 Proudly we hail from New York City where the American stage begins. Here is another program with a cast of outstanding players. Public service time has been made available by this station to bring you this story. As proudly we hail the United States Army. Our story today is titled The Face of the Enemy. And perhaps it is well as we shall find out for a soldier to realize that his enemy in combat will be no cardboard target in a field. He will be thinking, aggressive, resourceful and ruthless. And when we meet him, we will not only be matching weapons, we shall be forced to match wits. Our first act curtain will rise in just a moment, but first... Right now, here is an important message for young men who are high school graduates. Never before in history has there been such a need and such an opportunity to serve your country and yourself as there is today in the United States Army. If you're qualified, there are careers open for you in radio, radar, weather, communications, and many, many other fields. So pay a visit to your nearest United States Army recruiting station without delay and get full details. And now your United States Army presents the proudly we hail production, The Face of the Enemy, who are in training in a camp in the South. They were learning to be infantry soldiers. They spent their days in classes and in the field. After several weeks, they had a fair idea of what their equipment was, how to use it, how to take care of it. They were learning a great many things. They are your infantry soldiers who develop a vast reservoir of knowledge against the day each may have to draw on it. Their officers, combat veterans for the most part, were fairly well pleased with them because the platoons and their companies were shaping up. Of course, they had a long way to go, but they were getting there step by step. They had reached the point in their training, but they were going out on problems. And in all truth, here for the first time, things weren't going too well. For instance, a platoon would be told to occupy a hill. Another platoon would be told to capture it. Well, he would get a scene something like this. You're dead. What do you mean I'm dead? You're standing up in the open. I could have picked you off. I got you first. You're dead. You're captured. Why are we captured? Because we're in back of you. Yeah? How'd you get here? We crossed the field, stupid. That's how we got here. You couldn't have crossed the field if we was firing real ammo. All the same, you're captured. They were grown men learning a grim business, but you couldn't help smiling. It sounded for all the world like children playing cowboys and Indians. You know, bang bang, you're dead. But basically, there was nothing funny about it. Men have to learn the principles of attack and defense. And the only way you can learn anything is to practice. It's like music, for instance. If you want to learn how to play the piano, you sit down at the keyboard and you let your fingers make music. If you want to learn how to fight, well, you have to fight. But how? After all, what are you going to do? Well, the colonel who commanded the training regiment was quite unhappy about it, too. But men aren't taking this seriously. And I don't see how you can blame them for it. We haven't digged foxholes and sit around for hours slapping at mosquitoes. We explode a few firecrackers here and there to simulate gunfire. We send some artillery a mile or so over their heads to give them an idea of what it sounds like. Then we tell them to move up a hundred yards to the left or right and dig new foxholes. We tell them that enemy paratroopers have landed. And they know it isn't true. All they know is that they're out in the cold or the wet getting miserably uncomfortable and nothing is happening. I think a new system of training is definitely in order. So for a while all the so-called field problems are called off. Instead, intensive courses were held in physical conditioning and proficiency with weapons. Officers and uncoms who had fought the Nazis in Europe and the Reds in Korea. Men who had been up against master specialists in the art of infiltration and sabotage gave exhaustive lecture demonstrations of how to fight an unorthodox enemy of what to expect of people who don't conduct combat according to the book. There was a unified purpose behind all of this, and it was apparent at that time. Then the regiment was told it was going to participate in a large-scale war game. Well, none of the men were really excited by the news. As a matter of fact, most of them were quite bored. Unit commanders who were briefing their platoons could sense it. First battalion will be on our right. Third battalion is back in reserve. Actually, you can forget about Third Battalion because we'll be surrounded by aggressive forces. Our mission will be to hold until Third Battalion aided by elements of the 22nd Regiment can break through to relieve us. Now, I've given you the whole picture, so... Wilson, where's the aid station? Well, sir, the... I see you don't know where the aid station will be. Maybe you can tell me where the reserve ammo will be. Well? I think, sir, the lieutenant said... I can see where you'd be a fat lot of use in combat, Wilson. Miller, suppose you sum up this problem for me? Well, sir, an invading army has landed, I think, in Virginia. They've been moving south and they captured all of North Carolina. Now, our outfit is supposed to try to cut their left flank. Ah, yes, sir, that's it. Cut their left flank in half and relieve the pressure on Washington. Well, that's the gist of what I said. Now I'll say something else. You men weren't paying too much attention. You figured, well, here comes some more of the same old stuff. Only this time, instead of going out overnight, we'll spend a week with it. We'll dig a couple of hundred foxholes and we'll walk up and down for hours. And umpires will be running all over the place like this was a World Series ballgame. You're not taking this seriously because... let's admit it, you don't believe it. I believe that a foreign power has actually invaded the U.S. and that we're going out tomorrow night to fight them. Well, I want to give you some very good advice. Be on your toes. That's all. I think you like what you said. Hey, Miller, we got time to go to the P.X.? Nah, I'll be closing in five minutes. Might as well hit the sack. Oh, did you hear all that business? Who's on the right? Who's on the left? Nah. He said Virginia. We'll be out in the field over the weekend. No passes. What's with this whole bit? I know how to fire a rifle. I can fire a carbine, a .45 caliber pistol, a machine gun, a mortar and a rocket launcher. I can dig a foxhole. Anybody wants to start a war, I'm ready. Why do I have to sit around on a woods in a mud puddle all week? So what do you want from me? Catch it! Uh-oh, he's here again. Hatties, I've just been informed by Captain Clomb and there's a slight change in plan. We'll be to the left of the 1st Battalion, which means that our firepower will have to control the river crossing if the enemy plans to counterattack from that direction. We'll have to work out new positions for the aid station and supplies. All non-cons will report to the orderly room in 10 minutes. That's all. No, we've just found out that the troops who lack the part of the aggressor in this problem are elements of the 74th Regimental Combat Team. How'd you work? Hey, who's the 74th Regimental Combat Team? I've never heard of him. Ah, you know, Miller, there's lots of things about the army I don't mind at all. Oh, gee, that's big of you. No, no, I mean it. A lot of it's okay. You know, lad, you'll go far. I can see that one stripe on your sleeve right now. Hey, when you make PFC, will you still talk to us common people, huh? Not just between you and me, take the lieutenant. He's okay, too. It's just these field problems, these maneuvers. Well, your trouble, kid, is that you're a city boy. You hate getting close to nature. Now, what could be nicer than sleeping out in the open under the stars, huh? Now, I want you to do good on this problem. I don't want to be ashamed of you. Hey, tell me, where's the aid station going to be? Where's the ammo dump going to be? Who's going to be on the left, the right, and the front, in the rear? You tell me. Well, I can tell you, buddy, is that this is the last night we're going to sleep in the beds for a whole week. Just watch me roll into that sack. Yeah, that revelry's going to roll around mighty fast. You know, I could even learn to like the army if everything didn't start so early in the morning. In a while, a quiet descended. And then a few minutes later, the clear, sweet notes of tapas echoed through the camp. The barracks' lights were out, and the trainees were all asleep. Except for the men on guard mount and a few others on special details, there wasn't a single private awake in the entire area. That's one thing about the infantryman. Nobody has any trouble getting to sleep when he has the time for it. Such thing isn't somnia in the infantry. And that has to be considered a solid credit. Well, they were all asleep. But not for long. Oh, no. Hey, whose bright idea is this? The aggressor staged a surprise attack. Oh, listen to that, will you? He sent patrols across the river and established a beachhead. They're going to have that smelly creek for all of me. Come on, now get moving. Hey, Millie, you want to be sitting down and dressing? And beyond those trucks and rolling. Hey, ain't we going to have chow this morning? The men's squad leaders sent one man to the kitchen for canteen for coffee. He'll pick up rations for the squad. Come on, now shake it up. They piled the trucks and rolled off into the night, still half asleep. They sipped coffee, which spilled all over them in the swaying trucks. They chewed at sandwiches and puffed at cigarettes. No one was comfortable and no one was happy. As far as they were concerned, the men who was were getting off to a bad start. Finally, the vehicles came to a halt. Orders were passed down the line and proceeded on foot. They went in one direction, then turned and went in another. There was the usual amount of backing and filling. And then platoon leaders and non-coms pointed out places for foxholes. And the orders were given to dig in. Yeah. Okay, Miller, okay. What do you want to do? Wind up in China? That's deep enough. Oh, man, I'm beat. Me too. Let's jump in. The other guys are still digging. Maybe we can grab an hour of shut-eye. Miller, Wilson. Yes, sir. You can't dig a hole here. You're too close to the B.A.R.T. Now go over 20 yards over to the left. Sir, you said before... Get moving. Great guy, isn't he? When I die, I'm sure going to leave them something in my will. Well, what's that? A shovel. Finally, the positions were all dug and satisfactorily. The platoon settled down to await the next move, which would probably be to go somewhere else and do the whole thing all over again. It certainly looked that way to Miller and Wilson as the lieutenant approached their foxhole. Hey, wake up. Somebody's coming. Who? The lieutenant. Why didn't you challenge me? Well, sir, we recognize you. We'll go into that later. I got a job for you, too. We're not sure whether the aggressive forces maintained their beachhead on this side of the river. They may have pulled back when we came up here. We have to find out. Now, both of you, make your way down the hill to the river until you can see what's what. Don't get too close. Just find out whether there are any of them still on this side. And get back here as fast as you can. Hey, we better not go much further. Maybe we can peek through those bushes. You can see the river from there. Why don't we just walk down the road? What's this plain soldier bit with dragging through the bushes? Well, if the enemy is there and spots us, we'll be captured, Saul. So what's bad about that? Let's get captured and sit the week out. Well, the trouble with that is you get put on KP in details. They don't let you do a week's worth of bunk fatigue. Hey, hey, where's all that smoke coming from? On the road, I guess. What could be burning there's no houses around here. It's too wet for a forest fire. Let's take a look. Can you hear somebody coming? Listen. Sounds like one guy. Better get out of here. No, no, wait a minute. If it's only one guy, why don't we capture him? See what I mean? We bring us back a prisoner. That should go good with the lieutenant. Hey, look, it's a civilian. Hey, you, you, you American soldier. What do you think we are? And who are you? I don't know. Must be thousands of guys in the army these days. What are you so excited about? Boys, you're off. The country's been invaded. What does this guy say, Wilson? Don't look at me like I'm crazy. There's foreign soldiers all up and down the riverbank. Now tell me, is there a nut house around here, Wilson? This guy's keepers must be sweating them out. I was driving along in my car. Guys in dark uniforms and funny insignia stopped me. They burned my car. Don't believe me, huh? Well, just walk down that path here and take a look. You got the guts to do it. Goodbye, I ain't hanging around. Oh, it takes all kinds to make a world. What do you suppose he was talking about? I don't know, but I see smoke. Come on. You see what's burning, Wilson? Hey, Miller, that's a car, an old beat-up civilian auto. Hey, and look at those guys standing around. Those are soldiers. What's going on? You see what I see, they're soldiers, but those uniforms, they're not American soldiers. Are you crazy? Am I? Those aren't our type helmets. We don't wear uniforms like that. Look at those insignia. Both of us are nuts. We got to be. We're dreaming. They're talking. Can you hear what they're saying? Oh, Miller, buddy, one thing I can tell you, they're talking all right, but they're not talking English. All right, what are we going to do? What you're going to do, I don't know, but all I got in this rifle are blank cartridges, and I'm getting out of here. Kid, you ain't alone. Sir, they burned this civilian automobile. They're in a funny kind of helmet. What do you mean funny? Well, it was a kind of a wedge running across the top of it, not like ours. And their uniform's kind of dark. They weren't Americans, that's for sure. We could hear them talking. It wasn't English. I don't know any more about it than you do. Let's get the CP. Sergeant Myers, hand me the phone. Little Acorn calling Oak. Little Acorn calling Oak. Oak, can't you hear me? Sergeant, the line's dead. I think it's been cut. Send two men out to trace the wire. Hey, what's that? Hey, look, that's Salman from G Company. Where are you going, soldier? Hey, Lieutenant. Lieutenant, they're a foreign guys. They came out of the woods. They captured all of G Company. We didn't know what to do. We had no live ammo. Lieutenant, has the US been invaded? What is this? I don't know. It's a sense we can't stay here. Sergeant Myers, round up the platoon and be ready to follow me. Where are we going, sir? Back to the trucks. We can make it to camp. We can get ammo and find out what's going on here. Sir, those soldiers, Wilson and I saw them with our own eyes. They're part of a foreign army. How'd they get here? All right, men, follow me. First platoon, first platoon. Hey, that's Jates. They're surrounded by some foreigners that captured the trucks. The trucks? Now what are we going to do? Now we have to stay here. Sergeant, pass the word. Fix bayonets. You are listening to the proudly-behaved production, The Face of the Enemy. We'll return in just a moment for the second act. High school seniors, ensure a secure, well-paying future by preparing for it now. The United States Army's Reserved for You program will guarantee you a classroom seat in an exciting army technical career course before you enlist. You'll get top-notch training and on-the-job experience while serving side-by-side with America's finest young men and women. The choice is wide open, and it's all yours to make. High school graduates can take their choice from more than 100 interesting courses, everything from atomic technician to welding. The fact-filled booklet, Reserved for You, tells you all about this program. You'll learn of many other fine army benefits too, like regular pay increases, promotions, exciting travel assignments, and unbeatable leisure time activities. Get in on the swing. Get your free copy of Reserved for You by visiting or writing your nearest United States Army recruiting station. You're listening to Proudly We Hail, and now we present the second act of The Face of the Enemy. An infantry regiment training in the south is sent out on what was supposed to be an ordinary everyday combat problem. But an unbelievable thing has happened to them. Right here, in their own United States, foreign troops have appeared out of nowhere. Prepared for a mock battle, the regiment is armed only with blank ammunition. What is happening to them must be incredible. But they know they're not dreaming. One platoon on the extreme left flank has not yet been discovered by the enemy. Bewildered, off-balance, unable to credit their senses. They wait for their lieutenant to decide on the next move. They're invaded. How did it happen? I guess everybody knows it by now. If only we could get to a radio or a telephone. Ammo, wait. There are some boxes of live ammo in the supply dump. We brought them up for a fire problem. Yates, did you get them unloaded from the truck? Yes, sir. I brought them to where the map said. Okay, you know where they are. You and Omen and Green and who else? Captain Miller. Go get them. American soldiers. American soldiers. We are the army of the Liberation atomic attack on your east coast last night. We now control your entire Atlantic seabed. A pest. There are still scattered units of you hidden here in the woods. As the commissar for the newly proclaimed Free Eastern States of America. Okay, I always had bad dreams before, but I always woke up. You ain't dreaming now, kid. Hey, Yates, where's that ammo at? I better tell all you guys just in case. You know where that cave is near the rocks where we got off the trucks? Well, it's just behind it. Hey, hey, fellas. Who's that? Fellas, I'm an L company. That's 3rd Battalion. Yeah. The enemy, they got us surrounded. Me and my buddy broke away, but I lost him. Hey, where are you guys going? Back toward the road. Oh, that's where they are. Well, where aren't they? I don't know. I'm getting out of here. But we can get some ammo. Look, they probably got that ammo by now. Now, listen, I figure there's nobody off to the south. That's where I'm making tracks for. Now, if you're smart... Yates, we can't leave the lieutenant the rest of the guys. That's where the guys were. Yeah, even if we could get the ammo, there'd be no point in going back there. Listen, fellas, last month, my outfit had a problem with the woods here, and we discovered a little trail that takes you right back to camp. That's our only chance. We've got to hook up with the guys back there. Okay, buddy. Lead the way. Yeah, gee, I hope I remember where it is. Alt! Hey, who's that? Alt! That don't sound like our guys, Miller. It's me, Red 7. I've got prisoners. Prisoners? Yeah, buddy, prisoners. Drop your M1s and walk ahead with your hands up. Who are you? Shut up, sucker. You're surrounded. Hey, Corporal, pick up this batch. I'm going out after more fish. You Americans, stack your rifles, pile your belts and bandolines, sit on the circle until you are given further orders. Listen, that guy, he wasn't in 3rd Battalion. You catch on awful fast, don't you, Miller? Who are these jokers and the black uniforms coming? I'm afraid we're going to find out. Well, good afternoon. And this is a good afternoon. After almost 200 years of tyranny, your country is free again. You can remain our enemies or become our friends and join us. You have seen how quickly we have struck with what complete surprise. And there are a few things you can tell us so that we all may be better acquainted. You there. What is your name, rank and serial number? Wilson, Private. 32272642. And where is the rest of your company? How much strength is left at your camp? What sort of weapons? Sir, all I have to tell you is my name, rank and serial number. You have to tell me everything I ask you. You will see. Sergeant, conduct one of these other most excellent soldiers back to the command post and ask him a few questions on route. You mentioned the smiling instead of frowning. You have an opportunity to join the winning side. Your outfit has been completely infiltrated. A group of you are still holding your camp but not for long. Half of your officers have been captured. We know their names. We are now using the telephones and radio to give the orders we want given. Ah, poor, ill-advised fellow. Probably try to escape. What happens sometimes? Now, will you tell me what I want to know? Think very clearly and very carefully. They form the nucleus of a prison compound and every few minutes their numbers increased. Men from every outfit of the regiment will lead into captivity. And all told similar stories. How they were infiltrated, surprised by sneak attacks. How those of them who found ammunition discovered it was of the wrong caliber for their weapons. How they received contradictory orders on the radios. How they encountered enemy agents disguised as American soldiers or civilians who led them into traps. Clearly they had all encountered a daring, ruthless and powerful enemy who had too much skill, strength and savvy for them. A radio was set up at the edge of the compound and an announcer informed them that the entire Middle Atlantic seaboard was now controlled by the invader. They were shocked. They were dazed. They never knew what had hit them. By me they saw the officer who had addressed them first and walking by his side was the colonel of their own regiment. Oh, Miller, look, they got the old man, too. Stand in attention! Man, I'm sorry to see all of you here. You're sorry? I knew this was going to happen and I'm glad. Let it be a very good lesson. What kind of lesson? What's he talking about? This officer in strange uniform happens to be a very good friend of mine and of yours, too, after this afternoon. Now that you've all been thoroughly scared, let me introduce him. He's Colonel Downing of the 74th Regimental Combat Team. Colonel! American soldier! You men can relax. Smoke, if you've got him. You have just been given the full-dress treatment by my outfit, the 74th RCT. We specialize in playing the part of the aggressive force in maneuvers. We train our men to wear the uniforms you saw to speak what sounds like a foreign language, to act the parts of saboteurs and spies and theft columnists. I know we fool you. We were supposed to fool you and throw a scare into you that you won't forget in a hurry. If our army ever has to fight for real, we'll be up against an enemy that's ruthless and has no rules. Our outfit trains to simulate this enemy. For purposes of maneuvers, we train to pretend we belong to a totalitarian government. In other words, we want you to get the feel of the real thing. Well, next week, we're going to run this problem again. We hope you've learned a few things from us. Next time, who knows? We may learn a few things from you. Meanwhile, isn't it great to know that this has all been in the family? Nobody got hurt? We're all free men still living in a free country. There was an excuse for you this time. You were green and inexperienced. Next time, give us a run for our money. That's all. Pick up your equipment. Fall in the company. How do you like that? It's all a game. I knew it all the time. There's the Lieutenant with our outfit. Well, if it isn't Wilson and Miller. Hey, Lieutenant, were you in on this? Well, I'll tell you the truth. I knew it was going to happen, but the 74th made it look so good I almost believed it. Sir, I'm not ashamed to say so. I believed it. Hey, sir, would you say it was fair? Of course not. But what's fair about war? You men are lucky. As the colonel said, we do this again next week. Let's see how you make out the second time around. Next week, huh? Well, sir, as the colonel said, make me learn a few things from us. Seven days later, they tried it again. And we're happy to report the aggressor was turned back. There was no panic and no retreat. The 74th RCT taught them a lesson that needed learning. But the American soldier learns fast. With outfits like the 74th, the American army makes it seem real and earnest. But the best way to teach a man to fight is to show him the face of the enemy. Here's something that says, for women only. And here in small print, it says, for women only between the ages of 18 to 34 and single. Why, that can only mean one thing. An appeal for young ladies like you to join the women's army corps. Get full information from your local United States Army Recruiting Station today. This has been another program on Proudly We Hail, presented transcribed in cooperation with this station. Proudly We Hail is produced by the Recruiting Publicity Center for the United States Army. And this is Mark Hamilton speaking, inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on Proudly We Hail.