 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 for your army and your Air Force to bring you this story as proudly we hail the United States Army our story is entitled a as in army be as in boy this is the story of a remarkable collaboration that resulted in an extraordinary man our first that curtain will rise in just a moment but first one golden hour filled with 60 diamond minutes that's an expression often used to illustrate all too well that time is one of our most precious commodities if you're a young man of service age you can put that time to highly profitable use for yourself and your country by taking advantage of your United States Army's technical training program thousands of alert intelligent young men are now receiving specialized training worth thousands of dollars in such interesting career fields as photography communications and electronics just to name a few and these are courses they themselves chose now if you're a high school graduate you can take a qualifying examination and have a reserved seat in the course of your choice so don't waste time use it wisely in building a good paying technical career full information consult the friendly people at your nearest United States Army recruiting station and now your army and your Air Force present the proudly we hail production a as in army be as in boy certain Sergeant Bolton will probably always remember a certain hot summer afternoon of several years ago nothing world shaking occurred on that afternoon no monumental pronouncements were made in the seething capitals of the world the second world war was over but the army still showed a large part of the responsibility of securing the peace men were needed enlistments were encouraged induction centers still functioned it was in one of these induction centers that Sergeant Bolton met an individual whom he will certainly never forget a cloud this test please oh sure thing great day in the morning all those boys sure do stare at a body all right all right back to your work men sit on my clouds oh thank you it's uh that thing loaded my squirrel rifle nose that's good 22 isn't it that's right sir mature has got me some good squirrel stews well you won't be needing it for a while now we'll give you a new one well I'll be a dog you fell is going to give me a new rifle that and a whole lot of other things but first we have some paperwork now let's see which full name Nathaniel McLeod what's yours sergeant Bolton never knew nobody with the first name a sergeant before right nice your address just the McLeod place on pretty pine hill mm-hmm no RFD number who knows it don't need it everybody knows the McLeod place oh I see well just where is pretty pine hill you ain't never been up in the smoky mountains again no never had any particular reason to go reasons to come up there is hard to come by aspect ain't nothing to see but skinny dogs and razor back hogs who's your nearest to kin pa he ain't much of a sight though him and them jugs of corn he ain't been worth the salt since Maude I age I reckon I'm just about 18 they're about mm-hmm education had little school in a year or two after Maude died parted and let me go no more how old were you when you quit I don't rightly know sergeant recognize about oh knee high to a bird dog well can you read and write my cloud not much sergeant I always wanted you though I was thought I was missing something I was gonna feel now was put here for more and just shooting squirrels and growing some scrawny corn and hiding them jugs from Paul I see it's a strong feeling sergeant been noticing it lately quite a lot inside of me you know yes yes I do know McLeod well maybe something can be done about it I sure admire that how tall are you McLeod about a couple of hoe handles high you know how much away about as much two gunny sacks of black-eyed peas the big gunny sacks I dare say oh yes of the big one well I can get those figures from your physical report I didn't pull me oh yes captain come in a muck come in a moment please right away sir McLeod you wait right here huh I ain't going nowhere sergeant I like it here yes captain two things first the orders just came through transferring me to the command of a new company looks like I'm gonna get my wish after all congratulations sir I'm gonna request you as part of the new cadre probably can get you a t-rating to all that'll be fine captain thanks not at all your first rate man and that's what I want now the second thing is what is that you're interviewing out there well I hadn't quite been able to find out yet captain I know he's about two hoe handles high he weighs about as much as a couple of sacks of black-eyed peas the big sacks and he brought his own squirrel rifle I thought I'd seen everything I haven't been able to figure out whether he's stupid or just naive maybe you better bring him in here sergeant bring his papers to yes okay come with me McLeod sure thing you know captain Ward this is Nathaniel McLeod right pleased to make your quaint and sir hear the papers captain all right here's a pen McLeod sign your name right there on the bottom line yes sir an X you can't write your own name no sir Seymour died before she got a chance to teach me but she said the ABCs to me once and I had never forgotten him now if I knew how to put them letters together you mean you heard your mother recite the alphabet only once and you remember it oh yes sir she recited the 23rd Psalm to me once too I say it every night before I go to bed she only recited it one time and you remembered it yes ma always said I had a good ear I'm like you sergeant I hardly know what to think well say you ain't gonna turn me down are you captain my man I can hit a squirrel in the eye clean across the holler and I'll work hard and learn the other things ma always said I was awful fast to learn physically he's perfect captain well I had never been sick in my whole life all right sergeant finish the paper work on him and assign him I'm going over to headquarters and find out something more than I already know about the army information and education program yes sir who knows I may be entering one of the most interesting phases of my whole army career sergeant Bolton reporting to the captain as ordered sir he's sharp and a store bought straight edge Amy you'll be a sharp one day McLeod sure admire that sir good now you wait outside McLeod and close the door after you please yes sir did the rest of the men give him a rough time in the barracks last night well they started in you know kidding him about his clothes no shoes bringing his squirrel rifle with him I thought they might was the usual horseplay but he turned the tables on him so fast I don't think they knew what happened how in the simplest way you could imagine sir he admired their clothes their watches their their store bought things and he did it in such a genuine manner that they became a little ashamed of themselves I guess my lights out he was buddy buddy with all of them telling them stories about hunting with bird dogs singing little hillbilly songs I never saw such an exhibition of complete adaptability in my life my hunch is right we may see some even more amazing things I yanked him from the formation this morning because those men are going over to T7 for the classification test yes so what I want you to do is to take McLeod through the rest of his processing get him outfitted and then after lunch take him to T28 and sit with him while our whack gives him that new army intelligence test and let me know what it reveals it'll reveal plenty captain I took it when they asked for volunteers and it's the best I ever saw well you ought to know you majored in education didn't you yes sir all right private McLeod go with Sergeant Bolton private McLeod oh that sure sounds right good all right McLeod Sergeant Bolton would you well what I what would you call me private sir all right I'll call you private if you won't call me sir now what size shoe do you wear I don't rightly know ain't never had a pair of shoes okay pick up those buckets of sand and step up here now let's see you take size 13 C Wow what size pants private McLeod I'm particular Sergeant just those of these pants maybe you aren't particular but the army is all right hold still I'll measure waist 28 length 36 you are a long drink of water boy I got a name Sergeant please don't call me boy like my pa always did huh I'm sorry private McLeod shirt much a blast I mean what size don't rightly know Ma always made them out of flower sacks okay hold still 16 neck 36 sleeve man I never thought I'd live to see the day when I had me four pairs of store-bought pants and underwear underwear if I ain't a real dude now Corporal Henderson yes Sergeant I guess this is McLeod I'm private McLeod oh title happy no no it's just that everything's so new oh I think well private McLeod if you'll sit in that chair opposite me please yes and you there Sergeant please a little to the back of him so any movement you might make won't distract it right now private McLeod you're going to be working against time I have a stopwatch here a watch that I can start and stop so I can tell just how long it takes you to work out each problem the faster you're working out the better is that clear yes all right now here's the first problem this block of wood has different shape holes in it and I'm supposed to put them pieces of wood into them hold yes that's exactly right can I ask you something man certainly can I use both hands you mean you can use your left hand just as easily as you'll use your right always have well then by all means use both hands private thank you ma'am and if you don't mind ma'am I feel more relaxed if I could take my shoes off of well of course this may be one of the most interesting tests I've ever given I wouldn't be a bit surprised corporal I wouldn't be a bit surprised you are listening to the proudly we hail production a is an army be as in boy our story will continue in just a moment after this important message the future belongs to those who prepare for it in today's highly specialized age that old adage has more meaning than ever before if you're a young man of service age you can build yourself a wonderful future by taking advantage of the new technical training program of your United States Army under this new plan you can train in the specialized course of your choice in the world's best technical training schools and there are 88 courses to choose from now here's how it works if you're a high school graduate you can apply for the type of army training you want if you qualify and a vacancy exists a reserved seat in the course of your choice will be set aside for you before you enlist otherwise you're not enlisted or committed to a thing I suggest that you talk it over with the friendly people at your nearest United States Army recruiting station they'll tell you how you can get free technical training worth thousands of dollars and now your army and your Air Force continued the proudly we hail production a is in army b as in boy the afternoon war on and building t-28 where private Nathaniel McLeod was taking the new army intelligence test and with the completion of each portion of the test not experienced a sense of satisfaction that was almost totally new to him a feeling of accomplishment that lifted him and at the same time drove him to greater concentration and faster thinking for each succeeding part of the test finally it was over the white corporal leaned back in her chair looked at Matt and then she looked meaningfully at Sergeant Bolton that had a broad grin on his face and after a moment he could contain himself no longer oh lordy lordy I ain't never never in my life felt so all fired good Sergeant Bolton are you positive there's no mistake well I saw it with my own eyes captain it's really extraordinary isn't it to think that out of the pine woods in the back country would come a nearly illiterate boy who turns out to be a genius with an IQ of 182 captain he's into geometry now he's spending his spare time at the motor pool the men are teaching him to take a Jeep engine apart and put it together again on the rifle range a hundred out of a hundred never been gigged yet he's always the sharpest soldier in the formation he's beginning to read books on engineering he's ready for his army extension courses he has come a long way yes private Nathaniel McLeod had come a long way fast and the more he learned the more he wanted to learn his appetite was insensible his energy unflagging a year past no matter where he was there was always a book in his pocket or in his pack or in his hand on a hike on a bivouac in a chow line or on a troopship to Germany his outfit was said overseas as part of the army of occupation and there his learning took a different turn yes ma'am do you have a German primer in the library are you mean a book for a beginner oh yes ma'am that's what I mean yes we have one it's in German and English but but I yes ma'am well German's a very difficult language unless you're taking a class I reckon I can find somebody to help me ma'am you see I'm getting my high school education through the army extension course you know I do all my lessons by man yes I know so many of the boys are taking advantage of that I think it's and he's quite wonderful would you care to have me help well I wouldn't want to take up your time my name is and Douglas post librarian I speak fluent German and I'd be glad to help you well thank you ma'am thank you very kindly I guess we could start in right now if you remind you you don't want to waste any time do you sergeant no ma'am I wasted too much time already months during which an amazed and Douglas watches private Nathaniel McLeod master the rudiments of German grammar with astonishing rapidity more months pass and his progression into classic German is just as rapid then one day but not what's the occasion why a present for me it's a sort of thank you for teaching me German and I'm sure sorry the lessons have to stop I don't understand that I re-enlisted like I said I was going to and you've been reassigned is that it yeah now look at me you volunteered for Korea didn't you yes ma'am I'm very proud of you now my buddy sergeant Bolton he's going to very glad of that very glad of course I'm sorry the lessons have to stop to even though there's very little more I could teach you about what about the German language that is what do you mean I never mind I have a present for you to net I wasn't going to give it to you just yet but now I will you're remember that Sunday we went for a boat ride on the river and you told me you decide to be an engineer yeah I just finished my course in trigonometry and got a 99 in it misspelled isosceles in the final exam well here it is your present I'm told it's the finest book ever written on the theory of engineering it's a classic text in the original German it's never been translated into English gosh Anna well I guess I better get going the Bolton's waiting outside for me wait now we just ain't oh we just ain't everything okay yeah I reckon only it's a funny thing she kissed me and didn't look like she was going to cry oh one do I on that my boy there are some things you can't learn from books coffee sure does taste good yep sure does hey Bolton do you know why we're being pulled back yeah I think we're being rotated home replacements are coming up and I understand the general may be along here this morning to spark a new drive now that you cleaned off that hill that was nothing they just made me mad oh if I'm in the army a hundred years I'll never know a wilder reason for attacking an enemy position single-handed I never saw a man so hey wait a minute this may be the general you better get your shoes on your home my coffee yes sure like they say you can take the boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of the boy catch what congratulates you men on a job well done you deserve the highest praise certainly another cup of coffee now who is the man that cleaned out that enemy position right here sir it was sergeant McLeod sir well good work sergeant excellent thank you sir I'll personally see that you receive a citation sir yes what is it sergeant I I don't deserve a citation sir why not well sir they made me mad good I'm glad they did how'd they do it they shut up my book sir your book what book this one sir sergeant do you mean to tell me you're reading this study on the theory of engineering in German I was sir till they shot it off he was reading it for the second time general well now I've seen everything McLeod when you get back to your area you report to me at headquarters yes sergeant McLeod reporting to the general is ordered sir at ease sergeant yes sir McLeod I like you I'm to go home I've reached retirement age and in all my years in and out of the army I've seen only one other copy of that theory of engineering you were reading it was in the library of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology they tell me something you understand it not all of it sir it's amazing enough that you were reading it let alone understanding and in the light of your background it's almost unbelievable I have your records here and I've studied yes sir now the manner in which you've conducted yourself during your army career has I dare say hardly been equal at least not in my experience now when you get home you'll be discharged if that's your choice I'd like to know what your plans are well sir I guess I'd like to go to school general to college you want to be an engineer I take it that's right sir are you an engineer sir yes I'd like to see you go to the same school that I did the Massachusetts Institute of Technology I think it's the best now what's more you can use your GI Bill of Rights to cover your tuition so there's nothing that I'd like better than that but do you think I can get in I know I could if I'd had a high school education before I get into the army if you'd had a high school education before you got into the army I hesitate to think what your record and show I could have done more I could have gone further sir well there's no question McLeod as it is however you'll probably have to take special entrance examinations maybe even be tutored in certain subjects where you're deficient nevertheless the minute you hit the states you apply on the GI Bill I'll take it from there yes well now I feel better I was lying awake last night wondering how I was going to make the next year's amount to something now I have a very important mission what sir you my boy you nostalgic to sit here on the campus again and hear the same old clock gentlemen it was sure good of you to come up here and get me started right I'll never be able to repay you for all you've done I like to help those who help themselves in that I brought your present this seems the right time to give it since you're starting your first class tomorrow morning general you've already done so much here it is the same slide rule I used when I went to school here I don't know what to say general use it well I have signed with an engineering firm as consultant now when you're through and graduated cum laude no doubt I want to see that you get a fine job with an unlimited future so make me proud of your that's what I want to do sir but don't plan on me for that job general you see the army took me out of the backwards put shoes on my feet gave me every chance in the world to learn to realize myself as a man I think the least I can do in repayment is to apply for a commission in the engineers and try to discharge some of the obligation that I feel so deeply that you have made me proud of you I knew you'd understand how I felt Lieutenant Nathaniel McLeod that's going to sound fine yes well we'd better be getting over to the chapel general Bolton and Anne must be there by now have a license oh yes and the ring yes what's the matter well I I was just thinking Mrs. Nathaniel McLeod oh that's gonna sound right good attention high school graduates get on the freedom team today by volunteering for enlistment in the United States Army you can help America save the peace and save freedom to buy enlisting today full details at your nearest United States Army recruiting station this has been another program on proudly we hail presented and transcribe in cooperation with this radio station proudly we hail is produced by the recruiting publicity Center for the United States Army and the United States Air Force recruiting service this is Mark Hamilton speaking inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on proudly we have