 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 paratroopers of the United States Army drop zone you've had your orders you know what to do remember this your paratroopers so act like a fight like let's hit him and hit him hard comes to the tenant Garrison now first I want the rest of you 17 guys to jump out in less than 17 seconds with me right we're gonna start the jump commands in a minute before we do happy landing at this command each paratrooper holds a snap fastener at the end of the heavy webbing which is attached to his parachute and up check equipment quick but check one calls this number in the line as his turn comes if the equipment is all right if it isn't someone will come to his assistant and in the door making a jump behind the enemy lines as part of the parachute combat team and operation boden in this play we bring you the dramatic story of what happened on that jump and particularly of what happened to private Johnny Owens one of the 18 men in the plane but before our first act curtain rises this message young man why not let a thought for tomorrow be your thought for today right now your United States Army the senior service needs qualified technicians in such varied and interesting fields as radio radar meteorology photography and many many others yes you can be trained to do a job and acquire a skill that will be of great benefit to you for the rest of your life you can also take pride in the fact that you answered your country's call in time of great need why not let a thought for tomorrow be your thought for today visit your nearest United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station and then list in the United States Army and now your Army and your Air Force present the proudly we hail production operation boden our story begins the day before the jump at a seventh airborne division airbase in northern Italy Johnny Owens and his buddy private Arkansas clovey are walking back to their quarters from the a company mess hall I'd tell you Johnny we're gonna see some action soon I feel it my Arkansas bones what's so psychic about your Arkansas bones they're just that much closer to the soil that's what I know when I seen him feeding a steak and fried potatoes for supper tonight I knew we was in for something some stuff hockey we've had steak before nothing happened not a guy to hand you a good meal instead of enjoying it you start griping they'd be better off feeding you fat back and turn up don't make me homesick how about chow call coming at five o'clock so now earlier than we generally have it don't they look funny to you maybe you got something I've been wondering about that myself here we are back at the tent maybe the other fellas heard something hi Joey hi Johnny what are you and that Arkansas Chowhan doing back so early they run on a child no we just started earlier that's all hockey here's a theory we're going into action because we had steak for something hockey don't you know there's a man's outfit your army's finest yeah that's why we feed a steak because the man's child no I still feel something's in the air no look maybe you Arkansas dirt farmers can feel rain in the air but that doesn't give you a license to go feeling anything else what do you think pop well all I can say is that I hope they give me a chance to finish this letter to my kids before they start cotton any new orders say maybe we'll know soon become sergeant Gatsby you'll hear La Rosa yeah pop Joey Archie who owns you okay here's some orders for you hot off the griddle and listen to this fellas all parachutists will be dropped in enemy territory tomorrow morning old pack will be worn taps will be at 2100 hours and revelry at 0230 for security reasons final orders will be issued during flight wow I reckon old Arkie's bones knows what they're talking about a boy I'm not Sarkie all your bones are in your head hey Sarge give us a look down where we jump what's our mission gonna be yeah how big is the jump now look take it easy guys you know I can't talk the whole thing is top secret well all right look but keep it to yourselves but there it's gonna be a big operation I think the whole division is gonna be enough hold a vision is going on action something big we're gonna be in a real scrap what's our mission yeah just what we're going in well the old man don't take me in on this plans fellas but then security and no security I don't know any more about it in YouTube the tenant jumping with us sure thing you'll tell us all about it on the plane tomorrow morning sorry but I hit the sack early we've got a very busy day out of us I guess we better get our gear laid out tonight every second will count in the morning yeah well I just finished up my letter and get to work well Arcee how your bones feel now just think you might be the hero of ketchup corners Arkansas in the next few days I'll take care of myself Johnny this is the first jump for you outside the states isn't it and you too Arcee yeah this pop my first jump outside of jump school there's a whole lot different from jump school Johnny there you had an instructor on the ground talking to you over a loud speaker directing you helping you all the way down you go out that door tomorrow boys you'll be on your own how many combat jumps if you made Joey well I made two in Korea Johnny before I got transferred over here both rough ones too but well pop there he knows what it is to be a paratrooper in World War two pop forward at Bastogne with the hundred first airborne they jumped with the hundred first in Normandy in Holland he was transferred to the 11th airborne after the war and made the two jumps with that outfit when he was in Korea right pop he wrecked at first combat jumps are tougher so have it don't you worry you'll do okay Johnny you do Arcee remember all that training into jump school who's practiced jumps in a 34-foot tower how can I forget them over and over and over again those hours on the 250 foot tower hanging from the harness learning how to control your shoes yeah we just couldn't wait to make our real jump and well let me tell you but you learn back there in jump school is what's gonna pull you through tomorrow no matter what spot you find yourself in you'll do the right thing even without thinking that's what trainer does for you well all set now I'll see you guys in the morning yeah I feel I felt better me too this is what we wanted Johnny to make the grade and the best fighting outfit in the world that's right I remember when I was home on leave after basic training and I told the folks I wanted to transfer to the paratroopers yeah what they say well you know mom she was worried at first but I told her the better you'd train the better your chances of not getting hurt sure you know what the old man said dad just listened and he said he said mother they'll they'll teach him to take care of myself and later on when we were alone dad told me how he learned over in France in the first war that you have to fight you ought to fight with the best outfit there is you know safer that way because boys won't let you down sure and Johnny remember when they pinned on our paratrooper wings after we finished our training yeah and it was a proudest moment of my life I'll never forget that last but doing right doing until the hardest task became routine second nature was just leading up to tomorrow tomorrow is when we make that training pay off his tap sir yes we better get some rest yeah good night again good night yeah the proudly we hail production operation modern will return in just a moment for the second act but first it shall not happen here that is the unspoken prayer of every man in the United States Army that is the unspoken reason for our growing military might but the time has come to speak the time has come to tell of that small phrase those five words it shall not happen here let us speak only to those young men of America who have not taken pause to think let's shout it in a voice that will reach into every city and village across the length and breadth of this great land young man you are needed you are needed to help preserve the peace you are needed to serve in your United States Army to ensure for your loved ones that it shall not happen here you are urged to visit your local United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station today and enlist in the United States Army the need is urgent do it today you are listening to proudly we hail and now we present the second act of operation modern it's morning early morning the darkness cloaks the before dawn chill little films of miss dance through tent flaps a sleeping men dream of the big adventure ahead certainly not for long because that man the one stepping into the tent there that's sergeant gaskey okay fellas let's go get some breakfast and assemble at the plane in 25 minutes all men are aboard lieutenant okay sergeant let's go as the lieutenant up front with an armful of maps Argie looks like he's been a briefess now who yeah can I have your attention please are you men listening or just asleep this is a start of operation bottom operation bottom B-A-D-E-N bottom is a lake in central Austria pass out the map sergeant yes now Brenner's Brook is the only good-sized port on the eastern half of the lake there the enemy could move large forces westward by boat land them to the rear of our troops cutting our supply and communications lines might even be able to trap large elements of our eighth corn and danger a whole position at this point commander of the eighth core called for airborne support our entire regiment is making the drop today mission is to destroy enemy troops fortifications of big guns in and around the town of Brenner's Brook and to destroy all port facilities what do we do then looks at it we're launching a counter-offensive together with Italian and British allies the Italian troops are attacking from the south I believe they consist of the Italian Ariete armored brigade in the Napoli infantry division two British armored brigades are attacking from the north what if the counter attack fails well then it'll be up to the Air Force flies out and what is our mission we have what I think is the most difficult and dangerous mission of the entire combat team our job is to destroy the port facilities that means our drop zone as closest to the lake I got time to take some swimming lessons joy that's a danger if the plane is slightly off course or if the wind blows the wrong way we may land in the lake as soon as you make your jump and your eyes adjust I want you men to get your bearings and be in position to keep away from the lake how high will we be jumping from lieutenant jump will be from 800 feet I'm going forward to check the course with a pilot sergeant Gasky has detailed maps of our drop zone he'll go over individual assignments with you for any questions okay take over sir yes all right now here are your maps this is a detailed map of the town our drop area is a public park that runs parallel to the docks it's about it's about a hundred yards back marked in green on those maps you got it here it is as soon as we land we assemble it the big statue of the soldier on horseback in the center of the park a pop capital you don't land on a sword okay all right come on knock it off now our targets are marked on the map in red they're numbered at the assembly area we'll break up at the two sections of nine men each lieutenant will take one I'll take the other I he'll start at the north I'll start at the south we'll both work toward the center any questions yeah what's the password there are two passwords a sign and a counter sign the sign is mason the counter sign is Dixon Mason Dixon all right now remember there'll be no firing when you land we don't want to give ourselves a way before we get organized so no shoot understand how each man has 25 pounds of demolition except the two fuse men Owens yes I want you to carry all the fuses for my section pop yes I you carry the fuses for Lieutenant Garrison section okay and that doesn't nothing to do now but wait till the lieutenant comes back came in let's get ready with just a few minutes in the drop zone you've had your orders you know what to do remember this your paratrooper so act like him fight like him let's hit him and hit him hard comes to Lieutenant Garrison okay Sergeant Kasky I'm going out first want the rest of you 17 guys out in less than 17 seconds you with me we're gonna start the jump commands in a minute before we do look happy landing back the other way guess I guess I must be in the middle of a lake I Sergeant Gasky I guess I'll argue even if they land okay they won't be able to score and we'll lose we'll lose there's the water 20 yards away piece of a shoot still afloat I'll jump in after a major wait wait Daniels put on this life preserver with a line attached and we can pull you both into the boat okay sir cut the motor you might be out of the boat there's Daniels hold on to the shoot John Yos will give you a hand yeah okay sir all together now he there's the paratrooper now get him in fast that boy swallowed a lot of water captain let's see if you can get some of it out of him maybe a little artificial respiration it's coming to seems like those paratroopers it just as tough as they think they are captain have the skipper put it around and make the port yes I'm a three three seven four nine one five good boy I'm major Lou Ellen I'm one of the umpires of this exercise operation button I have to judge whether the blue or the red team won this particular phase far as you're concerned Owens you're out of it you're a casual thank you for saving my life major glad we saw you that's what we're out here for I'm with company a 77 battalion you know how the boys made out isn't that the company that attacked the dock installation yes they did fine we consider the docks about 80 percent demolished and say their attack was a complete success but the fuses where did they get those big fun casualties any men hurt on the jump nothing serious it's great well here we are at the dock I think you can make it on your own yes I'm okay now thanks and that looks like the gang of makeup hey okay we all landed fire I sure was worried about you don't look all over for you sergeant Gasky hi serge well well if it ain't as to William say uh say serge I heard the major Sarah tackles a success of what about the fuses the fuses yeah well when we couldn't find you we took half of pops sergeant Gasky always plays it safe boy that's why he's a sergeant to get ahead there's sound advice for you young men of America and here's how you can act on that advice your United States Army is offering a bright future in such interesting technical fields as radio radar electronics mechanics meteorology photography and many many others perhaps you're not qualified in any of these urgently needed skills well here's the answer to that the United States Army through its many fine technical schools is prepared to train you in the field for which you show an aptitude now there's a great opportunity your opportunity to plan ahead to get ahead for full details visit your nearest United States Army and United States Air Force Recruiting Station now 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 Bureau for the United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting service this is Kenneth Banger speaking and inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on proudly we hail