 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 the station to bring you this story as proudly we hail the United States Army our story is entitled portrait with a future this is one of those stories that certainly proves it's a small world when an American GI on duty in England sees a portrait that looks a great deal like himself and well that would give the story away our first act curtain 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 into 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 there will be a 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 army presents the proudly we hail production portrait with a future a lonely boy and a lonely old man one American the other British these are the two most important characters in our play without the United States Army they would never have met and without chaplain Gerald Wilkes they would never have followed this meeting to its natural conclusion excuse me chaplain of course corporal come in and may I speak to you for a few minutes sir my door is always open what's your name Anderson sir corporal Richard Green Anderson well close the door corporal and make yourself comfortable thank you sir relax son you look about as wound up as a watch spring I guess I am chaplain something something happened to me yesterday that's got me tied up in knots do you want to tell me about it well that's why I'm here sir but now that I am it isn't as easy as I thought it was going to be how about a cup of coffee it's my one vice I keep a hot plate here in the office coffee would be wonderful sugar cream little of both please sir you're very polite your parents have brought you up very well what's my parents are they both dead I was brought up in an orphanage no relations at all no sir here's your coffee son oh thank you sir and now do you think you can tell me whatever it is that's bothering you I'll try but may sound a little peculiar well that's possible but I doubt it over the years I found that very few people's problems are peculiar or funny if a problem is on someone's mind it's a serious one yes sir then go on I'm not going to laugh at you well sir you see I've never had a family my parents died when I was seven since they had no relatives I was placed in an orphanage any brothers or sisters no sir I see excuse my interruption only orphanage wasn't so bad you see there were lots of other kids around I was never alone but when I finished training school there they got me a job and told me I was on my own what kind of a job did they get you I was trained to be a mechanic sir I seem to have a knack with motors they got me a good job in a garage and then you were on your own that's right sir it's when my trouble started you see all of a sudden I was alone during the day there were plenty of people around and everything was fine but at night when I went to my room I was alone for the first time in my life then and I realized that I was alone in the world that I had no one to love and no one who loved me that sounds silly doesn't know son it doesn't sound silly after couple of months I couldn't stand it got so I have one home at all just wall night movies I knew I was gonna be drafted soon so I thought why not in list now you'll make friends in the army you'll belong to something so that's what I did sounds like a smart idea yeah worked out to the army's all right as far as I'm concerned but but what I'm still different from most of the other guys they have roots outside of the army they get letters and packages from home they write home to family to their girls the army's only a part of their lives it's all of mine I'm happier in the army than I've ever been in my life but I still feel lonely at times didn't you have a girl back home not really sir I met a few girls after I got out of the orphanage I had a couple of dates but I was only out a couple of months before I am listed what about the orphanage couldn't you write to them sure but what's use of kidding myself I'm just one out of thousands they can't be family to everyone so I'd it's a funny thing once you're away from something for a while seem to lose your ties except when it comes to your family and you can't adjust to the fact that you don't have one is that it why think I have adjusted as much as I can you can't stop your mind from thinking can't force your heart to stop dreaming no I don't think you can so you feel alone yes sir except for Sally I just don't have any roots Sally you haven't mentioned her before no I guess I haven't it's funny too because she means so much to me is she an English girl you met over here no sir she's a member of the wax station here and are you two very close planning on being married in two months I see congratulations thank you sir but still a butt yeah I'm afraid so sir you see last weekend we both had a pass and decided to go sightseeing around here on Sunday after church we we went to visit Greenlee Hall that big manor house up the road about 10 miles the Duke of Greenlee has thrown the house open to tourists at 50 cents a head and we were taking the tour this was the main banquet room in the days when nights were bold gosh dick I can hear the armor clanking can't you the corridor on your right is lined with family portraits not very good ones at that we'll pass over them for now and go on to the study I don't want to pass over them neither do I let's hang back and lose the tour so we can look at them okay that guy's been pretty much of a bore anyhow the old paneling you see in the study was added to the house in the 16th century at that time it was thought that all studies should be dimly lit and have a very serious mean they're gone come on I want to see those second-rate ancestors now there's a real ugly one I don't know who she was it tells on this little plaque it's Amelia fifth Duchess of Greenlee look at this one is he a monster it's not exactly a monster but he certainly isn't handsome when you marry me if I look like him not even if you were a Duke I love you Sally very lucky that you love me too oh no I'm the lucky one because I found you trapped I beg your pardon I didn't mean to I thought I was that is our fault we just couldn't help it you see we're in love and we're gonna be married in two months and oh please don't apologize I should know better than to walk around in felt slippers on visitors day you're not the first young couple that's stolen a kiss in the halls of Greenlee I'm afraid it isn't very proper though I don't know perhaps it'll warm the place up a bit I it's always confounded cold in here I don't think we noticed just think of all the history that was made in this drafty corridor true but history never took the place of central heating but I must go excuse me you don't think the Duke would mind our looking at these pictures do you I'm positive he wouldn't the only thing that puzzles him is why people bother well cheerio a good bye sir what do you think we ought to leave now let's look at the rest of the pictures first all right hey don't go so fast hey is for horses oh dick dick come here what's the matter honey look at what at the face in this picture what good lord it does it's weird but without that little beard the man in the picture and you could be twins Alfred second son of the eighth Duke of Greenlee it's just a coincidence maybe but that man we met in here before why in this half light I thought you looked a little like him of course he was older Sally you're imagining I could be but your mother's maiden name was green Greenlee whether almost the same it would be like a dream come true but it's impossible why impossible your mother once told you her ancestors were English oh dick you've wanted a family route the home for so long why don't you try and find out I'd give my right arm if it were true darling talk to someone see someone I couldn't face it I'm afraid afraid of what what couldn't you face one simple word no they chaplain I haven't been able to sleep I've hardly eaten I just think about it races through my mind over and over again family home a place to sink your roots but son how can I be of assistance help me chaplain Sunday I started out for the place ten times and ten times I stopped and came back would it help if I spoke to the Duke would you say if you could just take the first little step for me I'll tell you everything about myself my parents everything but I just can't get myself to go and ask go outside for a few minutes and wait son I'll make a call if his grace the Duke will see me I want every fact you have about your mother I'll have to know where you were born exactly what you remember telling you about her mother and father everything I'll do what I can say dear father they will be done operator I'd like to make an outside call but I don't know the number chaplain Wilkes yes oh Greenlee Hall it's about ten miles north of the camp I don't know what town yes you can call me back you're listening to the proudly we hail production of portrait with a future we'll return to our story in just a moment young man if you're interested in continuing your education here's important news for you the senior service of our armed forces your United States Army urgently needs qualified technicians to operate and maintain the many kinds of equipment that science has brought into being and right now men are being trained in wonderful fields like radio radar meteorology mechanics photography and others and this training is given by the finest technical training schools in the world yes here's an excellent opportunity for you young man with intelligence and ambition your opportunity to start a career for yourself not only for now but for when you get back into civilian life for full details visit your nearest recruiting office today you are listening to proudly we hail and now we present the second act of portrait with a future most of us are blessed with a family and friends so perhaps we never realize how alone we would be without them even chaplain Wilkes cannot feel the deep loneliness of Corporal Richard Green Anderson but in his capacity as chaplain because someone has come to him for help he's doing all he can and then a little more you wanted to see me chaplain private Robertson yes sir please come in sit down I want to talk to you about Corporal Anderson I understand you too are planning on being married and well there's nothing wrong is there he's not in any trouble if that's what you mean but yesterday he came in to see me on a personal problem of which I think you were aware and asked for my help now before I can help him I need to find out more about him and for what he told me you probably know more about him than anyone else in the world well he has confided in me if that's what you mean he asked me to break in on someone's life to ask very personal questions and possibly revive family skeletons I don't mind doing it if he's really sincere if his need is great enough do you understand yes chaplain I do and his need is very great I noticed him first at the service club he'd sit with a group of fellows and then one of them would say he had to write a letter one by one they all drift away to write to their families and their girls he just sit there with his face tight and drawn after I got to know him I I found out that there are only two words that he's never heard in all his life two words that he wants to hear more than life itself and they are welcome home I see I keep telling him that after we're married my family will be his family and he says it's not the same thing well he's right I suppose but they'll love him I don't see how anyone can help loving him he'll lead their love too now there's just one more thing Saturday when you were at Greenlee Hall did you really notice the resemblance between dick in the picture first or did he notice it and talk you into it what a dick say what do you say I noticed it first chaplain and I called him over he wasn't even near it at the time and that's the truth I believe it is Sally do you believe this is possible yes I do then I say to myself maybe it's because I want it to be true I think dick's a very lucky boy thank you chaplain but I think I'm the lucky one are you seeing him tonight of course I have an appointment to see his grace the Duke tomorrow I don't know whether tell dick about it or not dick knows I called him so perhaps you had better tell him in any case ask dick to come to see me tomorrow afternoon oh I will chaplain and thank you and Sally tell dick that I'm hoping it's true just as much as you both are yes sir I'm chaplain Wilkes I have a 10 o'clock appointment with his grace oh yes sir come right this way please chaplain Wilkes I chaplain Wilkes so kind of you to come that'd be all climb yes do let's sit close to the fire chaplain this house is blasted coldest thank you that's the reason I allow these confounded tours with the extra money I'm going to put in central heating that's one thing you Americans have that we English need badly on the other hand we might learn something from you about how to build houses that last a thousand years what oh quite yes quite now chaplain as to the reason for your visit you can imagine that your news came as quite a shock I admit it all sounds like a plot from a movie but young Anderson and I think it may just possibly be true and I'm an old man chaplain and quite alone in the world I'm the last to the Greenleys I must admit to you that if this young man is as fine as you say he is I I'd like it to be true myself that's good to hear your grace there's still a bit of money in this house should an heir appear however I want to be sure that he really is related he'll come into it all someday I understand all my family is dead almost all my friends are gone I sit in this old house day after day with no one but Clive and the cook I must admit it would be nice to have a young person around the house when our down to cases are just what can we do I mean where can we make inquiries and all that sort of thing well your grace I've started already I've asked the Red Cross to check with the orphanage where the young man was brought up and then they're checking on his mother through whom the two of you would be related if you were at all the mother and yes you see her maiden name was green green incidentally which portrait was it that the boy resembles so strikingly the one of Alfred second son of the eighth Duke of Greenley really my uncle Alfred has strange and yet how possible why does that make it so possible your grace because in his youth Alfred and his father fought constantly and once after a particularly bitter quarrel Alfred left the house and never came back the family received just one note from him after that saying that he'd gone to America and that they'd never hear from him again and did they never when Alfred's older brother died childless and he was in line to become the ninth Duke they began a search for him in America but to no avail it was it was then that my father inherited the title I see I wonder why they never located him well one reason that occurred to them then and seems even more possible now is that he changed his name of course from Greenley to green exactly if this young man of yours is related to me he must be Alfred's grandson amazing not only a family but a title now just a minute chaplain let's not count our foxes before their court at this is still a supposition we have no proof is yet and proof is what we need now you're doing all you can on your end if you'll give me all the facts at your command I'll start on this end it should only take a few days at most to check birth certificates and all that but we must be sure I'll tell you everything I know your grace good then let's get to it believe it or not chaplain I I was anxious as you are to find out that it's true that's what happened yesterday selling they're checking all we can do is sit it out on pins and needles you might add on worse than that Sally I've been praying every minute all night long I lie in my bed and I can think of just one thing then I say to myself just a day or two more maybe in the suspense will all be over dick what will you do if it isn't true isn't true it must be it's got to be no it doesn't your mother could have been just plain miss green with no relation at all to the green leaves you're right but I don't know what I do you've got to promise me something what if it isn't true you've got to go on never lose hope most of all please go on loving me I'll always love you Sally no matter what is that a promise with all my heart I promise well chaplain as you American say I'm as jumpy as popcorn over a fire I'm not exactly calm myself your grace still no word I'm expecting the final information any hour now you know I've been thinking how wonderful it will be for me if it is true to have to have that young man here I there'll be young footsteps in the house again perhaps even children running up and down these corridors I wouldn't count on that your grace why not he likes the army he's planning to make it his career yes I see then I'll still be alone after all no you won't your grace not really remember those little miracles that men have made that we were talking about a few moments ago oh you mean the telephone of the wireless yes those two but mainly the airplane they'll come to see you every year and I'm sure you're not too old to get on a plane yourself to visit them too well for flying of course I'm not well then well you're right perhaps having all that youth around all the time might be too much for a grumpy old man like me excuse me your grace but there's a telephone call for chaplain Wilkes oh well thank you Clive this must be the answer we've been waiting for chaplain I imagine it is you you wish luck chaplain more than that your grace I'm praying for you both I'm Corporal Richard Green Anderson I have an appointment with his with his grace the Duke oh yes Corporal Anderson you're expected will you follow me please Corporal Richard Green Anderson of the United States Army your grace thank you Clive that'll be all yes I don't think I'm going to be very good at this after all Corporal I had a little speech plan but I I don't know what to say myself your grace your grace I'm not your grace to you my boy our investigation has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are the grandson of the man who should have been the ninth Duke of Greenlee my uncle Alfred the man whose portrait you resemble so closely no indeed not your grace I'm your cousin Charles yes your grace I mean cousin Charles the cousin Richard out of all the things that I was going to say I can remember only this and I say it from the bottom of my heart cousin Richard welcome home the US Army needs men men who take a special pride in being part of a man's army if you're a high school graduate you can join now at after basic training apply for assignment to any army school for the finest technical training now if you qualify for the school you select and come within the quota you'll be assigned to it but however you choose to serve it service that means a special pride the sense of a job well done in a man's army young man between the ages of 18 and 34 men who look to the future are now choosing the United States Army visit your nearest recruiting station today and grow with the world's greatest army and the opportunities it offers you this has been another program on proudly we have presented transcribed in cooperation with this station proudly we hail is produced by the recruiting publicity center for the United States Army recruiting service this is Mark Hamilton speaking inviting you to tune in this station next week for another interesting story on proudly we hail