They Also Serve: The Women Who Wait

This heartfelt episode of The Cavalcade of America is a tribute to the often-overlooked courage and endurance of American wives and mothers—the women who wait. Spanning from the storm-lashed coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, to the inferno of New York’s 1912 Equitable Building fire, it highlights the quiet heroism of those who stand behind the men facing danger in their daily work.

In the first story, a young woman from Indiana prepares to marry a Gloucester fisherman, only to learn that life by the sea means long stretches of uncertainty, loss, and resilience. As her fiancé sails off to the Grand Banks—unaware that her younger brother has secretly joined the crew—she begins to understand the weight of being a fisherman's wife. Through storms and silence, she joins his mother in the patient vigil so familiar to generations of women in seafaring towns.

The second dramatization shifts to New York City, where the wives and mothers of firemen and policemen face their own quiet battles. During the catastrophic Equitable Building fire of 1912, they wait, pray, and do what they can—like brewing hot coffee for the freezing and exhausted firefighters, never knowing whether their husbands will return from the flames.

Through both stories, the episode emphasizes that courage is not limited to the battlefield or the frontlines of danger. It lives, too, in kitchens and rooftops, in prayers whispered into the night, and in the unwavering love that holds families—and communities—together.

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Cast: Cavalcade Radio Players, featuring dramatic reenactments and narration by the DuPont Cavalcade Orchestra.

Explore the triumphs and trials that shaped a nation with "The Cavalcade of America: Stories of Courage and History." This classic series, originally produced by the DuPont Company, brings to life the defining moments and unsung heroes of American history. Each episode offers a dramatized journey through the nation's past, highlighting the resilience, innovation, and spirit that have driven America forward. Perfect for history enthusiasts and fans of old-time radio, this podcast is a gateway to the stories that made America, told with the artistry and care of a bygone era.