and our stars, Robert Taylor, Walter Pigeon, and Ruth Hussie will bring us act two of flight command. Let's listen in for a moment on a little domestic scene. Mary and Joe Rogers are getting ready to go to a party. Help me decide what to wear tonight, Joe. You know, this pink crepe or this turquoise blue, which do you think looks better on me? Well, hold the pink one or do your chin so as I can see. Well, now the blue. Gosh, I don't know. You decide. Dear, I like them both. Oh, big help you are, Joe Rogers. Is it my fault, darling, you always look good whatever dress you wear? Well, it's a safe bet Mary's lovely smooth complexion has lots to do with her young husband's admiration. And it's a safe bet again that Mary wants Joe to go on thinking she always looks nice. So she sticks to a simple daily complexion care that she's found really works. Active Lather Facials with Luxe Toilet Soap. She says, I love the way Luxe Toilet Soaps Active Lather removes dust, dirt, every trace of stale cosmetics, leaves your skin feeling smooth, looking so fresh. With daily Luxe Soap Facials, you can be sure you're giving your skin a real beauty care. These Facials women tell us are so quick, so easy. Here's all you do. Pat the rich Luxe soap lather lightly into your skin, rinse with warm water, then a dash of cool, and pat the face dry with a soft towel. Now your skin feels smoother and looks so fresh. I hope you'll try this Luxe soap beauty routine for 30 days. Then you'll be using the same care that famous screen stars like Claudette Colbert and Barbara Stanwyck here in Hollywood use regularly. Get three cakes of gentle Luxe Toilet Soap and start your beauty facials tomorrow. Now our producer, Mr. DeMille. Act two of Flight Command, starring Robert Taylor as Alan Drake, Walter Pigeon as Bill Gary, and Ruth Hussie as Lorna. It's Saturday night and the pilots of Fighting Eight have left their quarters on North Island. Alan Drake, alone and lonely, remembers the girl who drove him to the air station. Not knowing her name, he's had a difficult time finding the house again. But now, at last, he stands in the doorway, facing Lorna Gary. Hello. Why, it's the Hellcat. Yes, remember me? Of course. Come in. I was wondering when you were going to call. Well, thanks. I'd have been around sooner only. Well, don't apologize. I'm glad to see you. Well, you know, I... I wondered if you weren't doing anything if perhaps you'd put on your dancing shoes and come out with me somewhere. You want me to go out dancing with you? Well, you see, I don't know many people around here. Don't know anybody really and thought maybe you'd be kind enough to sort of show me the town. Well, it's very sweet of you, Mr. Drake, but I'm afraid you'll have to get authorization from Commander Gary. Skipper, what's he got to do with it? You haven't even learned my name. You don't know who I am, do you? Well, things were happening sort of fast that night, weren't they? With all that fog and then you driving off so quickly and... Well, what is your name? Take a deep breath, Hellcat. The name is Gary. Gary? Well, how do you... Did you say Gary? Uh-huh. Often described as the Skipper's wife. Everything fits together perfectly. A new pilot always pays a duty call on his squadron command and his wife. Come along in, join the others. That's terribly nice of you, Mrs. Gary, but I have no right to come barging in on your party. Oh, it's no party. Just hours full of Hellcat, that's all. Hellcats? Yes, this is sort of their hangar off duty. Yours, too. Any time, whenever anyone in the squadron feels like it, he just drops in. Well, I do appreciate that, Mrs. Gary, but this wasn't really a duty call, and... I'd rather make it another time. Now, you're not going to get sensitive, are you? Because you tried to make off with the commander's lady? No, Mrs. Gary, it's not that. Well, whatever it is, I wouldn't let it spoil us that at evening. Let's have that dance, you suggested, and perhaps we can talk things over later. You know, I'm sort of a mother confessor to new pilots, advice to the love lawn, how to play chess with the admirals, art headache, powder. I'm sorry. I'd rather call another time if you don't mind. But you see, I do mind. I'm surprised. Not quite pleasantly. I tell you it was Jim McCallum, and I can't waste any of more time arguing. Pensacola, how are you? Jerry, you're not leaving. I can't hang around here all night wrangling with those apes. Got work to do on the fog device. Well, wait a minute. Mr. Drake, maybe you can help my brother. He's having an argument with the boys. Your brother? Jerry Banning? Of course. Anything funny about that, Pensacola? No, but I'm sure learning things tonight. Look, Mr. Drake, do you know what English pilot bomb three bridges back of Dunkirk making possible the evacuation of four divisions? Yeah, who was it? And was he alone? All alone. It was McCallum, the New Zealander. James McCallum. Right. Oh, I knew it was him. So did I. You must come inside and back us up, Mr. Drake. Yep. Got to settle this argument tonight. I've got a new one to start. First thing in the morning. Hey, mugger. Here's Pensacola, the flying almanac. He says it was McCallum alone. Hiya, boy. Hi, boy. Hello, Drake. Good evening, Commander Gary. Just make yourself at home. You'll find a drink over there. Thank you, sir. Now, tell Martin it was McCallum without Patterson. McCallum what? Bridges, Dunkirk. Oh, oh, yes. It was, uh, it was James McCallum. But he's plain full of bullet holes. He got back to Dover and crashed, broke his leg. You're right. No doubt about it. McCallum from New Zealand. Well, then why did you say it was Patterson? Just to make you get red in the face, Jerry, that's all. They're turning the heat on. Hiya, Pensacola. Oh, I'm fine. Sit down, Drake. Glad to see you aboard. I'm glad to be aboard, sir. Blasted piece of junk. Spike, get me an ax. An ax? Did you say, sir? No, two axes. I put a whole year into this darned invention. Evenings, nights, Sundays, holidays, and it won't work. So let's have one glorious five minutes of riot as fun and bust it wide open. Get two axes. Take it easy, Jerry. Things can't be that bad. The sun's shining, isn't it? The birds are singing. What's it going to getting sore? Look, Pensacola, maybe the birds are singing for you. You're a hellcat, full-fledged, on the ground and in the air. Great. But please take that sickening smile somewhere else. We're going to have a wake. What's the matter, Jerry? Is something wrong with your invention? Oh, no. It's fine. You see that dial? Yeah. Well, that's supposed to go in the panel of a ship. Mm-hmm. When those two little needles cross, you're supposed to be right on the beam. You're supposed to be able to land sitting up right through the soup. But there's one trouble with it. It doesn't work. So just stand back while I kick it to death. Wait a minute, wait a minute. Don't get all lighted up over some little bug in the thing. You don't want to smash it until you've checked everything over. There might be a loose connection. You think I'd take it up for a final clear-weather flight test without checking it over? I triple-checked. The direction needle still won't stay on the reference line. It's got the creeps all over the dial. Well, there just must be something wrong, then. Now, that's quite a deduction. Listen, let me get in there and look it over. It sounds like interference on your frequency. Well, you get out of here. Maybe I can fix it. Fix it? After I've worked a year, you're going to fix it. What do you know about radio beam transmission? Well, when I was a kid, I was always fooling around with radio. I had a wellcat sitting on a barn, always budding in on the commercial stations. I know a lot about interference. You certainly do. Say, wait. Shut up a second. No, no, don't shut up. Go on talking. Babble, say something, anything. Well, we're only 15 miles from the Mexican border, aren't we? 12 miles. What of it? Well, you've checked everything else around here. What if there were some Mexican kids fooling around with amateur radio sets the way I used to do? Sending signals, budding in on the regular wave van, setting up interference. Well, maybe... Shut up a minute. Well, here's the ax, sir. What? What ax? Well, see, you ordered a... Drop it. You got the panel. Mr. Drake's double-crossed me and has an idea. Stand by, Pensacola. Roll up your sleeves and keep talking. Hurry up. Standing by a month for a good pea soup pocket when we get it, you're missing. I'm sorry. I was over at the skipper. Your sister wants you to drop in. It's the funniest time for that. We'll have the whole test done in half an hour. You're not going to fly it in that goo out there tonight. Why not? For this apparatus, it'll be clear as a bell. Don't waste time talking. Look, I know the clear weather tests have worked swell, but let's try in a two-seater before risking this stuff. You fly it under a hood, blind, but I'll be at the forward control just in case. I invented this thing for fog, didn't I? No. All right, I'm going to fly it in fog. Spike, anybody around? No, sir, all clear. Let's go, Pensacola. When we get through, there'll be a railroad track running right down from the sky. No more getting caught on top with gas running low and no place to sit down. This thing sort of got me. When I think of what it means, what it can do for aviation, I get the shakes. Come on, let's warm it up. Is that transmitter working all right? Fine, sir. He must be getting our signals right now. This is black as pitch up there. I haven't heard him for 10 minutes. Now he was going out across the bay. He'll be coming back in a second now. Keep your ears open and keep your eye on that transmitter. Yes, sir. I think I hear him, sir. Quiet. That's him all right. Come on, Jerry, right down that railroad track. Rick, is that a plane up there? It is an harming bird, sir. Who is it? What's he trying to do? Lieutenant Banning. He's testing a fog landing device. He can't do that. He might kill himself. So might the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk. Have the ambulance and crash trucks stand by. He's turning. He's coming in. We isn't so sure that Gadget be left to shoot home. He won't shoot, but he won't need it. He's just lining things up. I'm not worrying. Well, I am. Is that transmitter putting it out all right? Have you looked? Everything looks okay here, sir. Stand by, Spike. Here he comes. He's cutting across the field. He can't get in like that. Spike is everything working. Seems okay, sir. Why doesn't he turn? He can't be on the beam. Now he's coming in to his feet. He's heading for the hangars. Pull up! Pull up, Jerry! Oh, God! He's getting back! He's got to go. Yes, and I'll probably have to fly east tonight. Oh, no, Bill. Not tonight. Sit all around you, and you've shown the rest how to take it. If it's your turn now, and the flags at half-mast, keep it flying. Yes, Bill. Goodbye, dear. Goodbye. He's gone. He only regained consciousness for a moment. He's gone. Will it help any to know that his last thought was for you? He wanted to tell you something. And just at the end, he said, tell Lorna, everything's all right. I knew him six weeks, and he was the best friend I ever had. He was my best friend. All my life. Isn't there something I can do? No. Oh, don't find it. I know how you feel. Don't find it. Well, how's she working, Mr. Drake? Shut it off, Spike. It's all ignited. A couple of condensers and a change in frequency. Just 10 days too late. Hello, Drake. Hello, Dusty. Do you see Mrs. Gary? I was up there with Martin. She's not seeing anyone. She's in bad shape, Drake. Yeah, I know. I called a couple of times myself, but I might run over there tonight. What's that panel in there? Gary's fog device. Oh, yeah? Does the skipper know you're working on it? No, I want to have it ready when he gets back. I sort of hope that he can... He'd give you an authorization for a test, huh? Yeah, that's it. Well, forget it. You too, Knowles. Yes, sir. Well, can I leave the panel in place for the skipper's inspection? It's all right with me. But no tests in any kind of weather without proper authority. Good evening, John. Oh, good evening. Mrs. Gary at home? No. No, sir, no home. May I wait? Oh, lady, no come home for a long time. I see. Well, I found something down at the hangar. I think she'd like to have. I have nothing much to do. Don't mind waiting an hour or so. Oh, please, mister. No good wait. Mrs. Gary, no see, no body. Tell me something. Is Mrs. Gary taking Mr. Banning's death pretty hard? Oh, yes, sir. Very hard. Mr. Drake, when Commander Gladdy come back soon? I don't know. Look here, John. How is Mrs. Gary? Oh, ever since Mr. Banning did. Mrs. Gladdy, no see, no body. No eat, no sleep. Sometime walk on beach all night. She there now? Yes, sir. She there. Oh, Mrs. Gary. Well, you certainly picked a spot for your evening stroll. It'll go down in history. At this spot, Admiral Allen Drake crawled out of the ocean to join the Hellcats. His heart full of hope and his mouth full of minnows. How did you know I was here? I just spotted you through the wind and came right along. I left a message that I was not at home. Ah, look, Mrs. Gary, I... Didn't you get that message, Mr. Drake? Sure, I got it. Was it so difficult to understand? I know it's none of my business, Mrs. Gary, but... saying by yourself isn't helping things any. You've just got to see somebody while the skipper's away. Otherwise, the willies will get you. You know, little brown men with egg on their whiskers? Look, I've just got a new little jalopy. $25 down and the rest when they catch me. How about taking a ride tomorrow? Bounce those willies right out of their whiskers. Oh, I can't understand. Are you so stupid you can't see? You're so blunt you can't feel? Why do you force me to say these things? Do you think I'm a child that needs coaxing with silly jokes? I'm sorry, Mr. Gary. It won't happen again. I, uh... I found this in a hanger. I thought maybe you'd like to have it. What is it? It was Jerry's. A picture of you and him. I've been working on the invention. Jerry wanted me to. That's how I came to find the picture. Well, I... Pensacola, I'm sorry. Forgive me. It's not necessary. I guess I deserved what I got. Oh, please, try to understand. I didn't mean to be rude. That's all right. It was good of you to bring me this. And I haven't forgotten how thoughtful and kind you were that night at the hospital. Well, I do appreciate it. There's so much like Jerry. I guess that's a pretty nice thing to say about anybody. Would you care to... walk a little way? Sure. Be like the Jalopy. Four wheels, two antennas to date. I'll give you three games and trim you into the bargain. You're on, lady. Training these spoons until they're almost human. I take one in each finger, then I lift them up. Sorry, it didn't work. What's wrong, sir? Yeah, your spoon's skid. Customer's feeding his soups, but I'll have a nasty accident. I'm sorry, sir. Can I get you something else? Small brandy, two brandies. Thank you, sir. Having a good time, Miss Gary? Oh, wonderful. You've been grand to me all week. I don't know when I've ever had such a good time in my... What's the matter? What is it, Lorna? I thought we'd bounce those willies right out of business. It's not the willies. Did I worry you? Spilling those spoons all over the place? No. Oh, come on, Lorna. What is it? Take me home. But you... Don't ask any questions. Take me home. What happened? You've done nothing wrong. You came on an errand of mercy. You've been an angel. I'll never forget you. That sounds like a last farewell. It is. I don't get it. Are my jokes that bad? Please, don't ask me to explain it. I'd rather not. I'm sorry. Not too good, I'm afraid. Oh, I'm sorry. I wondered why you weren't over at the island to meet me. Bill, I'm going away. What? Where? Home. Will you get me a reservation on the plane? What brought this on? Say, you haven't been taking things the hard way now, have you? Bill, I haven't been honest with you. Because I wasn't really frank and honest. I've made a lot of unhappiness for myself. No, I've got to tell you the truth. Even though it may hurt you. What are you trying to say? When I first knew you, that very first summer when we fell in love, I knew there was only one kind of a woman you could ever care about. A brave woman, someone who could take tragedy and stride because that's what a skipper's wife must do. Of course, but... No, please. Because I love you, it's hard to be that kind of woman, but I'm not, Bill. Well, there were times when I prayed for some sign that you saw that I might pretend to love me anyway as I really am. The night Jerry died, I... I wanted you to take me in your arms and say, darling, I know it's killing you. And what did you do? You took my arm hard, looked at me as though you were giving an order and said, steady, keep the flag flying. You took me for granted, Bill. You didn't try hard enough to understand what was happening to me inside. Well, now you know the flag isn't flying. Why didn't you tell me you felt this way? There was no need to pretend. Because I... I wanted you to keep on loving me. Lorna, for the love of heaven, I love you because you're you. Now you've told me and I still love you. I just understand you a little better, that's all. So there's no reason to go away. Well, it's not as simple as that. I wish it were. I've changed, Bill. Changed? How? Since Jerry died, I've had this terrible feeling of emptiness. The thought of your coming home should have been enough to fill it, but it wasn't. And then something happened last night. Just as suddenly as you're hearing it now, that made me realize something we had together is lost. I've got to go away, Bill, and try to find it again. Well, if that's the way it is, you couldn't stay any more than I could ask you to. I want to find what I've lost, Bill. I want to come back to you. There's nothing I want so much in the world. Come back for one reason, and only one reason. Because you love me. Yes, Bill. Thanks. You want to see me, Dusty? We'd all like to see you. This isn't a very pleasant piece of business. About the touches most of us have ever run into in the Navy. But we've got to have it out with you. What out? Go ahead. Well, on a gerry left for the east today. She did? You didn't know that? No. You saw a lot of her in the past two weeks. Yeah, every day almost. And almost every evening. She didn't see anyone else around the station. Any of the wives, or any of her friends here in the squadron. I know she didn't. What about it? It wasn't a pleasure trip, Mrs. Gerry took today. We don't know when she's coming back. What is this? What have I got to do with it? Drake, I've cruised with Bill Gerry a good while. I was best man at his wedding. I've never seen two people happier than they were. Up to two months ago. And I've never seen a man busted up so badly as he is today. You know why, Mrs. Gerry left? No, and I don't think it's any of my business. Or any of yours. Wait a minute. Don't get on your high horse. I shouldn't die with you people suspecting me of a thing like this. We are suspecting you. And we've got to know one way or the other. And if we're right, you don't belong in Bill Gerry's squadron. Bill Gerry's been my skipper as well as yours. He's been my friend. But you don't have to bother finding out whether your suspicions are right or wrong because I'm getting out. I wouldn't fly with a crowd who can suspect me of a filthy trick like this, but it was the last squadron in the fleet. You can have my share. You can take the hellcats and drown them in the bay. Oh, for a station identification, this is the Columbia Broadcasting System. In a moment, Mr. DeMille presents Robert Taylor's Walter Pigeon and Ruth Hussie in Act 3 of Flight Command. Now in our brief intermission, we have three visitors. Three women who, like most of you, are enthusiastic about the product behind this program. Hollywood's favorite beauty care, Lux Toilet Soap. Here's Miss Celeste Rush, a business girl. That's right, isn't it? Yes, Mr. Rulick. And like most business girls, I consider making the most of my looks mighty important. I've found Lux Soap gives my complexion just the care it needs. It's such a gentle soap, and it always leaves my skin feeling so smooth with that nice, fresh look that's so important. Thanks, Miss Rush. Yes, clever business girls all over the country trust their lovely, clear complexions to gentle, daily Lux Toilet Soap care. And now here's Mrs. Johnson, whose profession is housekeeping. Is that right, Mrs. Johnson? That's right, Mr. Rulick. And since I am a housekeeper, you can be sure that one thing is just about second nature. That's economy. One of the jobs I take most seriously is budgeting the household expenses. And I certainly do think Lux Soap gives wonderful value. It's such a firm cake, so long-lasting, and it costs so little money. You can use it right down to the last little sliver. And it gives such a grand, rich lather, too. My family loves Lux Soap. And of course, it's as fine a Toilet Soap as money can buy, but it's a luxury we can afford. Thank you, Mrs. Johnson. It's certainly true that more and more careful housewives find they can let the whole family use this truly luxurious soap and still be economical. And now, Miss Margaret McKay, whose business is posing for commercial photographs. Good evening, Mr. Rulick, and everybody. I'm very glad to tell why I use Lux Soap regularly. It's because I've found it's the right care for me. It certainly is a wonderful aid in keeping my complexion nice and smooth and soft. And of course, that's the way a model's complexion has to be. Thank you, Miss McKay. Yes, when a girl's a professional model, she has to be really sure about her complexion care. And if this is true with a model, think how necessary it must be to a screen star. They must use a care that really works. And so it's very significant that nine out of ten lovely Hollywood screen stars use Lux Toilet Soap. You see, Lux Soap is mild. It's pure. It has active lather that removes every trace of dust, dirt, and stale cosmetics. Does a thorough job. You want your skin to stay smooth and lovely? So don't take chances. Use the same gentle beauty soap that guards Hollywood's priceless complexions, Lux Toilet Soap. It's as fine a complexion soap as money can buy. Get three cakes of Lux Toilet Soap tomorrow. Now, Mr. DeMille is returning to the microphone. Certain rises on the third act of Flight Command. Held in mistrust by the men of Fighting Eight, Ensign Drake sees only one course open to him. Early the next morning, he stands in Commander Gary's office. His face is grim and set. Quietly he lays a paper on the skipper's desk. What's this, Drake? My resignation, sir. I'm getting out of the Navy. Getting out? When you checked in here, Pensacola, you loved the Navy. You sat right here in my office one morning and told me how you'd rather fly with us than eat. You still would for my money. Come on. Tear this thing up. I have no intention of tearing it up, sir. You've got the makings of a great pilot, Drake. The Navy can use you. And there's a lot more to it than you've learned in these few weeks. There's loyalty for one thing. And loyalty isn't a one-way street. It goes both ways, down as well as up. We fight like blazes for the skipper, and the skipper fights like blazes for the men. But we're all fighting for the same thing, the Navy. America's front line. You get discouraged sometimes, sure. You get cold and wet and so tired you've got nothing to hang on with but your teeth. I wonder why in the devil you ever wanted wings. But as you're circling the carrier waiting for your turn to land, when the flagship hoists the signal, well done, fighting eight, it does something to you inside. Duty well done. For a man, that's the best in the book. I've submitted my resignation, sir. Are you going to act on it? Just what is the matter, Drake? Hellcat's too tough for you. Okay, sir. Let it go at that. The department hasn't been approving resignations for reserve entrances, but if you insist... I do, sir. Welcome to Washington. But we've got a movement order today. Extensive maneuvers off the coast, probably several weeks. You can't get away before that. That's a good finish, sir. Maybe orders. Aircraft maneuvers over Pacific. All aircraft from North Island, including control bay, will meet carriers off coast for two weeks battle maneuver. Glad these two weeks are over. They're making them tougher and tougher. Relax, boys. We'll be home tomorrow. Oh, I've won a shoot so many hours, it feels like a waffle. Join the Navy and see the world through a bombsite. Combat flying ain't so hot. Keeps your stomach at a constant stain of astonishment. Fighting gate. Mechanics. Start all engines. Did you hear what I heard? All right, men. Snap to it. What's up, Skipper? A sea plane is down somewhere near the lower California coast. No report for more than two hours. Her radio must be out if she's still afloat. And there's only an hour before darkness. Well, what are we waiting for? Here we go again. Drake, wait a minute. There's only came in these maneuvers while waiting for your resignation to be acted upon. The maneuvers are over now. This is an extra trip. You can stay on board. You're all in. You're all mixed up, Skipper. I'm resigning. I'm quitting. Commander, fighting eight. Commander aircraft, I go ahead. Fighting eight. Fighting eight took off from carrier to search. Flying east at 1,000 feet, speed 300. Armed scouting line. Report anything sighted. Destroyer patrols are in search area. You are not to attempt rescue. Fighting eight, aye-aye. He's not in the sudden. Fighting eight. Fighting eight. Change course to south. Fly at 500. Keep close lookout for lights of plane on water. Report anything sighted. Don't answer. From commander, fighting eight. I head fighting eight. PBY-6 located, north tangent Wadloopy Island. Bearing five zero distant three miles. Hull still watertight, all on board safe. Radio range is reported position in 15 minutes. Destroyer will arrive within an hour. Carrier in heavy fog, fog enveloping entire coast. Receipt San Diego without delay. Fighting eight, aye-aye. Proceeding San Diego. Fighting eight. Fighting eight. Planes inside of me close up. Others proceed to San Diego, fog shutting in. Don't answer. Fighting eight, stay closed up. What the? Calling fighting eight. Flying movement, motor quitting. Colts in plane 10. What's it seem to be, Skipper? Broken oil line. I'll have to land in Wadloopy Island. What's that mean, Skipper? It's a tough one to shoot with a dead stick. No planes are to attempt to land. Get started for San Diego, Dusty. There's no gas to spare. Plane 10, aye-aye. We'll start in a minute. You're safely down. Plane two. Drake in plane two. What are you doing? Get back in formation. Drake in plane two. I'm gonna follow you down. Plane two, carry out orders. No planes land. Watch it, Skipper. Skipper, watch it. Power from plane 10, fighting eight. Commander Gary, force down on Wadloopy Island. Apparently injured. Drake in plane two landed safely and is getting first aid. Doctor? No, I've got to fly him home. I've got him aboard right now. Step on it, then. Tell the station to break out Spike Knowles and get the transmitter working. Jerry's spark device. I've got the receiving panel in my ship. It's a chance, but we may have to take it. Okay. We'll wait and go in with you. Can you get off, all right? Send your postcard. We don't seem to be having much luck. They must be almost out of gas. Last time we tried out, everything worked okay. Sure has conked on us now. Maybe there's a short somewhere. Check the wiring. I did. I'll check it again. Give me that hand, Mike. I'll keep them in touch in case. Listen. What do you say, Spike? What do you say? Give me another minute. North Island Tower to fighting eight. Plane two. Can't get the thing working. You may have to bail out. Willa, I'm here, darling. I've come back to you. Hear me, Bill. Help me, darling. Lorna. Bill. Lorna, got my letter? Letter? No, darling, I... I'm going to resign from the Navy. Maybe then we can be together. Darling, you're not leaving the Navy. You belong in it. And I belong with you. Will you? Will you be happy? I am happy. You've pulled through. I'm home, Bill, beside you. Did tears help? Yes, darling. He's made it. He's going to pull through. Fairfield, I found out a few things that made me plenty sick of myself and what we've done. I apologize for myself and for everyone here. But it'll late for apologies, isn't it? Yes. Pretty late and pretty empty. Maybe not too late. Washington's turned down your resignation. We're going to be flying together for a long time until we can make it up to you. You're a born Hellcat, Pensacola, and we're going to hang on to you. Come on, Pensacola, give in. What do you say, mister? I'd like to stay. Glad to have you aboard, Drake. I'm glad to be aboard. Tonight's play. But at this very minute, from Pearl Harbor to Pensacola, the sky dogs of the fleet, the eyes of the Navy are keeping their eternal vigil. Before the stars at tonight's play take their curtain calls, I have an announcement to make. On one other occasion in the Lux Radio Theatre, I mentioned a new radio program just making its bow. And again tonight, I believe there is an event of sufficient importance to warrant my calling it to your attention. It's a new radio series by the world-famous Luella Parsons, known to many of you already through her newspaper column. Next Friday night, Luella Parsons will open her new program over most of the stations, and I heartily recommend that you listen in. I know I shall, and I shall be wishing Luella the best of good luck. And now to Robert Taylor, Ruth Hussey, and Walter Pigeon, our snappiest salute for their good work tonight. Thank you, CB. We met and worked with a lot of the men in the Naval Air Service when we were making the picture flight command. Great fellows, and I'd like to wish them all happy landings. We're all with you there, Bob. I think the Navy is taking care of those happy landings in the best possible way, by thoroughly training the pilots. I'm an Army man myself, but you can't beat a Navy pilot. By the way, Bob, how are you and your plane getting along these days? Oh, pretty good, Ruth. I've got my solo license now. What kind of a ship do you fly, Bob? It's a four-seater monoplane. Just room enough for this crowd here. How are you on forced landing? Well, I've got my fingers crossed, just one so far. Wind changed too quick for me one day, so I overshot the field and sat down the middle of a watermelon patch. Any damage, Bob? No, not a bit. Best watermelon I ever tasted, though. What about taking me up sometime? I like watermelon, too. Well, from what I hear, CB, you were flying airplanes when I was learning to walk. You wouldn't take a chance, it's all right with me. Before we say goodnight, Mr. Mel, I'd like to tell the women in the audience what they're missing if they haven't tried luck soap. I use it all the time, because I know it really helps to keep one's complexion looking just right. And that's a very good reason why I think every woman will like luck soap. I think you're a very good reason for women liking luck soap, Ruth. What's the schedule for next week, CB? Next week is a broadside. We're going to present Wallace Beery and Mickey Rooney. With them, we'll have Faye Ray, and our play is Stablemates. It's adapted from the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer hit, which starred Wally and Mickey on the screen. The story of a man who was a failure, and of the boy who stuck with him when the going was toughest. A drama with a real heart-tug and lots of excitement. So we can promise you an evening to remember when we bring you Wallace Beery, Mickey Rooney, and Faye Ray in Stablemates next Monday night. Well, I wouldn't miss that for anything, CB. You've got a great cast and a swell play. Good night. Good night. Good night. Oh, round your wings in this theater tonight. Our sponsor, the makers of luck's toilet soap, joined me in inviting you to be with us again next Monday night. When the Lux Radio Theater presents Wallace Beery, Mickey Rooney, and Faye Ray in Stablemates. This is Cecil B. DeMille saying good night to you from Hollywood. Robert Taylor's forthcoming fiction is Billy McKeith, while the pigeon will be seen in blossoms in the dust. And Ruth Hussies next week is free and easy. All three are Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer productions. Heard in tonight's play where Tristan Coffin is Jerry, Ted Bliss is Dusty, Ed Mackay is Martin, Bob Burleson is Stitchie, Edward Marr is Spike, Robert Strange is Lloyd, Lou Merrill as Officer, Wally Mayer is Jung, Griff Barnett as Admiral, Charles Seal as Mechanic, and Ann Tobin as Waitress. Our music is directed by Louis Silvers, and your announcer has been Melville Roy. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.