 starring Michael O'Shea and Richard Conte in Cargo Over Burma on the DuPont Cavalcade of America. Attrapped garrison in the Burma jungles, American combat cargo planes flying unarmed to their rescue over dapp infested lands. This is but one of the thrills in Cargo Over Burma starring Michael O'Shea and Richard Conte on the Cavalcade of America sponsored by the DuPont Company. Maker of better things for better living through chemistry. In the long list of better things for better living, speed easy wall finish is an outstanding contribution to home decoration plans. And now is the time to fix up the rooms for those returning servicemen and women. Speed easy will make it a pleasant and easy job. It's just what its name says. Speed easy because it goes on quickly and dries in less than an hour. And easy because you thin it with water and it's so easy to apply. It dries with a velvety lasting finish and costs less than three dollars to redecorate the average room. It's speed easy and it's made by DuPont. In far off Burma, an American sergeant sat down one day not long ago and wrote a radio script about the kind of life he was leading. He sent it back to the States and tonight we present this authentic story on the DuPont Cavalcade. To understand and share the sort of experiences from which our men are coming back, listen to Cargo Over Burma by Sergeant Jack the Nova of the 4th Combat Cargo Group. Michael O'Shea plays technical sergeant Joey Palazzola and Richard Conte is Captain Dick O'Ryan in Cargo Over Burma. Just before dawn at an American air base in India, close to the border of enemy held Burma, the men are just finishing breakfast and waiting for their pre-flight briefing. Hey Joey, hey Palazzola. Oh, what do you want? How come you didn't grab onto a second help on a chow? Me? Oh, right now chow is the last thing on my mind. Oh, yeah? Hey Captain O'Ryan, get a load of this chow hound. Now look, Sergeant Atkinson, there are sometimes other things on my mind besides what goes into my stomach. Says you. Since when Joey? Oh, come on in Captain. I'll tell you. It's this here letter from home. A girl married somebody else? Oh, no, it's nothing like that. Just letters from my mom. She okay? Yeah, she's well. Well, now what's the beef Joey? Yeah, why the loss of the Palazzola appetite? Oh, wait a minute. Let me read you something from this letter. It says here. Dear Joey, what happened to your last month's a lot? No, that's not it. Ah, here it is. I was telling the neighbors what you were doing in a war, but they don't understand. So what? Then mom says, so I thought maybe you could write a nice long letter all about what you do in a war, so I can tell the people and be proud of my soldier boy Joey. Now, how do you like that? Can't blame it for wanting to be proud of you. Yeah, but what can I tell a captain that we're nothing but trade handlers except we do it by plane? I should feel like two cents. Now, if I was only in the paratroopers or a tank or... Joey, I got an idea how you can make a long letter out of what we do. Yeah, what? Write two words in each page. Oh, look, we get briefed in a couple of minutes for today's first mission. Okay, so you start your letter with that, like this. At 04.30 hours, we will brief for the first mission. Then you go ahead and write the rest of the letter about what happens for the rest of the day. You mean just like that, huh? Just like that. Well, I'll see you later, Joey. Lieutenant Robbins is about to start the briefing. Hmm. Well, anyway, it'll be a lot of words. Joey, maybe the captain's got something there. Okay, man, Lieutenant Robbins is going to brief us. How am I going to take it all down? I'm no stenographer. Don't try to. Just hit the high spot. Turn those lights out, Sammy. Thank you. Now, fly to the slide, Corporal. Okay, this slide shows a map of Mechiller, Burma. British and Indian troops in the detachment of American Achaic men are cut off from all supplies and now face extinction. Unless we fly reinforcements and supplies into Mechiller today. Now, let me give you three facts. One, you'll be flying over Japan-fested countries, so fly high enough to lessen the danger from ground fire. And two, there are enemy aircraft in the area, so remember the higher you fly, the more vulnerable you become to air attack. And three, there's a strong probability that before you arrive at Mechiller, the Japs will have recaptured the strip. So, men, before landing, try to make sure the British still hold it. See? That gives you letter of good start. Okay, men. Set your watch. It'll take me the rest of the war to put all that down. The time is exactly 0447. Now, get going, men. Clear left. Clear right. Atkinson, what's today's radio code name for our ship? Baseboard 2-1, sir. Baseboard 2-1, huh? And what's the code for Mechiller? Mushroom for Mechiller. Thanks. Charlie Oboe Tower. Charlie Oboe Tower, this is Baseboard 2-1. Baseboard 2-1, ready for takeoff. Baseboard 2-1. Baseboard 2-1. This is the tower, your destination and load. Load heavy guns. Destination, mushroom. Roger. Baseboard 2-1. You're clear to go. So you want to know what I do on this war, huh? Well, I'll tell you. It's like this. I am crew chief on a combat cargo plane. We just took off at 5-0-0. That's 5 o'clock sharp to you. This is our first mission of the day. Now we make these runs every day, just like Uncle Pete who works as a freight handler on the pensings. Oh, no, I can't say that. I'm supposed to be a soldier. Take over, Stein. Now, men, we're heading into the danger zone. Let's brush up on procedure. Jap Raider planes have been shooting down too many of our transports. We don't want it to happen to us. If we're on our toes and we get jumped, we can get away. Right, Stein. Now here's the setup. From the cockpit, co-pilot Stein and I can see everything in front. Charlie, you stick your head up in the astral dome and keep your eyes peeled above and behind. Stiff neck for me. Palazola, you keep watch out the right side hatch. If I spot you, then red ball so you'll hear plenty of yelling from me. Okay, Joey. But if warning enough, we can drop down and hug the ground. That's right. Don't be afraid to maneuver the fast-flying Zeke to low altitude. One thing more, Charlie. Every five minutes, I'll give you a position report. If we get jumped, you're to transmit an immediate distress message giving our heading in position. Get it? Yes, sir. Okay, men, get to your stations and keep your eyes peeled. If it's Japs, we'll find out soon enough, hey. See any Japs? No, sir. No, sir. If your fingers crossed, we're going in. Where'd you dig up that crew of Coolies, Joey? Out here, Captain. Surrounded by Japs. Hey, we can't be fussy. You know what I mean? Captain Loader, the Japs have been shelling this place off and on all day. Let's get going before they start dropping him in here again. Yes, sir. All right, you Coolie-Musclemen, get a wiggle on. Come on, you want this water last forever? T-Kai, T-Kai. Yeah, you said it, Chief T-Kai. Come on, get going. Those guns are needed. I say, Captain, may I speak with you? One second, please. Atkinson? Yes, sir. Anything new on the radio? Nothing, sir. Well, stay with him. Now then, Major. You brought that artillery in the nick of time. Very good, sir. Maybe we can blast their mortar concentrations. Captain, I have 35 casualties to get out of this place. Can you carry the poor blokes out on your kite? Major, this is an unarmed transport. My orders are to get this crate off the ground the second I unload. This is only one of many missions we'll be making today. I understand, Captain, but the men will desperately need a hospitalization. Look at them, brave fellows. Well, I can get them aboard within three minutes after the last gun rolls down the ramp, okay? Three minutes? Two yanks are almost in such a blasted hurry. Very well. Are you walking wounded? Stand ready to carry the stretcher cases aboard. The very instant the next gun is unloaded. What's the matter with those vermi's, Joey? Get that gun off of here. I'm doing the best I can, Captain. Come on, you characters. All together. Let's give it that Conley routine. Conley! Come on, let's go. And there goes my Cooley gang. Hey, come on back here. Let it go into the brush, Captain. Come on back here. If the Jeffs get to you, you're going to be sorry. Put out all loading. Stand by, everybody. I say, what about us giving a hand with that gun? Are you kidding? You guys are wounded. How can you do it? We can try. Come on, lads. Let's give a hand here. That's right. I'll do it now. No, not you and the litter. Just the walking wounded. Hey, Captain, look. I got me another unloading crew. Come on. One good push should do it. Come along now. Together now. Come on, everybody. All right. Let's get those wounded aboard. Hey, come on. Give me a hand with this litter. Come on, lads. Let's load the litter cases. Well, we got off all right. You okay now, Chum? Good. Thanks for the fish bandage, Yank. Hey, it's some spirit you guys got. All cut up and still able to sing. Oh, right, sir. I say close back there wasn't even. Too close. Cigarette? Thanks, Yank. Hey, what's he want? Oh, that's Indian for water. Got a spot for him. Yeah, here's my canteen. Hey, how's he gonna drink? His head's all taped up. The drinking tube take on his arm. The medic's fixed. Oh, yeah, I see. Oh. Here you are, fella. Take it easy. Yeah, now you got it. Come on, zip it up. That's a boy. Hey, what happened to this guy? Got himself burned when a jeb shield blasted his blinky tank. How about you? Jeb's sniper cropped him in the leg. But we're holding him. We've opened the Burma Road again. And give you lead to vacation. Don't be listening to that Liverpool dandy, Yank. He's just trying to weed all American cigarettes. Oh, he is, isn't he? Okay, Liverpool, you got one. Oh, thank you. Can you do, Scotty? Yeah, pass the whole pack around. Right, sir. See you guys later. Thank you. It's all true for the day when you get back, laddie. I should say we ain't. This is our first mission of the day. Sometimes we make five or six strips. Hey, hey, shit up, Bonnie. Job you like to do it. Quite. You, Yank, saved the day for us. The supplies are clean-blended. We'll win our little scrap at Mictula. Oh, well, get out of here. If you guys hadn't laid aside your crutches to help us finish unloading, we'd probably be there yet. Hey, we're near in the base. Wow, we're going to be home in time for chow. I hope. Well, Joey, did you write up our last mission for your mom? No, I didn't, Cap. You see, it would sound like Easter Sunday in Central Park. Now, take if I was even in the infantry. Maybe I could get a chance to knock out a couple of pillboxes or do something real interesting and exciting to tell the folks about it. Come on, Joey. We've got to load up some 100-octane gas and fly it over to Burma-based fighters. Let's go on a double. Come on. All right. Oh, won't mom and her neighbors get a thrill out of that? Delivering gasoline. You know what they'll think? They'll think I'm running a filling station. Check your oil today. Here I am in our plane, writing this letter like your ass. What do I do in this war? Well, I'll tell you. Right now, we are running a little errand over to Burma. What is an errand? Errand. Errand, boy. Oh, no, I can't say that. Chapter zero is three o'clock. Get on the radio and report oppositions. Yes, sir. That's where the cargo are gasoline. Hold your hats, boys. We're going down. He's following us down, Captain. And that's without so much as a pop gun for protection. Has anybody here got a slingshot? Shut up, Joey. Where that sink? I can't see him. Now, wait a minute, Cap. There he is. He's tailing us down, Captain. He's gaining fat. He's making a run for above and behind. Take the heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Take the heart of Jesus. You are listening to Michael O'Shea as technical sergeant Joey Palazzola and Richard Conte as Captain Orion in the story of the fourth combat cargo group, Cargo Over Burma. On the cavalcade of America, sponsored by the DuPont Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. Captain Orion's an armed cargo plane. The bouncing Beverly is being attacked by a zap zero while transporting high-octane gasoline to Burma-based fighters. Well, Captain, that's his third pass. Anybody hit that time? I'm okay. Okay, here. Where is he now? He's circling around, Captain. Like a falcon after prey. He can only come in one angle so long as he hugs the ground. Joey, how's that cargo of gasoline? Captain, we did not lose a drop. Well, he's getting ready to make another pass from above and behind. He should run out of ammo this time. Or else run out of us for a target. He's starting his run. Zigzag, Captain, zigzag. Stand by for a ram. Look out! Suicide pilot. He missed it. He's out of control. There he goes. He's crashing into the jungle. Just one big sheet of flame. But for the grace of God, that would be us. Anybody hit? Stein, okay. You okay, Adkinson? I'm okay, sir. Hallezora? Joey? Joey, you all right? Charlie, see what's wrong with Joey? I'm okay, Captain. Any damage? Only to my appetite. Why'd you answer? I was praying, sir. I was given thanks that you didn't happen to be ziggin' when you should have been zaggin'. This is your wandering boy pushing a pencil again. The last paragraph was written in Indian after which we run back to Bhima with a load of medical supplies which we dropped to some stranded troops by parachute. Now we're heading back to base for supper. Eight hours since lunch, but riding up in the air like this, you don't seem to have much of an appetite. Especially for tin beef, which is about all we get on these trips. You know, with a little mustard, Mom, I would rather eat the tin cans. I'm just about to starve. What do we got for supper, hey? It looks like that stuff on a shingle. Oh, no, not tin beef on toast. Oh, murder. How's that for a change of diet? Sorry to break it in your supper, men. Here we go. However, we just received word of a critical situation at the front. We're flying reinforcements immediately. Oh, brother, what a day. What number is this mission, Charlie? That's number five. Five missions in one day, huh? That's combat cargo for you. No rest for the wicked. It's just one thing, men. The weather. We're going into the pre-monsoons he's now, and that means lots of weather. Bad weather. Worse than the monsoons. I advise you to fly high enough to miss the mountain peaks, but not too high. Or you'll ice up. As for thunderheads, try going around them if you can. Thunderheads have rocks in them. That's all men. Hey, this is all right. This is for me. Hey, how come, Joey? You look almost happy. Yes, sir. This is the kind of a mission I like. You know, these British reinforcements ought to have some eats on them. Maybe chocolate, hey. Thanks for the chocolate, Tommy. See you in Rangoon sometime, huh? Joey, quit your gabbing and get them off fast. Yes, sir. This guy didn't look so good when we crossed the mountain. And Atkinson? Yes, sir. Find the loading office and see what we're carrying back. I can tell you what you're carrying, Captain. Jet prisoner. Jet prisoners. How many? 14 prisoners and two armed guards. What are they like? Rather a surly lot, I'd say, Captain. Okay. Start bringing them in. I want to get out of here before those thunderheads close over the mountains. Are you the guards? Yes, Captain. All right. Keep the prisoners' hands tied and seat to it that each one strapped to a seat. Very good, sir. I hope they try some of their tricks. I'm itching to pop off a few. I want no brakes and no gunplay on this ship, get it? One jab running a muck could be the finish of all of us. As you say, Captain. Now get moving, you blasted rodders! Get away! Come on up here! Enjoy. Yes, sir. One more precaution. After takeoff, post yourself on the doorway between the cockpit and the cabin and stay there for the entire trip. You mean, would not even maybe a little time off for a little chow, sir? You take your eyes off those jabs for a single second. I'll put you on bread and water for the duration. Yes, sir. Well, Mom, here it is away past my bedtime and I'm still up in the air watching some very special cargo that we're flying back to base, which the first thing I will do when I get there is laugh up a couple of quarts of ice cream. A guy can dream, can he? Oh, great. Light is yet to win. Now's the time for all bouncing Beverly to hold together. Fine, fine. Now we get Hale with the visibility zero. I think I'll go forward and see what gives. Say, Captain, I was just wondering... Joey, get back there and watch those jabs. Yes, sir. Captain, sir. Give me a radio fix. I can't do it, Captain. Radio compass needle just won't set anywhere. She's spinning like a top. I'll stick with it, Charlie. The gyro's out, Captain. We'll fly on needle and ball. Hey, Charlie, try that radio again. We're in the cloud roll. Fine, help me pull back the stick. Back, back. We're dropping 3,000 feet a minute. If we can point our nose up, we may come out of it, but don't stall her. Coming out of it, Orion? We wrote that roll right out of the storm. I'll talk about being caught in the draft. That downdraft tossed around like a leaf in a cyclone. We were lucky. God was with us this time. Take over, Stein. I better check the cabin. I'll take a look through the slot, Captain. Hey, Joey's out cold. Let's hit his head when we dropped. What's going on in there? The jabs are loose. They're fighting the guards. How many are loose? Looks like two. They got the guards. Let me in there. Don't go in there, Captain. They'll blast his shirt. Wait a minute. Joey's all right. Shoot, Joey. And the first one of your monkeys that wiggles an eyelash. I'll give you what I gave those other two tomatoes. Limey, ladies, you came in a nick of time. You drilled them both. Good for you, Joey. Something's shooting. Right from the hip while lying on the floor. Howdy. Howdy, Dad, hey. No, but the blighters won't be able to sit down for the rest of the trip. Gee, I feel kind of weak. I can't do co-pilot ones. OK, Atkinson. See if we can get a fix. Yes. What's the matter, Stein? We're running low on gas. Low on gas? You'd better switch to reserve. Atkinson, try to get through to the base and get that fix, or brother, we're in a fix. Charlie Oboe. Charlie Oboe, this is Pasteboard 2-1. Pasteboard 2-1. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. I still can't raise them, Captain. Well, Stein, we're cookies. Our gas indicator is in the zero zone. Captain. Captain, I raised them. Pasteboard 2-1. Pasteboard 2-1. This is Charlie Oboe. Come in if you hear me. Over. This is Pasteboard 2-1, Charlie Oboe. Give me a magnetic bearing to reach you. 2-1. 2-1. Steer 2-7. 3 degrees. 2-7. 3 degrees. Over. Captain, Lieutenant. I got ahead of you. Steer 2-7-3. 2-7-3, it is. Well, we've come to the end of a perfect 19-hour day. Are you all right, Joey? Yeah, Cap. I'm OK now. My appetite is coming back. How's it going, Joey? Oh, hello, Captain. I was just going to go and get me another load of hamburgers with onions and ketchup. And then I was going to eat those. And then I was going to get back and finish this letter to my mother. Well, you're the hero today, Joey. You sit here and finish that letter to your mom. And I'll go get you a chow. Oh, Cap, you're kidding. Boy, now you really got something to write home about. Write home about? You mean write about that storm and them jabs, Boston Loose and all that shooting? Yeah. Oh, Cap, I wouldn't dare do that. It would scare my mother half to death. OK. I'll get you a chow for you. Oh, thanks, Captain. What a guy. Yes, sir, a real guy. Oh, back to the letter. Dear mom, you ask what I do in this war, and now I will tell you. Nothing. We are nothing but freight handlers like Uncle Pete on the railroad. Only we do it by plane. Our thanks to you, Michael O'Shea and Richard Conte and all members of tonight's Dupont Cavalcade Party. Our star, Michael O'Shea, will return in just a moment. Now, here is Gain Whitman. War production board restrictions on DDT have been lifted by the government. You've heard about this new insecticide. It may well be the best ever. The army used it to stop a typhus epidemic in Italy. The marines used it to spray whole islands in the Pacific. Jungle troops used it to kill malarial mosquitoes in their tents. Airplanes have sprayed it over such towns as Rockford, Illinois during an outbreak of infantile paralysis. And health authorities are watching to see if the paralysis disappears with the insects. DDT has been called the Outstanding Medical Advancement during the war. Dupont has been manufacturing this marvelous new insecticide in quantity for the armed forces for the past three years. Our production can now serve industry and the public. Now, here are some interesting facts about DDT. First of all, DDT, as the chemist makes it, what you might call raw DDT, cannot be used in your home. To name only one reason, it is much too strong, too powerful. Dupont research laboratories learned during the war that there are many ways of compounding DDT and that its effectiveness for different jobs depends upon how much of it is used and with what material it is blended. What is more, the compounding should be done under exact scientific control. So, one part of DDT in 100 million parts of water heals mosquito riglers in ponds. But for other jobs, tests have shown it is better to have compositions of varying strengths or a powder or an oil solution depending upon the purpose for which the insecticide is intended. DDT, made by Dupont, will reach you in two ways. First, it will reach you properly compounded and thoroughly tested in compositions for farm, garden, and home use, which will be on sale in the stores and which will carry the Dupont oval trademark. Second, it will come to you as an ingredient of insecticides made by other manufacturers under their own well-known trademarks. Also, Dupont has on tests interior paints and finishes containing DDT. Insects have only to crawl across the surface with paints containing DDT to pick up enough to kill them. Tests show that these paints will be effective for at least a year. Manufacturers of insecticides for farm and home use are invited to write to the Dupont company, Wilmington, Delaware, for full information about Dupont DDT compounds for any insecticidal preparations they may be developing. DDT is a notable addition to the list of Dupont Better Things for Better Living Through Chemistry. And now, here is the star of tonight's Dupont Cavalcade, Michael O'Shea. In his recent address to Congress, General Eisenhower paid special tribute to the men and women of the French resistance movement, who risked capture and death to aid our Allied armies. The underground working secretly against the Germans had to move in swift and mysterious ways. One of the most exciting and daring of their exploits will be presented on next week's Cavalcade. An innocent-looking circus wagon loaded with high explosives, an American soldier dressed in an orange clown suit, these are only a few of the elements in this fascinating story. The stars will be John Hodeac and my old buddy Robert Bailey. Be sure to tune in next week to the Dupont Cavalcade, starring John Hodeac and Robert Bailey in Sawdust Underground. Cavalcade programs of particular interest to servicemen and women are broadcast overseas through the worldwide facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Service. Michael O'Shea, hot Stromberg star, will appear next in the stage production, The Red Mill. Richard County appeared through the courtesy of 20th Century Fox and may currently be seen in Captain Eddie. The music for tonight's Dupont Cavalcade was composed and conducted by Robert Armbruster. Our Cavalcade play was written by Sergeant Jack DeNova of the Fourth Combat Cargo Group. This is Tom Collins inviting you to listen next week to John Hodeac and Robert Bailey in Sawdust Underground on the Cavalcade of America brought to you by the Dupont Company of Wilmington, Delaware.