 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 Air Force. Our play is entitled Freedom's Roar and is the story of what happened to a fighter pilot and a girl in mid-western town when an Air Force base was reactivated and a controversy arose over the roar of jet engines in what was once a peaceful community. Our first act curtain will rise in just a moment but first trim as an arrow and faster than sound that's how the new high-flying jets of today's United States Air Force measure up. They soar through the skies around the clock constantly on the alert protecting America's frontiers and you can help keep them there and at the same time build yourself a highly rewarding career. How? Simple, 5e coming in airmen. Today's airmen are attending the world's finest air technical training schools. They're learning such fascinating skills as radar, air traffic control, air intelligence just to name a few. Today's airmen are developing new leadership qualities gaining new prestige serving as American ambassadors of goodwill and colorful assignments all over the world. Yes, they're stepping out smartly in a trim blue uniform a uniform that marks them as a member of freedom's greatest defense team and they're gaining rapid advancement in careers that are second to none. Find out soon how you can qualify to be an airman visit the friendly folks at your nearest United States Air Force base or your local United States Air Force recruiting station and now your United States Air Force presents the proudly hailed production Freedom's Roar. There, he's asleep. Wow, that didn't take as long as I thought it would. Don't you ever mind, huh? Sitting, I mean. You're getting a little old for that sort of thing. Oh, no, I don't mind. Marian's never insisted and when I have a date she always makes other arrangements. Besides, I think I've got the cutest nephew in creation. Wouldn't it be wonderful if they'd always stay that small? They grow up to be such monsters. Oh, not Billy. He's going to be a perfect gentleman. Did you see the way he took his bottle? Not a peep and right off to sleep without a whimper. And you asked me if I'm mine sitting. Well, I guess you're right. It's just what was that? Sounds like a plane coming in for landing at the field. No, it's much too dark out. The field must be lit up, though. I can see the reflective glow in the sky. Those must be chance. We never had them here in Wilton before. They must be bringing a squadron in. Oh, they woke Billy up. They can't do this. There must be a law or something. All right, all against it or not, but they sure are coming in by the thousands. To sum up, gentlemen, we're here. And with a minimum of effort, I might say, all of you are to be congratulated. Now, I think you like this town. Wilton is primarily a residential community. But as you've been shown, we are on the outer periphery of a great industrial area. And that's why we're here. Why the Air Defense Command has seen fit to reactivate this base. We will be on the alert here 24 hours a day. And every time you scramble, you have reason to be concerned because the bogey you're after may be that real thing. Any questions? Yes, Colonel. We're going to get a chance to get into town. The usual routine will prevail. Lieutenant, you're not quite familiar with it. There will be a duty list posted and you're free in the after hours. Now, if there are no other questions, you can check the duty list posted on the operations office bulletin board. That's all. I know you'll all be up to our job here. Ah, you're a dope. That's all. Just a dope. Why, what did I say? You don't ever say anything. That's a trouble. How did they ever make you a pilot, Mr. and in jets, no less? Well, at least my name isn't Stacy. Oh, no, that's a very honorable name in South Philadelphia. Yes, sir. Not you, Michael. Norton, you are not in position coming into Wilton. Stay as tight in formation as you can. We're going to be expected here to take no less than two and a half minutes to be airborne. And that type of synchronized action requires that everybody be on the ball. If anybody fouls up, we have the chance of an accident, okay? Yes, sir. I think both of you are under real pressure here being new members of a squadron that has been activated for a long time. Just don't tighten up. I think both of you will be a real credit to the outfit. Thank you, sir. You're both off tomorrow. What are you going to do? Oh, take a look at the town. He's a student of local history as long as it's not too historical. He means I like girls, sir. Well, enjoy yourself. Thank you, sir. A bad town? Kind of pretty like. You know, trees on Main Street where I come from. There's nothing on Main Street where you come from. Oh, thank you. Hey, here's a drugstore. I'm thirsty from all this hiking around. Would you like something? All right, oh boy, I could do with a spot of tea myself. Good. Have, fellas. What kind of ice cream do you have? Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, coffee. Maybe we got some butter-peak in here. I'll take a chocolate milkshake with a vanilla float. Hey, careful. You're not going to be flying jets come wing in time. And you, young man? I have the same. After all, I don't have your weight problem. You fellas are new around here, aren't you? We just came in last night. Yeah, I thought so. You fellas sure kicked up a ruckus coming in. My bottles back in the pharmacy there started to wiggle like the ground was quaking. Well, under certain wind conditions, jets make noise, you know. A lot of noise. I heard a lot of folks complaining today. Isn't there anything you can do about all that noise? Well, Mr., our jets fly 600 miles an hour. The noise comes when our kerosene-type fuel heats to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit and is expanded and thrusts through the combustion chambers. You don't say. Oh, hello, Miss Perry, Miss Lydia. Now, what can I do for you today? I'll have a chocolate soda. I'll make mine black and white. Hey, boy, I wish I was sitting on your side. That's pretty nice. Pretty nice. Yeah, you are, fellas. Two milkshakes with vanilla floats. Let me have one of those straws over there. Oh, for heaven's sake. Get the overlight. Oh, here. Here, let me help you. Oh, no. Don't, it'll stay in the dress. I'll just take some water. Oh, here you are, Miss Terry. Take this cloth. Oh, that's a cherry. You're getting most of it. Oh, I'm awfully sorry. Really, it was all my fault. I was reaching for the straws and knocked Stacy's shake over. Well, it's all right. It's an old dress. I'm sorry. What do you boys fly? 86s, interceptors. Jets? Well, of course. What else? Yeah, we're reactivating the base at the edge of town. Are you the ones who came zooming over our house last night? Well, yes, we, uh, we came in last night, but... I might have known it. Come on, Lydia, let's get going. But I'm not finished yet. I still want to have... Hey, don't be in such a hurry. Lydia, I don't care if you're finished or not. I want to leave. The company's become unbearable. Wait a minute. I didn't say anything. You don't have to say anything. Your being here is enough. Are we the popular bunch in this bird? Oh, did you get it too, Willie? I certainly did. In large doses. I've been out all afternoon trying to rent an apartment so I could move Alice and the kids in. All I've done is look at the backside of a lot of closed doors. It's the roar of the jets, isn't it? They're all angry about the roar of the jets. Certainly are, and angry is an understatement. They're up in arms. Here, look at this morning's paper here. Oh, yeah, let me see it. Read that. A new monster has come to Wilton. And unless we exercise some vigilance and stand by our rights as citizens, our lovely community will be ruined as a place to live. How about that? The monster, of course, is the terrifying noise of the jets that have come to the Air Force Base... I've heard enough. Yeah, look, this is nonsense. I'm going to take it up with a kernel. My situation like this can get completely out of hand. You know, we're not here for our health. Mr. Jillson, come in and sit down. Oh, thank you, Colonel. Well, I suppose you know why I'm here. Yes, I do. I've been getting it from both ends. My men here at the base have been complaining about the people in town. We're good people, Colonel. We've got a long and honorable record of dealing with the Air Force. Something like 20,000 young men passed through this base during World War II. They came into our homes. Some of us have even got sons in the Air Force. Proud to have them there, too. But we've never had anything like this before. Well, realistically, just how bad is the roar? Well, I must admit, we haven't had anything like that first night when the whole squadron came in. Well, that was an exceptional night. We were coming in with bad weather, low cloud cover, and certain peculiar wind conditions. Um, but how about now? It's not quite as bad as that first night. I've been recording all the complaints that have come in. Most of them come from the Heights area north of town. I can understand that. It's on a direct line with our short runway. I've already given orders to restrict the number of takeoffs on that runway to an absolute minimum. Thank you, Colonel. I know you're trying to be as cooperative as you can, but still... Mr. Jillson, you're the head of the local merchants' association, and I'm going to put it to you straight. That's the way I like it. You know what I call that sound, the roar of the jets? I call it freedom's roar. Freedom's roar? That jet noise is the roar of freedom. You need it to survive. You need the jets, and you need the air defense command, all the air defense units around. Now, do you have about five extra minutes, Mr. Jillson? I'd like to show you something. I've got all afternoon, Colonel. Good. Now, take a look at this map here. It's a map that takes us over the North Pole. Now, see how this Arctic jet stream takes us down through here from these possible takeoffs. And that's it, Mr. Jillson. That's why I call it the roar of freedom. You see, we need you. We need the communities you live in to do our job well. We both need to be good neighbors, and like neighbors anywhere, part of that is your responsibility, and part of that is ours. But we are in a jet age, and we are in an age of thermonuclear weapons. Colonel, you opened my eyes here this afternoon to a great many facts I was never aware of. None of us ever stopped going to school, Mr. Jillson. I'd appreciate very much if you'd come and talk to our association. Tell them some of the same things you've been telling me. I'd be glad to, and you've given me a good idea. A very good idea. All right, gentlemen, at ease. Well, I guess you all know what's been happening in town. Well, gentlemen, anger is not the solution. I think we have a big job of community relations to do here in Wilton, all of us, winning over these people. Just relax and back off a bit. Try and recognize what these people feel. And then somewhere in between, we give a little, they give a little, and we'll have a real going concern and we can do the job we're here for. You are listening to the proudly-we-hail production Freedom's Roar. We'll return in just a moment for the second act. Are you interested in a career with a promising future? There are hundreds of jobs ranging from administration and accounting to electronics and construction open to you in the United States Air Force. A handy new 84-page booklet entitled Pocket Guide to Air Force Opportunities gives you the complete story. Everything pertinent to an Air Force enlistment is covered, from basic training to promotion and travel information. And there's a special section where more than 100 technical training courses are described and illustrated. For these and many other interesting facts on what the Air Force can mean to you, pick up your absolutely free copy of Pocket Guide to Air Force Opportunities from your nearest Air Force recruiting station. You're listening to Proudly We Hail and now we present the second act of Freedom's Roar. Hello, Mr. Jelson. Oh, evening, Lieutenant. I'm glad you could come. Thank you, sir. No, no, no. Don't bother with any money. Admissions free for the Air Force. Well, can I make a contribution to the Red Cross, at least? If you'd like. Where's the other young Lieutenant? On duty tonight? You're getting mighty familiar with our routine. I made it my business, too, and I'm glad I did. In fact, I think most of Wilton has come around to my way of thinking. An occasional plane or two at three o'clock in the morning can still be mighty disconcerting, but it's like anything else. You'll get used to it. I wish it were true of everyone. Miss Terry? Well, there are others, too. I don't know what's got to do with it. I've known her since she was a child, and I've never known her to say or do a mean thing to anyone. Well, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Jillson, I think I'll go and ask someone to dance. We're having some refreshments a little later. Why don't you go back into the kitchen and see how things are going, huh? The kitchen? Ah, I think one of the girls is back there preparing some things. Oh! Oh, the kitchen. Well, yes, I am a little thirsty, maybe I'll, uh, go back and get a drink of water. I wonder if I could have a drink of... Oh, I didn't know you were in here. There are some glasses in the sink there, Lieutenant. Be careful not to spill them. No, I changed my mind. I don't think I want any water. Well, then, Lieutenant, the dance is being held out there. Listen, I don't get it. Why are you sore at me? I think you're presuming a great deal more than is actually so. I wouldn't take the trouble to be sore at you. All right. Forget about it. Lieutenant, you forgot your cigarettes. You know, of all the egotistical, arrogant women I've ever met, you are the worst. If you think I like being in this town, you're mistaken. There are bases all over the world where guys are doing a job like mine and not having to go through a lot of unnecessary nonsense. The people know why we're there and are glad to have us. In fact, that's almost the case here in Wilton, except for you and your stubborn attitude. If I deserved that. I'm... I'm sorry. I'm terribly sorry. I... I didn't mean to blow up that way. Oh, it wasn't your fault. Look, all I want is an open mind and a chance to show you what we do and... and why we do it, okay? Okay. That's wonderful. Now, Tamara, I'd like to take you out to the airport. You know, the Air Force went into this problem of jet noise a little bit and wondered if the British had the same problem. See, the British have jets operating close to their communities, too, but they didn't. You know why? Well, the British learned the hard way. They learned with bombs dropping on their land. So jet noise is a welcome sound to them. Well, there it is. The F-86, the Sabre jet. Isn't it a beauty? It certainly is. They're running an exercise to see how long it takes to get airborne. Here, get back against the hangar wall. Now, you notice the doors opening, both the front and the back. As soon as they swing out of the way, it's okay to start. Now, there goes the engine. See the pilot? Oh, he looks like a man from Mars. No, that's his high-altitude suit and crash helmet. Now, you notice the crewmen up there helping him, strapping him in. Not a second lost. That's right. Every man knows his job perfectly. Now, he's getting the okay to roll. There he goes. I've never seen anything happen so fast. He should be completely airborne in a little over two minutes. I'm impressed. That's good. Not all done for fun, either. You know, there are pilots in the ready room 24 hours a day. And I guess you never do know when you go out what you're going out for. That's not exactly true, Terry. Oh, what do you mean? I think most of us know exactly what we're going out for. Where are you going again tonight? Oh, I got a date. Listen, boy, aren't you carrying this community relations thing a little farther than necessary? Hell, you know me when duty calls. Uh, you'll excuse me, sir. I'm late. All done. Hey, Stacy, you've got duty. Collins couldn't make it. Oh, I've got a date. Well, don't look at me, sonny boy. I'll be warming that ready room bench right next to you. Well, I guess the fates are against me. You know, I almost had her convinced. About yourself or the Air Force? Both. Sonny, not next week. Save the call for later. But I've got a call off my date. Tell it to the chaplain. Look, a half hour won't make that much difference. All right, I'm coming. But in this case, I'm not so sure. Not so sure of what? That it won't make that much difference. No, Marion, I don't mind sitting. I got stood up tonight. He's over half hour late now and he didn't call or anything. Well, I'm leaving now and I'll be over in about 10 minutes. You're sure you don't mind Lydia sitting with me? Well, I'll see you in about 10 minutes. What answers? That's the third time I've rung the number. Well, she probably saw you weren't coming, so she got herself another date. No, that's very funny. Look, there's nothing you can do about it now. I guess you're right. Oh, no, Billy was asleep when I got here. It's a terrible night. Looks like it's going to rain. Well, I started a fire in the fireplace. How romantic. Two old maids sitting around a fire. Incidentally, what are you all dressed up for? I had a date. Hey, that's right. I thought you did. What happened? It's simple enough. I got stood up. Did you try calling? Not on your life. Don't be so proud. If he's out corousing, you'll know soon enough. Macklin speaking. Oh, Jay, this is Terry. Is Stacy there? Yeah, sure. I'll call him. Hold it a second. He's there. I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. Hello, Terry. Oh, I've been trying to reach you. Well, I met my sisters. I'm babysitting. Look, one of the guys suddenly couldn't make it, and I had to take his place. I kept calling your house, and no one was there. Well, when I didn't hear from you, I didn't know what to think. Well, I wanted to call first thing, but I couldn't. I just couldn't. Terry, there were so many things I wanted to tell you tonight. Oh, I think I know how silly I was being mad about the sound of a plane. No, it was more than that. That's what I wanted. Terry, goodbye. I got to go. Hang up. Lydia, Lydia, I love him. So what's so strange about that? I've known it since that first day in the drugstore when he spilled that milkshake on you. Well, why didn't you tell me? That's one of those things that you have to find out for yourself. What time is it? What? You're looking at your watch. I just asked what time it is. You know it takes them little more than two minutes to get a plane airborne. I wondered about the unnatural interest in the time. Listen. To what? The jet roar. If they're using the short runway, the plane should go over the house. Will it be Stacy? I think so. Listen, do you hear it? I don't hear anything. It's Billy. The plane is awakened, Billy. Let him cry. He'll go back to sleep in a minute. This is Paul Prince. Go ahead, Paul Prince. Checking in, awaiting your instructions. Roger. You have a bogey bearing 310. 75 miles. Vector 165. Bogey bearing 320. 10 miles. Vector 178. Bogey bearing 320. 5 miles. You should be able to pick them up on your screen now. I'm getting lots of interference. Going in for a visual sighting now. Fight as trans-America airliner 1632. Roger, Paul Prince. Return to base. It's been since the plane went over the house. About an hour. You're so sure it's Stacy. Oh, I know it is. He would have called me back by now. There it is. He's coming back. You must be in love. I don't hear a thing. Now? I keep waiting for Billy to wake up. Oh, he won't now. He knows exactly what the sound is and that it won't hurt. He knows that it's only there to protect him. He knows it's the roar of freedom. Opportunities by the hundreds. They're opening now in the United States Air Force. You can take advantage of these opportunities and build yourself a highly rewarding career. In the Air Force, you'll find a specialized career to suit every aptitude and interest. And believe me, you'll get the world's finest technical training. When you graduate, you'll be a proud member of this high-flying defense team. Now is the time to get complete information on a career in the United States Air Force. Visit your local Air Force recruiting station or your nearest Air Force base today for complete information on how you can wear the Air Force Blue. 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 Air Force, and this is Mark Hamilton speaking, inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on Proudly We Hail.