The Pathfinder Of The Seas

Originally Aired: October 16, 1940 In Cavalcade of America #196, "The Pathfinder Of The Seas," Lieutenant Matthew Fontaine Maury faces the crushing end of his naval career when a stagecoach accident leaves him unable to serve at sea. Instead of commanding the fine ship he'd hoped for, Maury receives orders assigning him to the dreary Navy Observatory in Washington, placed in charge of the depot of charts and instruments. His new colleagues view the position as a graveyard for officers who are crippled or crazy, and they openly mock Maury's published theories about discovering secret pathways in the ocean by studying currents and winds. When Maury arrives at his new post, he discovers his staff has been burning old ship logbooks to heat the office. Recognizing these discarded records as a treasure trove of observations from sailors who've traveled every corner of the seas, Maury sees an opportunity where others see only waste. His vision of charting the ocean's hidden patterns suddenly has the raw data it needs, but he must convince a skeptical Navy establishment that one crippled officer with unconventional ideas can revolutionize maritime navigation and save countless lives.