N1: It’s July 1943. The United States is fighting in World War II.
N2: Because of the war, food and other products are in short supply.
N3: Americans are doing whatever they can to help.
N1: Families are growing their own vegetables.
N2: Kids are gathering metal scraps to be used to help build ships and planes.
N3: Margie’s mom enters the kitchen holding beans from her garden. She turns on the radio.
Edward R. Murrow (voice-over): The American, Canadian, and British troops continue to make gains. But we must not underestimate what is to come from the Germans!
N1: Margie runs in holding a copy of Life magazine.
Margie: Mom! Mom! Girls are flying military planes!
N2: Margie reads from the article.
Margie (reading): Each month, more female pilots complete their training.
Mom: Well, isn’t that something.
N3: Dad walks in carrying a box of tin scraps.
Dad: Anything else for the scrap bin? Our military needs all the metal it can get.
N1: Mom hands him a few crushed cans.
Margie: Look at this, Dad. Women pilots are testing planes so more men can fight overseas. I want to do it!
Dad: Absolutely not.
N2: He walks out.
Margie: What was that about?
N3: Mom takes a book from a shelf. She pulls out an old photo of a young woman standing next to an airplane.
Margie: Who is this?
Mom: Your father’s sister.
Margie: Aunt Margaret? The one I’m named after?
Mom: That’s right. Flying was her passion.
Margie: I . . . I had no idea.
Mom: She died in a plane crash just before you were born. Your father hates talking about it.
N1: Margie stares at the photo.
Margie: She seems so happy.
N2: Margie looks up.
Margie: Mom, I want to do more for the war effort than just collect cans.
Mom: Don’t you need a pilot’s license?
Margie: I can take lessons at the airport!
N3: Margie grabs her mother’s hands.
Margie: Please, Mom. I can do this!