 From Hollywood, the Hollywood Radio Theater. We're calling William Holden and Alexis Smith in submarine command. Ladies and gentlemen, your producer, Mr. Erving Cummings. Greetings from Hollywood, ladies and gentlemen. We are all aware of the pearls of the submarine surface and can therefore sympathize with the officer who has command over the lives of men aboard his ship. His fateful decisions are often subjected to minute scrutiny and even his own men may stand in judgment against him. Such is the dramatic situation in tonight's play, Submarine Command. And starring in his original role in this exciting paramount picture, we have William Holden and as his co-star, Lovely Alexis Smith. Now, Submarine Command. Starring William Holden as Kenneth White and Alexis Smith as Carol. If you've ever been to San Francisco, you may have seen the United States Navy Yard at Mayor Island. When the war ended, scores of submarines battled scarred veterans of the Pacific, tied up at Mayor Island and became part of our North Pole fleet, the submarine reserve. This story is about one of those ships, the USS Tiger Shock and one of her men, Commander Kenneth White. About a year ago, Commander White had reason for wanting to see his ship again. It was a century on the dock, but the ship was deserted except for memories that refused to die. You wanted to see her again? What are you hesitating for? Go on. What if you have to? But it won't make any difference. It's over. You finally know that. It was over that day six years ago. Look around and remember, she was never your ship anyway. She was Josh's ship. She always will be. It's funny how things can start with nothing and then pile up so fast it's hard to remember them in any kind of order. I've turned and twisted them a thousand times looking for an answer that never comes. That afternoon, that 13th of August, 1945, the enemy had just about given up at sea. All we'd seen for days was empty ocean, gray, calm and deserted. Not a hint that the first piece of my private jigsaw puzzle was about to drop into place. We were taking a surface run. Josh and I were on the bridge. The usual small talk. Looks like a nice day for a swim, huh? Oh, you wouldn't like it, Ken. That water's about 50 degrees. Well, that's what we call warm back in Michigan. Oh, down in Kentucky, we'd chop it up and pour bourbon over it. Nice to come on the bridge, sir. Grant it. Looks like we got some business playing from one of the carriers forced down in the drink. There's a problem. Floating around the river, right? Any bearings? 075 from Point Yoke, about 15 miles from us. Oh, let's start looking for him. Come right to 310. All ahead, Frank. Come right to 310, all ahead. We picked up the pilot about an hour later. He'd been floating around since morning, suffering mostly from an acute case of boredom. Josh turned him over to me and I fed him and closed him and then took him to my quarters to complete the report for the law. You mean to tell me you're the executive officer in the hands of a room like this? That's right. Now, what's your full name? Mars, Peter Jay. How can you move in this telephone booth? Now, let's see. We were talking about Australia. You were talking about Australia. How lovely. You've never been there? Nope. Oh, brother, you've been cheated. My advice to you is sue. Look, I've got to finish this report. Serial number. 837-661. There was a little whack in Sydney on special duty. Ooh, talk about war, ever. What ship? Psycon the Rogan. Hey, how can you sleep in a box like this? You know, this is the sort of punishment they should give strictly to the Academy guys. I'm an Academy guy. Okay, so I'll kill myself. What happened to your plane? Going inland after a zero. I didn't have enough gas to get back to the carrier. You get to zero? Well, natch. Not only did I... Hey, hey, what have we here? A girl's picture, isn't it? To Ken, oh, my love friend. Hey, that's a very pretty wife you got. Uh, she's not my wife. Well, why not? When did you have your last physical? I think you'll manage your corpuscles. No, but I just couldn't pin her down. Got a mind of her own and a career. Big advertising job in San Francisco. Well, all the better. Friend, if I had a girl like that, I'd get a license and marry her during lunch hour. You know, I think you would. Hey, Ken, some gin rumby later? Yeah, if I'm still awake. Oh, what a life. You know what you guys do is lope around here with nothing to do but pick up flyers and play a little gym? Oh, occasionally we do other things. 18 Jap ships. 18? Well, I take it all back. You're a real bunch of gunslinger. Yeah, all except me. I just reported aboard. No action at all? I, uh, I was in New London most of the time. Then three cruises on the starfish. I didn't even see a chap at all. Oh, well, what's the difference? The war's practically over and a couple of months we'll all be sitting in some noisy saloon drinking that dirty old whiskey and watching the girls wiggle by. Tell me something, Morris. Sure. Do you ever think of anything but dames? Let me see you. No? Never. Nothing but dames. Morris' question kept bouncing around in my head. No action at all? He'd laughed it off. He could. It was a fine joke and I appreciated it. But I wondered if it had spread to the crew and how funny they would think it was. Later that night, Josh Rice and I were in the ward room having a cup of coffee. How was the topside, Kim? Oh, nice. Calm, peaceful, full moon. Feels like the war's over already, huh? My guess it is. I wonder what's in store for us, Josh? You got me. They'd have been around when they'd wound up a war before. Well, at least we're alive. I've got news for you. Peace time service is no picnic, either. You'll find out when you're the forgotten man. No, worse than the forgotten man because you're still around to get into people's hair. Find yourself stuck with dull office jobs and paperwork and see people out of service making big money. And all you'll have is the knowledge that if the country needs you again, it'll need you desperately. Well, that's something. If you're a naval officer, that has to be everything. Don't kid yourself, boy, from here on in. It'll take plenty. Well, I better get this letter out to Alice. Yeah, give her my best, will you? Yeah, sure. I wonder where I'll mail this from. Captain speaking. Very well, I'll be right up. Station and tracking party, Kim. Sighted some Japs and I think we've got business. I'll take over, Carlson. Yes, sir. One tanker, two small freighters and two west courts. Probably our last shot, huh? All right, let's get going. Battle stations torpedo. Battle stations torpedo, I see. We were leveled off at 60 feet. Josh stood at the periscope a moment longer and then called me over to take his place. This one's for you, Ken. You take over. Get two of them. We'll have an even 20. Thanks, I'll try. 60 feet, sir. Trum satisfactory. Uh, leading ship. Mark bearing. Angle on the bow. 40 port. Downscope. We'll fire three torpedoes at the first ship. Three at the second. Then swing our stern tubes on the tanker. Make ready-all torpedo tubes at depth 10 feet. Make ready-all tubes at depth 10 feet. Mark range. Range 1, 3, 00. Mark bearing. Bearing set. Stand by. Stand by. We got both freighters. But the tanker had turned and was heading for the shallow water, closer to shore. Take it easy, Ken. You got 19 and 20. That's all I asked. What about the tanker? Oh, we'd need wheels to catch her. Let's stick around until those escorts clear out, and then we'll surface, see who we can pick up. Maybe we'll find somebody who'll tell us the latest Japanese... We surfaced at daybreak. Josh, Carlson, Boyer, and I went on the bridge. In the distance, we spotted some of the freighter's survivors. And then suddenly a dive bomber was coming at us from out of the clouds. Watch it, Captain! Sheen guns! Get to look! Get to look! Where would you suppose that came from? Captain Rice! Hey, Captain! Hey, look, he's bleeding. Get down the ladder, Boyer. Stand by to dive. Dive! Dive! What? The Captain's been hit? I told you to get below. The Captain's been hit? It's too late. We're diving. Take her down to 100 feet. As I slammed the hatch, I caught the last glimpse of Josh Rice. He lay on the deck, motionless. That terrible look of surprise still on his face. Maybe he was still a lie. But I had no choice. We stayed below till the sonar signals were at all quiet. And then Boyer, the chief torpedoman, walked up to me. Go back up, sir. He's dropped everything he has. How do we know there's only one plane? It'll only take a minute to get out with a rubber raft. I'll take my chances, sir. Captain Rice would do as much for any one of us. How about it, sir? Would he do as much, or would he think of the ship? All I know is that maybe we can still save him. High-speed propellers approaching, bearing 35-0. Left full rudder, steady on course 220. Left full rudder. Sounds like a destroyer. But they can't, and you just can't leave. That's enough, Boyer. Get to your station. Yes, sir. Contact started pinging, sir. Reg for depth charges. Reg for silent running. They're going to make a run on us. Makes sense. But the destroyer was leaving. The sound signals of its engines growing fainter and fainter. And then we learned the reason. The jet was surrendered, sir. I just got word in the radio room. They surrendered. The war's over. War was over. But nearly three months went by before the Tiger Shark finally headed into San Diego Harbor. Lots of ships were coming home those days, and one more south didn't attract much attention. I was glad. The one-day warrior who had lost his captain and almost his ship in his first and only action. Carol was waiting for me on the dock, and in those first few moments, the world seemed very good again. And now, darling, meet an old friend of yours. Hi, if you're all through kissing her, I'll do it. Keith Morris, I thought we dropped you off in Guam. Well, so you did, but I hit Frisco three weeks ago, and we'd been having a lovely time. Carol, you know this character? Well, three weeks ago I didn't. But then an amazing coincidence occurred. I checked all the phone books, all the advertising agencies, and just happened to bump into her. And then when we heard the Tiger Shark was coming home? She couldn't come all the way down here alone, could she? Well, look, I got it all arranged. A big party, some place in town called the Blue Room. So round up your pals and old daddy, he'll show you how to bell a grape. Look, look, I'll have to join you later. I've got to see someone in Coronado. Oh, Ken, not now. Well, well, can I go with you? No, no, you run along with Keith. Well, what if you get lost? Where do we send for the body? Rice's house. I'm going to see his wife. Or rather, his widow. I'll see you later, honey. Here, Ken, please. Sit down. As soon as you've phoned, I broke out the rum. Only proper welcome for the sailor home from the sea. Now tell me, how does it feel? Well, I don't know yet, Alice. Have you seen Carol? Yes. Yes, she was at the dock. Well, my goodness, what are you doing here if she's in town? Well, for one thing, we wanted you to have this from the Tiger Shark. You're a commissioning plaque, Commander Joshua Rice Jr. It's very thoughtful of you, Ken, but you shouldn't stay aboard the ship. She's going in the mouthballs next month. I'm very grateful, but I'd rather have it on board where it belongs. Haven't hurt your feelings? No, no. You'll explain to the others? Sure. There was another thing, Alice. I wanted to tell you what happened between Josh and me. Nothing happened. But you haven't heard. But I have. All about it. How you went back and the hours you spent searching for it. But did you hear I could have stopped the dive? I heard that you might have lost the Tiger Shark if you did. Everyone on board would have been glad to take that chance. Everyone but me. Ken, I'll stop it. Maybe it's a good thing it did come here after all. You see, I not only know what happened, but I think I know what you've been going through. Good evening, Alice. Dad, Ken, this is Josh's father, Lieutenant Commander White Admiral Rice. Glad to see you, White. I've heard a lot about you. Thank you, sir. Alice, give you a dream? Yes, sir. You're lucky. I have to make my own. Ken and I've been talking about Josh. He thinks that maybe people are blaming him for what happened. That's nonsense. I wish I could say the same, sir. Why can't you? Naturally, everybody wanted to go up for Josh. It was your job to stop them. Sometimes it's harder to do the right thing than it is the courageous thing, sir. Were you afraid? No, sir, I don't think so. Neither do I. If you'd have been up there instead of Josh, he would have done exactly what you did. Thought on the ship first. Isn't that so? I suppose it is, sir. The war's over, Ken. Forget the tiger shark. Now go and find Carol. Make her glad you're home. Be glad yourself. I might do that. Promise? That's an order, White. Yes, sir. Good night. Good night. Well, what are you doing? Getting the cards, of course. You didn't think I was going to let you keep that 385, did you? Sit down. I told you. I went back to town and found them at the Blue Room. Carol and Pete Morris and some of the others from the ship. It was quite a gay celebration. I've missed you so, Ken. Either that or my blood's thinning out. Hey, that sounds serious. Let's stop dancing and talk about it. You just come with me. Oh, I've got a present for you. Here. What do you call that? It looks like a tooth. Well, that's just what it is. From a female ardbark. It's an African love charm. Did you know that the average ardbark has 63 children? And that's just average. They, uh, where'd you get that thing? Around the corner, one of those crazy joke stories. The man said that in Africa, when a girl wants to marry somebody, she just drops the tooth in his pocket. Like this. It's pure magic. And what if he refuses? Then he's eaten by a crocodile a week or so later. Real cast-iron guarantee, huh? I hope so. Ken, I've quit my job, given up my apartment, and bought all sorts of luggage. And what does that mean? I don't want a crocodile to get you. Well, in answer to your proposal, we'll give it a try for about 30 or 40 years. Oh, Carol, I love you. Friends, you may proceed to congratulate us. He has just won my hand. Well, suit yourself, Carol, but you've just blown your chances for a very poetic life. Well, glasses up, everybody. This is an occasion. Here's the clear sailing for the nicest people I've ever known, Ken and Karen. And here's to all of us. May we be allowed a lot of fun in little times regret. In a moment, we'll continue with Act II of Submarine Command. Make a friend and you make an ally. There's a thought for you to keep in mind, as many another American has. Dr. Frank Laubach kept it in mind and devoted his life to helping others. He first went to the Philippines as a missionary in 1915, and some 10 years later went to live among the then primitive morals. He asked them to teach him their language, not a syllable of which had ever been written. But Dr. Laubach found that by means of phonetic charts, he could teach the illiterate morals how to read and write their own language for the first time. Until the depression, money came in from Americans who'd heard of the doctor's work. And then a moral chief gave Dr. Laubach an idea how he could continue his teaching. Through the theory of each one, teach one, each native who learned to read and write would teach another to do the same, and so on. Within seven years, each one, teach one, help the natives rise from a 95% illiteracy to a point where over 70% of them could read and write. Dr. Laubach enlarged the scope of each one, teach one, to reach other countries, and from his work was born the World Literacy Committee, which has sent teams into 67 countries to spread the theory of each one, teach one in over 200 different languages. In 20 years, over 65 million people learned to read and write through the system, a system which has brought the family of nations closer through education, and proved most graphically that by helping others, you help your country. Now our producer, Mr. Cummings. Act two of Submarine Command, starring William Holden as Ken and Alexis Smith as Cal with Stephen Dunn as Pete Marks. Married that week, and in the years that followed, the bar faded into the past, and I kept busy in the present. I was stationed now at Mary Island under Josh's father, Admiral Rice. I was in maintenance, a cross between a storekeeper, a janitor, and a complaint adjuster. Quarterly material report, monthly inspection, and requisitions for painting brooms. Nine copies each. Brooms? Do I have to sign all copies? Just date. You initial our file copy. No, that's a break. Captain Cornwell's wife called a botian senator. Again, she found soot on the dining room rug this time. And Commander Roberts says there are orange peels on Pier 2. Tell the commander we'll send him a broom as soon as we get one. Hello? Oh, yes, sir. Right away, sir. Admiral Rice. He's probably found an apple core under his desk. I'll sign those papers when I get time. Come in. How are things going? All right, sir, as far as I know. You like your job, Ken? No, sir. You can't say that. I blame you. I hear you've been having trouble with Cornwell's wife. It seems she doesn't like the way we're burning the trash, sir. Old hatchet face has run the entire Navy given half a chance. Well, I've got a difference, so it's all for you, Ken. A reporter from New York is doing a story on the Mothball Navy. I'd like you to show him the submarine. Yes, sir. I'll advise the duty officers on the pier. Give them what you can. Is that all, sir? That's all, Ken. Thank you, sir. All right, Mr. Gavin. 64 submarines all nicely done up in Mothball. And 6 million bucks a piece that's close to $400 million, Commander. That's right. Why don't you junk them, let the taxpayers get something back for their money? What if we should need them again? It's my guess the next war will be fought with push buttons. We'd better make sure we've got the buttons first. Maybe you're right. How long would it take to exhum one of those if you wanted to? You know, in an emergency, about two weeks, yeah. But that time would be all over, except the peace treaty. Well, I better get a couple pictures. Yeah, you know, there's one that looks like it saw lots of action. Yes. Yes, it did. Frontier Jap flags on the Corning Tower. What's the name, Commander? Tiger Shark. Tiger Shark, yeah. She's the one who lost her captain the day the war ended, right? Right. Well, her fellow had to take her down. Must have felt like a heel. But he had a lot of sleepless nights after that. Happened to know who he was? Yes. Who? Me. Sorry, Commander. That's okay, Mr. Gavin. Now go ahead and take your pictures. He was right. That officer must have felt like a heel. Who'd I been kidding? He was still the one-day warrior who lost his captain in his only enemy action. And just before you got home, darling, Pete Morris called. He's coming over for dinner. Hasn't he got any other place to go? Can. Oh, I know. Poor, lonely Pete, grounded on the very tough duty of teaching naval ROTC. All right, I'll call him back. Just tell him I've got jaundice. Just what have you got? Nothing. Something happened today, didn't it? What makes you think so? I can tell. All right, I'm fed up. With what? With being a clerk and a janitor and a glorified errand boy with lots of things. Ken, why don't you change your job? Oh, sure, sure. Just call the Chief of Naval Operations and tell him I'm bored. I can't change jobs and you know it. I'm in the Navy, remember? I could hardly forget it. And you can hardly forget that you gave up a $300 a week job to marry me, can you? Finish your drink, Ken. I'll go in and set the table. Carol hadn't deserved that. Not any of it. I wanted to apologize, but I didn't know how. So, like every husband, I hoped that a gift and a party at the club might substitute for the words I couldn't find. I planned it for the following night. The next day at the office. More signatures for you, sir. Oh, and a couple of other items. Well, I like what? Well, there's a new chief outside reporting for duty and a call from Parsons at the reserve fleet. He wants to know if we have any qualified submarine men. Why? They just got orders to put the Tiger Shark back into mission. Tiger Shark? How'd they happen to pick her? I don't know. Well, we haven't any men, so tell Parsons... Is Mr. Garbage disposal unit of the United States Navy? Hi, Pete. Hi. Hey. What's this on the desk? Oh, that it's something for Carol. Struck oil, huh? Wrist watches and parties. How you doing? Good. Because I'm an honest working man and not a playboy at the university like you. Ah, yeah, yeah, I guess you're right. Teaching naval ROTC is a lead pipe, Sancho. No courses to give out except navigation, gunnery, engineering, naval history, naval customs and traditions, communications and ship handling. Two or three afternoons a week drilling. One night a week with a naval reserve unit. Two nights preparing examination papers. Three nights correcting them and eight nights and Sundays trying to keep ahead of my students. Most of whom are not sure they want to be in the Navy in the first place. Yeah. Yeah, and in my spare time going to parties like yours. Well, you ready to leave? No, I can't, Pete. I've got some calls to make. I'll see you at the club. It's all right. Oh, thank you. That's all right. Come in. Chief Dr. Peter Mann Boyer reporting for duty, sir. Boyer? Well, where'd you drop in from? San Diego, sir. Oh, uh, Boyer, you remember Commander Morris, the pilot we picked up? Hey, it's good to see you, sir. Hey, I thought you'd be retired by now. Maybe it's time I thought about it, sir. Well, sit down, Boyer. I'd like to. Excuse me, sir. I've just decided to request a transfer to another department. Why? You should be the last person in the world to ask that, sir. All right, Boyer. Report to the reserve fleet, Lieutenant Parsons. They've got just the job for you. Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. You've hardly touched your dinner. I'm not hungry. I-I think the orchestra's better this year, don't you? A bunch of plumbers. That was a good band at New London. New London? That's the place. Just a couple of hours out of New York. You can run in for a few chorus girls, see the shows, Big League Baseball. Has the season started? Oh, sure, last week, girls. I guess Brooklyn will win again, just like last year. Do you think he's beat their brains out? Well, I mean, uh, for that day, they won the division. It's a league, Harry, not a division. Well, what's the difference? Who cares? Well, if he doesn't know when the season starts, how's he know Brooklyn's gonna win? Which is what I read in the papers again. Would-would anybody give him a- Well, in the last World Series, that's typical. A bunch of guys pay no attention to baseball all year long, and then suddenly the World Series comes along, they read a couple of articles, and then for a week, they're experts. He didn't say he was an expert. Look, look, you're in a bad mood. Knock it off. I'm in a good enough mood. You're just stewing about that Boyer thing. Let's all forget it. Why don't you shut up? Oh, come on. Ken, this is your party. Let's-let's have a toast. Glasses up, everybody. Glasses up. That's about half your total conversation. It's time you grow up. Excuse me. I-I have to kill a husband. I'll be right back. Ken, wait, please. Now, what was all that about? Nothing. Well, you can't walk off this way. It's your part. I don't feel like a party. You did this morning. What happened? What's on this about Boyer? He doesn't enter into it. Ken, Ken, I'm getting sick and tired of these moods. How do you think I feel in front of all those people? They must think you're crazy. I don't care what they think. Well, I do. We can't walk out and leave them. I'm not asking you to. Oh, what's new? Oh, he just has a headache, Pete. Is there anything so wrong with having a headache? Not if you don't have too many of them. I'm going after him. Good night. I had heard Pete's wise crack and he was right. Too many headaches. And having Boyer in charge of the work crew on a tiger shark didn't help the many. But I couldn't stay away from the dock. Something kept pulling me back like North pulls a compass needle. And maybe without knowing it, I was waiting around to keep him up. How's your look, Commander? We're sure making progress. Yeah, yeah. Another week, you'll be ready for dock trials. Yeah, so you told me yesterday. You know, I almost think I'd like to put in for submarine duty myself. When you stop them, thank what? Fire belt. Where is it, Sailor? Looks like the forward battery, sir. Keep everybody out of here. All right, well, let's get away. Look up there. It's a fire room. It's a fire room. It's a fire room. Oh, Ken, where is it? Forward battery room. We've got it isolated, but there's a man in there. You still haven't got enough space to shoot him from CO2 cylinders. We're bringing him down the hatch now, sir. There isn't time for that. Look at that. Come on. Stand back for you. You'd last about 30 seconds in there. There's a man in that room. He'll have to take his chance. His Captain Rice took his chances. I went by the book once. And you'll go by the book again. I'll get that suit on. Stillman, Adam, barehand on that suit. The rest of you stand by with that hose here. Well, Carol, now what's the big problem? First of all, thanks for coming, Pete. Oh, stop it, William. Any more news about that fire? Well, the man was pretty badly burned. It's really too soon to say. Harry Carlson told me that the warrior wanted to go right in. And Ken wouldn't let him? Well, the Admiral had something to say about that, too. He told Kennedy did the right thing. If he hadn't, the lawyer, who knows who else, may have been killed. I heard him say something. Then Ken's all right. Well, Ken said maybe it's time he did the wrong thing. That's exactly what I mean. It's his whole attitude. Pete, I'm really desperate. There are times when I think he hates me. Oh, now wait a minute. Well, he's mad at something. What is it? I'm a sweet child of the field. I know nothing. I've got to have some help. Or this marriage of mine is going to go sky high. That wouldn't be fun for anybody. Except for guys like myself. Don't worry. I'm one of those fellows that, well, we go to all the parties and we eye other men's girls, but when you're free, we don't want any part of it. So, okay, go ahead, shoot. Well, what do you think about Ken seeing a psychiatrist? Anybody who sees a psychiatrist ought to have his head examined. Joke. No, joke. I know it sounds silly, but I've even thought about Ken quitting the Navy. What's so silly about that? Then it is the Navy. You do know something. All I know is that your marriage is headed for the rocks. Now, it isn't in the home, so it must be in the job. Get rid of the job. You honestly think that would help? I think it's the only solution. It's time to get busy and look for something. Or better yet, you have the contacts. You promote something. Oh, he'll do fine. You line out this beep between you and you'll both live happily ever after. That'll be $25 for it. I think I'll have a cocktail after all. Good. You know, now that you're happily married again, I'm getting very interested in you. Anything in the mail? Yeah, and I don't get it. A chance to become a captain of industry. Matthew's Electric Company, Portland, Oregon. Here, take a look at this. Dear Commander White, we're in need of a man experienced in maintenance and personnel work. That's me. Suggested to us by Admiral Rice. Nice of him, huh? I can assure you the arrangements we contemplate will be more than satisfactory to you. Sounds terrific. But why should Bryce have picked me? Why wouldn't he? Yeah. How do you feel about Portland? I hear it's wonderful. It means buying umbrellas, long underwear, and finding a good thick roof. Oh, they have lots of nice houses near the plant. They do? Oh, where did you hear that? Oh, I don't know. I think I read it somewhere. What was the name of that businessman you had lunch with a couple of months ago? Businessman? You used to write copy for his refrigerators. A.E. Matthews, if I remember correctly. Ken? What kind of a fool do you think I am, and how long do you think I'd stay a fool? Or maybe you thought I might go for it. What does Matthews get out of this? You're going to write his copy for free? I only said it whoever was working. And what about the Admiral? Are you going to do his advertising, or did you just cry on his shoulder about the hardships of Navy life? I simply asked his advice, and he agreed with Pete that it was the best thing... Pete! Well, who'd you miss, honey? How about the mailman? What'd he think? Did you write your newspaper, your congressman? All right, Ken. I'm sorry. I know now that I was going about it the wrong way, but honestly, I thought it was a solution. For what? For us. Ken, you're at war with your job, and yourself, and with me, and something has to give. Do you want it to be our marriage? No, I don't. You've got to make a change. Meaning, Portland? Meaning anything. Get a farm, take a painting. Only please, please get us out of our trouble. And you think leaving the Navy will do that? Yes, I do. And I? I suppose you're right. Otherwise, the Admiral wouldn't have backed you up. Where are you going? To the office. I'm going to resign from the Navy. Best I'd find you down here at the dock. I thought I'd have a last look at the Tiger Shark. You been waiting long? Quite a while. Who were you talking to? The sentry said that no one was aboard. I wasn't talking to anyone, just looking around. And thinking of Josh Rice and Boyer and... I'm sorry. You don't need to be sorry. You're very perceptive. Well, I've got a dozen things to do. I've got to call a moving company for the reservation service. Portland won't work, Carol. I can't beat this thing by running out on it. Then I... Then I'll still want to get my things moved out. Oh, look, Carol. Ken, please. Maybe we can talk it over. We have. We've beaten the subject to death. You can't seem to solve your problems in Portland, and I can't solve mine and the Navy. Isn't that right? I wish we'd made it. You're nice, Ken Folk. Goodbye, Ken. Is that you? Come in. I'm sorry, sir. I left a letter on your desk. I'd like to take it back if I could. You'd better, because your resignation wouldn't have stuck anyway. Things have changed since I recommended you for that job in Portland. You've just had word that the North Koreans have crossed the 38th parallel. Oh. Will that affect the yard, sir? It will affect you. I've talked to the bureau. Your orders are on the way. What kind of orders, sir? You're to take the tiger shark. You're ready for sea in five days. Act 3 of the Hollywood Radio Theater will continue in just a few moments. All for station identification. The curtain rises on Act 3 of Submarine Command, starring William Holden as Ken and Alexis Smith as Carol, with Sheldon Leonard as Boyer. Aboard the tiger shark as we left for Korea were two old hands, Carlson, now the executive officer, and Boyer. The middle of December found us on patrol in the Sea of Japan. Inland things weren't going too well. Thousands of troops had been caught in a trap. They'd fought their way out towards the coast, and were now praying for evacuation out of the port of Hongnam. But our orders still read patrol duty. Uncle Sam sure sends you on long trips. A thousand miles, brother. Yeah, but for what, Boyer? For lifeguard duty, it says so in the log. Maybe you'd rather be at Hongnam with a couple million reds on your tail. Well, you don't have to go to extremes. Listen, Sally, you're a guest aboard a six million dollar efficiency department with free light, heat, radio, air conditioning, mail delivered by destroyers, a best chow in the world. Only one thing wrong with this ship. Well, what is it? Never mind, I hope you never have to find... Any news, Ken? Nothing yet. The wind's shifting. Oh! I'm about to lose both feet. I'll be up in a couple of minutes, we're leaving. Yeah, they get the mail sorted out yet? Yeah, you've got a dozen letters down there from Sue. Thanks. Uh, you hear from Cal? Yes. Ken, I know it's none of my business, but look, there's nothing you can tell me I don't already know, including what a heel I've been. Permission to come on the bridge, sir? Granted. Oh, it's about time. Sorry, Harry, but I stopped to listen to the news from Hongnam. Beachhead's still holding. They're moving men and equipment off as fast as they can load them. How many to go? Over 20,000. I'll see you below, Harry. All right. Now we're staring 355 through. Safety and negative are flooded. We're ready for diving. Our change of orders came through that night. We were to rendezvous at once with an airplane carrier. Preface, instructions for a special mission. The following noon I was aboard the USS Concord, and there waiting for me was Pete Morris. Well, what are you so surprised about? How did you get here? Simple. I told him I didn't want sea duty. Well, what's the latest on the home front? Oh, all quiet, I guess. Well, and you're not worried? Worried about what? Well, didn't Carol tell you? Well, I got a letter yesterday, the most impersonal hello in history. Tell me what? I think you better ask her. I'm asking you. You know, it's a funny thing I seem to let my Western Union card and my other suit. Now come on, the Admiral's way. And so with any luck, we should complete the evacuation of Hung Nam by Christmas Day. But here, here on the map is a prison camp. It's about 10 miles from the coast. In it with some 200 other Americans, our Colonel Garson Washington's special intelligence team. We have reason to believe the Colonel has information of tremendous value to us. What kind of information, sir? I don't know the details, but our orders are to free those prisoners. Paratroopers will affect the actual rescue. Now about our part. The only possible route for the paratroopers' planes is directly over Coyacan. But there are two big obstacles. Tell them, Commander. Yes, sir. Here at Point Nacomo, the enemy has a radar station. And here at Coyacan itself is a telephone center. Now both installations will have to be knocked out before our planes can approach. And that's where you come in, Commander White. Tonight you will land two demolition parties from the Tiger Shark. One at Point Nacomo and the other at Coyacan. And when you've received signals of the success of their missions, you will then radio to me. You'll be given all further details by Commander Morris. He's going with you. Half a dozen men left the Concorde and came aboard the Tiger Shark. And that night in the war room, we again went over our plan. Though this whole deal hinges on us, unless the Reds are completely surprised they'll massacre the prisoners. And in order to surprise them, we have to cut the communications. Now three of us are going to be responsible for the radar station. Major Kim, Lieutenant Barton and myself. Okay, now we'll put you off in a rubber bolt at Point Nacomo. You'll go ashore and lay low for approximately one hour until 4.30. Right. That'll give us time to take the Tiger Shark to the entrance of Coyacan Harbor. Now that's where you two frogmen can slip over the side. Yes, sir. There's no chance of getting into the harbor. Not all, the harbor's mined. It's okay with us, sir. We'll swim in. Now at exactly 0.4.30, both parties will proceed to destroy their objectives. As soon as you've done this, send me your signals and I'll radio the Admiral. Any questions? No, sir. Captain White? Yes? We've just sighted Point Nacomo, bearing 295. Very well. Be ready in 15 minutes. The three men left in the rubber bolt repeat the Korean Major Kim and Lieutenant Barton. And we headed south for Coyacan. That gave us a little extra time to brief the frogmen. You can drop us at the breakwater, sir. We'll have about 30 minutes to reach shore. 30 minutes is maximum. We'll do it, sir. Now look, if you're late, the Reds get one word that their radar station's been destroyed. They'll use the telephone center to spread the news. And once they're able to do that, our whole operation's cooked. All right, now what about the... Sir, Chief Engineer requests permission to secure the starboard main motor. What's the trouble, Boyer? Bearing is running hot. How long to fix it? Can't tell yet, sir. At least a half an hour. Mr. Carlson? Sir? Make all speed possible on a port propeller. Pull an overload if you have to. We've got 17 miles to go. They repaired that hot bearing. But until it was fixed, our speed had been cut in half. When we reached the breakwater outside Koyasan Harbor, we'd already lost a full 20 minutes of our schedule. Rockman, are you ready, Ken? Standing by. Tell him to relax. We've lost too much time. Better going in? I know those boys can swim, but even a seal couldn't make it in the time we've got left. Any alternatives? Yeah, just one. We'll take the tiger shark into the harbor. The harbor's mine. We can't get inside. I know, I know. And it's a gamble. But this time the odds are right. Once up against the lives of those 200 prisoners, we'll take our chances. Clear the bridge. Stand by for dive. We went down to 40 feet. From here on in, all we could do was cross our fingers and rely on our instruments to get us through that minefield. Our reading is 15 degrees on. We just bow. There's an echo directly ahead of us. 200 yards and closing. Rightful rudder, all ahead 1-3. Rightful rudder, all ahead 1-3. Objects still closing, sir. I think we're at the entrance. Contacts are up port. Mine cable. Leftful rudder. Downscope. Leftful rudder, sir. Clear, sir. Rudder midships. Rudder midships, sir. Steer 225. Steer 225, sir. Wain her up. Let the frogmen off. Upscope. 38 feet. 35 feet. Less than 200 yards from shore. The frogmen slipped over the side and disappeared into the water. If they reached their objective, they'd signal back by flashlight. I looked at my watch. We were still 12 minutes behind schedule. The radio just heard from Pete Mullets. They've not got the radar station. That's half the job, but we're 12 minutes late. What's the difference, Ken? Provided the frogmen do as well. The difference is the planes that the pair of troopers took off long ago. Unless they get the all clear to proceed, they'll turn back, and then we'll have to turn back. We'll just have to wait it out and see what happens. Pete, have anything else to say? He said to tell you they'll try to make their way inland that Major Kim knows that country. If they're lucky, they'll turn up the troopers. If they're lucky, and if I don't let them down, we've got to submerge. Secure the hatch. They'll watch the show through the press. They watched and waited, endlessly. A silent ship and a silent crew knowing that the mission would fail, the planes would be ordered to return to their base if we didn't report to the carrier. It was Boyer who reminded me of the time. He wasn't shouting. It only seemed that he was shouting. It's 058, sir. We have to report by 058. Yes, yes, I know. Wait a minute. A signal from the shore. I've got the signal. Downscope. We're going to surface. Well, you know that that shore battery's here in the harbor. It's the only way we can send an all clear to the carrier. As soon as the antennas are out of the water, contact the carrier and report the all clear. Got our message off, and then it started. First the searchlights from the shore, pinning us down, and then the big stuff from the hills. We answered them with everything we had, but it wasn't enough. General Mitzer, she's settling up. All hands carry out demolition orders. All hands carry out demolition orders. Abandon ship. I thought they were all gone, and then in fact of me, I heard Boyer's voice. You'll need this, sir, to get a life jacket. Thanks, Boyer. Let's go, sir. You all right, Captain? Yeah. She was, she was a wonderful ship. Yeah. The best. Swim for shore. There's nothing else we can do. Pass the word. Yes, sir. Swim for shore. Pass the word. Yeah. Sounds like, like paratroopers, right on schedule. And here come the jets. That tells me things ain't going to be so tough on that beach ever. It's hard now to remember just how much time went by, or exactly what happened on the beach. But sometime during the morning. Count it for all your men yet, Commander. All safe, Colonel, except for my men and a radar landing party. Seven of us. We lost 14 paratroopers. But I guess it's not too big a price to pay. We're pulling out nearly 200. What about the intelligence team? Bolshe's out there. Oh, okay. Man, they got what they came for. Hey, Captain, look who's coming. Well, it's nice to see your smiling face. You made it, huh? Yeah, I kept telling him somebody'd be here to meet us. Well, you guys sure caught the last trolley. I was nothing, Mr. Boyer. Any hero could have done it. There he is. Major Kim of the South Korea. Well, where's the tiger shark? Oh, uh, she's gone. We ran into a little trouble. A little trouble? Oh, he goes through a minefield submerged. He lays the frogmen so close to show you could plant a crop. He fights a battle with half a dozen shore batteries and gets sunk. He... Oh, hang around, Commander. I'll get you something to eat. Thanks, thanks. Well, you listen, the Boyer. Seems like you won a popularity contest. Yeah. All except one vote. Two votes. What's that mean? Well, I promised Carol I wouldn't tell you because she thought it seemed like dirty pool having all your trouble with Boyer and the ship and so forth. But, uh, I think now's a pretty good time. Your wife's gonna have a baby. I said your wife's gonna... Well, if you're gonna stand there with your mouth open, you might as well shove some food in it. Come on, I'll start. A couple of weeks ago, another submarine went down the ways and into the water. Bigger and better than anything we've ever known. Carol was there at the launching. She was the one who swung that familiar bottle of champagne. Hey, I've got to admit that for one with so little experience, you sure knew what to do with that bottle of... Well, they'll do something. The baby, she's crying. She's hungry. Really? Well, now it's your turn to get some experience. Here's the bottle, Papa. Get going. In a moment our stars will return. Make a friend and you make an ally. There's a thought for you to keep in mind as many another American has. Elizabeth Vining was an American who probably had more individual success than anyone else in creating a strong feeling of friendship between the United States and Japan. In 1946, she was selected for the important job of teaching English to the 12-year-old Crown Prince Akihito. Her tour of duty was for two years. In Tokyo, she found the class of 20 boys had been assigned to her. By patiently conducting her class completely in English, Miss Vining gradually taught them a language they were eager to learn. Her methods of teaching and subject matter were of her own choice. The boys studied American history and democracy, had discussions on the United Nations, and the Prince memorized Lincoln's Gettysburg address. At the end of her assignment, Miss Vining agreed to stay another year since the Prince's English had reached the point where he could understand the expression of ideas. At the end of the third year, Prince Akihito was well acquainted with English and the benefits of a democratic way of life. Miss Vining's work was finished. The Emperor and the Empress thanked her for the understanding she had brought to the Prince and the Japanese children and gave her many gifts to show their gratitude. And what had Elizabeth Vining learn from her work? That she had contributed much toward the future peace of Japan and the rest of the world. That she opened windows which had remained closed too long. As one of her students told her, you have not only taught us English, you have taught us thoughts. Yes, Elizabeth Vining had learned that by helping others, you help your country. Now here is Mr. Cummings with our stars. And now William Holden and Alexis Smith let me thank you for two fine performances. Whenever I congratulate the stars after the play, I think back to the early silent days when actors didn't receive screen credit. It was only when the fans wrote in and asked the names of the artists that they were properly identified. Of course, some of us didn't want to be identified. Sometimes today, they don't want to be identified either. Why some of us have been known to sneak into this studio after our picture's been previewed. Oh, now you're just being modest, Alexis. I just saw your latest picture and you were simply great. Well, as a matter of fact, Bill, I just saw your latest picture and you were just sensational. Aren't we the Koi ones? By any chance, are you talking about Paramount's new picture, the turning point starring William Holden, Edmund O'Brien and Alexis Smith? Irving, there was no need to mention our latest picture, the turning point. I just thought someone ought to say a good word for Edmund O'Brien. Well, I'll say a good word for Eddie any time and any picture. Be sure to listen next week to Jane Wyman in a heartwarming drama the whole family will love. Arceo's moving story of the Blue Veil. It's one of my favorites, Irving. Good night. Good night. Thank you for the wonderful evening. This is Irving Cummings saying good night to you from Hollywood. From Plymouth Rock to the war-crippled world of today, our nation has derived its greatest strength from its spiritual principles. Our religious beliefs have given form to the whole structure of American living and helped to keep it free. Attendance at church or synagogue builds moral and spiritual character, both for the individual and for the community. Here in our cast tonight were Stephen Donnas Morris, Sheldon Leonard as Boyer, Lamont Johnson as Carlson, Larry Dodkin as Rice, Kay Stewart as Alice, Herb Butterfield as Admiral Rice, and Dan Riss, Robert Griffin, Herb Rollinson, Robert Bruce and Eddie Maher. Our play was adapted by S.H. Barnett and our music was directed by Rudy Schrager. Here is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service.