 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 for your army and your Air Force to bring you this story as proudly we hail the United States Air Force our stories entitled safety is no accident this is the story of Doug Grayson Captain Dudley Grayson and a girl Janet Shields Captain Grayson meets Janet when he is sent from his home base in California to Bailey Air Force base in Texas on a mission Janet is the kind of girl anyone would hope to meet on a mission trouble was that Ray Billings had seen her first our play will begin in a moment young man if you're a high school graduate are unmarried and otherwise qualified there's a future for you as an aviation cadet in the United States Air Force you'll receive a year of the world's finest flying training and graduate as a second lieutenant earning more than $5,000 a year here's the opportunity of a lifetime to serve your country and build a career that will fit you for responsible positions in both military and commercial aviation visit your army and Air Force recruiting station for details now your army and your Air Force present the proudly we hail production safety is no accident at Norton Air Force base near San Bernardino California Brigadier General Richard J. O'Keefe of the Director of Flight Safety Research is talking to one of the Air Force men assigned to the base Captain Dudley Grayson Captain Grayson until Sheffield's replaced you'll be handling B50s in addition to your other work yes sir I understood that when I heard Sheffield was to leave I know you're familiar with the aircraft your record shows a good many hours and B50s yes sir I've flown them a good deal very good and oh yes you'd better familiarize yourself with the new manual there have been some recent modifications yes sir now this is extra work for you but you've got the brains and the temperament to get along here you're quick your experience you're a plug-up we need men like you in the Air Force particularly in the flight safety directorate thank you captain Grayson studied the new manual on the B50 not knowing how soon he would need to put his knowledge to test not knowing for instance that in the air over central Texas a B50 was in trouble there was a fire in the number two engine left wing the B50s commander Major Fox had tried all emergency procedures to put out the fire without succeeding and afraid that the gasoline tanks would ignite and explode has given orders to the crew to bail out he's radioed his position and conditioned to the nearest cAA radio station the stricken plane is over wild deserted country where there's no chance of it harming anyone all right we're level now to do it about 6,000 feet we've been in radio contact with the airways they'll see that we get picked up our looks as though it'll be a long hike to civilization so let's stick together it's easier to be picked up that way all right see you on the ground happy landing the shoots yes I sure hated to give up that plane but if that fire ever got through the firewall and at the tanks guess we didn't get out much too soon all been lost as the first man to reach the ground well lucky the weather's good that makes it easier anyway and so Captain Grayson you'll proceed at once with your team to Bailey Air Force Base Belmont Texas to find the cause of that fire which resulted in the loss of a B50 yes sir now the captain Madison is the flying safety officer at Bailey and he'll give you every bit of information he's gathered and will cooperate with you fully as well Colonel Shields the CO at Bailey I'm sure that sir now your team's a good one you've flown the B50 under varying conditions Spence has been a flight engineer on many B50 missions the representative of the manufacturer knows the craft inside out I couldn't ask for better team I'll do my best to keep this out of the cause unknown file good I know you will good luck and don't hesitate to ask for help or information about anything you don't know thank you Colonel Shields general O'Keefe said you'd give me all possible help he didn't exaggerate thank you I like to see this cleared up captain everyone got out safely but I don't like to lose any aircraft I know that and you don't lose many since we started pushing our flying safety program the accident rate for the whole Air Force has gone down about one third this job of yours is a little like being a detective isn't it yes sir in a way only instead of a who done it we're usually looking for a what done I see well anything we can do to help you just let us know ask captain Madison here for any information you need or any help that's right captain thank you I'll do that well first of all now that we've gone over the reports we're going to take a look at the wreckage and talk to the crew right as I said just let me know thank you Colonel say Madison I've heard about Texas girls are they all like that as it takes in the Yankee I should say yes but as a fellow flyer I'll have to be honest and say no but it would be nice if they were mmm I don't try evasive action she's coming this way you seem to have the course plotted correctly just came from his office he was in a minute ago good how have you been how's Ellie fine she's fine oh Janet this is Captain Grayson dad Janet Shields you know he was just trying to give me some unlikely story that all Texas girls were like you why you dog you I never mind Harry Madison you know I wouldn't believe a word you said anyway well man if he hasn't sold it you are I'm at your service and as a southerner I take his remarks on your beauty you don't sound it captain extreme south of Oregon ma'am climate falls I happen to be from Minnesota myself if you two characters will get off your roses and Magnolia talk I'm meeting Ellie at the offices club for dinner I was going to ask Captain Grayson to would you join us John why won't you please well I'll see what dad's doing if he needs me tonight and to think I thought this would be a dull trip is this your regular line captain the name is dead and I don't have a line that I know of you mean you just had lived the kind of remarks you've been making all evening without any thought I don't know what I've been saying but I certainly mean every word of it aren't you taking a good deal for granted you mean that you might be married engaged promise to another something like that and I was afraid you were anybody as pretty and nice as you outlight flattery again nice the crew why did you change your mind or did you ask Harry Madison no I didn't say a word to him but you came tonight and you've been dancing with me and letting me talk on and on the things you've been saying no girl would be out to try to stop you sound nice to feminine ears did you see you're the kind of girl you saw what I thought about you you'd have told me don't you think maybe you're taking this a little seriously you hardly know me I hardly know you that's an excuse I don't have to know you you don't have to know me you know that what I'm saying is true maybe maybe we'll see well there's nothing to say but maybe I have been a little sudden that that I'll be big hearted and give you a couple of days and then see what you have to say that but I'm warning you right now if I have any spare time here at all I'm going to be going after you I've read the reports I've looked at the wreckage and I've got to ask you all again just what happened Major Fox what Captain Billings the first pilot was flying first thing I noticed was the sudden and severe vibration that's about the only way I can put it I looked at Billings and the instruments he and the flight engineer were doing the same thing but did you hear anything or see anything unusual immediately proceeding the vibration no I'm afraid not you know the way it is you're flying along smoothly thinking of a thousand things watching and checking and all of a sudden something happened now sometimes your first warning of any kind of trouble is after it's happened a glance showed that number two engine was a source of the trouble Billings throttled number two engine down to idling at once well it seems to be no question in anyone's mind but that the trouble started in the number two engine but what caused it we don't know then everything happened very quickly port side scanner reported smoke coming back from the wing and flame by that time I was trying to figure out what to do we tried all emergency procedures without any success I had radioed that we had a fire and gave our position and started looking for an emergency landing spot but there wasn't anything that looked even vaguely smooth I was afraid of the gas tanks didn't know how long the firewall would keep the heat from getting to a tank so I gave the order to bail out and you were the last to leave you say yeah as I said I guess it was best that we couldn't try to land because fire must have reached a gas tank soon after we bailed out I was parachuting down when I heard the explosion but I couldn't see much except a lot of smoke thanks major captain Billings how about you well I haven't much to add to the major's report I was flying as he said everything was fine suddenly the plane started shaking from vibration we didn't have the power we'd had to the number two prop started to run away I throttled it down then it sounded like somebody was shooting at us and you can be sure no one was I'll take you away for that a vibration must have broken a few other oil line that would account for the fire I just want to notice the smoke at first it was well look dark and thick like oil and then I don't know what it looked like later it was too thick gray smoky thanks sergeant as you said captain Billings it was probably a fuel line but something has to happen to set up the vibration that caused a fuel line break and if we can find enough for the pieces maybe we'll be able to tell what it was I coming nothing new been here over a week now you don't know any more than you did before not a lot at least we know a few things that didn't cause it it was a broken fuel line as you said but what caused it to break we don't know what he got to go on on a burnt twisted metal that's pretty well scattered to you found all the pieces we haven't yet so how does that get you nowhere yeah it seemed to be doing pretty well along some lines oh or as Janet why you're sticking to this so stubbornly look I'm doing a job here I was sent here I'm doing my best what I do after five o'clock is my business you're through work for the day or I wouldn't have brought it up I haven't anything against you at all Grayson accepted well I don't like a guy to move into a base for a brief mission and try to steal my girl I didn't know she was your girl they come to think of it I don't know it now you'll find out goodbye Billings what's the rush where you going I just remembered to the nearest phone to call Janet and see if she's busy you are listening to the proudly we hail production safety is no accident we'll return in just a moment for the second act daring and imagination courage and science these have propelled us straight into the jet age the age of air speed faster than sound a flight into the farthest frontiers of the sky young men how would you like to master one of those jet planes sleek powerful aircraft which represent the last word in military aviation they're considered safer to fly than they all propeller planes if you qualify for and successfully complete the interesting exacting training of an aviation cadet you'll have the chance as a pilot in the United States Air Force practicing a challenging career in the service of your country you'll start as a second lieutenant earning more than $5,000 a year if you're between 19 and 26 and a half in good health single and meet mental and educational requirements you're eligible to apply for the 16-month flight training course see if you can qualify at your nearest Air Force Base or local United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station you are listening to proudly we hail now we present the second act of safety is no accident captain Dudley Grayson of the Flight Safety Research Directorate has been sent from Norton Air Force Base in California to Bailey Air Force Base near Belmont Texas to head a team investigating the cause of a crash of a B-50 bomber in the time he's been there captain Grayson and his team have made no progress at all in finding out what caused the crash but he's fallen hard himself for Janet Shields the daughter of Colonel Shields commanding officer of Bailey Air Force Base that was a good movie dad yeah and didn't you like it I was alright I've seen a snail show more enthusiasm I liked it I'm sorry I liked it too you're not very enthusiastic about anything now what's wrong dad hmm oh nothing you sure been wondering maybe I said something or did something you're not like yourself not the way you were when you first came here well I met you and that changed my whole life the way you've been the change hasn't been for the better no I'm messing up everything I was sent here on routine mission turned into something wonderful because I met you thank you why isn't it still wonderful is it your work your mission is that it partly I'm not getting anywhere maybe if I didn't want so much to be with you I'd be able to find out what caused this then that's what it is your fate you're letting your feelings get in the way of your duty maybe I guess I shouldn't told you that why not that's all your trouble is well sort of flattering in a way yeah but I still don't know if I'm doing all I should be could be now let me tell you something I've been in the Air Force longer than you have in a way I grew up in it I can tell you this much anytime they don't think you're doing your job and doing it right they'll let you know and in no uncertain terms yes but I wonder if they know how little progress I've made you send in the required reports don't you of course but I've already overstayed the usual lot of time here with my team but my CEO once this cleared up all I've had from Norton is keep at it well then stop worrying about that part of it I can see why you're upset you like you like to do a good job has anybody here been saying anything to you look just forget I said anything at all I'm going back into the hangar with my team and what additional men your father can spare me and I'm going over every part of that wreck plane all over again and how long will that take I'm not sure a few more days certainly and you'll be here a little longer as far as I can see yes why there's going to be a dance Friday night I thought maybe what can we go I mean will you go with me I'd love to even if I did have to ask you myself Captain Grayson power things going all good morning Colonel badly I'd say badly you seem to have the five or six planes spread out here yeah you wouldn't think all this could come from one plane it's a good thing you could make this hangar available to us we seem to need plenty of room yes you do seem to need room I never saw anything like it the less progress we make the more room we need the way your work is divided into teams is quite efficient well that's standard in general my men and I stay here and inspect everything your men who know the countryside are scouring the area of the flight path looking for parts what haven't you found a trace of the propeller and prop gear housing of number two engine we know that trouble must have started there and it's still missing there are details of men combing some of that rough countryside maybe they'll find something keep it up captain if you need more help just let me know the bases of your disposal thank you sir you've given me every bit of help I've asked for usually before I've asked for it I want to see this thing licked as badly as you do captain those were my men in that plane that was one of my aircraft I thought you were a flag Grayson you look more like a storekeeper you want any parts as most of it be 50 here that Grayson the flying junkman if you've got nothing to do you can help otherwise leave me alone I'm busy what is all this junk it's a new collection one of the search parties just came back with a whole truckload of odds and ends and I'm going over them and the colonel said we were all to help what can I do well you can help me check this stuff here hey what's that I'm aluminum off the fuselage that's something no it's got a crease in it wasn't there when the plane was made let's take a look at that what he's so excited for is just a little piece of metal sure it's got a crease in it a lot of things happen to it since it was put on that plane including an explosion and a crash look at this you see it's got the crease there are little bits of paint clinging to that crease yellow paint I've got to find that search party see where they got that Carl Shields this Captain Grayson is there a helicopter available on the base of course what's up well the last materials that came in from a search party there were parts of an engine a cell from the number two engine and there was a piece of fuselage with a crease in it and yellow paint in the crease seems to mean something to you but I don't get it well that yellow paint must have come from a propeller tip so well I talked to the search party that brought the engine to sell in they found it nowhere near where the main wreckage was found I've got a hunch I have a hunch too that your hunch is gonna prove right thanks sir I hope so Lieutenant Mcconnell will take you wherever you want to go you'll be waiting for you with base operations good thank you sir I'll report hello Janet yes who were you expecting just you said you'd call later Janet I'm gonna do a bit of searching I may be back tonight but probably it won't be until tomorrow we still have a date for tomorrow night right of course why not I just wondered are you trying to back out on it I just wanted to let you know that I might not be back until late tomorrow is everything all right oh sure fine well good luck I'll see you tomorrow night all before it's funny said I'd be back I am late but she'd wait I'm sure she'd wait maybe she went on to the dance to wait for me there of course I have to have these findings verified Colonel but you're pretty sure of yourself aren't you now tell me how you found it and what you found well it was that piece of fuselage with the crease and yellow paint on it yes that crease was put there when something hit it and the paint showed what hit it the propeller tips are painted yellow that gave me the clue I'm with you so far well it was the only thing I had to go on if a prop blade had broken off the number two engine and it made that scar in the fuselage it would have set up a severe vibration in the engine breaking fuel and oil lines and starting a fire yes I can see that when they found a piece of the engine the cell nowhere near where most of the wreckage was I got an idea I decided the propeller and gear section must have shaken loose sometime before so I used a helicopter to backtrack on the plane's flight path after a while we spotted the prop one prop blade had broken off near the hub say that was very smart figuring it out that way working out what had happened and where to look for the engine now that I look back on it it seems pretty obvious well captain any problem is simple after we know the answer you'll find that's true of everything I think you did a very good job you didn't get discouraged and you kept plugging away thank you sir but you're wrong I got awfully discouraged and more credit to you we're going to hear more of you thank you sir you will anyway if I can find Janet Janet oh well I think she went to the dance tonight with the captain Billings I believe sorry captain everyone's gone home dancers over about an hour ago did you see Janet Shields around no sir I didn't big crowd here tonight didn't get much chance to talk to any of the people from around the base here well thanks thanks very much well try it once more she isn't home by now Janet where was I didn't you go to the dance with Billings I called a dozen times all I got was a busy signal I thought and I thought Janet hold everything I'll be right over we've solved more than one mystery tonight I got a letter that's all you were literates ever see a letter before another isn't that enough for you that general O'Keefe tells us all what a fine job you did are you worked out of problem and how new orders have been issued on the b50 how they now insist on non-operation of that type of prop for those planes still using that type of prop cut it out well yeah besides being held up as an example to us you get letters from some gal named Janet every day how stupid can a dang get what do you mean she's got more brains in a little finger than all you characters put together I knew there was something wrong with her she keeps the brains in her fingers probably wears a symbol on her little pointed head go on baited where do you catch you give a guy a little pace okay boys dad wants a little quiet now quiet quiet if you won't leave me alone don't die you've been gone for six weeks today it seems like forever dad finally told me what I've been waiting for he's been talking about it but I was afraid to write it to you in case it didn't work out he has to go to Washington for a month or longer I can go with him or go visit my aunt Stella at late hour by my figuring that's within 50 miles of your base I really think I should go for it don't you if all goes well you can start looking for me by the end of next week dad seems very pleased with you he says you should be pleased with yourself knowing that your work is helping to save lives and money he likes you you know thanks after his daughter that way I'm counting the days until I get there all my love generally we hail the officers and men of the flight safety research director that Norton Air Force Base San Bernardino California here's an important word today about your tomorrow there's a future in flight yes for you young men between the ages of 19 and 26 and a half who have completed high school and are otherwise qualified there's an excellent opportunity for a great career in your expanding Air Force you can secure an important job as a pilot navigator radar observer or flight engineer and fly the mighty aircraft of this jet age remember there's a future in flight visit your United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station for details today this has been another program on proudly we hail presented transcribed in cooperation with the station proudly we hail is produced by the recruiting publicity center for the United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting service this is Kenneth Banghart speaking and inviting you to tune in the same station next week for another interesting story on proudly we hail