 The Cavalcade of America, sponsored by the DuPont Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. That is the ear of the United States Coast Guard, listening for a submarine. Bearing 2-1-4, nothing there. Pick up anything, Casey? No, sir, not yet. Bearing 2-1-5, nothing there. Bearing 2-1-6, nothing there. Bearing 2-1-8, nothing there. Bearing 2-2-0, contact. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Cavalcade of America, sponsored by DuPont. Tonight you ought to hear a story entitled Submarine Astern, starring Ray Milland and written by David Harmon. Later in the program you will hear from our special guest, George H. Corston, chief gunners made of the Coast Guard cutter, the Campbell, which recently sank or dispersed six German submarines. Listen then to Submarine Astern, starring Ray Milland, on the Cavalcade of America, sponsored by the DuPont Company. My name is Dan Harper. Gunners made first class, and the submarine chaser, Dewey, signed up out of Boston. Just another member of the United States Coast Guard. Right now we're in Port, with a few hours to kill, so like every other sailor from Singapore to sail him, convoy 5-foot-2 of female. Pretty, isn't it, Dan? I'll see. I mean the music sailor, not that number with a hen of red. Oh, my error. If you won't make an eye to some Brooklyn special, you're looking back at the table at Pat. Don't worry, she's in good hands. Yeah, too good. That's what I'm afraid of. Does a little competition scare you? Of course not. I love it. But just for fun, let's go back to the table and see what they're talking about, huh? Just for fun, eh? Pardon me. Excuse me. Come in through. Sorry. Sorry. Thanks for the last. Hello, you two. Hi. As I was saying, Pat, he zoomed out of the clouds and opened up an area. Hey, look, pilot. You don't expect a brass band. Just a nice friendly hello, too. Oh, sorry, I was just talking to Pat. Yeah, so I see. Tired of dancing, Dan? Ah, that's not dancing. That floor's the second front. Phil was telling me the most thrilling story about the first time he shot down a zero. Oh, he was, was he? Hey, Bosun, you just sticking an oil for the Coast Guard? I was listening. Doris, you ought to get Phil to tell you all about it. I'd be glad to. I didn't hear anybody ask. And besides, it's time the Coast Guard got a few words in. Ah, that's the trouble with you, New Englanders. You've got salt water running through your veins. I can remember the time we rescued the crew of that fishing boat to Mary Ann. It's bounding off the coast in Antarctica. You're a great help, Pop. That's what I mean, Dan. See, what do you think we're doing that ocean? Go fishing? I thought we were fighting Hitler in the Jap. This isn't a fight, baby. I'm just setting this eagle straight on the Coast Guard. Oh, Bosun, tell us about the time you caught Fearless Fosdick smuggling in a boatload of French perfume, huh? Say, Phil. Yeah, what? There's something I'd like to ask you. Go right ahead. Do you ever go up high enough so you have to use oxygen? Oh, plenty of time. Ah, that accounts for it. It's affected his brain. Let's dance, then. Sure, sure. Getting late, Dan. Yeah, we've got to be shoving off. I'm heading out to sea tomorrow. Hey, Boats, take care of my share of the check, will you? Give it to you back on the ship. Don't worry, I'll remind you. So long, sailor. See you. They can catch me away, oh. So you walk a couple of blocks and hop on a Washington Heights Express. Past 72nd, 96th, 103rd. A few other stops before you get to 181st. You walk a few more blocks up the steps of a brown stone and... They're here. Yeah. You weren't sore were you, Danny? About why? About having Phil tell me how he shot down that plane. Oh, it wasn't that. It's just that I'm sick and tired of having everybody think I'm a beach calmer. I don't think so, Dan. I know you don't, baby. Well, it's getting late, and I got to get up early. So you're careful out of that plant, aren't you? Oh, sure I am. You know, that riveting is pretty dangerous work. You got to watch yourself. I worry about you, too, Dan. Uh-huh. Your mother home? Oh, she's sleeping by now. You know, these blackouts have some good points, too. You sure do. How long are you going to be gone? I don't know. Can you tell? Look, I better be shoving off. Dan, once more before you go. Yes, you. Keep your chin up, baby. So you say good night, and then that long trip back to Staten Island. You walk a few blocks, hunt for nickel in your pocket, and then run for a subway. The train's almost as crowded as two in the morning as the early afternoon. You remember beneath the streets of New York and read the ads. You know, what you guys had won too many. Take a look at the different uniforms from the different countries. Fliers from Australia. French sailors, American dough boys. You start to nod yourself. Then finally you get to Battery Place. Hop out of the subway, one across the street, then one to catch the ferry. You start to feel a little prayer when you get on a Staten Island ferry. There's as much of a boat, but it goes on the water, and that's good enough for you. You watch the dimmed-out skyline of New York fade away, and then in the distance you see the lady with a lamp. Not many civvies on the boat at that time. Mostly sailors. Finally you bump against the dock. You hop off, start walking back to the ship. You spot a couple of other guys in the medouin. You catch up to them just before they get to the gang plane. Ah, who cares what they're wearing? Hiya, Danny. Hiya. As I was saying, blondes over redheads any time. Well, stick to redheads. Ah, less sometimes, I think. Well, let's leave it up to Danny. Leave it up to him. Not after what he was dragging down at Baltimore. Well, so what if she wasn't pretty? She went to college, she had brains. And besides... Hey, who's doing that? Who's whistling? Me, why? How long you been in the Coast Guard? Five months. Hasn't anyone ever told you never to whistle aboard ship? What are you trying to do, jinxes? Don't you know the whistling is just like asking for a storm? Well, I don't know about the rest of you sailors, but I'm going to hit the sack. And the rest of you do the same thing. Down the ladder into the belly of the ship. Crawl out of your clothes and into the sack. Couple of the guys are playing AC Ducey. From buff to snoring as usual. Just stretch out and you know your home. A slight heave of the ship as you ride that anchor. The water slapping against the sides. The smell of grease. You're yawn. Roll over on your side and start dreaming. That buzzard just ain't the rich. You like breakfast and bed hopper? Sure legs, dammit. I'm showing, I'm showing. Doesn't that guy ever sleep? Someday I'm going to get him in a dark alley and make him eat that bosun's pipe. Yeah, and don't forget the cord. I won't. Come on, let's wash down. I'm starving. Hey, who's got my toothpaste? Not me. Then it must be just a coincidence that it's in your left hand. Well, imagine that. Hey, cut it out. What are you splashing water? What are you, a fresh water sailor? See ya, chow. All right, I'll be right with you. Hey, Cookie, take my sunny side up. This morning that's cramble. You know I like them sunny side. There you want egg? Of course I want egg. Just close your eyes, Harper. You'll never know the difference. Well, we had it, Captain. Just a routine cruise to calm three. There's plenty hot down there. Wolfpack of German subs has been reported working there about. If we're lucky we'll find it. We're shoving off at 0800. Have the boss in pipe, muster. Yes, sir. Boss in. Mike, muster. Yes, sir. You line up while the roll is called and you get your instructions. You take care of about a hundred different things. The last mooring lines are cast off. The ship starts to move down past the docks. Out into the bay. Down the narrows and out to sea. Rudder 15 degrees right. Rudder is 15 degrees right, sir. Dear course, 1-8-5. And you're off. Off to Torpedo Junction. How old are the sounds and the smells of the subchaser around you? Around you and about 54 other guys. Men on the bridge of the ship. The brain. Helmsman. Captain. Radio. Young Ensign from Buffalo. Standing up there guarding the ship and all the time listening to the incessant ping-pong of the sound detector. Listening for that ping to come in pairs. Listening for a contact. Captain. What is it, Mr. Becker? What are our chances if we do spot a sub? Excellent if we spot a first and the depth charges sinker. But if she surfaces, we'll have a fight on our hands. We'll give a good account of ourselves, sir. I don't doubt that. But remember that a sub's a good elegy than we are. It won't take many shells to sink a 165-footer. In fact, one well-placed torpedo will do it. A 165-footer with a 55-men aboard. Every man aboard can hear the steady thump of the diesels. Even the men are sitting the crow's nest for hours with the wind whistling like thromb. Relief for the lookout. The lookout is relieved. I sure don't envy you, Larson. My watch is behind me and I'm headed for a cup of jamoc. Is there anything? Not even a fish. Now, if you don't mind, I'll leave you to your thoughts. I'm freezing. And down in the recreation room. A recreation room where it isn't a mess room. That's where you go to stretch out and shoot a few shots. That's where you go to stretch out and shoot the breeze when the other guys are knocking themselves out. Hey, Hederman. What now? How do you spell retaliate? Retaliate? Why? I'm writing to my girl. Oh. Or, uh... How do you want to use the word? Well, I'm just saying, like, Dear Dolly, I have received your letter and now I've retaliated. Down in the galley, there's the everlasting symphony of pots and pans banging against the bulkhead. There's the thump of the engines and the steady ping of the sound detector on the bridge. Whatever you happen to be on a gun crew, you get plenty of fresh air when you're giving that three-inch of a beauty treatment. Hey, hand me that hunk of waste, will you, kid? Hey, uh, a nice-looking gun. We wouldn't know. Oh, we've been shooting at his pop bottles and flowing whales. He's kind of touchy about that, kid. You see, every time he leaves the ship, he sinks us up and the ship he joins goes dry. It's sort of a game in the Coast Guard. You know, button-button, who gets stuck with Skip? Ah, listen, Sergeant York, I never heard about you bringing in any Germans. Well, that's only because I've... Say, what are you wearing? A sweater. My girl made it for me. Looks more like a bathrobe. The ocean is starting to turn green and black. The ocean isn't the only thing that's turning green. I'm all right. Looks like we're in for a blow. Look at those clouds. You know, Skip, I remember once we were in a storm for 10 days. Is that so? Yeah, and all we had to eat was some cold lamb gravy. It's getting worse, isn't it? Oh, this is practically calm. Why, I can remember when... Tell them all about it. He'll enjoy it. I got a wheel watch coming up. See you, chow. I'll be there. So will I. Relief for the watch, sir. I'll leave the wheel. The course is 185. The wheel has been relieved, sir. Steering 185. Very well, little old. Bearing is two to eight. Nothing there. If there's one thing you do want, it's a target. You'll settle for just one submarine. Basically, you've just been drilling, but you can never control when you're liable to find one down Pelisco Valley. So you practice loading and firing, loading and firing. With all your griping, you keep the sound of the detector running through your mind. The ping, ping, ping. And after a while, you think you hear them in pairs. They jerk up your head. Look out to sea. Maybe. Yeah, but there's nothing but sea and sky. Pick up anything, Casey? No, sir, not yet. Bearing is 204. Nothing there. Bearing is 206. Nothing there. Bearing is 208. Nothing there. You are listening to Ray Milland in Submarine Astern on the Cavalcade of America, sponsored by Dupont. A moment ago, we heard the shrill whine of the sound detector. The single whine that means the dewy is still searching for a submarine. There's 210. Nothing there. It's the waiting that gets you. Three days out in that ocean, and you haven't even picked up a sleeping whale. Nothing but drills and eating and sleeping and waiting. Always waiting for that whine to come in pairs. Your nerves get on edge and you snap at the guy next to you. You gripe about everything and you wait. Wait. Wait. Stay on course, sir. Bearing 216. Nothing there. Bearing 218. Nothing there. Bearing 220. Contact. Contact bearing 220. Ranges to 00, sir. Rightful rudder, steer course 210. Target changing, bearing rapidly to the right, sir. He's wise to us. Rightful rudder, sir. 220, sir? Yes, sir. Horses 220. This looks like it. It might be just a whale or some fish. You got a great help. Hey, I wonder where it is. Change your mind? Yeah, we're doing too much dodging and weaving to be playing tag with a whale. I wonder where he's hiding. Why don't you go up and ask the old man? We're only too glad to point it out to you. I was only wondering. I know what's going to happen to one of those 10 fish. Topito the port! There it is, Skip. Topito, two points to port. Topito! Look at that thing come. If anybody wants to pray, now is the time to do it. Boy, it's getting awful near. Too near. Why doesn't the skipper get us out of this? Stair course 240. Rudder is full right, sir. Study of port. We turn it off. Maybe. Maybe. Wow, it's a good thing we ain't where we were. You can say that again, brother. All depth charges 100 feet. Set all depth charges 100 feet. All depth charges are set, sir. That hiding won't miss on the next one. Bearing 224, range is 165. Stair course 224. Study on course 224, sir. We'll keep bearing right down on them. Our only chance is to throw those icecans before he has a chance to send another topito. Bearing is 230. Range is 150. Target bearing changing rapidly to the right, sir. Study on course 240. Study on course 240. You think they'll let go with another one? They will if they get a chance. Now stop talking about it and look. I'm looking. I'm looking. But a guy can wonder, can he? Maybe he'd like me to swim over and ask him. Keep looking. Range is 230. Range is 90. Study on course. Study on course it is, sir. Stand by to drop pattern number four. Standing by to drop pattern number four, sir. Range is 65. Water is cold. You sure picked us well, Tom. We're talking about swimming. Why don't we drop those charges already? Look, Mac, stop bothering me with questions. I got things in my mind. Range is 400. Bearing is 290. Right 15 degrees, rudder. Stair course 290. Water is 15 degrees. Right, sir. Study on course. Range is four. Lost contact, sir. Well, quite. Yes, sir. Got it back, sir. Range is 450. Bearing is 242. Stand by to drop charges. Standing by to drop charges, sir. Stand by to drop charges. Does that answer your question? Boy, I'm still sweating. Yeah, you've got good reason to. Range is 400, sir. Range is 350, sir. Drop charges. I've got chances, Danny. Well, pretty good if a depth charge is find it. Not so hot if she services and have to fight it out with deck guns. I never knew these boats were so small. They can hold their own. Boy, the way that water shoots up, it looks like a picture I saw once of a thing called Old Faithful. Never mind that scenery, Rembrandt. Look for oil and wreckage. Well, the way this ship is weaving around it. Now this is where I find out why we practice. You ain't kidding. All guns target. Two points on port quarter. Range is 550. Scale 496. Commence firing. Well, you heard him. Come on, let's go. Ready one. What? Ready two. What? Out of the war line of wicked singers. They don't get us worse. What do you think we're going to do? I'm okay. How's the gun? We caught a real one that time. What are we waiting for? Another one? No, I see what they mean by I'm moving. One. I can see it. It's really getting hot. It's them or us. Come on, baby. Push those shells off. We're counting on you. For you, Skip. Now for a close look at some of those Nazis. There's one now. Water's freezing. That's their worry. Come on. Get up here. Come on. Over there with your buddies, chum. Hey, there's another one. Hey, the fishing's pretty good. Looks like you caught some gold braid on this one. Oh, I did. So I did. Thank you. Hey, this one speaks American. I'm Captain Schweitzer. Would you please take me to your captain? Yeah, you walk in front. I'll tell you where to go. I like to tell him, too. Harper reporting, sir. There's a captain of that sub. So I see. Good shooting, Harper. Thank you, sir. And now, Captain, if you would step into my quarters. These are pretty dangerous waters, Captain. What are you doing around here? I have been waiting on the bottom for three days for a convoy to pass. I thought you were the first ship. That's why you picked up my sound. I see. It's embarrassing to be sunk by such a small ship. Fortunes of war, Captain. That's the way it happened. The next time I get a sure leave, I'm going to catch up with that aviator. I'm going to tell him the Coast Guard motto, Semper Paratus, always ready. Thank you, Ray Milland. Ladies and gentlemen, in a few moments, Mr. Milland will return to the microphone to introduce our special guest of this evening, Chief Gunners made George H. Corston of the United States Coast Guard. Meanwhile, we have a story of a new chemical development saving thousands of pounds of rubber in the war effort. Bomber noses of loose site and other transparent sections for fighter planes while they are being manufactured are covered with protective sheets of tough brown paper that usually stay on them until the plane finally rolls off the assembly line and takes to the air. But just to say they're covered with paper isn't enough. The paper must be fastened to the loose site so firmly with a special adhesive that particles of sawdust or dirt cannot accumulate under the covering when the loose site is cut with a high speed saw or, say, drill. And though it must cling very tightly, the adhesive must allow the paper to be peeled off leaving very few smudges and spots. The problem that came up was that the best known adhesive which would do all of these things required scarce rubber latex. Well, America needs bombers, but America also needs rubber. So DuPont chemists and technicians set out to compound an adhesive which would be the equal of the one used or better if possible but which wouldn't call for any rubber latex. They experimented with more than 150 formulas. And to make a long story short, they finally created a new adhesive. DuPont and other manufacturers of acrylic resins would have used this year hundreds of thousands of pounds of rubber latex cement. That rubber will be saved. This new DuPont adhesive for acrylic resins so new that it doesn't even have a name is actually better than the old latex adhesive. Right field and the Navy quickly approved it. It can be manufactured in already existing equipment. It withstands high and low temperatures, high and low humidities. So loose site replacement parts may be shipped to North Africa or Russia with safety. It has no chemical effect that might swell or discolor the loose site. It doesn't age as rapidly as rubber. It withstands sunlight better than rubber, an important factor in protecting a plastic so vital to aircraft. It is much more uniform than rubber. In fact, it has everything rubber has for this purpose plus other advantages. The new adhesive replacing a more critical material was developed by DuPont at the request of the Army, the Navy and the War Production Board. It is under allocation by the War Production Board for this particular use. But there is little doubt that it will find other uses after the war. Another wartime problem has been solved. A wartime conservation measure has succeeded. Thanks to the DuPont know-how which brings you better things for better living through chemistry. And now the star of tonight's cavalcade, Ray Millan. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Our fictional story tonight, partially parallel to the true story that was in the news a few weeks ago about the Coast Guard cutter, Campbell. We are fortunate tonight to add realism to the broadcast by having with us George H. Causton, chief gunners made of the Campbell. Thank you, Mr. Millan. I really enjoyed your show. For a while there I thought I was back on the Campbell. Chief, truth is stranger than fiction. I read that you men contacted six subs in 12 hours. That must have been quite an experience. It was, but that's what we've been trained for and we were ready. I also read that you remmed the last one. Did you get any of the others? Well, I can't say definitely. Personally, we on the Campbell feel that more than one of the subs will never get back to Jimmy. Well, good for you. I judge by those ribbons you're wearing that you've gotten around quite a lot. Well, during the past eight years, I've been on the Coast Guard. I've done quite a bit of traveling. In fact, during wartime, wherever the Navy goes, we go. And that included landing marines on Guadalcanal and Casablanca. Well, thank you, Chief Causton, and the best of luck and good hunting. Be with us again next Monday when Cavalcade presents a week from tomorrow, April 13th, and throughout the United States and in every country in the world where the democratic way of life prevails, the birthday of Thomas Jefferson will be celebrated. In special observance of the occasion, Cavalcade will present a new radio play, The Lengthening Shadow, in tribute to Jefferson. Our star will be Frederick March. Be with us next Monday when Cavalcade presents Frederick March as Thomas Jefferson in a new radio play, The Lengthening Shadow. The orchestra and musical score on tonight's program were under the direction of Don Burry. Cavalcade is pleased to inform its listeners that tonight's star, Ray Millan, will soon be seen in the Paramount picture, Lady in the Dark. You've done your bit. Now do your best. If you are not investing 10% of your wages or salary in war bonds, now is the time to start. America's second war loan starts in one week. Our government asks that every one of us do our share. 10% every payday is a loan to Uncle Sam, a loan that will pay dividends in liberty as well as money. This is Clayton Collier, sending best wishes from Cavalcade sponsor the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. The program came due from New York, the National Broadcasting Company.