 From New York City where the American stage begins, here is another program with a cast of outstanding players. Public service time is made available by this station to bring you this story as proudly we hail the United States Army. Some fellows are born to be kitted, to be taken advantage of, in short, to be patsies. But in wartime you should never sell anybody short, not even a guy like Freddie Carter. You're going to like Freddie after you get to know him in a story called The Worm Turns, as proudly we hail the United States Army. Our first act in just a moment, but first, young man if you're interested in continuing your education, here is important news for you. The United States Army urgently needs qualified technicians to operate and maintain the many kinds of equipment that science has developed. Right now, men are being trained in such varied fields as radio, radar, meteorology, mechanics, electronics, photography, and many, many others. This training is given by the finest technical schools in the world. It's an excellent opportunity for young men with intelligence and ambition, and it can be the start of a great career for you. For full details, visit your nearest United States Army recruiting station. Do it soon. And now, your United States Army presents the proudly we hail production, The Worm Turns. Did you ever hear people say things like, The Worm Turns, or Every Dog Has His Day? Sure you did. You've probably even said them yourself. Well now, it's all very well to say Every Dog Has His Day. But how many days does he get? Likewise, when the worm finally turns, what does he turn into? If all this sounds like pretty heavy philosophy for an infantry first sergeant, all I can tell you is that a first sergeant has to be a pretty good judge of men. Well, how do you judge men? We're trying to build the best army in the world, and we're trying to spot the right people for it. So, how do you spot the right people? How do you know what a man can really do unless the chips are down? If I may use another tried and tested expression, can you judge a book by its cover? The reason I'm bringing all this up is because some of them were sitting around the other night talking about the war. And every time I think about Freddie Carter, well, the minute I mentioned Freddie Carter's name, one of the fellows said, Hey, wait a minute. Why is that name familiar? It should be familiar. It was in all the papers at the end of the war. Okay, that's right. Wasn't he the guy who captured a whole German army? Nah, it wasn't an army. It was a division. Both of you guys are wrong. It was just a regiment. Well, I guess that's how legends are born. Oh, just a regiment, huh? Well, a regiment's good enough when you figure a guy all by himself could capture a whole regiment. It wasn't exactly all by himself. He had help. Oh, I didn't know that. How much help did he have? Well, I was with him. Not that that should take anything away from the guy because he really didn't need me at all. Hey, boy, I remember him that day. It was a one-man army. Yeah, but how does a guy, one guy, capture a whole regiment such? Well, let me tell you something. One guy can do anything. The thing that got everybody was who this one particular guy was. Of all guys, it turned out to be Freddie Carter. Let me tell you who Freddie Carter was. I met him back in 1943. I was the squad leader in a rifle company. Freddie was transferred into the outfit right after his basic training. Now, he was the kind of guy who hardly ever opened his mouth. You'd never even notice him, you know? But you always knew he was around, because his name was always on somebody's lips. Hey, Jack, I got a date with a real sweet number in town. She's got a friend. Wouldn't you know it? I'm on guard duty. Can you get some way to pull it for you? Yeah. Who? That's Freddie. Ah, that's an idea. I'll ask Freddie. Hey, Freddie, you want to give me a hand? I don't get this rifle cleaned in a hurry. I won't be able to get my pass. Hey, Freddie, as long as you got the broom, how about sweeping under my bed? Well, that's how it went. Human nature is human nature. Doesn't make any difference whether you're in a college, shop, or the army. Anytime you get a guy who's a natural-born patsy, the fellows he's with are going to take advantage of it. They just can't help it. And the funniest thing of it all was Freddie didn't seem to mind a bit. Anything you did or anything you said was okay with Freddie. Like the time we were all sitting around the barracks talking baseball, Freddie was a Yankee fan. Originally he came from New York. Now, maybe this is just a little thing, but it does help give you an idea of the guy. They're the greatest club in the world. Look at all the pennants they've won, the ballplayers they have. Ah, that's because they're in New York. They got all the big papers and top sportswriters. Now, you want to talk about a great team? Talk about the Cardinals. Now, there's a team that really plays ball. Yeah, yeah, well, I guess you've got a point there. Mm-hmm. Well, it got pretty bad. I mean, he was a swell guy and a pretty good soldier. The way everybody took advantage of him almost amounted to a scandal. Well, I felt I was his friend. So one night I took the liberty of having a little talk with him about it. Look, Freddie, I'm not an English teacher, but it seems to me there's one word in the English language I should think you ought to learn. Yeah? What? No. It's spelled N-O. Now, it means... Well, it means no. Ever hear of that word, Freddie? I never heard you use it. Sarge, what are you talking about? Freddie, it's none of my business. I think you're a pretty good guy. I just hate to see everybody playing you for a patsy. What do you mean, Sarge? Hey, you're not kidding, are you? I can tell by the way you ask that. You really don't know what I mean, do you? You don't know what I'm trying to tell you. Well... Okay, Freddie, long as you're happy. And he was happy. Nothing bothered him. He did his job as well as the jobs of as many other fellows who could con him into it. After a while, I guess I got used to it. As a matter of fact, I didn't begin to understand until the day I had a talk with the chaplain. Chaplain set me straight on Freddie. The reason I happened to speak to the chaplain was that I knew him quite well. He was the younger brother of the pastor of my own church back home. Every now and then, we'd get together and chat about the hometown, you know. I told him about Freddie. And one thing I must say, he certainly had an interesting point of view. Oh, there are lots of people like Freddie Carter in this world, Johnstone. Quiet people. People who desire peace more than anything else. Don't underestimate these people. Yeah, well, Chaplain, aren't you making a little bit too much of this thing? It's a patsy, that's all. Maybe he just likes to help his friend. Well, can't you carry a good thing like that too far? Who says so, Johnstone? And what is too far? I just wish the guy would just assert himself one time. He will. When that one time comes. Well, when will that time be, Chaplain? Now you're asking me to read the future. You feel sorry for Freddie. Well, maybe you ought to be just a little bit envious of him. After all, he's happy. He's found peace. He doesn't let the little unimportant things bother him. Well, yes, Chaplain, but I say there are limits. I agree. And one day he'll reach his limit, too. But it will be for something big enough and important enough. Well, right after that, it was a pretty hectic time around our place. We were being prepared for overseas shipment. I don't have to tell you that friend Freddie did more than his share of equipment cleaning and packing and details. But I said to myself, look, as long as the boy is happy, what am I bothering about? Then almost before you knew it, we were on the train from the Port of New York and on the boat and overseas and D-Day at Normandy. I tell you, I look back over that time and to tell you the truth, it's all pretty much of a blur. Back home in the States, people were following the big picture. But all that a rifleman can see is just that tiny little picture. It's a lot of shooting, digging foxholes, advancing, some withdrawing and then forward again. And one town looks pretty much like another and after a while you forget all their names. The time passes and there you are. They tell you the war is just about over. And it must be true because after all, you're now in Germany so that's kind of proof that things are about over. Well, when you reach that stage, it becomes what the fellas call nervous time. It's the worst time of all because you know things are about at the end and yet they're still fighting going on. Johnston? Yes, sir? Why don't you take a patrol out? A patrol, sir? Quite frankly, I don't know what's up ahead. The enemy regiment has to find out fast. Enemy regiment defending this sector is the 19th Panzer Grenadiers. We understand. I should say there's a rumor that they want to surrender. They do, fine. If they don't, we've got to fight on our hands. Yes, sir? All depends on one thing. Who's in control of that regiment? The officers and enough of the non-coms that men are being swayed by the German SS. That's one thing. Well, we have to find out. Take three men and, well, you're on your own. Avoid a fight, sir. You're going out for information. This is one time where one patrol would mean hundreds of learners to be offered. Well, this is one part of any war that most people don't understand too well. The only reason I can appreciate it is because I had to go through it. It's like a picture I once saw with Gregory Peck hunting in Africa. He shoots this lion or water buffalo, I forget which. And he wounds him, see? Well, you know the animal's done for, but he's not dead yet. And he's most dangerous right then. Same thing here. The Germans knew they'd lost it, but some of them were determined to go down swinging. Well, I picked my men. Naturally, I included Freddie. Why not? For all that he was a milk toast, was there a better man in the outfit? Well, I was very blind, and the first thing we saw was a group of soldiers, German soldiers, running toward us with their hands up. Kamerat, Kamerat! Stand still! Anybody here talk English? Yeah, I speak. We surrender. You from the 19th Panzers? Yeah, 9th Panzer. Kamerat, Kamerat. What about the rest of your outfit? Anybody else want to surrender? Yeah, we do not know. Some do. Some want to fight. He is at forward command post. Hank, take these guys back. Tell the captain we're going forward. We'll keep to the trees. We've got to move in carefully. Excuse me, Sarge, you're in charge here, but I don't think that's the right way to do it. You don't, huh? No, I don't. Well, maybe I'm talking out of turn. Freddie? Freddie? It's such a pleasure to hear you talk at all. Go ahead. Say something. Look, there's no book on how to do this. One guy's idea is as good as another's. We're playing it by ear. Why sneak up? Why make it look like we're still fighting? Let's march up the road. As far as we're concerned, the war's over. We've come to take these jokers to prison there. We're not fooling around with anybody. Freddie, is that you talking? Is that really you? You are listening to the proudly we hail production, The Worm Turns. We'll return in just a moment for the second act. The man who measures up will succeed anywhere. For a life of excitement and adventure, join your United States Army. The Army is the proving ground. The place where the men and the boys part company. Where you'll learn more about how to take care of yourself and how to lead others in a few short months than you could in a lifetime of civilian activity. In the Army, your opportunities for advancement and leadership are unlimited. But you've got to have what it takes. The man who measures up here will succeed anywhere. Can you measure up? If you think you can, then here's an opportunity for you to serve your country and build a man-sized career for yourself that will take you as far as you want to go. Today's United States Army is comprised of skilled technicians and specialists who have learned their jobs in the world's finest military technical schools. And now, the Army is offering you even greater opportunities to join this elite group of young men and serve your country and yourself at the same time. Your Army now has an operation, a training program that permits you to choose your own branch and train in the particular job of your own choice. It's called the Reserved for You Training Program. And it works this way. If you're a high school graduate of service age, you visit your nearest United States Army recruiting station and make application for the Reserved for You Training Program, stating your preferences of branch and training course. If you qualify and a vacancy exists, you're awarded a letter that guarantees you a reserved seat in the technical training course of your choice. Now all this takes place before you enlist and it places you under no obligation whatsoever. Then, after you enlist and have your basic training, you're enrolled in your school and begin your career as a highly skilled Army technician. I suggest you find out about it right away by visiting your nearest United States Army recruiting station and talking it over with the friendly people there. You are listening to Proudly We Hail and now we present the second act of The Worm Turns. Freddie Carter was a boy like this. On a clear day, if you told him it was raining, he'd say, okay, let's go inside or we'll get wet. On Monday, if you said it was Sunday, he'd say, okay, it's Sunday. If you told him at high noon that it was midnight, he'd say, okay, let's go to bed. And now there are names for men like Freddie, names like Milk Toast, Patsy, but listen to me, never sell the Freddies of this world short. Freddie was on a patrol with me in the dying days of the war. A German regiment was dug in ahead of us. Now did this regiment want to fight or did it want to surrender? The patrol was going to find out and take a tip from me. Keep your eye on Freddie. Freddie, I tip my old steel helmet to you, boy. That's the way to do it, all right. Up the road like we own the place. Let's go, fellas. Charlie, Charlie, transport this happy little group back to the command post, huh? You see, Sarge, this is how you have to do it. They don't know what they want. Don't give them a chance to think. Just tell them they're going to surrender and they'll do it. Yeah, yeah, but we've been lucky so far. Sarge, believe me, it'll last all the way. Every couple of hundred yards we ran into groups of gerry's who had had it. They wanted to drop their guns and call it quits. But somewhere, somewhere further back were other elements, die-hards, who had opened up the minute they saw us, I was sure. So far, we'd sent back about a hundred prisoners. We hadn't fired a shot. But we could see that even these guys had been fighting among themselves as we approached them. So far, the men who wanted to surrender had been in charge. Could we run into a group that was controlled by the other guys? Well, that question was soon answered. Because we ran into a group that was controlled by Nida. We ran into a company that was made up of guys whose attitude was wait and see. Alt! Oh, I don't like to look on this joke this place. Come you see here. Okay, let's see where we go. You're there. Where are you taking us? You come. See the captain. Drop that rifle. We're in charge here. You're not taking us, we're taking you. We're in advanced patrol. We've come here to... You've come here to take your surrender. Surrender my company to two men? Who cares about your two by four company? We're come to take the whole regiment. Surrender or don't surrender is all the same to us. You're finished and you know it. What's the difference? How many of us there are here? You've got a pretty good idea of what's in back of us. What are we wasting time talking to you for? Where's the commanding officer? Well, I don't know. You tell me. We're in advance patrol. We've come here to take your surrender. Surrender my company to two men? Well, I don't know. You tell me. Maybe it was the way he talked. Or maybe these guys knew they had no choice. Maybe a little of each. But the next thing I knew we were riding in the captain's command car. We're going further back. We passed German soldiers who looked at us with expressionless faces. You know, it was all like a dream. This was the part of a war you can never train for. Yeah, you can train to face an enemy who's got to fight and thinks he can win. But this was nightmare time. We were now facing an enemy who knew he had lost and had to make up his mind whether or not to surrender. That's an experience Americans have never had and I pray never will. The end of it. When all is lost, the army is licked and you're looking for a way to save face if you can. The car rolled into a small town and pulled up in front of a mansion. There were soldiers on guard and when they saw us one of them almost raised his rifle to the side of it. We were ushered into a room where a man in an important-looking uniform sat at a table. We saluted him. This is Overs von Stemler. Colonel, we have come to accept your surrender. Oger! What nonsense is this? Why do you bring these prisoners to see me? Excuse me, sir, the colonel is making a mistake. We are not the captain's prisoners. He is our prisoner. We merely come to inquire whether you intend to surrender your regiment. Surrender? What madness! Has discipline broken to the point where my junior officers bring in American prisoners to incite me? Oger, I will have your court marshal in shock! Oger, you are one of the handful of traitors and cowards who weep and wail and seek to crawl to the enemy. This regiment stands firm for the fact that under the fuel we shall counterattack and we shall drive this invader back to the English Channel. All right, sir, you had to say that. Now can we talk? You have no regiment. You may have a couple of hundred hotheads who want to die fighting, but you are a man of responsibility to your country. You must save lives. Surrender? Surrender a whole regiment to two men? Never. Do we need more men, sir? Aren't two enough for the purpose? Sir, it makes no difference to us. Take it or leave it. I will only surrender as a staff sergeant. I will not surrender to an uncommissioned officer. Sir, you are absolutely right. It is not fitting for a man of your distinguished background to surrender to two mere enlisted men, but we are offering you more than just an opportunity to surrender. Yes. We are offering you a place in history. The world will know about Colonel von Stemmler in a new light. Up till now, he's been justly famous as a great soldier. We've heard about your exploits, sir. You've talked about day and night in the American Army. They are? Who else has your incisive grasp of strategy? Who knows better to maneuver troops? Who has the genius for ferreting out the foes' weak points and striking with a speed of lightning? We're only puzzled by this, sir. Why is this man only a colonel? Why is he not a general? Now, don't we talk about that all the time, Johnstone? Oh, yeah, yeah, sure. You see, sir, you see what a greater tribute a soldier received in praise from the enemy. And now, sir, you will make a new place in history. You'll be known as a great humanitarian, a man who could rise above pride and save his men. Now, any colonel can surrender to another colonel, but the colonel who surrenders to a sergeant, he is a man among men. Okay. We are going to surrender. Order all elements to lay down their arms. But how, Oberst? If we are choice, what is your name, soldier? Corporal Frederick Gardiser. Carter. I surrendered to a corporal named Carter. I, Oberst, Wolfgang von Stammler. Yeah, the world has turned upside down. I was right. For one day, the world had turned upside down. But it wasn't long before it turned right side up again. That was the week the enemy surrendered in wholesale lots, regiments, divisions, entire army corps. But it wasn't easy. We were dealing with men who were frustrated and bitter. Any little spark could have set a flame. The war was over anyway. But this could have been that wounded water buffalo. All I could think about for days was what the chaplain had told me. One day, Freddy will assert himself. One day, when something is important enough. Well, that was the day. I lost track of Freddy a few months after that. One thing and another happened, and I didn't see him till years later when I was passing through Denver, Colorado. Hmm? What? Why, it's the Sarge! Sergeant Johnstall! Freddy! How've you been? What are you doing? Well, you can see what I'm doing. I'm still in. I transferred to the medics back in 48. I'm Sergeant Major at the hospital here. How about you? Me? Well, I'm still a foot soldier. I'm away home to Frisco. The wife's having a baby. Say that's great. You finally settled down and got married, huh? You still married Freddy? Oh, sure. Why not? I'm just asking. Remember, I met your wife. When was it back in 43, I guess, just before we went overseas? What are we standing here for? Come on home and have dinner with us. Oh, come on, make the next one. We can't just bust in on your wife like this. She won't mind. She'll love it. Look, I won't take no for an answer. Well, I hadn't seen Freddy in ten years. We've been pretty close buddies, so naturally I went home with him. Marie was there, and she looked the same as I'd remembered her. But there was this difference. Oh, I remember you, Sergeant Johnstone. Look, I hate to barge in on you like this without notice, but Freddy wouldn't let me go. Oh, that's all right. I hope so. I'm married myself. I know how it is to bring a guy home without telling the wife in advance. Oh, that never happens in our house. Yeah, we got to train, Johnstone. The icebox is always full just to take care of situations like this. Certainly. Darling, what would you like for dinner? That's your department, dear. Freddy, what have you done to that woman? The last time I saw the two of you together... I don't know. I don't know. It seems I became a hero, and now I have to live up to it. She just stands there and waits for me to order her around. Yeah, there are times I wish we never went out on that patrol and captured that Jerry Regiment. You know something? I never acted that way before. I just hate to order people around. You know something? Maybe that's the secret. Maybe that's why you do it so well. Darling, how about a shrimp cocktail steak and a salad? That'll be fine. Be ready in a little while. You know, sometimes I wish you just served me hash. Well, what can you do? You're a hero, and you're stuck with it. So, I ask you, fellas, how can you tell who's the guy you can really depend on in a crisis? When the chips are down, how can you tell who's the guy who'll make the right move? Who knows? That's what makes life so interesting. Today's United States Army is composed of skilled technicians and specialists who have learned their jobs in the world's finest technical schools. And now, the Army is offering you a great opportunity to join this elite group of men and serve your country and yourself at the same time. Your Army now has in operation a great technical training program that permits you to choose your own career for more than 150 courses, ranging from atomic energy to welding. What's more, you get that choice of training guaranteed before you enlist. It's called the Reserved for You Training Program, and it works this way. If you're a high school graduate of service age, visit your nearest United States Army Recruiting Station and make application for the Reserved for You Training Program, stating your preference of a technical course. If you qualify and a vacancy exists, you're awarded a letter that guarantees you a reserved seat in the technical training course of your choice. Now, all this takes place before you enlist and it places you under no obligation whatsoever. Then, after you enlist and complete your basic training, you're enrolled in your school and begin your career as a highly skilled Army technician. Find out about choice, not chance now. Visit your nearest United States Army Recruiting Station and talk it over with the friendly people there. 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 or the United States Army. This is Ralph Roland inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on Proudly We Hail.