 Proudly we hail! 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 Forces in Europe. Our presentation is entitled, Window in the Curtain. As proudly we hail 2nd Lieutenant Donald McDavid of the 23rd Fighter Bomber Squadron, as one of many United States Air Force fighter bomber pilots in Western Germany. Flying patrol along the Iron Curtain, he has a vantage point vital to the Western world. A window in the curtain. Our first act will begin in just a moment, but first, young man there's a future in flight for you. Today's jet age offers unlimited opportunities for young men between the ages of 19 and 26 and a half who are high school graduates and otherwise qualified. Yes, you can proudly wear the silver wings and fly the mighty aircraft of your United States Air Force when you've completed your training. For full details, visit your nearest Air Force base or your nearest United States Air Force recruiting station tomorrow. And now your army and your Air Force present the proudly we hail production, Window in the Curtain. When you're 21 years old and a brand new qualified jet fighter pilot, you keep telling yourself, like they say it on the radio, 2nd Lieutenant Donald McDavid, life can be beautiful. Especially when your first real-duty assignment after graduation is a real plum. Flying F-86 Sabre jets with a 23rd Fighter Bomber Squadron in Bitburg, Western Germany. See where you are on the map, McDavid. Here, Bitburg. Bitway here between Luxembourg and Frankfurt. That's your flight commander, Captain John Craig. World War II Ace, flown every fighter plane the Air Force has used since 1942. A good man. This is what you've heard. In a fighter squadron, a flight is the basic fighting unit. In the air, this unit is made up of two elements of two planes each, led by the flight commander. He'll be the leader, instructor, father confessor, shepherd, commander of the flight to which you're assigned. So you're glad of what you've heard about him. Now that you're checked into the squadron and starting your three-year tour, he's giving you the word. Bitburg, headquarters of the 36th Fighter Bomber Wing, one of the fighter bomber units of the 12th Air Force. Now, the 12th Air Force has got six wings scattered strategically. Here at Bitburg, you're 150 miles to the Russian zone in Germany over here. I didn't realize we were so close to them. Close. Just across the street from the Ruskies. Less than 25 minutes from here to the curtain. That's why we're here. To keep them 25 minutes away? Partly. Our primary mission, of course, is to act as part of a defensive force standing ready to retaliate in the event of an attack. Sounds like we have our hands full. Or whatever the F-86 can do, and that's plenty, we'll be doing. And that's the kind of training you'll be getting all during your three-year tour. Training? Well, it sounds like I'm still in cadets. Oh, kid. In this business, you never stop learning and training. You're a pilot, MacDavid. The Air Force can't ever let you get rusty. I read you. Now, this will be different than cadets. You've got those wings now. You're one of the boys. We're all in this together. I sure hope so. I had cadets. Now another thing, you never know when you'll be up there training and then playing for keeps. I see what you mean. The real McCoy's only 25 minutes away. Check. Now let's go meet the rest of the flight. The boys you'll be flying with. You pay attention when he introduces you to the boys. These are not introductions to be forgotten when the party is over. These are the guys you'll be flying with. To the pilots. No one is closer than the man who flies wing-to-wing with him. This first lieutenant, Jess Barker. You'll be flying on Jess's wing most of the time. He'll be leading the second element. You got anything to tell Mac, Jess? Oh, just stay close on my wing and don't get lost, and we'll get along fine. I'll do my best, sir. Don't mind Jess, Mac. Sometimes it's hard for him to remember he was the new second Louis was. You asked me, so I told him. Well, I was telling Mac what a good deal fighter bombers is. Some of the interceptor boys in Korea flew their 100 missions and never saw them, Mac. Isn't that right, Jess? I wouldn't know. I put in 34 and managed to see a few. Jess got two and a half Macs in Korea. Good man. Looks like I learned something. We'll cut the mustard. Jess, remember, Barker's bark is worse than his bite. You two will make a good team. Come on, there's another man I'd like you to meet. My wingman, Captain Olaf Oliphant. He's an MDAP type from the Norwegian Air Force. My first tour with you fellows are rather guys. MDAP type? Mutual Defense Assistance Program, MDAP. Some of us, Norwegian, French, and Belgian, we have the opportunity to fly with you Americans to see how you do the aerial operations. This is great. I've heard about it. I hoped I'd meet some of you guys over here. Don't meet many. Before you leave, you'll spend some time on TDY, temporary duty, and their squadrons. This three-year tour gets more interesting every minute. Well, Olaf was in the RAF in World War II. If you're a nice guy, maybe he'll introduce you to the mademoiselle in Paris who smuggled him back to England when he was shot down. Well, Olaf, Captain, have a cigarette. Take two. Maybe this can be arranged, Mac, when Captain Craig gives us the time off. Well, before that, my fine type says work ahead and plenty of it. Now, you'll get your first flight with us tomorrow morning. And for the next two weeks, Lieutenant McDavid went through an extensive round and air checkout to acquaint him with the flying procedures and ground responsibilities. An officer new to the Air Force establishment in Europe. Okay, guys. Let's get the coffee cups out of the way and get down to business. Now, what's it today, boss? Schweinfurt gunnery range for glide bombing and strafing. Now, for Lieutenant McDavid's benefit, I'll explain that this flight, like all others we fly here, will accomplish much more than that, however. Now, to get to Schweinfurt, we'll simulate a low-level penetration of enemy territory. That'll give us low-level navigation. On the way, we'll navigate to a simulated enemy command post at these map coordinates. Now, mark these down on your flight cards. X-ray, yoke, one, three, six, dash, two, eight, four. Now, after we've identified the command post, we'll proceed to the gunnery range. Now, upon expending ordnance, we'll go to altitude for simulated dogfighting and then return to base and make a ground-controlled approach instrument landing. A call sign of the flight will be Foxtrot Red. Red 3, Jess, you'll take over the flight after join up and lead us to the command post. A few minutes later, the four of you are in the air. Joined up in a glinting silvery four-ship finger formation, roaring at better than 500 miles an hour across the German landscape in a low-level dash. And in your earphones, you hear Captain Craig calling your leader, Jess Barker. Red 3, this is Red 1. You ready to take over lead of the flight? Over. Affirmative, Red 1. We'll hold this eight-zero degree course to map coordinates X-ray yoke one, three, six, dash, two, eight, four. Over. Okay, Red 3, you got it. We'll position ourselves behind you. Don't get any closer to the deck than this. Out. Roger and out, Red 1. High in the air with nothing to compare it to, the jet pilot has no feeling of speed. But here on the deck, skimming swiftly at treetop height, your fantastic speed is the heaviest of wines in the most sobering. The ground races blurringly under your nose like a speeded-up conveyor belt. The house is seen distant ahead, sprouts larger, then darts beneath you breathlessly, and then is far behind. Red 1, this is Red 3. Command post below at nine o'clock. Nice navigating, Red 3. That's her. Ever see a forest like that, Red 4? Negative, Red 1. They don't grow them like that back home. It's shaped like a perfect arrowhead. Well, they aren't as big as back home, but in Germany they sure keep them prettier. Yeah, Norway is just one big forest. Okay, Red 3, take us over to Schweinfurt. Down to the deck again and take a heading of 085 degrees. 085 degrees, Roger, Red 1, and out. At the Schweinfurt gunnery range, Captain Craig resumes leading the flight, taking you up to glide bombing altitude. Then, single-filed behind him, you all clobber the marked tanks at the south end of the rectangular range. When the bombs are gone, he leads you in strafing runs on targets at the south end of the range. On the ground below, range attendants score each pilot after the firing is completed to help prepare him for the day he fires for score. Another hour of jet time in your logbook you say to yourself with pride, and this is overseas time. The days and weeks go by and gradually you begin to realize you're really building something. Here, on the ready, 25 minutes from the iron curtain, you take pride in the business of honing yourself down to raise a red sharpness as a jet fighter bomber pilot. You take it all seriously, night flying, instruments, navigation, dive bombing, rockets, strafing. But there's one thing missing, air-to-air gunnery. A two-and-a-half-hour, 1300-mile non-stop flight, and within five hours the entire squadron, officers and airmen, is bivouacked in a huge air-force tent city in the desert outside of Tripoli, taking its scheduled turn at the gunnery range for an intensive two weeks of firing. At 0-4-1-5 the next morning you're on Craig's wing, several miles offshore over the Blue Mediterranean. Below, at 10,000 feet, to your left and behind, a V-26 is towing a 30-foot-by-6-foot piece of canvas. Object, to make a downhill, S-turn and punch that bit of rag full of orange-colored holes from the painted bullets that are in your guns and your guns alone. Remember that 15-degree cone behind the target, Red 2. Watch how I make this pass. Toe-ship 1 is the Red 1 on pass. A thing of beauty, a masterpiece of maneuverability, of graceful coordination. The test of a fighter pilot. Simple, eh, Bucko? Well, I'll soon find out. This is Red 2 on pass. Well, several passes later, you know it's not so simple. But you are making progress. Trouble is, Red 2, you're making your pass from too far out. End up chasing the flag. I can't seem to make the proper pass and wind up in firing range at the proper angle. Move your downwind leg in about five miles. That'll force you to make a tighter pattern. Rods, Red 1, I just can't seem to get on this beauty. That's okay, this shall first go at it. Don't feel bad. Forget the hang, still out and shoot our Korean hotshot. And a few flights later, the fourth morning, suddenly everything falls into place. Patterns, sighting, firing. And you're ready to qualify. The gunnery officer pulls your red card. You go up and fire for qualifying score. And when the rags are brought back after your four required consecutive missions, you've qualified as an expert. Top rating, with 63% hits. In high altitude gunnery, the whole procedure is repeated. And this time your score, like everyone's, drops. But not enough to prevent you from qualifying as expert again, with 51% hits. That makes you top man in the flight in score, after Captain Craig, with Barker two points below you and Olaf close behind. That kind of shooting boys, I knew what would happen when we got back here to Bitburg and I was right. We won the cup for high score? We won the day pass. Flight average of 44%, top to mall. Yeah, Donald Boone's with wings, that's us. Looks like we see Paris, Mac. And the ma'am say, like I told you about. We can get a hop on the group courier plane to Paris in the morning. How about it, Captain? All the time we'd be down in tripple, you think my wife would let me negative. Yes, would you come with Mac and me, huh? Sure, Jess. A little gay parry with us. It isn't Tokyo, but come see, come sign. Well, say, I didn't think you... You know, I sort of promised some guys in Frankfurt to pass, I didn't know. Well, I'll tell you what, let's go into town tonight, even if I can't leap off with you raunchy characters tomorrow. Oh, good deal. I am hot to try. Tonight, the Mark 8 Club, next stop, Paris. You are listening to the proudly we hail production, Window in the Curtain. We will return in just a moment for the second act. Young man, an interesting career lies ahead of you. If you can qualify as an aircraft observer in your United States Air Force, as a flying officer, you'll be an important member of the fighting team on one of the great aircraft produced in this era of jet aviation. The United States Air Force needs these technical specialists, officer personnel skilled in navigation, aircraft maintenance, radar interception, and other important skills. There's a future for you as an aircraft observer in your country's Air Force. Can you qualify? Well, if you're single, between 19 and 26 and a half, and a high school graduate, visit your nearest Air Force base or your nearest United States Air Force recruiting station and find out. You are listening to proudly we hail, and now we present the second act of Window in the Curtain. You've read about it, heard about it, seen it in the movies. But it's like falling in love or flying. Only personal experience can tell you what it's really like. You set out to do that with Olaf as your guide. First you meet the girl who rescued him when he was shot down during the war. Where do you meet her? We, Colette, cafe de la paix in half an hour. Bonjour. You see? Done. But her sister, how about her sister? Not done. She's married with someone. We have to, how you say it, scrounge around. With my high school French? Perhaps Colette can find a friend from the Sorbonne. Oh, may we, may we, leave us blast off for the Side War Cafe, maintenant. From on top here you can see all of our city. Over there Notre Dame, and there be Arc de Triomphe, and all around the Seine. Oh, I see something much closer. Or he means that blonde girl by the railing. Oh, but yes, Paris is a sightseer of delight. Red two, this is red four on pass. And remember, Mac, a correct pattern is necessary to approach targets. What? Mme Zelle, voulez-vous dite-moi comment... ...on ought nous sommes? Mon lieutenant, le livre dit nous sommes 300 m. Pardonnez-moi, Mme Zelle. Mais parlez-vous anglais. Il n'y a... possible? What I mean is a lot better than either one of us be friends. Mon Dieu, an American! Hey, Olaf, Colette, look what I found! Hang their pictures outdoors here. It's very clever. I don't understand some of them. You mean that one there, with the motor car in a stress and tennis racket in it? And it looks like a camera up there in the corner. Or is that an eagle? Oh, this is probably an abstract. You don't have to understand them. What's the title, say, Mac? Uh... Fish or Women by Twilight. Viva la France! Viva l'Amérique! Viva la Paris! Viva la France! Viva la Champagne! Viva la Jolie! And suddenly the five days are gone and it's all over. The dress is exchanged, plans made for the next leave, a snapshot for your wallet. Then back to Bitburg to prepare for the biggest deal of the year, operation, attention, a NATO air-ground war exercise. All leaves are cancelled. This is to be maximum effort for all squadrons, just as it will be for all ground force units of all the participating countries, Britain, France, America. At Squadron Briefing, it's explained that the purpose of NATO exercises is to test the offensive and defensive capabilities of air and ground forces in Western Europe and the abilities of the staff to function as one. Your squadron will operate off an auxiliary air strip in Eastern France. Just as in the triply flyaway, the whole squadron will pick up and move to its temporary base. In a matter of hours, you're on a strange, single landing strip in France. A squadron blossoming around you as tents are pitched. And you're ready for operation, attention. Early the next morning, your flight is in the briefing. Outside in the dark, you can hear the sabers from another squadron taking off. And inside, you get briefed for the first day of the operation. As you know, the participating forces are divided. Half-aggressor force, half-defender. As defenders, our squadron's mission, as directed by Joint Operations Center of the Air Force, ground forces, will be armed reconnaissance of this rectangle. Now, from Würzburg, to Fulda, to Kassel, to Fritzlar, and back to Würzburg, we're to hit the road network, clobber any and all movement there. As you know, umpires will be on the ground and in the air, so we really have to do the job to be credited with a successful mission. Remember, no fooling around. This is under strict combat conditions. Let's go. Minutes later, your four-ship flight is over Würzburg, heading for Fulda, combing the area below for any sign of life. Sign of aggressive force. We'll stay at 5,000, boys. Keep your eyes peeled. They're bound to be around here somewhere. Looks pretty peaceful right now, Dad. Maybe camouflage, Red 3. When the sun comes up, look for shadows. Hey, they sure got enough cover. They want to look at those trees. Remember those trees. Don't go below 1,000 just for a better look or you'll be wearing branches on your chest. Fulda dead ahead, Red 1. Rise, Red 3. Turning now on the lake to Kassel. Look for tracks off those roads down there, leaving it covered. Red Leader, just passed over tracks angling off road into trees. We'll go back for a look. Turning now. You'll see them, Red 4. Affirmative. Nine o'clock, leading right to that big clump of trees. Oh, Grandma, what big eyes you have. Lock it off, Red 3. Roger on the trees, Red 4. Where are the tracks? To the left, up that slope. Roger, Red 4. Have them in sight. We're going in for a look, see? I see them. Looks like tanks. Bulk cool tanks. Aggressor, tanks and vehicles. Get them, Red 3 and 4. We'll follow. Your leader shears off a screaming chandelier for altitude. Then breaks, and you follow him down in a vicious, slanting dive toward the trees and the tanks. And as you pull up in a sharp banking climb, you can see your other two planes lacing down to the target. You repeat your runs again, again, and then... Join up, Red Flight. We seem to have expended the film in our gun cameras. Yeah, where it did the most good, though. Yeah, I expended, but not wasted, fellas. Oh, we sure clobbered them. They got a score as high on that deal. There's more down there that we can handle. Call our old friend, Blue Nose. He's the other controller in this area. Good deal. He can call the types for an on-call mission. Blue Nose, this is Foxtrot Red Leader. Over. Come in, Foxtrot Red Leader. I got a package for you over here. Tanks and vehicles, and what else? The expended ordnance is low on juice. Understand, Foxtrot Red. What are your coordinates? Queen Yoke 135-973. You got it, Blue Nose? Queen Yoke 135-973. Have on-call flight in vicinity. Continue on pre-brief reconnaissance until you must return to base. Over and out. Roger and out. Back at Bitburg, the routine, if ever it could be called routine, goes on of continuing flights. Each one somehow different, challenging, exhilarating. His tour up, Olaf returns to the Norwegian Air Force. An overnight navigation hop to a British base up north for you. And another flyaway to Tripoli. Captain Craig draws TDY, temporary duty at the RAF Air Ground School at Old Surram, England, and comes back a little changed. They should tea that. What those RAF chats don't know about air ground? Jess Barker comes back from TDY with the Belgian Air Force and... And pure bit of trouble checking those types out in 86s, but after that, man, what tigers? Real types, my word. Then one weekend, you and Jess Barker go boar hunting at the invitation of a local German baron on his private estate. And while you're away, unknown to you, Blue Nose makes a report to radar group control. And so you and the rest of the squadron are called back to the base fast. You and Jess draw alert. Red planes at the end of the runway. Ready to be airborne two minutes after a red flare from the tower and a radio call tells you, scramble red flight. One comes. In minutes later, you're aloft. Hanging on Jess's wing as he climbs for altitude and calls Blue Nose. Blue Nose, this is Red Leader. What are your instructions? Red Leader, this is Blue Nose. Your present position approximately 10 miles north of Kaiser's mountain. Take up a heading of 165. Bogie's present position 40 miles south southeast of you near town of Carlsruhe at 12,000 feet on a heading of 120 degrees. Estimated speed of Bogie, 150 knots. Over to you. Roger, Blue Nose, overcast that vicinity. We'll check when we break through. Red Leader, change your heading to 160 degrees. Bogie will then be at 12 o'clock approximately 12 miles. Roger, Blue Nose. Turning, Red 2. Keep your eyes open for that Bogie. Roger, pay tally ho, Red Leader. Bogie, 12 o'clock, low. Red Leader to Blue Nose. Climbing back on heading of 330. Bogie identified as twin engine transport aircraft commercial markings red, green and white on tail. Redly name on fuselage. Roger on type aircraft, Red Leader. You may return to pigeon now. Roger now. Poor guy must have got blown off course and lost up his flight plan. This close to the curtain he ought to watch his drift. Hey, hey, check that aircraft the other side of the curtain. Three o'clock, way off and high. Could be a MiG. And so could this one have been, buddy. And now you know what it all adds up to. Sitting up here on top of the sky in your saber jets. The iron curtain on one side, the allied countries on the other. You know suddenly and clearly why you're here. You're one of the few who can see far to the other side. Up here you're a defender of rights. Guardian of peace. And should that peace take the wings of war you'll be among the first to see it coming through your window in the curtain. Young man, there's a future in flight. Today's jet age offers unlimited opportunities for young men between the ages of 19 and 26 and a half who are high school graduates and otherwise qualified. Yes, you can proudly wear the silver wings and fly the mighty aircraft of your United States Air Force when you've completed your training. For full details visit your nearest Air Force Base or your nearest United States Air Force Recruiting Station today. Remember, the sooner you apply, the sooner you fly. 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 United States Air Force Recruiting Service. This is Mark Hamilton speaking, inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on proudly we hail.