 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 to bring you this story. As proudly we hail the United States Army. This is the story of a guy named Scott. A quiet soldier whose very nature seemed to invite trouble and accidents. Until one day it was found that he was suffering from one of the most complex, yet most widespread psychological ills. Our first act, Critton, will rise in just a moment. But first, young man, here's news about an important opportunity for you. Right now the United States Army, the senior service of our armed forces, has an urgent need for qualified technicians to operate and service the complex equipment that science has brought him to being. The need is vital and you can be trained in such interesting career fields as radio, electronics, radar, photography, meteorology, mechanics and many many others. Yes indeed, here's your chance to acquire a skill that will be of value to your country and help you later in civilian life too. For full details, visit the recruiting sergeant at your nearest recruiting station today. And now your United States Army presents the proudly we hail production, a guy named Scott. A great many things about soldiers have changed over the centuries. First they turned in their clubs for spears, then the spears were traded in for muskets. And finally the old smoothbores gave way to rifles and automatic weapons. They changed the clothes they wore, the food they eat and the way they fight. Even the reasons for fighting have changed. But one thing has remained the same in the thousands of years that men have belonged to armies. And that is the pride in the outfit. Whether a man fought in a Greek phalanx, a Roman legion, an medieval free company or Napoleon's grenadiers. His squad, his company, his regiment, his division was the best in the world. Well, you see it today in our American Army too. Guys get drafted, they enlist. And there they are at some reception center sitting around waiting in their civilian clothes. And they're smart. Yes, sir. Well listen, they all had older brothers or cousins in the Second World War of Korea. And they know the score. They got the army all figured out. They're not falling for any of this tradition stuff, see? But a month is so late, don't you see them lined up in front of PX's and tailor shops? On the buy-in caps with the right color piping and extra pieces of insignia. And just you pop off and say one word against their outfit. And brother, you'd better be smiling when you say it. Well, I enlisted back in 1941. Thought I'd try it for a while. One thing and another kept coming up and so I guess I stayed for a while. And my outfit's here in Germany now. That is, it's the outfit I'm with today. It's a new one. A lot of the officers and non-coms have seen combat and plenty of it the past 10 or 12 years. We sit around and bat the breeze sometimes about the outfits we were with. I tell you, it sounds like the roll call of the divisions of the American Army. My guys talk about the 36th, the 42nd, the 45th, the 69th, the 1st, the 2nd, the 14th Armored, the 101st Airborne and all 10, 15, 20 others. Sometimes the arguments get pretty hot. And that's when I open another bottle of pop. Because if you ask me, any division can make it hot for the enemy. And the best one is the one you're with now. Anyhow, I started to tell you about our new recruits. You know, the old man always laughs when I say new recruits. Sergeant Manes, he says, did you ever hear of old recruits? He's all right, though, the old man is. At some time I'll tell you a story about him, too. Well, anyway, the story I want to tell starts in the orderly room one day, early in the summer. I'm going through the morning report when the old man walks by my desk on the way into his office. He gives me the high sign he wants to talk to me. I pick up the morning report and a couple of rosters for his signature and go inside. Surveillance, Sergeant. I'll look through these and sign them later. Tell me, uh... Who is this Private Scott? Jeffrey Walter Scott in the second platoon. Well, sir, an army, I guess, is like a barrel of apples. Some apples are big and some are little. Most are good. A few are rotten. Well, that's a pretty good analysis, Sergeant Manes. Of course you didn't answer my question. Private Scott, nine-month service. Basic training at Fort Bunny. Qualified with pistol, carbine, M1 and machine gun. I know all that. I have the service record in front of me. As first sergeant of this company, I thought perhaps you might be in a position to know what's eating him. It beats me, sir. He pulls more than a share of details around here. I notice he hasn't had a pass in three weeks. Looks like an intelligent boy. Why is he having trouble? He gives Lieutenant Gould and Sergeant Ryan nothing but trouble all day, sir. He doesn't take care of his weapon or his equipment. He doesn't do his fair share of work with his squad. He's a dragon, a whole second platoon. I'd like to know why. Well, Captain Ferris, he seems to be a guy who just doesn't get a hang about anything. He doesn't give a wrap if it rains a snows. Does he have anybody? Aside from asking somebody to pass the catch up at Chow, I don't think he's set away to anybody. Does he get much mail? Smith says Scott hasn't had a letter since he's been here. I don't even think he's got a family. There's no next to him listed for him. That's impossible, Sergeant. Everyone has to have somebody listed. Excuse me, sir, but he has nobody. I call him in on it because I had to complete his records. He said there was nobody he was interested in. I said, come on, Scott, you've got to list somebody, even a friend. He wouldn't do it. He said if the Army doesn't like it, the Army can fire me. Still, he enlisted. I've got to make a soldier out of him. Yes, sir. You're fluffing me off, Sergeant, sir. You're being polite. You're being respectful. But what you're thinking is, why doesn't the old man let me get back to work? I've got 160 other men to worry about. My desk is piled full of papers. What does he want with his eight-balled Scott anyhow? Oh, sir. I used to be a first sergeant once myself, Sergeant. And I know a good topkick when I see one. Now, you know why I'm worried about Scott. He's one of my men. And where we are is the end of the line. If there's ever a showdown, every single man counts. Yes, sir. So the next time you and I talk about Scott, I want it to be a long conversation. That's all, Sergeant. That's all, Sergeant. And he means every word. This Captain Ferris, everything bothers him. And he has to know everything. It's all right. If I ever see combat again, and I'm in no hurry, give me an officer like that any time. Well, it's a Saturday afternoon. There are passes, and the company area is deserted, except for the guys in detail. I wander into the day room. And who's sitting there all alone playing solitaire, but Private Jeffrey Walter Scott? You can't put a red jack on a red queen. Where is his face on the Army regulations? Well, it don't make sense. Am I supposed to be doing something in the company now, Sergeant? No. As far as I can see, you're off duty. Why don't you take a pass and go into town? That's a personal question. I'll skip it. Come on over to PX. I'll buy you soda. No, thanks. How about a beer? No, thanks. I was thinking maybe we might get up a game of softball. I'm not interested. Let's talk about something important. You know, Gordon's first gunner in your squad is transfers coming through. Sergeant Ryan says you could have the job, but you don't want it. Is that right? That's right. I'll give you a first and nine for squad leader. That's Sergeant Stripes. Yeah. Tell me more. I'm a squad leader, then I become a section leader and then platoon sergeant. I'll be well on my way toward becoming a general. Scott. You don't like any of us. You don't like the outfit. Am I right? Let's see. You may be right. Now, for at least a year, we're all going to have to live together, even though we may even have to fight together. Now, why don't you do the best you can? I am doing the best I can. You know, Scott, everybody who takes the trouble to live once something, how do you want it? I just want to be let alone. Listen, Scott, look at the rest of the guys in this outfit. They're kind of proud of that company. A lot of them maybe don't go around saying it, but they feel it. Good for them. I've been in the Army a long time, Scott. I bet you have. You can get something out of it. You make friends. You learn something. You do a job. You got to put something into it, too. I do my job. All you do is go through the motions. Hey, did the Army interrupt something? Were you doing anything important on the outside? That's a personal question. Are you enlisted? What did you expect to find here? What were you looking for? I looked at a poster and it said, Your country needs men. Where'd you read the poster? Broadway and 42nd Street, New York. What were you doing in New York? I always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty. I mean, were you working there? According to your records, you were born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I was born there. Nobody said I had to stay there. You stayed there a long time. You went to high school, state college. Is it all right if I go back to the barracks, Sergeant? I'd like to do a little bunk for Pete. A nice talking to you, Scott. So you talked to Scott and what do you learn? Nothing. What's biting him? What's bothering him? Who knows? Oh, well, I don't want you to think that that's all I had to worry about. I had more to worry about than Scott. The year's big war games were coming up. Two whole weeks of maneuvers in Bavaria. We were going to be in the field under simulated combat conditions. And naturally, we wanted the company to make a good showing. We wanted to make a good show. We wanted to make a good showing. For three whole days, the old man and I had the problem of moving the company and supplies and special orders from battalion and regiment. And the 50 million details that keep crowding in on you when your outfit gets in a fight. Even if it's only a simulated fight. So I forgot all about Scott. We were supposed to be in defensive positions in the mountains. And on this particular night, the old man and I were going to make the rounds of our gun positions. Tompkins was our driver. He complained of a stomach ache all day. We sent him to the aid station. And before you knew it, the medics had him bundled off to the hospital. It was his appendix. Well, we needed a messenger to go with us. So the old man asked the lieutenant to hold a second platoon to lend us a man. And who do you think the lieutenant sent us? That's right. Scott. So the old man, Scott and I, started driving up the mountain. I don't see any sign of e-company, sergeant. Well, according to the map, here's where they're supposed to be, sir. That's right. And the first section of our second platoon is supposed to have its guns dug in here, too. Maybe they pulled out, sir. We would have been told. Stop the jeep a minute, Scott. All right, sergeant, let's look at that map again. Hey, Captain, I think... What is it? Scott, did you take the first or the second road you came to on the bottom? Well, you said the second. That's the one I took. You couldn't have. We're on the wrong slope of the mountain. It's my fault, sir. I should have watched. What time is it? My watch says 2348. Sir. Mine says almost 2349. Sir, I'm not sure that... We've got, say, a minute and a half. It's a good two miles down that twisting road. We won't make it. We've got one chance. If we can find us an old foxhole somewhere... Sir, did I... I think the hill is scheduled to get plastered with mortar fire in 60 seconds. Well, Captain, sergeant, what are we going to do? Is it my fault? Sergeant, your watch and mine are both slow. That was a mortar. Where are they firing mortar shells at? Captain, here's a hole. Yeah, jump in, Scott. Go on, jump. I'll tell you all about it, Scott, if we live through it. Listening to the proudly we hail production, James Scott will return in just a moment for the second act. If you're a young lady in the clerical or business world and you want to get a job where you can really get ahead, the women's army call will offer you the best chances for advancement. You see, as a whack, the skill that you've already gained as a stenographer, secretary, budget clerk, or auditor will automatically place you in a skilled group of young women in the service. You'll find that your experience will mean a lot to you in getting ahead in this outstanding group of America's foremost women. You'll find opportunity is waiting for you when you step inside your local United States Army recruiting station. Gals, don't let opportunity pass you by. You're listening to Proudly We Hail, and now we present the second act of a guy named Scott. High on a Bavarian mountain slide during a war game, three American soldiers crouch in a shallow hole in the ground. Their shells are exploding all around them. One of the men is Captain Ferris, CEO of H Company. The second is for Sergeant Manners. The third is Private Scott. They have no business being where they are. They happen to be there because Private Scott drove up the wrong road. But Sergeant Manners is telling the story. Sure it was my fault. I should have noticed he took the wrong road. But I told him. I remember, I told him. That's what I get for figuring that every man has sense enough to do his own job. Why are they firing mortars here, Captain? A ton of gold, your platoon leader explained the problem, didn't he? I guess so. But you weren't paying attention. Why are you? You never pay any attention, Scott. You just can't be bothered. You see, Scott, we were holding this slope with a hill. And it was decided that the enemy could drive us off by superior numbers. And we pulled back around the other slope. Now our mortars are lobbing shells over here. Very simple. That's why in our army we give our men the whole picture all the time so they know what they're doing. Will I get court-martialed for this, Captain Ferris? You can't court-martial a man for being stupid. Just pray that one of those shells doesn't find its way into the hole with it. Which we didn't have all these trees around us, Captain. And that's what's got me worried, too. How long have they been firing now, sir? That's what I'd say. A barrage was supposed to last an hour. Can't we stop them somehow, sir? Can't we let them know? Get holy yourself, Scott. There isn't a thing we can do about it. We'll either be lucky or we won't. And I will be court-martialed, won't I? Be in the newspapers and my old man he'll read about it. Honest is no time to worry about your old man. We might just as well worry about his old man. It'll take our mind off our own worries. Old man, I suppose you mean your father, don't you, Scott? Yes, sir. Why didn't you list your family on your records? I was running away from it. You're a big boy, Scott. Why? Why? You probably heard of my father. His name is Scott. Jeffrey Walder, Scott, just like mine. Jeffrey Walder, Scott? Not thee, Scott. Yes, sir. The former All-American? Right. He wanted me to be a football player. Following his footsteps. I just couldn't do it. I guess I'm yellow then, sir. Well, if you don't have it in you, you can't do it, that's all. Yeah. Tell him that. Ever since I was a kid, he made me practice. I just was no good at it. He wouldn't believe it. He said I was yellow. I guess I am. All I know is I'm scared now. Well, right now I'm scared too. So am I. Yeah, but I'm like this all the time. You said you ran away. I couldn't take any more of it. The way he looked at me and talked to me. I ran away five years ago. My first year at college. He made me swear I'd go out for the team, but I... I couldn't. I was afraid to face him and... I played football at school. Sergeant Manners here played in the Army. A lot of fun. Maybe it is. If you can do it or not do it. You can make up your own mind about it. I'll land them all in this area. Wish we had a deeper hole. Look, Captain, it would only take four or five minutes to run the Jeep down the hill and right over to the CP. I could get them to stop firing. Sure. There are shells bursting all along the road. That's the target. But sir, we can't stay here. We can't leave here either. Sir, the barrage has 40 minutes to go. I could get down the hill in five minutes. I'd rather gamble in five minutes than on 40. So you want to take a chance and run for it, huh? Yes, sir. And in that way you'll be showing your old man. That'll prove something, won't it? Look, the Army isn't going through all the trouble and expensive training you to be a soldier so you can get back at your father and show him you're a hero. Doc Manners and I figured our chances both ways. We agreed that this was our best way to survive. Sir, I'm not trying to prove anything. I figure I can make it. Here, have a cigarette, Scott. Sir, I'm going to try it with a Jeep. Get as low as you can. This could be the baby. That's it. Man, for a second I thought... Hey, Scott. Scott! He's gone. Crazy kid. Scott, come back here! You can't hear you now, sir. He's either on that Jeep or he didn't make it. I didn't hear you give him a direct order not to go, sir. Well, I was going to. Hey, that mortar platoon of ours can really lay him in, can't they, sir? You think he can make it down the hill? Remember how I went over the map with the third platoon? I made a big issue of the road that leads down the mountain. If we ever have to leave these positions, I said, if we ever have to fire defensively, make sure you plaster this road from top to bottom. Well, in a way, it's good to know that the third platoon knows how to carry out orders. Of course, the old man and I were in no position to enjoy this show. Oh, that's a word I learned from some British soldiers. Show. They call everything a show. In a way, it is a show. Our mortars were dropping shells up and down the face of the mountain in a regular pattern. It seemed they were searching every square inch of ground. It's interesting to watch from a distance. I mean, a nice, long, far safe distance. Then all of a sudden, there was no more firing. I look at my watch. The barrage still had at least a half an hour to go. Did they run out of ammunition? Or did Scott somehow get through? We didn't have to wait too long for the answer. As often a distance, we heard the sound of a jeep working its way up the mountain. We both jumped up out of the hole and ran toward the road. There was enough moonlight to see that the road had caught its bad. Every couple of yards, it seemed the ground was torn up. Scott was in the jeep. He stopped when he saw us, backed into a clearing and turned around. He waited for us to come to him. Man, I just don't say a word to him. Yes, sir. Well, I see you got through all right, Scott. Yes, sir. How was it? I don't know, sir. I just pushed the gas pedal out of the floorboard and drove. What did you say? Well, I told Lieutenant Davis I drove you up this side by mistake. He better hold the mortar fire. He did. I see him. Well, let's get back. Sir, is it all right if I ask you or Sergeant Manors to drive? Well, what's the matter, Scott? I don't feel too well. Scott, get hold of him. Could he have been hit? He's hit all right. And not by a mortar shell. A hero has fainted. We took Scott to the aid station. Lieutenant Meadows said some stuff about delayed shock and emotional exhaustion. Anyway, the whole thing was that he suggested that we let Scott sleep for as long as he wanted. We left him in a cot at the aid station, went back to the CP. Well, the Colonel was waiting there. He wanted to go up the hill to see what kind of job our mortars had done. And the Colonel was pleased. He said he didn't see how even a fieldmouth could live through that barrage. Well, naturally the Colonel was spreading on a little. Well, Scott was waiting for us when we got back. He had come to in the aid station, saw no point in hanging around. I told him he could go back to his platoon. I saw that he wanted to talk to me. Uh, Sergeant, you know what you were asking me a couple of weeks ago about being the first gunner in the squad? Yeah. Well, uh, I was wondering if you could talk to Sergeant Ryan. Sure. How do you feel? Feel pretty good. I took the liberty of doing something on your record, Scott. I wrote down your father's name for next to Ken. Oh, yeah? I mean, it's none of my business, naturally. I mean, you can have it taken off if you like. Well, I'll think about it. Oh, something else, it's none of my business. Why don't you write him a letter? Uh, I'll think about that, too. Uh, we never got a chance for saying thanks for going down the hill. You did a good job. Yeah. I suppose I did. You got a cigarette, Sergeant? Yeah. Yeah. Good job. You know, I'm 22 years old. This is the first time in my life anybody's ever said to me, you did a good job. Well, maybe you never did one before. Yeah. Yeah. I suppose that's possible. They made him first gunner in his squad the next day. A couple of months later, he got the first open squad leader's job. It was a tough one, too, because it was a new squad, all replacements. I was walking through the barracks the first day he had his squad together. You could hear him all over the room. You fellas want to remember, you're in the third squad of the second platoon of H Company. And this is going to be the best squad in the outfit, because the platoon and the company is the tops in the whole regiment. Now, this is your machine gun and your equipment, and you're going to worry over it, like it was your own million-dollar wristwatch. Everybody here is going to be on the ball at inspection during formation and while we're on the field. Even when you're off, Doopie. Oh. Hello, Sergeant Manes. How are you, Sergeant Scott? Well, I was just showing the squad a few points about the gun. Okay. Looks like a good squad, Scott. One thing is sure, it's got one of the best squad leaders in the whole outfit. You might say everybody in the outfit was surprised when we made Scott's squad leader, but not for long. And I'll tell you who wasn't surprised at all, the old man. He said he knew Scott had it all the time. Well, the old man was right, as usual. Attention all high school graduates. Here's career news that really makes sense. Under the Army's new technical training program, you may actually take your pick of 87 grade courses and have a classroom seat set aside for you before you enlist. That's right. You can choose freely from one of the many very exciting Army technical courses now being offered in such fields as radar, guided missiles, automotive maintenance, photography, and many, many others. Now, if the classes are filled, or if for some reason you don't qualify, you're under no obligation to enlist. As a matter of fact, you're under no obligation at all. What could be a better and fairer deal? And consider these other great benefits. 30 days paid vacation a year, free medical and dental care, and most important, the knowledge that you're serving your country proudly. Find out how you can become a skilled specialist on Uncle Sam's team. Talk it over with your high school guidance counselor or see the friendly recruiting sergeant at your nearest United States Army recruiting station. Be sure. Be Army. 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 in New York for the United States Army 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.