 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 to bring you this story, as proudly we hail the United States Army. Our story is entitled, We Are Twelve. This is a narrative of an even dozen men on a patrol in Korea, and how one of them, a private Matt Jensen, goes through his first experience of enemy action, and comes through it a better man and a better soldier. As proudly we hail the men of the Eighth Army. Our first act curtain will rise in just a moment. But first, young man, when you volunteer for service in the United States Army, you can rest assured that your best talents and natural skills will be considered in giving you an assignment to your liking. Yes, today's modern army fits the right men to the right jobs, and real merit is recognized with faster promotions and more opportunities. Now, more than ever, men with above-average ability are finding better jobs, more important assignments in the United States Army. Investigate an army enlistment for yourself today, and find out just what you stand to gain. Well, information is available at your nearest United States Army recruiting station. And now your United States Army presents the proudly we hail production, we are 12. It's a warm hazy summer morning. A few stubborn birds still cling to their homes in the bullet-torn trees of the Korean hillside, singing away as if a war had not come to rest to strive the orchards and rice paddies of their valleys. For in July 1952, the Korean War has stabilized itself into a kind of fighting not known since the days of World War I. Bunkers, trenches, and no man's land in between two opposing lines. You aren't singing, however, Private Matt Jensen. Korean hills have a way of taking the wind out of a young man just reporting to his company near the main line of resistance. Or the MLR, as the men of Baker Company call it. Hey, buddy. Hey, which way is the orderly room, Bunker? Are you just reporting in? Yeah. Hi. How long have you been over? Korea, about two weeks. We're giving us some final training over these hills. Well, in Korea, there's only just two directions, up the hill and down the hill. Where you want to go is about 100 yards further up. There's a sign under the camouflage netting. You'll see it. Thanks. I say how long does it take a man to get used to climbing these hills? You don't get used to it, buddy. You just get the way you can do it. Well, I figure. Well, thanks again. Hey, it easy. Right. I think it easy itself. Joke with me, boy. I'm an old man. If I make this 100 yards, then I'll think about taking it easy. You'll be surprised at things a man can do. Yes, Matt, you'll be surprised. Maybe surprised at the wrong word, but you'll certainly be educated. And it's an education that really pays if you pass the tests. And here's where you enroll in the course. It's cool and dim inside the log and dirt bunker. How many first sergeants have you reported to in your time, Private Matthew Jensen? Private Matthew Jensen? Right, Sarge. First off, welcome to Baker Company. We're glad to see you, believe me. I won't hold you up here, though. You get to your squad, you get your real orientation. You'll be with the first squad, Fourth Platoon. Your squad leader is Sergeant Dave Reese. He's one of the best, an old soldier and a professional. Watch him. You'll learn a lot. Right, Sarge. How do I get there? Up the hill, Fourth Bunker. Stay off the skyline now. Let that be your first piece of advice in Baker Company. It's a good one. Don't worry, Sergeant. If there's anybody I'm going to be sure to watch out for, it's me. Well, ask for Reese when you get there. We'll get you squared away and settled out. Good deal, Sarge. Thanks. Right, and good luck, Jensen. Sarge and I was born lucky. Yeah, well, don't push it. Stay off the skyline. You don't want to die lucky. Four bunkers up and ask for Reese. Bunkers. Underground log caverns where you cover the one opening with chicken wire to keep the comies from rolling a grenade into your lap some nights. But GI ingenuity can do a lot. A stove made from an empty oil drum with empty shell casings for a stove pipe. Bunks made by weaving communications wire over a framework of branches. Not bad for Korea. At least you can sleep off the ground. So this is going to be home for a while, Matt, and these are going to be your family. Hi, Sergeant Reese around. That's me. Yes, you must be Jensen. Word really travels faster out here, doesn't it? Got it from the first sergeant this morning. And do I bunk in here? Right, over there in the corner spot. I'll give you a hand with your stuff there. But first you better meet the boys. This is Corporal Rodriguez. He's from down next to the Rio Grande. Call him Rod. Hi, Rod. My pleasure. Now, if Rod lived just about 20 miles south of where he does back home, he wouldn't be climbing these hills. He'd be a Mexican citizen. Oh, I like her the way she is. However, my good Sergeant... Yeah, flowery as talking Corporal ever saw. Right. And this over here is Raymond, the funny man. Ray, this is your new bunk mate, Jensen. My name is Matt, Ray. Glad to know you. Glad to have you with us, Matt. Now, going around this way, this is Joan. Hi. Martin. Hi. This is an important time, Matt. These are the men with whom you'll work and live. If you need to know them, they need to know you. So as you get settled down, the most important part of your job turns out to be the old safety valve of the Army, the time on a bull session. Hand me the can of board cleaner, would you, Matt? Thank you. You are a gentleman and a scholar, my friend. How are you going to know a thing like that? You wouldn't know a gentleman or a scholar if somebody walked up and hit you in the head with one. You are ignorant, Ray, but you have a good heart. So I forgive you. A gentleman is a man like my father, back in Texas. A good man, kind. Also a strong man, so he's good to carry a lot of responsibility. Like, same kids, for instance. And then a scholar is a man like Sergeant Reese, who knows everything there is to know about his subject. Reese is what you call a scholar on being a soldier. All right, all right. I'm just kidding, boy. You don't have to write a book. Well, I tell you, Rod, not changing a subject or anything, but it's the second time you've cleaned that rifle today. What's with that? Matt, in basic training, I hated to clean this rifle, but we learned from experience. Today, I would rather clean this rifle than do anything more than eat if necessary. There is no more beautiful, useful thing than a clean rifle. What he means, Matt, is it jammed on it in a firefight the other night? Boy, I know the feeling. Some commie jumps up over the hill, you squeeze off around, only all you get is a click. That happens just once. You make up your mind that you're going to promise yourself how clean your rifle is going to get next time. Okay, you got me convinced. You got enough patches of oil left for two, Rod? Oh, be my guest, private Jensen, be my guest. Please send me that small spring in. Thank you. Now, once again, beautiful spring. Say, Ray, Reese said we'll be going out on patrol soon. Well, you know, what's it like? No need to feel bashful about asking that question, Matt. Every man ever came up this hill, asked that one. I know I did. Only thing is, nobody can really answer it for you. You got to go out at night and do whatever it is they got for you to do, and when you get back in, then you say to yourself, well, that's how it was. I can tell you one thing, though. You learn to do a lot of your sleepin' in the daytime. This is a war they fight in the dark. Well, there may be disadvantages to growing up in a big city, but it teaches you one thing, how to take care of yourself. Oh, excuse me, Matt, but don't make a mistake for yourself. There have been a lot of people who knew how to take care of themselves. They didn't do so outstanding in this proposition. He's right, Matt. This is no one-man deal. It doesn't work out that way in practice. Oh, yeah, sure. I just wondered, you know, how to work it. Just I've been taking care of myself for a long time now. It's worked so far. This is different. Across that valley at night, everything gets boiled down and concentrated. Things that work and don't work show up pretty quick on the press. Gentlemen, gentlemen, patience is a virtue. Regardless of trigger assembly, this small steel spring is in its proper place every... It's not all cleaning rifles in both sessions, though, Matt. It's final training. And briefings on the valley out in front of you. That bloody real estate which has cost a lot more than just dollars and cents in the past few months. You have to know where every rock, every ditch, and bush is out there before you can move across in the black of night. So you listen. Then when you know it like the inside of your helmet, there comes at last another, more specific kind of briefing. Okay, settle down. That is in there. Now I just been up at the command post and got the briefing for our little trip tonight. We got a contact patrol to Broken Finger, halfway across it, and back again. All right, that is. Now you've heard the bad, the rest can only be a relief. Now first we just contact, that's all. As soon as we receive fire, we return it and move out back here. And G2 thinks they got a company maybe reinforced, moved out onto that finger. We're going to find out. When we make the contact, we'll call in for our heavy mortar right down in their heads and move out. That's it. Final briefing at the assembly area, all $100. Carry a basic load plus six clips for each weapon. Two extra clips for the BAR, Martin. Just for luck. Now tape your dog tags so they don't rattle. If I forgot anything, I'll remember it then. That's all. Darn sure your weapon's clean. Reynolds, can you come with me for a minute? What's up, sir? You've gotten to know Jensen pretty well, I mean. Sure, I guess so. Why? Just keep an eye on him tonight. Clue him in before we start out. Sure, sir. He'll be okay. Maybe he's a little nervous, but that's sure I know. Who ain't? Just the same, this is his first night, so give him a hand. Right. Oh, sir. Yeah, what's that? Who'd you put on to watch out for me the first time you took me out? The guy who came in just before you. You clanked up ahead of time. You know what to tell him. Yeah, I think so. The same thing the last guy told me. Back to life, I like Korea. All right. See you later then. I got business. Like is the inside of a dog raid. I didn't see where you're going. Always sort of get a feel after a while. Some guys say they can smell which way is north. I can smell that rice paddy down there, but that doesn't take much talent. Look, hold it. This is the assembly area. Pull up the hillside and relax. The others will be along. Yeah, relax. Ah, you'll be okay. One thing to remember, though, it's good to have it fresh in your mind when we move out. Yeah, what's that? Well, together we're not just 12 men. We're a 12-man weapon, a squad. That's what'll get us out of a tough spot like nothing else can. But 12 men out there just, well, each just taking care of themselves would be just 12 guys, each one of them all alone. Go ahead. That's all. We got to stick together. Look, if you think I'm liable to bug out at the first sign of fire, why don't you just... Always said anything about bugging out. Just remember, we're all together and keep your eye on Reese. He knows his business, believe me. Sure, sure. We're all keyed up. It's a good thing. You stop being keyed up, you're dead. I wonder what's keeping Reese. You want to talk less and listen more, Ray, if you want to hear people when they walk up on you. The rest are coming, so, uh, you two guys form a base so they can fall in on you in two ranks. We've got to move smooth now. We've got a lot to do. You are listening to the proudly we hail production. We are 12. We will return in just a moment for the second act. Have you ever listened to an old soldier talk? Army men can tell many a true story of courage, of distant lands, of fun and pranks in their training days. But notice that proud gleam in the old soldier's eye when he reminisces. That comes from the knowledge that he served well beside the finest men in the world. Old soldiers can tell you what the army can do for you because they're the men who know. The United States Army has always been proud of its men and the men have always been proud to wear the Army uniform. The Army wants you, needs you, can use your ability to be young, intelligent and can measure up to the high standards required of today's American soldier. Take my advice. Pay a visit to the local recruiting office in your hometown and have a chat with a friendly recruiting sergeant. He'll give you full information on what a career in the Army can do for you. Find out full information today. You are listening to proudly we hail and now we present the second act of We Are Twelve. Yes, there are a lot of details to check before 12 men step off into an uncertain future of the hours before dawn. And these are the details that will make that future less uncertain. You throw as many small weights as you can into the scale on your side. Take every known precaution. It's the combat soldier's life insurance. It amounts to a real professional figuring all the angles before he moves. And you're watching a real pro at work now, Matt Jensen. Okay, okay, settle down. Now check these things. Anything not right sound off. Okay, basic load plus six extra clips, check. Dog tags, tape so they don't rattle. Jump up and down. All right, hold it, Jensen. What do you got in that shirt pocket? Well, just a lucky piece, sergeant. It carried a long time. It won't be so lucky to get your head shot off because you rattle like a hardware store. You can't get it out. Oh, look, it's my lucky piece. Take it out. Now here, you wrap this tape around it if you think you got to carry it. Well, you don't count so much on just luck, Jensen. That's what we're doing with this check down, making our own luck. Okay, Rod, you got the flares and the very pistol? I am, sergeant. Red and green just like Christmas. Raymond, check the walkie-talkie. Able one to see an eye. Able one to see an eye. All right, Able one, loud and clear. I say again, loud and clear. Over. Hear that, okay, sergeant? Able one to see an eye. Okay, see an eye. End of test transmission. All right, now gather around me here. Let me have your bandit there, Jensen. Now, everybody's got to know the roots out and back in case anybody gets separated. Now, make sure you don't. But in case you do, now, give me room to draw on the graph. Everybody see? Okay, now we've got to go out like this by the patty and the ditch. It's messy, but it's safest. Once across, we form in the orchard at the bottom of broken finger. Afterward, we come back like so. That's the other side of the hump by this ravine. That way, we don't find a batch of commies waiting for us in the tracks we made going out. Rendezvous point is just outside of the ravine at 0430. Password is worry. Counter sign is war. Some comedian of the life. Now, remember to stay close when we're moving. Watch you don't get mud in the muzzle of those pieces. That's it. Got everything, Jensen? I think so, Sergeant. I remember a lot of this from training films. Well, remember one thing more then and you got it made. What's that, Sergeant? This is no training film. Each foot of a night patrol is something that has to be considered. Out through the barbed wire aprons which encircle the company front, down the slope to the warm, wet rice paddies. And the night swallows you up like a tremendous, silent animal. But the darkness is your shield as well. The enemy can't hit what he can't see, at least not as well. But for now, you concentrate on just walking. To go quietly through mud and water the man has to go in slow motion. One step. Balance. Think carefully. Slowly put the other foot forward. Another step. But it's agonizingly slow. And it's hard on the nerves. Sergeant Reese. Quiet. I'm here to your right. Four yards. Couldn't hear you. I'm here. I'll tell you if you go wrong. Just go quiet. It's hard not to talk, isn't it Matt? Hear a friendly voice answer and be assured that you aren't really alone in the middle of a black mud hole that reaches to the edges of the universe. But you can't stop or you will be alone. So you keep moving. Then at last, you feel solid ground under your feet. Low outlines stand out dark against the sky. Freeze. You're in the orchard. Genson. Here, Sergeant. Stay close on me. We'll go over that ridge there. It shouldn't be far enough. Right, right, Sergeant. It's gonna be okay, kid. Just keep your ears open and your head down. Follow me. A different kind of caution now, Matt. Stay in a crouch. Careful. You don't dare dislodge a pebble or step on a dry twig. It's only a matter of yards now to the terminal point. And it's so quiet. Maybe they won't be there. Maybe. Get down into that gully. Quick. They don't know what they're shooting at yet. It's an automatic reaction. 12 men moving like the parts of a well-made machine. Experience training is where they pay off. You spread out the return fire and your call to help. Right. Bring that radio up here. There you go, Sergeant. Able wanted to see an eye. Able wanted to see an eye. Over. Able wanted to see an eye. Do you read me? Over. I ain't going to hear you. What do you mean? I didn't see it until I handed it to you. Look at that rip across the back of the case. That radio probably saved my life. Don't be too sure. A bullet that knocked this radio out could be the one that cooks all our guzzes. Get right up here quick with those flares and tell Martin to save some ammo for that BAR. We're going to have to move fast. Here to your right. Get those flares over here. Looks like they bled up for a minute. The flares bright, not a place, and the endless black of the sky hang overhead. Lights in the night, one of the oldest signal devices known. And they say to the people back at the line, contact more than half a company. But there's one big disadvantage. Players don't give map coordinates. And to fire this close, mortar teams have to know exactly. Hey, Jensen, here's Sergeant. Get over to the right and tell Martin. No, wait a minute. Hey, Smitty. Hey, Smitty, over here quick. Now look, Smitty, we've got to have mortar, we've got to have it right away. We can't hold these people. We can't move back without covering fire. Radio's dead. Drop your stuff here. Try to get back to the company. Give them these coordinates. Don't lose this paper now. And good luck, Smitty. Kick off. See you on the charline. Hey, Sarge, Smitty's maybe ten years older than I am. I could have got back faster. You're running the war already? Berm got behind us. Look, Sarge, I should have been able to... Hold it. Listen. Well, Jensen, they're behind us. You think you could have gotten through them? That's what Smitty's doing right now. I didn't know. Neither did I. But I didn't take the chance. If anybody can get through, Smitty can. He shoots rats in the dark with that carbine. Now, here's your job. You do it, and you do it fast. Move over by Martin. Use your M1 to help cover his front. We've got to save some of that ammo for the BAR. Move out. Right, Sarge. Keep it all in place. Hold this hole. Kick your helmet up. You're crazy. This is serious. I tell you, kick your helmet up. Okay. See it? What, General? Get out with me out there. Stick your helmet up, he says. He had to get those faces spotted good enough so Martin could pin them down while you climbed out of there. Remind me to thank you when I get the time. I'll remind you. Hey, Martin. I'm coming over. He says to save some of that ammo to use when we pull out. I'll use my M1 to cover your front. And thanks, Martin. Hadn't been for you and that crazy raid, I'd have been in that hole for good. Skipper, you'd have done it for us. How much ammo you got left? Well, let's clip in one more. How about you? A clip and a half. I'm saving that full one for when that mortar cover gets here. Looks a little dark, doesn't it, Matt? You can't help thinking. If your ammunition holds out till the mortar garage gets here, that means if Smitty gets back all right, the whole thing depends on so many people. So the only thing you can do is do your job and wait for the next move. Anybody hit? Hey. Anybody hit anywhere? Sound off. Julio Martinez, Orlando Rodriguez, okay? Rod, get ready to move out back to the company if that mortar doesn't get here in a couple of minutes. There ain't no time for that now. We've got to move. We've got to move it all. There's still some commies behind us. Martin, we'll use the BAR to cover while the rest cross the gully. The rest of you guys move out. Fast. Okay, Martin, lay it down over their heads. I'll take up the slack with my carbine when you have to load. Lay it on them, boy. To the right and left, there's pencil lines of flames stab out of the night. Reason you're automatic rifleman laying on the screen of fire that will let you move across the ravine. Then once you get across, you do the same for them. Pretty hot there for a minute or two, Matt. Then it's rendezvous. And count noses. Red's not going to bother you now for a while. The mortars are keeping them busy. Okay, everybody make it? Anybody catch anything? Martin's got a little hole in his legs. Just meat though, no bone. Wrap your belt around it and carry him, Ray. Who else? Sergeant. Yeah, Rod, you hit? Yes, Sergeant. It's only me that's remounted this, but never seemed to tell you where. Let me see. That ain't so bad, Rod. Just a crease. But you better not try walking right now. Hey, Jensen. Yes, Sergeant? You okay? Oh, not a scratch, Sergeant. Begin his life. I think you can carry one end of Don Juan here. Oh, sure, fine out. Good boy. Put a compress over that wound first. Hey, Jones. Oh. Let me have your rifle gear. You help Jensen here, carry Rod. Sure thing, Sergeant. Let me have your heavy stuff too, Jensen. Right, Sergeant. Thanks. All right. Now, okay, the rest of you guys get chafed up. We'll do it back at the bar of wire 10 minutes ago. Okay, Rod. My boy, we'll run your stomach now. Got to put a clean compress on that wound of yours. Change you with advantage, young friend, then. Oh, I'm glad my dear mother cannot see the simple state of the sun tonight. Okay, everybody set? Mark, ready? Me and Mark have just been sitting here waiting on you, Sergeant. How about you, Jensen? Jones? Ready anytime, Sergeant. Okay. Move out. Okay, Jones. Eat on three. One, two, three. And now, Jensen, Jonesy, I ask you like a friend, do not drop me on my purple heart. Sure, sure, Rod. You just stick with us. From here on in, we got it made. So once again, 12 men have gone out and 12 come back, mission accomplished. Sounds pretty good when it applies to you. You pass the first and most important test, Matt Jensen. Now with dawn beginning to outline the hill where Baker Company is dug in, you can look forward to a cup of hot coffee and warm sunshine to dry the wetness out of your clothing and the night chill out of your bones. Your battle tested, Private Matt Jensen, and now you know what it's like. Oh, sure, there may be other patrols, but never another first one. Now you really belong. Even the birds in their battered trees are beginning to look familiar. And it looks like a good, clear day for the foot soldier. Today, your rapidly expanding United States Army needs intelligent young men with ability and ambition, men intelligent enough to recognize the vital need for a strong army, men with ability enough to be trained in a necessary job for full information on how you can fit in with the finest. Check with your nearest United States Army recruiting station. The United States Army, the senior service of our armed forces, needs you. 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. This is Mark Hamilton speaking, inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on Proudly We Hail.