 Good evening ladies and gentlemen, this is the Cavalcade of America sponsored by Dupont. Our play tonight gives a vivid picture of our Navy at grips with the enemy. In this war, chemistry and the other sciences have given us many new and effective weapons. Nevertheless, it is interesting to note that black powder, oldest of all major explosives, is still indispensable in modern battle. Black powder was the first product of the original Dupont plant in 1802 on the historic Brandywine. Dupont is still supplying this essential explosive to the Army and Navy in important quantities. Our play tonight, written especially for Cavalcade by Charles K. Freeman, tells how a gallant warship won for herself the title the Unsinkable Marblehead. Dupont brings you this exciting drama starring Dean Jagger as Captain Robinson on the Cavalcade of America. An East Coast shipyard, 1923. Can you see all right, Mabel? Pretty good. Change places with me. You've never seen a ship launch before. It's an old story to me. Come on. Oh, imagine seeing a battleship launch. A cruiser there. A cruiser. It is a cruiser, isn't it, Will? Oh, yes, yes. A cruiser. The Marblehead. Cruiser's a name for towns, battleships for states, submarines for fish. Oh, see the woman who's going to christen it? Where? Up there, holding the flowers. Say, I wonder if it's a bottle of champagne. Come on over and you can sit. What are those men pounding down there for daddy? Isn't the ship dark? They're driving out the braces that hold the ship so it'll slip into the water. Oh, will it make a big splash? Pretty big. What's that funny thing at the end of the ship, daddy? Those are propellers. They spin around and drive the ship through the water. Oh, I know this. Oh, that's a rudder. Gee, it's as tall as a house. What's a rudder? That's what the ship steers with. Don't ask them any questions. Won't it break off? No. I get shot off, but I doubt it. What if it did get shot off? Having to help them is all I can say. A ship without a rudder is... That was the Marblehead 19 years ago, 1924. I wasn't her skipper then. I wasn't assigned to her until some years later. Fought a few brief months after she was launched. She was the pride of the fleet. Jane's fighting ships gave her the usual paragraph, Marblehead, cruiser class, third of her line, four screws, 35 knots, displacement, so and so, you know. The usual specifications that would be of interest only to a naval officer or the nation's enemy. Nobody had much of an idea then that she would ever tangle with the enemy and blimp halfway around the world from the Java sea after that's getting ahead of the story. Early last year, she was reported sunk off the coast of Java. It was the Japanese who reported the sinking. So sorry, Japanese wrong. One day last spring, the Marblehead got home. Get over the bar line. Order the lines, double up on the engine secured, Mr. Blake. Take over. I'm going below. Yes, sir. Double up lines and secure the engines. Run some battle. Look out, watches. Are you the captain, sir? That's right. Repair crew reporting aboard, sir. This is the Marblehead, isn't it? That's right. They must have sent through the wrong repair order. You look ship-shaped as it can be. You'd better have a look below, this way. After you, sir. Did you say ship-shaped? Sweet. Damn a line. What here, captain? Now the wardrooms and living quarters all need new installations throughout. Where did all this happen, sir? The Java, Java sea. Yeah, but how did you get her back here? You didn't sail 15,000 miles with Alaruda. No, not quite. We rigged up the emergency steering gear in Ceylon. Before that, we had to steer with our engines from the time we got hit. You know what, captain? I think this baby must be unsinkable. Unsinkable? Perhaps. But there were days and weeks after that morning in the Java sea when nobody in his right mind would have given a plug nickel for the Marblehead. That was right after Pearl Harbor when everybody, including the Japanese, were saying, where's the American Navy? Well, this particular unit of the Navy was in the Java sea, maintaining constant lookout for an enemy that never showed up, manning the guns four hours on, eight hours off. Still, there was time to shoot the breeze, blow from the sun, and indulge in the sailor's favorite pastime, belly aching. First section, relieve the water. Control testing. What kind of a war is this, anyway? What are you kicking about? You get a chance to use that gun. You'll talk different then. Maybe we'd see some action if we were on a destroyer. This old cruiser all we ever do is play backstop. Oh, what? This ain't any sandlot game, cousin. This is series. Starts out slow, but nobody ever takes it no walk. What do you imagine? Destroyer's put in at a port once in a while, too. Gee, just to see trees and hills and walk on dry land. Oh, dry up, you're homesick. Nuts, I'm seasick. Sick of seeing nothing but water and sand and palm trees and flat-level country. Where I come from, we got green grass and fields and hills. You should have joined the infantry. You don't know my old man. He did a hitch in the Navy. He spent it all at Great Lakes. You bet it's pretty there. I did my boots there. Yeah, country club. Now, take Sam Pete. Crying out loud, will you cut out that whistling or else whistle something that don't give you attention? Sorry, Captain. I didn't see you. That's easy, it is, boys. The hills are home, huh? You miss them? Yes, sir, sometimes. Where you from, son? Wisconsin, sir. That's nice country, Wisconsin. And nice rolling hills. You know, I've got a record of that song in my stateroom. Ask my orderly fort sometime. Take it down in your quarters and play it. Thank you, sir. And don't let it get you down, boy. Every sailor's a land lover, part sometimes. So that's the way it was some days, most days. Four on, eight off. Waiting, waiting. Watching for something was bound to happen sooner or later. Eyes tired from constant watching and tempered sharp from the uncertainty of waiting. And that's the way it was that morning, plowing through the glassy waters. Landfall off our port now, sir. Those will be the Kangian Islands. The admiral should be changing course soon Unless those seagulls turn out to be jab planes. Could be. Keep your eyes peeled for a flag hoist. That goes now, sir. Let's have it. Looks like it is. An order to scatter. I had a hunch. Radio, are you getting a message? Coming in now, sir. Let me have as it comes. Patrol plane out of Surabaya. Reports, planes approaching. The Houston has broken out a flag hoist, sir. What message? Houston reports unidentified aircraft sighted. I'll take that. Bridge. Fire scan, look out for reporting. Planes are established by us, sir. I'll make out the signal now, sir. All ships to scatter immediately. We'll call all hands to battle stations. Yes, sir. Lieutenant Bracken reporting, sir. Yes, yes. What is it, Lieutenant? Aircraft formation is approaching a definitely enemy aircraft. Well, this is it. Sound general quarters. You see them, Jonesy? I can't even hear them. Japs are flying high. Won't hear them till they come down with a stick of bombs. Look, I see them now, Jonesy. There. Yeah, twin-engine bombers. Bracken into formations. One bunch heading straight for us. Keep your eye blue, that rangefinder, kid. Water be coming through any minute now. They're almost over us, Jonesy. What's the skipper waiting for, huh? What's he waiting for? Rich danger to them. Stand by for full power. Stand by for full power, sir. Right-standard rudder. Steady on 2-5-0. Right-standard rudder, sir. Steady on 2-5-0. 2-9-5. 2-9-5, sir. One flight's coming in range now, sir. I check with the sky control. Aye, sir. Sky control? Sky control, aye. Get range and deflection. All guns stand by. Aye, aye, sir. Fire control? Fire control, aye. Switch to local control? Aye, aye, sir. Left full rudder. Steady on 0-7-5. Left full rudder. Steady on 0-7-5, sir. Take it easy, kid. Steady. I've got to get one of those guys, Jonesy. Just one of them. Look, the Houston's firing. Why don't they give us the room? Gun six. Gun six reporting, sir. Range to 0-300. Range 2,000, deflection 0-300. A reset kit. Yeah. Yeah. OK, kid. Let them have it. Oh, I let them have it. Oh, I let them have it. Why can't you fasten it? I told you this wasn't no sandbar game. This is a series. Hey, look out. Get down. What's the idea? You'll find out. Listen. All one. You all right, kid? I guess so. You a hit kid. There's just vibration on your feet now. Look out. Coming again. All two. Missed again. And remember, kid. Down off your feet when they're on top. You can't get them straight ahead. All three. Look at that one, Jonesy. Yeah, yeah. Must have got them. He's heading this way. Suicide dive. It's mine, Jonesy. It's mine. Yeah. Game's over if you don't. Look at him come. Steady, kid. Steady. Okay, now. More to stop it. More to stop it. I think I got him. He's walking. I'm in the drink. Yeah, sure did, kid. Home run with the bases loaded. This is only the first inning. Lieutenant Bracken reporting, sir. Gunnery reports range finder knocked out and forwarding the aircraft battery. We'll tell him to share our range finder with the after battery. We'll keep them firing if not by range finder then by guest and by guard. Take us to another one, sir. Off our port bow. We'll get the range of the forward battery. Yes, sir. Look out. Get down. Don't just knocked off my fleet. Where do they get us? Can't tell from here, sir. Not like the port bow. We'll find out. While they're tailing it now, they're probably out of bombs. All right, Blake. Keep all guns man. Aye, aye, sir. Gonna have the rest of the crew turned to below to fight fire and clear up wreckage and get the men with the worst injuries to turn to sick bay if we've still got us sick bay. You are listening to the unsinkable Marblehead with Dean Jagger as Captain Robinson on the Cavalcade of America sponsored by Dupont. As our dramatization continues, the United States cruiser Marblehead is still reeling from a withering attack by jet planes in the Java Sea on the navigating bridge. We've lost control, sir. We're circling. Messenger reporting, Mr. Jury, sir. Board compartment splitter is high. CPL quarters. How's our draft, did he say? Yes, sir. Double, fire's about the ward room. The damage control party's at work, sir. Good. Message from Chief Engineer, sir. Steering engine destroyed and let a jam pull out. Just what I thought. Steering engine room flooded messenger? Yes, sir. But they're diving to get it clear. Oh, tell them to keep on it and keep me informed. Aye, aye, sir. Garkins reporting, sir. Garkins. Garkins, why aren't you in sick bay? Sick bay's demolished, sir. We're burning pretty badly below decks. I'm sorry. Took me so long to get up here. How long before we can use the steering engine? No telling, sir. Any orders from the sir? You lay below for first aid. Van Bergen will take over for you. I can still get around. I'll send for you if we need your guidance. Van Bergen, take over for me here. I'm going below to inspect the damage myself. Now, keep circling. That's all we can do until they can get the rudder free. That's the first thing. We're a perfect target this way. What's the trouble here, Garkins? The men are part of the magazine, sir. Keep working on a hatch, kid. I'm working on a fire. It's pretty hot. Let's have some towels, Jonesy. Yeah, yeah. Here's my shirt. Take it easy below. Let's get you out. This hatch is buckled from the heat. Here you go. You help this lad with his hatch. Make your little light for that job. Good work, men. Thank you, sir. That's done it. It's black as pitch down there. I'm going down, kid. Stand by. Let me go down. Jonesy, I'm no good up here. Stand by like I told you. It's a mate's right, son. The men down there in bad shape. Stand by here to help them out. What is it, Otterly? Reporting for engineering officer, sir. Magazines and storerooms are flooded. Fire rafts under control, but others are taken out. What are the casualties? Fifteen killed or fatally wounded. About 50 seriously hurt, sir. Still haven't found them all out. Hey, Corman. How about medical supplies, Carter? Pretty short, sir. Sick bait got a bad. We're trying to get some telecom powder for burns. Yes, sir. It should be some aboard. Find it. No, no, no. Stand by, Otterly. I may need you to carry a message to the bridge. You there, kid. Kid from Wisconsin. Yes, sir? Did you get all of them in out of the magazine? Yes, sir. Just about in time. Last one must have got the ventilator. Jonesy's still inside, making sure. I see. Yes, yes. We'll get him out, round up a working party, and get the gunpowder. Topside and overboard. Well, the hoist is jammed, sir. Then you'll have to carry it up. There's room in between here and the companionway's flooded, sir. Shall we open the watertight door and flood this one, too, sir? Yes, yes. But now be careful. Watch for fire in short circuits. Remember, you're handling gunpowder. Yes, sir. All right, come on, Otterly. I'm going below to the steering room and see. Yes, I may want to take a mail. I may want you to take a message to the bridge. Stay outside. I told you this place is full of powder. I know. We've got to get a topside and overboard. Captain's orders. What? Does he know the hoist? Yeah, yeah, I told him. We'll open the watertight door to the next compartment at. Flood this one and use the number four companionway through the next compartment. Okay. We don't drown doing it. Yeah, give me a hand with this watertight door, all right? Okay. Stand by for a duckin'. Pump's gone, Blake. Yes, sir. Repair crew is on the job, though. You know, Captain, we've taken on so much water and lost so much structural strength, I'm afraid she'll break at number one stack if we get any weather. Well, muster all available hands and form a bucket for Katie until we can get the water down. All right. All right, pass them along now, man. What is it, messenger? Reporting for engineer, sir. He's evacuated away to the Ford fire room. Did he say why? The men were being inspected, sir. He can still give you 27 knots, though. As long as he can get oil, it isn't full of salt water, that is, sir. Oh, very good. Report back to your station. Aye, sir. What's the news at Parsons? They just got the rudder free, sir. Miranda Johnson diving and doing it just by feeling the pitch black. Oh, that was a trouble. The motors are burned out, but the hydraulic rams are okay. They bled and freed the yoke. The rudder swings now, but we can't steer. Good, good, good. Nice work. Lock it a midship if possible. I can get on away now. You two men give a hand at the working party that's getting the powder out of number four magazine. Aye, sir. And tell them on the bridge I'm on my way up Parsons. The marble head can still navigate. How are we doing, Jonesy? Not too bad. Find working party. You round it up. Working party of two. You and me. Hey, Jonesy, will you stop bumping into me? That's the third time. I didn't bump you. That was a... Then what was it? Good, just a... Yeah, skip it. Feel a lot better if you don't know. I'll get you. One of the fellas that didn't... Yeah. All right, come on. Let's hurry and get this stuff out of here. Hey, lights. Gee, blind you, don't it? Yeah. Must have got the current turned on. That's good. Hey, kid, look out. Them two wires are short. Kid! How are things below, Captain? The marble head's still a man-a-war. We're afloat. We still have our firepower. It's still making 27 knots. I'll lay a course for Java through the Lombok streets. We'll put in a chila chop. How are we steering, sir? We'll steer by the engines. Just as long as they can keep them turning. Starboard engine ahead full. Stop port. Starboard engine ahead full. Stop port. Aye, aye, sir. Back port. Then even them up. Back port. Then even them up. Port engine ahead. Stop. Starboard. Even them up. Port engine ahead. Stop. Starboard. Even them up. Aye, aye, sir. As a kid, still under opiates. Third degree burns. Will it... Will it pull through? It'll do our best. You, Jonesy? Hi, kid. The doctor was just telling me you're coming along swell. Hurt much? I messed things up good when I bumped into those two live wires. Didn't I? Was... Captain... Aye, aye, I understood. They happen to anybody. Lights coming on sudden and blind you the way they did. What I can't figure is how you got me out before you folded up. Oh, could you, kid? I couldn't have. Yeah, sure. I was... Yeah, it's a doctor here. Oh. Hiya, doc. Don't talk too much now. Try to get some rest. Well, doctor, just a minute. Yes, Captain. Let him sleep now, Jones, if he can. Yes, sir. How we doing, Jonesy? Ship, I mean. Go ahead and do the Java. We can keep ahead of the water that's coming in. We'll be okay. That's good. Be swell to be on land again. Java's so nice and green. Kinda like to get there before... You're gonna be all right. Any, doc? Of course he is. Here's a captain to see you, son. Well, you're looking pretty fit, my boy. Well done. Now, I wanted to bring you that phonograph record, but... Well, isn't much left to my cabin. Or maybe we can get a record in Java. That'd be great. Thanks, Captain. They'll have you fixed up in no time in Java. Someday you'll be going back for a leave, maybe Wisconsin. How about it? How far do you suppose it is from Java to Wisconsin, Captain? We're getting pretty good at this, Captain. We didn't get more than 40 degrees off the course that time. The time we get in we'll be doing fine. Oh, good morning, Doctor. I'm glad you came up. I wanted to ask if you plan to bury the dead at sea. Doctor, I'd rather not. You know, it's funny. I've been a sailor all my life, but when my turn comes, I hope to rest ashore. I'd like to bury my men ashore. What do you think? We'll be in a chila chop in ten hours. We put them all in the afterturt. Well, then, by all means, Doctor, we'll bury our dead ashore. Thank you, Doctor. Almighty Father, here in alien but friendly soil, far from the homes that they've loved, we later rest our comrades. Yet in a larger sense, we know that to men who love freedom's way of life, all lands of freedom are home. We would remember all men who sleep in alien lands, comfort those who have given their sons that liberty may one day prevail through all the earth. Unto God's great mercy, we commit these departed in sure and certain hope of the resurrection unto eternal life. Amen. Port Elizabeth, Simon Town, still wounded but gamely plowing on, the Marblehead continued her long voyage home. Radio report just been picked up from Tokyo, Captain. Yes, well, let's see it. Well, listen to this gentleman. Radio Tokyo. In a ferocious engagement of Serabaya and trepid Japanese airmen today, sank the mighty United States cruiser Marblehead. Lieutenant Seo and Mitsubishi were among those who died heroes' deaths in their sacrificial assault on the Marblehead, which was sunk, despite its heavy armor, plate and savage resistance. They must have got us confused with two other ships. Well, strikes me, the Marblehead's doing pretty well for ships at the bottom of the sea. And doing pretty well, she was 7,000 miles to her home port, but she made it. Then when American repair crews had taken over, I was told a report to the secretary of the Navy in Washington. And it is therefore my privilege to confer upon you, Captain Robinson, the Navy's highest award for distinguished service in the line of your profession. Proceeding without regard for personal safety, you led your men in a successful engagement with the enemy, and in the face of extraordinary odds, brought your ships safely into its home port. Permit me as well to extend to you my personal congratulations, Captain Robinson. Thank you, sir. May I ask one question, Mr. Secretary? Why, yes, of course. Anything you like, Captain. Well, I'll be going back to the ship. And they're going to be asking me just one question. When will we be able to get back into action again? How soon our ship will be ready, I mean. Well, I wouldn't worry too much about that if I were you, Robinson. I have a hunch that the department may be thinking about an admiral's shoulder board spear. In that case, you would rate a more important command than the Marblehead. Well, that would be a great honor, of course, sir. But, you know, I like the Marblehead back if I can get it. I feel safer aboard her than a bigger ship. Safer? Yes, and do you know why, sir? Because it was so help me. I believe she really is unsinkable. Thank you, Dean Jagger. Mr. Jagger will return to the microphone later in the program. But before he does, we have a story of chemistry. Black powder, oldest of the major explosives made in the original DuPont plant on the historic Brandywine in 1802 is again serving in this war. Black powder starts depth charges on their lethal journeys. It ignites the propellant charge in all kinds of shells. It is in the fuse which detonates anti-aircraft and other shells at the proper moment. It is used in signal flares, saluting charges, primers, bursting charges, and many other ordnance items. For these purposes, it is superior to any other explosives. It is so important, indeed, that an Army Navy E was recently awarded to the Bieland Works DuPont Company, which makes black powder for the Army and Navy. Black powder, manufactured from sulfur, charcoal, and salt peter, has been used for centuries as gun powder and as a commercial explosive in mining, quarrying, construction, and blasting operations. It has extensive commercial uses and was the chief military explosive until the Spanish-American War when smokeless powder was introduced. Smokeless powder and TNT are the principal military explosives today. However, black powder has properties that are not complicated by any other explosive. So, although it is not manufactured in large quantities compared to the others, it is valuable in this war as it was in wars of another day. Smokeless powder, the military propellant in common use today, is much harder to ignite than black powder. So a percussion primer in a quick flash sets off a charge of black powder which in turn ignites the smokeless powder. Anti-aircraft, shrapnel, and other shells have time fuses which detonate them at the proper second. And the intricate fuse serves that purpose too. Today the country's black powder mills are busy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Old-fashioned black powder is again at war. Tomorrow when peace comes, it will go back to its regular jobs of mining and quarrying as one of the dupe-better things for better living through chemistry. And here is Dean Jagger, star of this evening's Cavalcade. It's been a real privilege to play the part of such a distinguished officer and gallant gentleman as captain now Admiral Robinson. And if our re-enactment of the Marble's Head heroic engagement has inspired you, our audience, to a greater realization of the need for fighting the war every minute of every day, then our efforts have been worthwhile. Next week the Cavalcade of America will present the popular screen star Maureen O'Sullivan in Sky Nurse, the story of a new service in the American Army that is saving countless lives by flying men wounded in battle to face hospitals. Be with us again next week when Cavalcade presents Maureen O'Sullivan in Sky Nurse, an exciting, authentic drama of the war in North Africa. The orchestra and musical score tonight were under the direction of Donald Voreys. This is Clayton Collier sending best wishes from Cavalcade sponsor, the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. Here's more news from the DuPont Wonder World of Chemistry. New DuPont speedy wall finish covers wallpaper, brick, plaster in one coat. Youth in speedy with water. It goes on quickly, easily with brush or roller. Costs less than $3 a room. Comes in eight lovely modern colors. Remember, speed easy. S-P-W-E-D speed. E-A-S-Y easy. Speed easy, made by DuPont. This is the National Broadcasting Company.