MUSEUM MUSINGS by Jim Johnson Museum Director Dick Tracy Boards an Aircraft Carrier Woodstock Independent readers may have seen a 1949 movie, shown recently on TV, called “Task Force,” starring Gary Cooper. The screenplay described a Navy lieutenant who was one of the pioneer aviators flying off the USS Langley, a rudimentary aircraft carrier of the 1920‘s, and who continued working on carrier development up to the jet age. In a very early Dick Tracy adventure, Chester Gould showed his attention to modern technology by placing Tracy on a carrier. The story began in April, 1932 with the kidnapping of “Buddy Waldorf,” the child of an international financier. Tracy was assigned to the case, and suspected that a gangster known as “Big Boy” might be involved. Learning that Big Boy was in Boston and about to sail for Europe on the ocean liner “Alonia,” Tracy hopped a plane to follow the gangster. He boarded the Alonia in disguise, and discovered that the kidnapped child was traveling with Big Boy. Before he could act upon this information, he was identified and tossed overboard by Big Boy and his henchmen. Fortunately Tracy was able to cling to a piece of timber, and was later rescued by a Norwegian fishing boat. Not speaking Norwegian, he couldn’t explain to the crew what had happened. Tracy was frustrated, but then spotted a British “airplane carrier” on the horizon. He was able to signal the British ship, which stopped to pick him up. After telling his story to the captain, he was given use of an amphibian aircraft and pilot, and took off to intercept the Alonia. Reboarding the liner, Tracy and the ship’s crew arrested the gangster group and freed the child. Returning to New York City, Tracy returned the child to the grateful parents. The wealthy father, John Waldorf, tried to reward Tracy with $50,000 in bonds. Tracy declined to accept the reward, but in looking at the bonds, observed that they were counterfeit. This led him into yet another adventure, as he began to track the bonds back to the dealer who had sold them to Waldorf. The “Task Force” movie reenacted the constant conflicts within Congress for Navy appropriations. The “battleship admirals” derided the concept of aircraft carrier effectiveness, arguing that the lightly armored ships could not survive sea battles. Aviation proponents countered that seaborne air power made the battleship obsolete. While Chester Gould did not enter this dispute, it is interesting that he chose to show the “airplane carrier” as a versatile and useful design. Perhaps by introducing this idea into the popular culture, it helped to influence the eventual commissioning of the “Lexington,” “Yorktown,” “Saratoga” and other carriers. These floating airfields were immensely important to American success in the Pacific in World War II. The Chester Gould-Dick Tracy Museum Foundation thanks the Wal-Mart Corporation for their generous grant. Woodstock Independent readers are invited to visit the museum. During January, the museum is open Saturdays only, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. In February, regular hours will resume at 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.