 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 for your army and your Air Force to bring you this story as proudly we hail the United States Air Force story is entitled follow the leader this is the story of a combat leader in Korea Major Jeremy Partridge squadron commander of the 51st fighter interceptor squadron and all the officers and men who served under him our first act curtain will rise in just a moment but first how would you like to be a kingpin on the air crew of the United States Air Force plane that's the navigator he's an aircraft observer a commissioned officer and he gets there by enlisting in the aviation cadets it's a great life but only men young in spirit and years can fill this exacting job if you can qualify your advanced training by the Air Force will turn you into a first-class navigator then you'll be a kingpin on the aircraft team you'll be equipped with the finest navigation tools known to aerial science see what your chances are for joining the aviation cadets of the United States Air Force full details are available at your nearest recruiting station or Air Force base and now your army and your Air Force present the proudly we hail production follow the leader being a squadron commander especially in combat in Korea is like nothing else in the world though a squadron is the smallest component of the Air Force if you are the CEO you're responsible daily for the lives and welfare of close to 200 men 38 of them combat jet fighter pilots not to mention millions of dollars worth of material and equipment including 25 expensive and delicate saber jets hour by hour through the long day your decisions affect the lives of the men serving under you for nothing is more important than that those men will be happy and do the job expected of them your day starts pretty much as anyone's anywhere 6 30 a.m. just about the same time the stateside commuters are hitting the deck to catch trains to their offices maybe they hear birds outside their windows you here in Korea you hear another kind of burden your birds f86 saber jets being warmed up for their days flight north to me galley your day started this day will probably be no different than any other in your tour no better no worse but it's going to be a long one and you've got to be on the ball every minute but first you take a few minutes out to read a letter from home from your wife you were half asleep when you read it last night and you hardly know what it said my darling chair I was just awakened by little simpsons crying for a morning bottle you can set your watch by that dependable darling little red he's inhaling away madly now and I have one of the few chances in the day to write big news since he's about to walk she stands daggers a moment then falls with a resounding crash quite astonished at what she's been doing I must send you another picture of her soon she's growing into quite the little lady today will be a busy one for us here since he must go to the doctor for a checkup and Billy needs a haircut so it but you don't have time to finish the letter not now right now you've got your squadron to look after so you put the letter and your thoughts of home in your pocket grab chow and jeep down the flight line first thing you want to know about is the fragmentary order a daily order from Fifth Air Force 8th Army Joint Operations Center telling each squadron what its missions for the day will be it's 700 hours when you step into the operation shack to check with your right-hand man ops officer major Charles Fitzsimmons morning skipper I fits what's in the frag order for us today practically the same as last night just one change joc sent over a correction this morning affirmative there's so 900 mission here escort for fighter bombers eight of us to cover for them 86 is a hitting railroad bridge across a chinam pole between Sinan Jew and Andrew that shouldn't be too much sweat there now there's other missions patrol in the yellow makes today I hope so I'll be leading let's see I'll shift the flight commander and leave sims and Mandel in one element and then and T flying in your wing T one of the new boys you finished his combat training up a group already graduated clobber college yesterday this would be his first mission north good deal I picked the right flight then I could check these new boys out myself whenever I get a chance how's the pilot roster look pretty good too grounded by the surgeon nothing serious so that gives us 35 pilots minus four being rotated back until we get those four new boys out of training pilots okay but with planes we got a little problem now let's see your aircraft status report from here right here see same as when you checked it yesterday afternoon none put in commission since then no still only 16 and two of those you've assigned a group training squadron has ordered right that's right along with two of our instructor pilots to train the replacements so we got 14 planes for days missions can do with 14 planes but we ought to have more just in case engineering says they're doing the best they can and we all are but we can do better let's talk to the engineering officer and get the poop on all these down check aircraft he's a good man Rizio as course he is but maybe he's got a problem we can help him lick let's see him yo score on these out of commission planes well lack of parts mostly just look at my board a OCP a OCP a OCP written next to half the planes aircraft out of commission parts parts of tech supplies job lieutenant gaten says he can't get the parts I'll see Kate on that but say look at your board a flight six aircraft in a flight and only one in commission yeah I was on my way to tell you about that well then not all a OCP to a hundred hour checks routine maintenance what's holding them up the flight chief sergeant Bochak Bochak he's our best and CEO was family problems got him fouled up now why doesn't he talk to someone before he gets everyone fouled up he will major I talked him into seeing you he requests a personal interview for this afternoon okay tell Bochak I'll see him 1500 mile major I wouldn't be too rough on the guy something must really be eating him if something is eating him there's only one thing I want to do help him like this he's no good to anyone himself for squadron or the Air Force Kate and engineering says you tech supply people can't seem to come up with the parts to keep our aircraft in commission trying major but the parts we need a scarce how do they expect us to get these planes in the air if they won't give us the parts steady for those are jets out there not Jenny's can't patch him up with bailing wire and adhesive tape each of them is as delicate as a Swiss watch and these just as delicate parts keep running but the parts where are they don't you realize the supply problem from the factory in the States all the way over here each of those parts has to go some 10,000 miles by train boat and plane to get to the particular aircraft that needs it see what you mean that's another thing sure we could send half those planes up right now that we've got safety standards we value the pilot's life we want the plane to take him to his job and bring him back thinking about parts I'd forgotten all in all it looks like an insurmountable problem impossible but how does that saying go the difficult we do it once the impossible takes a little longer that's it now about tracking down the parts I'll try group again and some of the other squadron I'll tell you what for some of the other groups in the area if you have any more trouble I'll be at my office sergeant ask captain Quimby to come into my office captain Quimby is your adjutant as your administrative assistant and personnel officer he helps you keep the squadron running smoothly while you wait for him you take a few minutes out to read that letter from your wife and the beautiful television set you gave me before you went overseas is quite worthless at the moment the new apartment has only DC current and since the set only works on AC electrical terms are the TV man all sorts of extra parts are needed converter inverter I've forgotten which aerial and so forth I'm shop around and find some that aren't too expensive but they're so hard to want to be major huh oh yes a couple of things to go over sure I'll be back at 1430 there's some things you can take care of while I'm in briefing and in the air sergeant Bocek flight chief of a flight will be here to see me at 1500 if I'm still in debriefing hold him here for me what's Bocek's problem and I'll find out this afternoon he requested a personal interview I got another personal problem for you airman Smith oh yes his allotment to his wife it seems Smith's wife is gonna have a baby so she can't work anymore she needs more money so Smith increased his allotment last month so you got a letter from her she hasn't gotten the extra money yet oh for crying out loud it hasn't really had time to go through yet I know I know but Smith is worried well I don't blame him all right let's get on us give the finance clerk all the dope tell him to send a tracer immediately to finance division then well do and about tomorrow's monthly briefing of airmen on last month's squadron activities yes arranged to get used to the briefing room for tomorrow afternoon right what will you cover in the meeting I got a list here on my desk someplace here it is these will have to be prepared number of enemy aircraft destroyed by squadron number of trucks tanks troops and locomotives without a commission battle damage suffered by our pilots you know the usual give the boys an idea what they and their squadron are doing right now when you work as hard as they do you want to know how it all adds up and I want them to know they're in the best squadron and Far East Air Force number one think they know that already major seeing you reminds them every day oh well yes be sure to note that Captain Dawson got his fifth MIG last month that makes him a jet ace I'll take care of it it's 1100 now so you grab an early child check again about those down the aircraft and then go to be brief for the mission patrol along the yellow means you'll be MIG hunting and MIGs will be hunting you when it's over you see Lieutenant Tigg the new boy who's going to fly your wing today Lieutenant Lieutenant Tigg won me major all set for the mission as soon as we leap off the better real tiger and I've been waiting for this since I was 10 and you've got the spirit kid but don't be over eager it can cost you I understand sir you got the best jet fighter training in the world now you're gonna use it just stay close on my wing do what you're told and keep your eyes open we'll do see okay let's go upstairs you are listening to the proudly we hail production follow the leader we'll return in just a moment for the second act how many of you young fellows go down to your nearest city airport on a Sunday afternoon and watch the planes come in and take off when you see the planes gliding down under their landing strips do you marvel at the skill of the pilots who fly them and when you see the planes take off and disappear into the horizon do you watch them out of sight wishing you were there at the controls there's no more need for any of that wishful thinking if you've got what it takes to be an aviation cadet in the United States Air Force you too can fly the big silver birds you have to be young enough and smart enough and well enough if you want to qualify as an aviation cadet only the best are accepted your local recruiting station or nearest Air Force base can give you all the information you are listening to proudly we hail and now we present the second act of follow the leader some 20 minutes later you're upstairs the four plane V of your flight and lancing through enemy skies at more than 500 miles an hour racing through the heart of a pale blue staked out battleground seven miles up your head swiveling constantly in the cockpit your eyes searching each quadrant of the sky desperately for this is may galley you check with your flight first calling your young wingman take Cocoa to stay in there close in my wing now settle down Roger Cocoa leader keep looking at me but keep flicking your eyes past me to the sky high on my port got it Cocoa to affirmative Cocoa leader well do got it Cocoa flight keep the sky covered Roger Cocoa leader Red Radar has probably picked us up by now so keep your eyes peeled they'll try to bounce us from above Roger Cocoa leader right telly ho bandits nine o'clock very high I see them eat them Cocoa Roger I have them in sight haven't spotted us yet they will Cocoa to hold tight where you are I'll give the call for us to break into them Roger Cocoa leader Cocoa three move your element out a little so we can maneuver Roger Cocoa leader Cocoa flight going to 96 for a climb we'll make the interception at angels 40 and starting their run okay men hold tight till I give the word then break sharp left and up into them steady now now break like a well-drilled team your flight breaks sharply up and into the down slanting minks as they're glowing cannon shells curve harmlessly to where you were and then another screaming turn and half roll brings a lone meek floating fat in your sights and you let go of your clippings negative Cocoa leader you blasted this rudder he's starting to smoke as your chance kit finish him off Cocoa for let's join up on Cocoa leader dive after him Cocoa to don't lose him I'm right behind you makes chickened out Cocoa for don't take these hot new savers Cocoa to watch him he's breaking away but now takes traces of pouring in on target and suddenly they make flames and ugly red staggers in midair like a hit bird then comets earthwood you sure did boy nice shooting Cocoa leader this is Cocoa 3 joining up on you low on fuel Roger Cocoa 3 time we return to pigeon and pancake Cocoa 3 Cocoa 2 got myself a big haha what do you know gotta call the kid eager to with something I just got that save it Cocoa to we got to get home first on the ground you clamor out of your plane and hurry from the flight line past young Teague with an excited ground crew clustered about him as he demonstrates with his hands how he got his first mate into intelligence for debriefing change from your flight gear and then into your office the pilot's day is virtually done you're just half through yours the time almost 1500 you've got couple of minutes to read that letter I spent a wonderful weekend with mother let the children with Mary Colonel Mac Davis wife and flew up to Washington the plane trip was a dream whenever I fly I feel somehow that I'm closer to you but I understand better a part of you I rarely see otherwise of course I know the flying you do is quite different that's a major well no yes Quimby Sergeant Bocek is here oh 1500 yeah he's prompt anyway let's see why he's not so prompt with his aircraft sentiment right thank you sir master Sergeant Bocek a flight reporting is instructed sir at ease sergeant come over here sit down thank you sir cigarette Bocek yeah thanks sir you are light up a smoke may help that worried look you've got thanks major but it'll take more than that Lieutenant Caten tells me something's bothering you lately so much you can't do your work yeah guess so major now we all have some kind of worries thing is sometimes they get too big to handle alone guess that's me major minor king size right now I suppose you tell me about it all right well major it's sort of a well your head spill it and when I help you if I can you know that I know major you you helped plenty guys in the squadron so well it's my wife oh yeah she's sick real sick she doesn't tell me how sick in her letters but I know she's hurting real bad I might just as well be on another planet to help I can be to her where I am now you sure she's sick Bocek not just no no no major it's nothing like that see my mother's whether she she sort of hit something's wrong with mother they all sort of hit nothing you can put your finger on but I know some mother needs me all right now take it easy son I tell you major sometimes I just think I'm going to flip I keep thinking about taking off trying to get state side somehow I don't know how but somehow I Bocek don't hit the panic button there's always a way out you and I will figure it if you only could major there's a way we can find out about your wife well how's that we'll have the base red cross representatives and the wire right away to your hometown red cross we'll have the ungarbled word for you before breakfast is that a deal it's a deal major I I don't know how to thank you forget it and really forget it get your system to take over a flight for you and hit the sack major the replacement pilots are here here I thought they weren't due to tomorrow maybe but they're waiting to meet you in the briefing room now all right let's get on the stick then see what kind of material we drew this time and hut all right at ease men he seated smoke if you wish a gentleman a major partner at your co they call me the old man just like every other squadron commander but I'm still not old enough to like it and first welcome to the 51st fighter interceptor squadron we're glad to see you especially the pilots who you'll be replacing so they can be rotated home after their hundred missions now make it brief for you first I'm sure you want to know how soon you'll climb into a saber jet the answer is a few days second you want to know how soon you'll tangle with migs well that won't be until you've gone through training squadron here I know I know some of you've been in training 18 months or more already but you've still got things to learn up to date things you didn't get at Nellis you've got to learn the area the latest mig tactics are tactics familiarize yourself thoroughly with the saber which is every bit as hot as you've heard and all that takes time and work before we can afford to send you north to me galley and make no mistake about it on the other side of the yellow red pilots just like you are going through the same thing but the training you've already got and will now get pays off better than theirs we've got a 15 to 1 edge over them and planes knocked down even though they outnumber us many times over and always outnumber us in the air I'll turn you over to your operations officer now major fit Simmons and he'll give you the straight poop first good luck it's 1600 hours now so you call the engineering officer into your office for probably the most important meeting of the day the aircraft status report how many planes will be in commission for tomorrow uh 13 the way I figure it major 13 didn't you get any planes in commission today yeah but battle damage knocked out several what kind of damage can it be fixed in a hurry with about 12 hours work maybe I'm positive tomorrow's frag order will require more aircraft than today maybe as many as 16 you've got to send those two planes again tomorrow up the group for the training squadron now that means we need at least 18 planes and we ought to have a couple of spares those artificial horizons will put two back in commission when we install them the battle damage planes could be repaired but I know I know your engineering people have been working 24 hour duty periods too much this month it's rough to ask them to work all night again so soon that's it sure is rough sergeant major get me captain quimby right here major oh you heard yes rizio's right those engineering joes are hurting for some rest yes we all are but it can't be helped we've got to get those planes in the air tomorrow understand with our commitments from higher headquarters there's no other way out engineering has got to work all night again tonight if rizio could pick some of his men who haven't drawn 24 hour duty and do there aren't many though even then they won't like it you think I like to ask him to do this I know you don't major I knock myself out to have a happy efficient squadron and all that gets clobbered when I turn around and I have to slave drive the boys I'll understand they know that's just the way the ball box for this squadron to perform its mission tomorrow so the group can perform its mission and wing can perform its mission those planes must be in commission 24 hour duty it's our only out I'll uh get on the right away and good quimby check with the mess hall tell them to make sure those engineering boys get a good hot meal at midnight another chance to read that letter from your wife my darling I hope you're getting these daily letters is mine and that they mean as much to you as to me but this is the only way I have of holding on to you and then the paperwork begins official letters to be read in written directives to be read in files orders to be written and posted to commanding general fifth air force through commanding officer 67 fighter interceptor group from commanding officer 51st fighter interceptor squadron subject requisition for airmen one regard the subject of letter this unit will rotate 32 airmen in the next 30 days the children miss you terribly too even little Cynthia who only knows about you from your picture Billy is a cub scout now and wants to go away to camp he was unhappy when I told him he had to stay home to be the man of the family but now he's quite brave and quite proud about it three day passes will be given to airmen who are doing meritorious service and finally the paperwork gets done and you're off to the nco club where the top three graded sergeants are having a little party you're dead tired but they expressly invited you and you can't let them down you shoot the breeze in a while and then you're off to chow well how do we do on the day's missions fits good score fighter bomber missions plastered the bridge across chinam poem miggs two tiggs and yours and jackson got one earlier all we do is well tomorrow we will if we get those aircraft in the commission's knife then to the officer's club hi major well my mig clobbering wingman we really nailed him didn't nice shooting boy you know he did break like you said it was a 30 degree deflection shot from the way you started you're gonna have a good tour teague but uh don't let it go to your head oh not me major and was just my first lesson so now what did you learn listen to the major and follow the leader stretched out on your cot really beat trying to keep your eyes open while you finish reading your wife's letter and so that's all for tonight darling all I love from the three who miss you terribly but especially your wife yes yes who is it oh yes yes come in sorry to wake you sir okay what's up a frag order from joc for tomorrow's missions just came in at 2200 oh all right let's have a look looks like it's going to be one of our biggest days all those missions yes so I see now engineering better deliver those planes tomorrow incidentally we've got a wire from usaf headquarters washington about sergeant bocek oh what's it say red cross and you say I recommend his immediate reassignment to base nearest home for compassionate reasons wife very ill now go over and tell bocek to pack his bags we'll get him on the first plane leaving tomorrow morning Roger sir oh seem to have dropped the letter on the floor when you fell asleep oh that's her never mind I can see it from here good night captain night major your wife Joanne well it took all day to read your letter Joanne I don't know when I'll be able to write learn to fly serve your country in the air be an aviation cadet you'll get the finest aviation training in the world from the united states air force if you're accepted to qualify you must be single be between 19 and 26 and a half years old and be otherwise qualified if you can meet the test join the world's best join the aviation cadets when you successfully complete your training you'll win your wings and become a commissioned officer for complete details visit your local recruiting station or your nearest air force base make flying your future 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 united states air force recruiting service this is kenneth banghardt speaking inviting you to tune in the same station next week for another interesting story on proudly we hail