The Chain

expense and the producer of radio is outstanding theater of thrills the master of mystery and adventure William N. Robeson. With your permission we will on this occasion drop the editorial we and speak in the first person.

25 years ago this week I entered the infant radio industry as a writer at station cage J in Los Angeles. My quarter century in broadcasting has been filled with excitement and some boredom, failure and some success, fun and quite a few heartaches.

Much of the excitement, success and fun I have known in radio has been shared through the years with that unexcelled mistress of the microphone, the first lady of suspense, Ms. Agnes Morehead. So it is Ms. Morehead I have asked to share my silver anniversary program.

Then listen then as Agnes Morehead stars in the chain, which begins in exactly one minute. Memo on metals. Time out to discuss some interesting but little known facts about decorations and awards of America's armed services.

The time limit on rewarding an active bravery with a metal is 36 months. According to current regulations, no award can be made more than three years after the actual performance of the act or service being honored. To date, the only woman ever awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross was Amelia Earhart. By special act of Congress,

she was voted this medal for her daring solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean on July 2, 1932. It was President Woodrow Wilson who created the Army Distinguished Service Cross by Executive Order in January of 1918.

This is our next highest award for valorous service after the Medal of Honor, and corresponds to the British Military Cross or the Croix-Daguerre of France, Belgium, and Italy. There is a story behind every American medal awarded to the military, a proud story of devotion to country, an unselfish service to keep it strong and free.