 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 called the O'Levskie ambush and in case you're starting to think that it refers to a tactical maneuver in a great battle truthfully we must inform you that it's nothing but a masterstroke in the game of chess. Now then what does chess have to do with the Army? Well there was a young soldier who made one move on a chessboard and well we'll get to our first act curtain in just a moment but first young men let's talk about your future and America's future. They're important to each other you know and to you. Today your United States Army is charged with a vital responsibility. While you only need to glance at your local newspaper to realize how vital and to meet this responsibility the Army is rapidly expanding its forces. They have a job for you a job that must be done by men of courage. You can get full details of how you may best serve your future and your country's future by a visit to your nearest United States Army recruiting station. Do it today. And now your United States Army presents the proudly we hail production the Olafsky ambush. Isn't this Army so there are times when I think I know everything. On the other hand there are times when I'm convinced I don't know anything. I enlisted before World War II when I served a lot of outfits and I sold it with a lot of people. I'm telling you all this because you'd think that a guy like me should certainly know the score by now. Well I do know the score but there are times when I kind of don't know what game is being played like for instance this thing with holiday. Now I'm a I'm first sergeant in a rifle company stationed near Frankfurt in Germany. You were to ask me which guy in the outfit was least likely to go a wall I would have to say holiday. The holiday's a college boy he's serious he reads books he wears glasses and what do you think interests holiday. Holiday is a chess fiend. The first that I knew that holiday was a wall was when I took Reveille one morning and fourth platoon reported one man absent. I liked if I had a fit when I found out who it was. So I took the morning report into the old man for signature and it was all that he could do to believe it. Holiday. Yes sir I don't believe he's a wall captain. What's the story. I'll be a holiday put in for a three day pass. That's right I remember he wanted to go to Munich to compete in a chess tournament. Well the pass was up at midnight he wasn't that formation this morning so technically he's a wall technically legally actually. No question about it. What do you think. I think holiday must have missed a connection somewhere and he's high tailing back here as fast he can. I wish he'd called in so he could have given him an extension. All men holiday. I tell you what Sergeant. Let's hold off for a little while. Give him a couple more hours to show up. Then again he could be deep in some chess game. I understand some of those fellas lose all track of time. Imagine a guy going a wall to play chess. Sir you don't want to do anything about holiday right now. Well not right this minute anyhow. I'm convinced he'll show up. Let's let's keep it in the company as long as we can. Don't peg him as a softy either I've seen a good captain when he was throwing a book but he was sure you see that holiday was on the level with a legitimate excuse and he was prepared to stick his neck out and go all the way down the line for him. Well we waited all morning for holiday at least for word from him but there was nothing the whole day passed and there wasn't a sign of it couldn't understand it you see you see this business of a wall now you get you get some of it in the army but it's usually unstable guys or guys who hate what they're doing or just don't care but I mean how do you figure holiday serious sensible he liked the outfit he liked all the guys a man like holiday just doesn't walk away but he did so there all my experience and figuring how to go out the window then late one afternoon four days later this German civilian shows up in the orderly room what can I do for you is it possible sergeant to pay a social call on one of your soldiers as possible who do you want to see a soldier by the name of Halliday William Halliday what's your name a Schneider you can tell him Mr. Hunt Schneider is calling if you please sit down Mr. Schneider I'd like to tell Halliday you're here but I can't you see I can't because Halliday is a wall excuse me absent without leave oh we haven't seen him since he went to Munich on pass I suppose you tell me who you are and what's your business with Halliday well well I sell life insurance and I play chess and I went to Munich for the tournament there I met your soldier he's a very very good player he won you know no I didn't know you saw Halliday at the tournament yes he was there at all times he was undefeated so he played morning session and afternoon and night you say he's not here he did not return when was the last time that you saw Halliday one Monday it was the last night I was pleased when I learned he was stationed here in Frankfurt so I said we must play together chess sometime he said yes he's a master he uses the Van Role opening is almost impossible to defeat that's not what you asked me I said to him I'm driving to Frankfurt in the morning can you hide with me he said no I must take the train or else I shall be late for what was the word formation did he take the train well of course that is the tournament was finished many people were leaving for railroad station he went with them you say he has not a hive Mr. Schrad let me have your address yes I live at number 71 crone Prince tracer 71 yeah I got it why do you suppose he's not here I don't know but I'll tell you one thing I'm sure that he's not a wall sir this proves Halliday went to Munich to play chess according to this guy Schneider that's all Halliday did once he got there he played practically till it was time to take the train back as far as Schneider knows Halliday left for the station I won't fight against anything you said Sergeant but where is Halliday what do you do run into another chess game on his way to the train is that what's been holding him all week I'll I didn't ever get on the train sir how do you know if he did he'd have been back here and I'll bet Halliday is in a wall either something happened to him sir when he left the hotel where they were holding the tournament and I'll tell you something else I found out here in the outfit what's that Halliday left the week before payday was almost broke Sergeant Downs tells me that Halliday borrowed 20 bucks from him to make the trip just that I can't imagine what could have happened to him look multi the MPs and the civilian police in Munich have Halliday's full description but I think they ought to know what this fellow Schneider told you right it up and we'll send it out well sir what is it I think I'm due for a three-day pass myself does the captain think I can have it now where do you want to go that's a real good question if I could get a pass I'd be headed for Munich myself captain signed my pass and I was in Munich the next morning I went to the military police headquarters and there was a tech sergeant there named Peterson who I knew back in the States he was now with a problem Marshal's office we chewed the rag a little about old times and I told him the new stuff I had on holiday well we've been looking for your boy Halliday and the civilian cops are cooperating but none of us are getting anywhere tell me as far as you know does he speak German or just a little not too much no it isn't easy for an American soldier to hide out here he'd have been spotted around town I don't think he's in Munich listen he didn't want to go away war I'll buy that for now so so what could have happened to him on the way to the station nothing less than a quarter of a mile from where they played chess to the station a crowded street well lit he had no dough on him you say so that moves out of hold it did he get into some kind of fight I can't imagine why or what was he hurt bad well we checked the doctors in the hospitals go all the way was he killed what happened to his body I'm not thinking about anything like that there are only two possible answers Peterson first it could have been kidnapped why after all who is he what is he who needs him who wants him what for I don't know what for well what's the second possibility he saw something or he learned something something so important that he had to follow it up even if it meant being a wall yeah what well now look just because I can't answer that it doesn't mean it isn't possible all you got to do is start with what I'm starting with and that is that Halliday intended to come back to the outfit on time at the last minute something came up you know what the French say look for the day not not not Halliday this was his first trip to Munich I who did he know here you mean he's gonna walk down the street take one look at some day and say honey you're it I'm throwing everything away for you let's go Malby I gotta admit one thing it beats me what could have happened to Halliday and why you're talking where's this hotel where they played chess Peterson and I drove over to the hotel which housed the Munich chess Association couple of elderly guys were sitting around playing game oh yeah they remembered Halliday all right the most brilliant player they ever saw but what could they tell us he was there for three days he played chess he won the tournament and he left for Frankfurt we went downstairs to the coffee shop for lunch we could have eaten at any one of a number of places but Peterson knew all the restaurants in town and since this was a Tuesday he knew that the house special was a terrific wiener schnitzel so anyhow the waitress finally showed up to take our order and the waitress turned out to be lady luck a pro line yeah I'm on here I can't be that yeah I don't know what I can tell you Malby I can tell you one thing Pete holiday is not the a wall type holiday is not the kind of kid who gets in a trouble now let me tell you something Malby you and I have been around a long time we should have learned something why well we should have learned that you can really never get to know a guy now there's another side to this holiday that's the side that's just produced in a way let's say he's missing not a wall say anything you want the fact is you call the role of formation back at the outfit and holiday doesn't answer present I'll take the black coffee thank you that would be all yeah doctor listen Pete I admit this holiday thing has got me dizzy but while you were sounding off about him just now the waitress the waitress when you mentioned holiday's name she kind of looked at you stood still till you finished talking and then she gave us the coffee think now it wasn't my imagination you're gonna make me as nutty over this holiday deal as you are now you're beginning to see things but just to show you the kind of guy I'm I'm gonna follow up on everything the nuttier the better storyline my friend the sergeant here seems to have noticed that you seem to be kind of interested in what we were talking about just before oh I am sorry were you trying to listen to us talking well yes what will we say that you found so interesting you spoke a name that was familiar to me holiday what is the name holiday mean to me well if he is a soldier and yeah he must be one I will you know you meet someone and then you hear his name spoken you will you stop to listen it is natural move you know a soldier named William Halliday well I met him when oh it was last week at the tournament you see when they had the chess club meeting I go upstairs to serve coffee while I play and he was the only American soldier they're not at all bad looking so I watched him my father liked chess and I know something about the game and I like to watch a good player when was the last time you saw him the night the tournament was finished he left you haven't seen him since no sir something wrong with him he looked like such a nice young man did he seem to be all right that night I mean did he seem nervous would you say that there was anything unusual about the way you acted well I was very busy serving coffee I know but try to think during the tournament didn't something some little thing I don't care what it was did you notice anything that might be a little strange no sir well at least you know him by side now if you should happen to see him around town anywhere would you tell the nearest policeman or get in touch with me my name is Sergeant Peterson at the Provo Marshall's office the American military headquarters yeah but let us know if you see him yes it was the most I don't think ever saw how they disappeared we couldn't pick up a single lead well we did get a lucky break as I said but we didn't know it at the time because we didn't know this waitress knew more than she told us but it wasn't her for it happened that she knew more than she thought she did we would have felt better sooner if we knew what was going through her mind when she went home that night what does the matter with you feel sir with me nothing all evening you have just sat quietly you have not heard anything I upset I am sorry uncle can't know you are troubled about something I can always tell you work too hard in that hotel no and it is my fault if only I could play the piano again more casualties to war than you read in the journals but I saw her pressman at lunch he said perhaps there will be some arranging work for me and that would be nice no is a is a what were you saying uncle now you must tell me what is troubling you you remember the chess player I told you about the handsome young American soldier no doubt he has disappeared disappear the army has probably sent him to another no no he had disappeared from the army serious you must tell me was there anything between you oh uncle I do not think he would even know me if he saw me I just happened to notice him at the tournament in the coffee shop today two American sergeants were talking about it I think it is quite serious but uncle how can I go to the Americans and tell them something that seems so so and besides it was my imagination I'm sure of it I do not think you should go to the authorities at all I think you should stay away keep out of those things besides what do you know the very last match he played it was against I remember the name because it was written on a table card a dr. Griner I can follow chess but this was very much over my head what they were doing dr. Griner moved the queen and I noticed the American looked at him with amazement then the American moved his castle and and they both looked at each other men look at each other when they play chess but not like that when dr. Griner moved his queen it was as though he did something he should not have and when the American looked at him it was with amazement and then there was a strange sort of smile on his face I am positive the authorities would not be interested in this then the match was over and as everyone was leaving I heard dr. Griner say to the American may I walk to the station with you but you see uncle Carl the American never reached the station he left the hotel and he has not been seen since I say would they laugh at me if I told him a story like this should I go to them you must decide that for yourself what would you do uncle I would look at my right hand and remember the day the Americans attacked the Nazi who am I to talk did I not fire a rifle to do I know where all my bullets landed I want to do the right thing uncle yes one should always do the right thing especially if the man is young and handsome you're listening to the proudly we hail production the O'Levskie ambush and we will return in just one moment for the second act today you young men of America have an excellent opportunity to learn a trade which will assure your future many fine technical schools of the United States Army are training men in such interesting fields as radio radar meteorology mechanics electronics oh so many many fields you can become a qualified technician trained to do an important job and what's more important to do it right so for full details about an exciting career you visit your nearest United States Army Recruiting Station there's no obligation so plan ahead face your tomorrow today you're listening to proudly we hail and now we present the second act of the O'Levskie ambush private William Halliday station with the United States infantry in Frankfurt Germany was an unusual type of soldier in that his hobby was chess and he played it like a master he had asked for a three-day pass to go to Munich to compete in a chess tournament Halliday a fine efficient soldier had no trouble getting the pass but unaccountably Halliday never returned from the tournament first Sergeant Maltby is willing to bet his life that Halliday did not go AWOL Sergeant Maltby had gone to Munich where he met Sergeant Peterson of the Provo Marshall office there is a waitress in the hotel where the tournament was held who thinks she knows something about Halliday's completely baffling disappearance you think then Ilsa that something must have clicked between Halliday and this Dr. Gruner clicked while something passed between it seemed that it was a strange moment excuse me Sergeant Peterson yeah I did I'll appreciate it on her anything more on him Inspector okay let me have his address yeah thank you very much well that was the info I asked the civilian police about on Dr. Gruner not too much he's not a medical doctor he's a scientist physics is his field he works for the Lothar Motor Company in town has no record I got his address what's the connection between these two guys Halliday and American Gruner German they never met never saw each other before so what was this this click that Ilsa spotted now you heard dr. Gruner say may I walk to the station with you so what happened then did Halliday go with him he I saw him leave with dr. Gruner there you got it this dr. Gruner either convinced Halliday not to go back to Frankfurt or else he prevented him or else he doesn't know anything about it I'm afraid of this dr. Gruner I do not like the way he looked at Halliday I tell you something I happen to learn in all these years I learned to go by a woman's intuition what do you think Pete who knows I said what do you know about a man named Halliday but my boy Sergeant Peterson happens to be a professional he knows how these things should work so we went to the Lothar Motor Company and we didn't ask to see Gruner Peterson remembered that working in the personnel department was a woman named Frau Elena Reinemuth this Frau Reinemuth had a daughter who once needed a certain drug to save her life and the army heard about it and got the drug for while this made Frau Reinemuth the type of woman to whom Peterson could talk freely to a certain extent dr. Gruner has been with our research department since 1950 he is a very valuable man where is he from he has an East Prussian originally from Kiernigsberg that's in the red occupations zone now isn't it yes how long has he been in Munich four years where was he before that according to the record here he was in Kiernigsberg until 1949 when he escaped across the border to the American zone Kiernigsberg is kind of far from the border how did he get there he was engaged in research and his work took him to East Berlin and from there he escaped and all we really know about him is from 1949 on yes Sergeant may I ask if you have any reason to suspect anything about dr. Gruner he seems to be a fine gentleman there's no way we can trace his background before 1949 he has his documents his diploma from the University of Weimar various technical articles he has written he has a very good record it seems tell me is there anything that tells about his having played chess no there is nothing about his being a chess player well Rhino move I'd appreciate it very much if you didn't mention to him that we were here at all Pete when do we get to talk with Gruner I don't think we're gonna get to dr. Gruner at all I don't think this guy's real name is Gruner I'm going back to the officer draw my 45 what this isn't even a job for Provo Marshall well the beginning of it is when I tell the captain what I've been doing he'll tell me to take a squad and some German cops and bring Gruner in from then on intelligence takes on yeah but what about holiday we'll bring holiday back if if what if he's alive well they weren't gonna keep me out of it I borrowed a pistol and went along there were five of us and two German cops with a search warrant we stopped a little way from dr. Gruner's house Peterson decided to walk in first big and innocent and there wasn't anything Pete could do to keep me from walking in with him either now for crying out loud malty keep your mouth shut and let me talk huh yes are you dr. Gruner yes I'm sergeant Peterson Provo Marshall's office wonder if I could talk to you with me yeah could we come in by yes will you sit down oh thank you an American soldier named Halliday played chess with you last week now we understand that you and he left for the railroad station together now that's the last anyone seen of Halliday could you tell us what you know about it oh I remember him yes well I walked a few blocks with him and then we parted I came home what has happened to Halliday we thought maybe you could tell us I saw him last on the night you mentioned I have not seen him since you say your name is dr. Otto Gruner it is Dr. Gruner do you have any objection if we search your house of course I have objection and you have no right your house is surrounded right now by military and civilian police what have you done with Halliday sergeant I are you serious cover him well they don't worry this is an atrocity it sure is Gruner and you're trying to commit it you're fritz I'm trying to big buddy your gas get him I can't see either can I get away try to get to the window I can't leave evidence we've been gas cover that joint that helps we gotta get out of this room we're dead up in here can you see anything please just try to head for the air don't worry they won't get away somehow we managed to make the street all of our guys had taken cover and were keeping the building under fire finally a half track pulled up with MPs who had gas masks and they worked their way into the building they flushed out Gruner and a couple of his buddies and who do you think brought up the real looking sleepy and hungry and with a week's growth of beard but my boy Halliday sergeant I was playing chess and tell you the truth I didn't even look at the man's face opposite me he was just an opponent that's all I thought I had him checkmate but suddenly made he made two moves we have to understand about chess but what he did was known as the Oletsky ambush only one guy in the whole world ever played that way a Russian chess player named Oletsky how do you know sergeant I read books well anyhow I looked at this fellow and I said to him your name Oletsky well he just seemed to get a little confused he said may I take that move back well then we left for the station the next thing I know some fellow jabbed a gun on my ribs he got me into a car they brought me to the house so I said they kept me locked up in the get for the life of me I can't figure out why a week went by and then then I heard shooting downstairs and well here we are well the intelligence section cracked your boy Gruner all right his name is Oletsky he's a red agent and back home he was a scientist and a chess player they rigged him up with the papers of a dead scientist named Gruner he's doing good work with them too but he had a weakness he was only human he liked to play chess well he came up against a hot shot like you how are they and he was forced for the first time to go into his bag of tricks and he did something he shouldn't have he made a play that would have made sense only to a guy like you but he didn't know it well you mean I actually played chess with with the great Oletsky that shows you here was a guy Oletsky who was one of the most dangerous red agents in Munich and who trapped them my boy holiday and holiday didn't even know what he was doing holiday was just playing chess today your United States Army needs intelligent young men with ability and ambition men intelligent enough to recognize the vital need for a strong armed force men with ability enough to be trained in a necessary job men with ambition enough to secure the future for themselves and their loved ones does this description fit you can you qualify well for full information on how you can fit in with the finest check with your nearest United States Army recruiting station remember the United States Army needs you this has been another program on proudly we hail presented transcribed in cooperation with this radio station proudly we hail is produced by the recruiting publicity center in New York for the United States Army and this is Richard Hayes speaking and inviting you to tune in the same station next week for another interesting story on proudly we hail