 Presenting Clark Gable in Take Her Down with Walter Houston as Cavalcade's commentator on the Cavalcade of America sponsored by E.I. DuPont, D. Nemours and Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. Before we begin our play tonight, we want to tell you about DuPont's speed-easy wall finish. The wall paint that is making history and home decoration. Speed-easy is an oil-type paint, but you thin it with water before you apply it to your walls. It covers soiled, dingy wallpaper as well as most other interior wall surfaces in one easy coat. It makes your rooms bright and cheery with a smooth, velvety finish. Speed-easy won't rub off because it dries in an hour to an oil-type finish. It comes in 11 soft pastel shades. It's speedy and easy. It's speed-easy made by DuPont. Tonight in Cavalcade's fall series of great stars and great radio plays, the DuPont Company presents Clark Gable as submarine commander Howard Gilmore in Take Her Down. Now to raise the curtain on this evening's play, here is your Cavalcade commentator, Walter Houston. Good evening. Tonight on Cavalcade, we have the honor and privilege of welcoming you to return to the entertainment world of one of America's most distinguished motion picture stars. Tonight, Clark Gable makes his first radio appearance since his release from active duty with the United States Army Air Forces. It would take many words for me to tell you of the respect and affection we of the entertainment world have for Clark Gable and you who have enjoyed so much his fine screen portrayals, no two the record of his part in the world at war. We are glad to have Clark Gable with us in the story on tonight's Cavalcade of America, the story of a man, the story that in a few short months became a legend, the story of submarine commander Howard Gilmore and the words he spoke before he died. Take her down, he said, but legends are made by living men and so this is the story of a man. It is told by those who knew and loved him best when he was alive, his wife and the men of his command, what each saw best and loved him for. The many-sided picture of what a man must be to ascend into immortality reserved for heroes. The DuPont Company presents Clark Gable as Commander Howard Gilmore in Take Her Down written by Norman Rostin and Robert L. Richards on the Cavalcade of America. He was my husband. It's hard for me to think of him or remember him as anything but that. I always knew he was a brave man and strong because he had strength enough for both of us whenever mine failed. It did sometime when he went away and I didn't know when he was ever coming back. It was like that when I saw him off on that last trial run. I'd gone down to see his new command and we were standing there looking at her just before he went aboard. Well, there she is. What do you think of her? Beauty, huh? She's a beautiful ship. Do you call a submarine a ship? No, darling. You call her a boat. My boat. I'm her skipper. Yes, she is beautiful. She's more than that though. She's got power. Power like a healthy young animal. You can see it in her lines too. Darling, is it true that a skipper loves his boat more than he loves his wife? Well, it's not true about this skipper. Howard, I've tried not to think about it, but I've got to ask you. Sure. How long this time? I don't know, darling. Sealed orders. Not very long though. Sealed orders? Sealed under the sea so far from home? I try not to be afraid, Howard, but when I sit alone at night and look at the map, it seems that you're lost in an endless world of water. I'm never lost. Are you sure? I always know where I am. I always know where my home port is. I always know where you are. Now there's always talk about war in the Pacific? I love you very much, Hilda. Up to now we've been so lucky. What if? Look, Mrs. Skipper, no ifs. I'm coming back. Remember that, will you? All right. I'll remember. In eight weeks at the latest. And I want you to be right here on this very spot, see? I'll be waiting. All right then. You see that you are. Because I'll be waiting, too. My name's McCabe. I never served under him before. To me, he'll always be the best natural born leader of men I've ever known. He was like a great football coach. He had a genius for getting men to work together as a team. That's half the battle on a sub. He was at first a sub crew, just a bunch of men thrown together inside an iron eggshell. Somebody's got to make a team out of them. Nobody in the world can do it, but they're Skipper. You find out about a man pretty quick that way. I did. The whole crew did. Hey, cut the potato whistle in a minute, can't you, Doug? I'm trying to read. Oh, you're trying to read. No, this is important. Listen. Uh, anyone stranded on a beach or shore should find an abundant supply of food on the beach at low tide. Eating a turtle's egg is relatively simple. Light a hole in one end of the elastic shell and squeeze the contents into the mouth. Hey, what's the name of that book, Professor? How to survive in the South Pacific Islands? I can hardly wait. Yeah? Well, this big boat routine's no picnic, you know? You can get in trouble in these things. You know that, don't you? Well, you're squawking about you and lifted. What does that crack mean? Anything you want to make a listen. You pipe down here, you pipe down. What's the trouble? Oh, the boys have just had a little argument about the dangers of submarine warfare. Getting a little jumpy, huh? The skipper will take that out of you. You're the right kind of a skipper. What do you mean, the right kind of a skipper? You'll find out soon. We're heading for the test grounds now. We're gonna run a rock channel through reefs. Submerged. Submerged, huh? Suppose we don't make it? We make it. Or else. Can't wait. Here's a skipper. Carry on. I just want to say a couple of things. This isn't going to be a speech. We're all down here together now, and we're going to have to work together from here on out. We'll sort of get acquainted and find out about each other as we go along. Our job is to make the best possible combination with all the human material that we add up to between us. I guess Chief McCabe has told you our first job. We're running a channel. Submerged. I won't say it isn't dangerous, it is. But it isn't half as dangerous as what we may be up against later. Because don't forget we're training for war. If, and when. It's a job, that's all. Just take it easy, and you'll be all right. Any questions? At your station. No noise, but help. Or if you could see something. Pipe down, you guys. Give us a position as soon as you can, Chief. Aye aye, sir. Chief, when you think about all those rocks out there, sort of make sure... Don't think about it. According to our navigational fixed skipper, we're at the entrance of the channel now. Force 245 should carry us through. Okay, steer 245. 245, aye aye. Steady on 245 skipper. Watch your depth, Davis. This channel's tricky. Reach and tide. We're at 63 feet now, skipper. Good control. What speed, Wagner? Pitlog, show three knots, sir. Are we at the turning point, Shane? About a minute. All ahead, standard speed. Okay, right five degrees, rudder. Letter swing slowly. Aye aye. Rudder is right five degrees. Swinging slowly. Bring her up 50 feet. Up periscope. Here's a set of bearings, Shane. See how they clot. Bishop rock. 342. Right tangent on bluff. 087. Tall spire. 245. Down periscope. Right in position, in the channel. Watch your course, McCabe. 260, sir. Steady her up. We're losing depth control, sir. The current's throwing us in. Force up, sir. All ahead, emergency. Hard dive on both planes. Got it, now, Skipper. Control all right. Bearing the channel, now, Skipper. All ahead, two-third speed. Up periscope. Steady as you go. Watch your depth carefully. Danger bearing, passed. All ahead, standard. We're clear. We're through. We're through. We made it. To me, Commander Gilmore was an iron man. That's what he was. He put us through hoops like I've never been through before or since, but it's a real Skipper. There was nothing he dished out. He couldn't take himself and more. When he got tough, he could be plenty tough. Every man aboard knew why, not just to show his authority, but to teach us something that someday might save the lives of all of us. We didn't know then how right he was. It was a time during crash dive practice. I was standing watch on the bridge. We were surfed. I wonder how long we keep this up, right? As big as we can do it right, I guess. I'm too tired right now to do anything right. Gee, it's a party night. Yeah. There it is. Clear the bridge. Let's go, boys. Down the hatch on the double. Here it is. Closer. All ahead, one-third. Close all vents. Level off 60 feet. Hold it. Hold it. Aye, sir. Too slow. You're too slow. Now listen to me, all of you. Come over here. For the last time, when I say crash dive, I mean crash dive. When I say take her down, I mean take her down. And you understand that five seconds can mean the difference between getting down and being blown out of the water. We're not playing a game here. This is life and death. I will do it again. Some of the men are pretty tired, sir. What's that? Nothing, sir. They're tired. We're all tired. But we're not going to quit until we've got it. Excuse me, sir, but here's a radio message. You want to see it run away, sir? Let's have it. Well, men, I guess we won't be doing any more training tonight after all. The Japanese have just attacked Pearl Harbor. Where it was. I'll always think of him as a scrapper. Somehow, the skipper reminded you of a thoroughbred hunting dog. Once he caught the trail, nothing in the world could shake him. He never thought of the danger. He'd just see that old light in his eye and you'd know he was thinking about the excitement, the chase, the kill. And we'd all catch the spirit from it. After Pearl Harbor, we went hunting for keeps. We were heading for a Jap Harbor in the South Pacific running submerged. Are we in yet? Want to be any minute, Skipper? Got a hunch we're going to draw our first blood. I sure hope that's what it is. I know something's going to happen. Leave your ear to that sound detector, Shane. He's like a chipper, just hope this is his first fish. You getting it? Yeah, got a chance. Sound operator picking up the fella, Skipper. A periscope. A periscope, sir. Brother, look at this. We're right smack in the middle of their harbor. Here, here, Davis, tell me if I'm counting right. Jap destroyers. One, two, three big ones. Range, 6,000 yards. Angle on the bow, 30 point. Destroyers aren't very healthy for Sub, Skipper. Three in a line. We'll have to get away fast, but we've got them. Boy, we've got them. We have to creep in a bit for range. Water's as flat as a lake. Ticklish. Sure it is. But we can't leave those babies sitting there. We can't. Forward torpedo room. Make ready bow tubes. Tube 30 forward, sir. All ahead, one third. Slowly. Watch your depth control, Davis. Control all right, sir. Zero, one, three. Zero, one, three. Zero, two, zero. Zero, two, zero. Zero, one, zero. One, zero. Stand by forward. Fire one. One fired, sir. Bearing three, five, nine. Set up on number two. Fire two. Two fired, sir. Set up on third. Angle on bow, 70 point. Bearing three. Fire three. Three fired, sir. There's one. One job destroyer in the air. There's two. Two job destroyers in the air. Hit on the third. Down in Periscope. Oh, Jesus. Well, Davis, what do you think now, huh? I think it's time to retire gracefully, Skipper. Okay. Let's call it two down and Tokyo to go. Listening to Clark Gable is Commander Howard Gilmore in Take Her Down on the Carol Cade of America sponsored by E.I. DuPont, Dana Moyes and Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. And now as we continue our play, here is your cavalcade commentator, Walter Houston. This is the story of Submarine Commander Howard Gilmore and the events which preceded his historic order to take her down. The story based on official naval records was told by those who loved him and knew him best, his wife, and the men of the submarine crew who served under him. Commander Gilmore was the kindest, gentlest, squares man I ever knew. You could feel about him the way you do about your father when you're a little boy or about a priest. There's no picnic on a submarine. Oh, there's excitement, but there's the strain. It's with you all the time. There's nothing you can do about it. Maybe I was different or something, but it finally got to me. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, I couldn't think straight. It confined me to quarters. I was in my bunk just lying there, not seeing anything, not thinking about anything. Yes, sir. I'll see him along. Aye, aye, sir. Wilson? Yes, sir? How are you feeling? I'm all right, sir. I'll be all right. Sure you will. It's just sort of gone to pieces, I guess. Sorry. I know. Wilson, you like to read, don't you? Yes, sir. I've got a book you might like. The Biography of Abram Lincoln by Carl Sandberg. I've heard about it. I was reading a story in there the other day. One of the stories that Lincoln used to tell about the two boys going into battle, and one said to the other, say, I think you're scared. And the other one said, you're darn right I'm scared, and if you were half as scared as I am, you'd have run long ago. You're scared, aren't you? Yes, sir. I guess I am. Well, that's nothing to be ashamed of. Plenty of brave men before you have been scared. This is different. He keeps following me like a torpedo coming at us in the dark. I can't sleep, I try. Well, I can think about his home. Look, son, we're all scared, a little. Anybody who tells you he isn't is either a liar or there's something wrong with him. I know you see me or Lieutenant Davis going about our business, and maybe we look to you as though we didn't have a care in the world. But I'm scared, lots of times. I get lonely, too, and think about home. It's one of those things about war that nobody talks about much and most people don't even hear about. Fear. But they're afraid, too, don't forget. The Japs and the Germans. Maybe that's what war all comes down to. Us hanging on and them hanging on until they're more scared than we are and they show it and we know it. And then it's over. See what I mean? Yes, sir. Well, just hang on. Take it easy. You'll be all right. Yes, sir. I know I will now. I'll send you around that book. Good night. Good night. Thank you, sir. Thank you. I saw him die. There wasn't just a skipper being killed in action that happens all too often in our kind of war. It was choosing to die. That's what you've got to try to understand if you can. Choosing to die. We were cruising on the surface. The skipper was catching a nap in the conning tower. I was on deck with a watch. It was dusk. The sun had just gone down. Say, Lieutenant Davis, look out there, Starboard. What about it? I thought I saw something like a shadow. I don't see anything. Must be your imagination. Yeah. I guess it was a cloud and a foggy out there. Say, wait a minute. There is something out there. Hey, it's a ship. The ship's headed off Starboard beam coming by fast. Man your battle stations. Make ready old tubes. It's all ahead of emergency. What's up, Lieutenant? Chap Raider, aren't he? Going by as parallel off Starboard looks like. Hard to see. It's blacked out. Better get the skipper. Yeah, it's right behind you, David. Raider off Starboard skipper. There's no time to submerge. She's coming by on a straight line. Keep left full rudder, Dave. Left full rudder, sir. We'll pay her left and swing for a shot with our stern tubes. She spotted us, sir. She's zigzagging. She's turning in on us. We're going to try to ram us. Sound the collision alarm. What are you going to do, skipper? Only one thing to do. Left full rudder. All ahead full. Left full rudder. All ahead full. We'll never get a torpedo shot at her now. Bow or stern tubes. Davis, we're going to have to ram her. There's a big ship, sir. I hate to do it even if we get away with it. We'll couple our bow like a paper bag, but it's ram or B ram. I guess you're right. Circle the ram. Beginning circle, sir. We can catch her with our bow away. She's coming in fast, skipper. Try to throw her off a bit. Right full rudder. All stop. Right full rudder. All stop, sir. Left full rudder. All ahead full. Left full rudder. All ahead full, sir. All ahead emergency. Looks like we got there first. Hold fast. Here it comes. We've ripped her open, sir. She's listing. We'd better pull out fast. Hey, the bridge. Stand by to dive. There's her light. Watch out. Hurry. Get full. Keep your head down. Skipper. Skipper. Here, Davis. Take her down. Let me help you, Skipper. Now there's no time. I'm here. It's me and the ship. Take her down. I won't leave you here. I said take her down. That's an order. Hear me? Take her down. Aye, aye, sir. Close hatch. Submerge. Sir, the Skipper. Where are you going? He's on the bridge, sir. The hatch is shut tight. Let me go. He's out there. We can't leave him, sir. Skipper's orders. Take her down. Order, Steve. Hear me? Down. Aye, aye, sir. Call out your depths. Fifty feet. Fifty-five. Sixty. Our father. What? Sixty-five. My name. My kingdom. My kingdom. Let me. The will be done of me. Twenty-five. As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who have our sins. Claude Gable and other members of tonight's Cavalcade cast. Our thanks. In a moment Claude Gable will return to the microphone, but first hear his gain whitman speaking for the DuPont Company with the most interesting story about how nylon is being used used by our jungle fighters because of its greater durability light weight and freedom from mildew the war department is now replacing the cotton mosquito netting for jungle hammocks with nylon right now the nylon nets are used only in jungle areas where the mosquitoes are bad but eventually the army will fit all jungle hammocks with nylon nets when American soldiers first went into the jungle to the South Pacific they used a sleeping hammock with a canopy of regular mosquito netting with a net hanging down to the ground on either side that way they thought insects wouldn't be able to make their way into the hammocks but what happened was something different unbelievable as it may seem termites ate their way right up the netting to the hammock and then across the hammock so fast that they cut across it like a pair of scissors in one night a soldier would go to sleep in his hammock and about four o'clock in the morning there would be a plop and he'd land bedding and all in a mud hole so after experiments with different materials quartermaster technicians developed nylon mosquito netting termites don't eat nylon and it has many other advantages it resists mold it dries out quickly after getting soaked by tropical rains just as nylon stockings dry quickly it's mildew proof it weighs less than cotton and it has a tensile strength nearly twice as great the army uses nylon mountain climbing ropes and glider tow ropes nylon jungle boots and bootlaces nylon mountain tents nylon ponchos quilted nylon sleeping bags and nylon toothbrush bristles among other things nylon is being used in ever greater quantities in the manufacture of equipment for American soldiers at present the quartermaster corps is purchasing nylon for at least eight different items because it is the best material which can be found for them each requires a certain quality or qualities which nylon imparts to it each is a vital article of warfare nylon is one of the DuPont companies better things for better living through chemistry now here is cavalcade's commentator Walter Houston my friend clock gable has something on his mind about a certain girl that all of you know clock ladies and gentlemen if a paper hanger and a gang of international murderers hadn't come along this certain girl tonight might be getting a small boy in his clothes ready for kindergarten in the morning or packing lunch for a husband on the swing ship but this girl and countless like her put aside the kingdom house dress or the wedding dress not just to wait but to wait and to work in the uniform of the army nurse she's an average American girl this army nurse she used to be the cash here in your local restaurant the secretary at your local bank the girl who said number please when you picked up your phone war came and she left the world of typewriters and shopping and Saturday night dances and gardenia's and dinner dates and turned to the battle for us and from batan to the Siegfried line she's been in there stopping wounded men from taking the final step to death leading them back to health and a new will to go on tonight we'd like to place our deepest respects at the feet of every army nurse at home and abroad a real American girl the same kind of girl who stood beside her man in her country since 1776 thank you next week's cavalcade star is a lovely and distinguished actress Loreira young our cavalcade play Jane Adams woman of courage is the unusual and dramatic story of a woman who sacrificed home friends and romance all for one idea that was to improve the conditions of the underprivileged the disinherited of our great cities she succeeded but not until she had won over callous hard-bitten political bosses we hope you will be with us next Monday evening when the very young stars as Jane Adams on the cavalcade of America thank you and good evening this is gain Whitman sending best wishes from cavalcade sponsor EI DuPont dinner moors and company of Wilmington Delaware we invite you to be with us again next week for Loretta young in woman of courage