 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 is entitled Make Believe, as proudly we hail the efficiency of the United States Army in a story that gives you an inside look at the intensive training and maneuvers that our GIs undergo to keep them constantly fully trained and on the alert in the event of having to protect our country at home or abroad. Our first act curtain will rise in just a moment, but first, ever stop to think about the meaning of a military salute? Soldiers call it a sign of recognition between men of an honorable profession. Some historians say the military salute began when knights in armor raised their helmet visors with their right hands to show friendliness. In our time it has come to mean among soldiers a gesture of respect, not for the individual himself, but for the uniform he wears and the nation it represents. And that's worth remembering. Next time you see a soldier in the uniform of your United States Army, keep in mind what his uniform means. It's a visible symbol that he wears proudly if he's a good soldier. A sign that he has begun to master one of the most honorable professions in the history of man. A sign that he has joined the good company of generations of American soldiers who've done man-sized jobs in the defense of our beliefs. He's a man to respect, and he deserves your salute. But more, if you can qualify, he deserves your help, because he needs more men to stand beside him. Visit your United States Army recruiting station tomorrow and find out how you can help him with a tough job he's doing well. And now your army presents the proudly we hail production, Make Believe. Well, times have certainly changed. Years ago you'd see a group of kids on the street or in the fields, and you could be pretty sure that one of their favorite games would be to play soldier. Now, the sophisticated younger generation is usually found on some sort of space kick. Involved types of spheres have replaced the paper soldiers' helmets that dad used to make, and weird-looking rods and tubes have taken the place of the wooden guns. But even though the spacemen are riding supreme and the cowboys have experienced a renaissance, the soldiers are still very much with us. And because of the way the world spins today, the soldiers are more important than ever. And today, as we live in the shadowy borderland of a state that is neither war nor peace, our soldiers themselves are involved in a constant game. The game of playing at war, the game of maneuvers, of drills, of make-believe combat. For it is only by taking this game seriously and training that they can learn the art of protecting our country should the need ever arise. Our soldiers listen to shells passing overhead. They practice at the firing ranges. They react indifferently to machine gun fires as it passes overhead. They study maps. They solve problems. They engage in mock combat. They listen to criticism from experienced combat-wise officers and non-coms. Much better this time. You may move quickly, which is good. You kept as low to the ground as possible, and that's good. Best of all, you took advantage of all the terrain cover available. What wasn't good was the fact that your entire squad was too close together. You have to learn to spread out. Any questions? Well, sir, if we don't stay close together, how can we keep contact? Questions answers. Questions answers. And every question is important, and so is every answer. Because one day a man's life may depend on what he asked and how he was answered and what he learned. And in a larger sense, your life and mine will depend on it too. And so today, we'd like to tell you a little story about three men and a tank. Actually, it concerns a fourth man, but the fourth man doesn't belong here just yet. The scene is somewhere in Western Germany. An armored division is on maneuvers. A solitary tank stands near the edge of a forest. Three men sit under a tree nearby. Where's Lieutenant the rest of the outfit, Sergeant? They jumped off ten minutes ago. Hey, what are we, orphans? Are we out of it? That's exactly oh, two hundred hours. In ten minutes, we follow the road that leads through these woods. We hit the second battalion from the rear. The rest of the platoon is out front. That's it. Any coffee left, Edmunds? Yeah. Pour me a cup, huh? Yeah. What an army. Every day the same problem. Our battalion sends out a platoon. The second battalion sends out a platoon. We burn up gas and they burn up gas. Isn't there any no way to do it? I never saw such a guy. What's your angle? You're in a tank outfit. Be glad. It's not that you want to walk. You know, it's poor doggies doing forced marches in the rain. My heart bleeds for him. Oh, no, no. That's not what I mean, Sergeant. What do you mean, Edmunds? What do we prove doing this? Well, the idea is to become familiar with your tank, with your weapon, with your crew, with your outfit. Yeah, but what do we do, huh? We go barreling through some field. Then the umpires decide whether we beat second battalion or whether they beat us. Well, that's how it is, kid. You're learning how to drive a tank. I know how to drive a tank. Hey, Sergeant, you've been in a long time, right? Is combat like this? No, but what's it like? Well, it starts out like this. But then everything goes wrong. And that's where the stuff that you're learning now pays off. Yeah? Yeah. It's hard to explain, but I try to follow this. See, when you're learning how to drive a car, you're conscious of the fact that you have to put your left foot in the clutch and let it up slowly while you press your right foot on the gas. But once you know how to drive, you don't think about the mechanics. You see? No. No, I don't see. Uh... Well, you see, being in combat is like driving a car on a road full of holes where every other car is trying to hit you. When you're in a spot like that, you can't concentrate on how to shift gears. You're too busy driving and dodging. Has anybody got any sugar? Yeah, yeah, I got some of the tank. Well, you sure can ask questions, can't you? Oh, why shouldn't I? Remember the first time you were under fire, Charlie? Yep. Korea. I was in a medium tank just like the one we got now. We were rolling along through a field and, boom, the mine knocked off our right tread. Hey, Sarge! Charlie! Come on, help me. Will you help me? Come on. What's the matter with him? Give me your hand. Fall right in. Get away. Come on. Hey, here's some guy by the tank. Give me your hand, will you, Charlie? Yeah. Yeah. Now, let go of him, Edmunds. Let go. I got him. Hey, it's a civilian. Cover him with your pistol, Charlie. I was coming back to the tank to get some sugar. I saw him messing around the engine. All right, fella. Who are you? What are you doing here? Well, I... I am civilian. Don't you know this is a restricted area? Don't you know there are no civilians allowed? Well, you see, I... I come from Stuttgart. I... I go to my uncle in Möncheng... Tell us what you're doing here. Yeah, I... I go to my uncle in Möncheng to look for work, but I have no money, so I walk. I did not know that... Listen, he was bending over the motor. Take a look, Charlie. Tell us why, mister. I... I am a mechanic. Is that how you say... I am curious about American workmanship. Oh, it's... it's good. So good. Hey, Sergeant. This guy's a saboteur. The fuel pump's been taken apart in the diaphragm's busted. Why, you dirty crump. I'd like to really... It's not... it's not our job to handle him. Let's take him back. Well, I warn you, just try to pull something. I... I don't think I will. What? I'm not taking any more chances. You all look trigger happy. Trigger? Hey. He's talking just like an American. What do you think I am? Look, Sergeant, this guy just busted up our fuel pump. And now he says he's an American. Ah, he's lying. If this was a real war and we were real enemies, I'd be a real saboteur and I guess you'd shoot me. But tonight we're making believe. So make believe you just executed me, huh? Say, I... I noticed you guys were drinking coffee. You got any left? Hey, what kind of fast talk is this? There's nothing make believe about that fuel pump. It's busted. We can't move a half a mile. My name is Jackson. I bet you're gonna say your first name is Andrew. That's all we'd need. As a matter of fact, it is. Captain Andrew Jackson, second battalion. Here are my papers. Charlie, give him some coffee. What's the idea of busting up our fuel pump, Captain? Look, Captain... You're attacking my battalion position, aren't you? Yeah, but what kind of dirty trick is that? Yeah, it happens in war time, doesn't it? But this isn't war, Captain. Yeah, thank you, Lucky Stars, for that. If we were at war, I could have picked you off with a burp gun, thrown a fire bomb into the tank, and that would have been the old ball game. So the three of you sitting around jabbering? Who was on guard? Let's see your Sergeant Burnett, aren't you? My fault, Captain. Been going through the motions for so long, I guess I just got careless. I don't think you'll be caught again like this, Sergeant. I don't think so either, sir. All right, sir, you're a casualty. We caught you and we shot you. Now we gotta move. Sergeant, do you mind if I tag along and see how you work this out? No, not at all, sir. But I warn you, if I need it, after all, we're in the same division, and this is training. As a dead man, you can no longer have pride in second battalion. Your, uh, tank is out of commission, but I, uh, I did no real damage. The pump will have to be taken out and fixed. That's easy, but, uh, you can't do it here. And your maintenance is eight miles away. Sergeant, we're supposed to be on our way now. In exactly one hour, we'll have to be in position of fire support for the rest of the platoon. There's a village about a mile and a half down the road. I can borrow a truck or a bike or a car or a horse and be to maintenance and back with a fuel pump. Uh, wait a minute, because, uh, this is such good copying, because by the time you can do all that, the novice will be over. I'm gonna save you some trouble. We sneak through, uh, fifth column squad. They captured your shop. You, uh, can't get a new fuel pump. Charlie, get on the radio. We gotta warn the outfit. Oh, say, say, isn't it a shame, uh, I destroyed your power tube. All right, I'll be just... Excuse me, Captain, but you know, if this was the real thing, you'd be stretched out on the ground by now. Well, I am, theoretically. But don't mind me, fellas. Go ahead and figure out what moves you can make, if any, and be thankful this is only a maneuver and all you can lose is the game. Okay, you guys, forget the tank. All we got is the gas and the carburetor. That won't take us a mile. All right, we'll fight the kind of war we have to fight. Yeah, besides, look, if this was a real war, how could the captain have gotten in here to sabotage our tank in our first place? Soldier, I'm gonna tell you something, and try not to forget it. My mother was French. I was going to college in Paris. In 1940, the Nazis attacked. I joined the French army. Brother, you should have seen the mess. Don't let anybody ever tell you the French were beaten by a stronger army. They were licked by a fifth column, by confusion, by saboteurs. A thousand forged and phony orders sent the army running everywhere except where the enemy was. Sent the wrong ammo for our weapons. It was water in the gasoline, sand and sugar in the motors. And we never caught the guys who did it. And the joke is we may be up against one day. Now, all these little tricks, plus a few big ones that are brand new. First thing we're gonna do is take the light machine gun out of the tank and all the ammo we can carry. You mean we're gonna leave the tank here? Unless you think you can carry it on your back. We're gonna blow it up. Blow up our own tank, eh, Sarge? Come on. If this were a real war, you wouldn't think twice. Just make believe. Don't worry, kid. We won't blow it. We'll just leave a note on it saying the tank's destroyed. How's that, Captain? Fair enough, I guess. All right, Edmunds, you'll carry the gun. Well, where are we going, Sarge? We're going ahead for the Second Battalion CP. This is gonna be the realest make-believe war you ever saw in your life. You are listening to the proudly-we-hail production Make Believe. We'll return in just a moment for the Second Act. You know, in the two years that I've been announcing radio and TV shows for the Army Recruiting Service, I've had an awful lot of guys come up to me after a broadcast and say something like, what a deal you've got for yourself in the Army. How did you swing a job like that? Well, I can only tell them that in civilian life I was a radio and TV announcer, and when I enlisted in the Army, they put me to work immediately in the same kind of work, which sort of helps me to put over the point that when you volunteer for service in the United States Army today, you can rest assured that your best talents and natural skills will be considered in giving you an assignment to your liking. Today's modern Army fits the right man to the right job. And now, more than ever before, men with above-average ability are finding better jobs, more important assignments in the United States Army. So men, if you've been wondering what the Army has to offer you, you the trained technician or specialist, take a tip from me and visit your nearest United States Army Recruiting Station to get all the facts. Believe me, you'll be glad you did. You are listening to Proudly We Hail, and now we present the Second Act of Make Believe. It's just one of those quiet maneuvers that the Army practices every day. That is, all was quiet and routine until a captain in a tank unit decided that a little realism would be just what all the boys needed. Sergeant Dick Burnett, Corporal Charlie Yates, and Private Joe Edmonds are rapidly learning that although wars are fought by the book, the best book is the one you write yourself. What's the matter, Dick? Can you hear something? It sounds like somebody's digging. Just past those trees. That doesn't make any noise. Do you see what I see, Captain? One of your tanks from Second Battalion. Yeah. The crew's digging it in. Now, let's get that all a little deeper. A nice surprise for the boys of Battalion. Hey, who's smoking over there? They've been breaking about five inches. Get under your raincoat. Captain, I would think that our light machine gun makes us the boss here. I'm afraid it does. Okay, one tank out of action. Soldier, you can't ask any questions. You're lying flat on the ground, but you don't know. Hey, it's Burnett from First Battalion. What are you doing here, boy? What do you say, Eddie? Oh, we got us a prisoner. I'm just here to inform you that I have a light machine gun 20 yards behind me. I've just fired, oh, 20 or 30 rounds. You boys have been taken care of. Huh? Who says so? Common sense says so, Sergeant. Oh, Captain Jackson. You men would have been taken care of before you became aware of what was happening. You were just out here digging in your tank. You were just treating this as a routine exercise. No one was on guard. How could you have stopped enemy infiltration? I'm sorry, sir. Well, it doesn't make any difference whether you're sorry or not. Question is, uh, did you learn anything? I think we did, sir. Well, we can count this tank as destroyed and the crew out of action. And we thought we were doing something smart. You were. Your execution was careless. Look, Sergeant, now we're even. Why destroy the tank? Why not take it and join the platoon? Well, take it all right, but there's no point joining the outfit. What are we going to do, Sergeant? I don't know, but let's see how far we can get. Where are we headed? I'm here somewhere. What? Second Battalion CP. What do you want with them? What do I want with them? We're gonna capture it. What? Hey, is that allowed? What do you think, Captain? Do you think you can get away with it? Well, this were a war and I was riding behind the enemy lines in the captured tank. I could get away with a lot. All right, Sergeant. You just answered your own question. Paul at Yates, there's the CP. There's a man on guard outside. Hey, Sergeant, how do you know this is the CP? That's Colonel Morris' tank. And what are you doing back here, Eddie? He thinks this is Eddie's tank. Well, he's right. Don't answer. Everybody out. I never said I was. Okay, buddy, you're out of this now. Some are unrest. You heard the man, Tompkins. Captain Jackson. Why didn't you challenge the tank? Well, sir, I knew the tank. I thought this was Eddie. I mean, Sergeant Saunders. In other words, you took something for granted. I guess so, sir. All right, never do it again. No, sir, I won't, sir. Be happy this time. It's make-believe. And you're gonna get it next time. So, we're this far, Captain Jackson? Yates, hold a grenade in one hand and you're 45 in the other. Now follow me. I'm going over and open the door. The tasting should have not worked back. I hope his platoon isn't in any trouble. Well, should we break the radio silence, Colonel? No, but I would like to know if Captain Jackson catches the first battalion's maintenance. He did, sir. What's that? Don't you know better than to point that 45? You see, sir, a second battalion captured our maintenance and we've just captured second battalion headquarters. Colonel Morris, I must ask you and everyone in this room to raise your hands and stand against the wall. Yates, pick up everyone's weapon. Sergeant, is this a joke? No, sir, we're serious. I guess we're just as serious as the enemy would be. What's your name, Sergeant? Burnett, sir. You acting on your own initiative or is this Colonel Simmons' idea? Well, sir, it isn't really any one person's idea. It's just something... something that can happen in a war. Well, I... I want to congratulate you, Sergeant. Thank you, sir. May I say, sir, that I remember reading that you were a wrestling champion at West Point and there's no need to try and get closer to me. Fact remains that if we were really hostile forces, it would be all over in here. Quite right, Sergeant. And so, since no one could put up any kind of resistance now, it's all right for everyone to relax. We'll pretend that you're not here. Put down the machine gun, Edmunds. People are getting nervous. Calling blue one, calling blue one. This is Romulus. This is Romulus. Sounds like a platoon leader. Give him a ride, Yates. Come in, Romulus. It's 0-400. Waiting orders. Give him a good one. Let me look at the map. Wolfsheim, that's a nice town 15 miles from me. Yeah, I got you. Attention, all unit commanders. First battalion units reported at Wolfsheim, ready to attack from rear. All units report to Wolfsheim. Who is this? Blue one. Identify yourself. Blue one. Hey, what's going on at the CP? Who broke radio silence? I did. You can call the CP if I receive no instructions by 0-400. Calling blue one. Blue one. Forest Green, calling blue one. Come in, Forest Green. Request clarification of your last order to proceed to Wolfsheim. Order stands. Proceed to contain breakthrough. Man, what a rat race we're going to have here. Repeat request for identity. Give today's password. I don't want to know your forest green. You're going to be first battalion. Hendricks, Altman, O'Connor, Daley. This is Wilson. There's something phoning at the CP. Altman, get your tanks over there at once. I can't leave the flank exposed. All units, disregard blue one. Remain in position. Maintain radio silence. Good boy, Wilson. Good boy. That's your senior head. First battalion knows what's up now. Oh, the general himself. Blue one. Come in. Let me have it, Yates. Blue one. Blue. Blue one. Where's Colonel Morris? This is blue one. Major Wilson has disobeyed orders and taken over battalion command. Something's phoning at that CP, and I'm going to find out exactly what it is. Sir, this is Sergeant Burnett. First battalion. How did you pull this thing, Sergeant? It was easy, sir. Captain Jackson posed as a civilian and disabled our tank. We figured two could play at this game. Colonel Phelps, I want to congratulate your men for using their wits and regrouping. Colonel Simmons, I want to congratulate First Battalion for capitalizing on the temporary confusion. This is the most successful maneuver we ever held, thanks to you, Captain Jackson and Sergeant Burnett. All of you know the mistakes you made, and I'm sure none of you will ever make the same ones again. That's all. Hey, Charlie. Give the password. You know me. What I am on, God, I don't know nobody. Give the password. Congo. Okay. What do you mean, okay? Give me the counter sign. Well, I meant guys were ready to go. That's another problem. Let's go. Another day, another problem. The men who drive the tanks and fire the guns learn something every day, and everything they see and learn is carefully filed away against a time in an unperceivable future. The maneuvers, the games, the exercises, all of these are like premiums of an insurance policy. You hope you never have to collect. But it's comforting to know that your army, your insurance policy for the freedom of your country becomes better and stronger every day. If you're a young man of service age and expect to serve a tour of duty in the near future, I'd like to tell you about a training program that may help you a great deal in planning for military life. It's called the Reserved for You Training Program. It gives you an opportunity to choose your own technical training before you enlist in the army. Now, here's how it works. First, pay a visit to your nearest United States Army Recruiting Station and make a written application. You can choose from 87 different technical training courses. Now, if you qualify and a vacancy exists, you'll receive a letter telling you that you have a reserved seat in the course that you applied for. And this letter is mighty important to you because it's your written guarantee that you will attend the course of your own choice where you'll learn, get on the job training, and serve your country at the same time. To give you complete facts and making this decision, we've prepared a colorful booklet called Reserved for You, and it's yours for the asking. Write for one today. Just put your name and address on a postcard and mail it to RPC, Governor's Island, New York 4. That's RPC, Governor's Island, New York 4. 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.