 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 of Air Force to bring you this story, as proudly we hail another Air Force. Our story is entitled Top Flight. This is the story of a young airman who thought he had played and lost his last game, until he found out that all along he'd been a winner with the biggest team of all. Our first act curtain will rise in just a moment. But first, attention all former service men. Now is the time to get the facts about the liberalized Air Force prior service program. Your local Air Force recruiter has a booklet, which personally analyzes your opportunities as an airman in today's Air Force. For example, if you're skilled in a needed job, you may be surprised at the grade and assignment option which the Air Force will offer you. If you don't have such a skill, you'll be given an aptitude test. This will determine whether you qualify for guaranteed technical training. An Air Force career will give you a guaranteed annual wage with extra allowances, 30 days paid vacation every year, and up to $2,000 for re-enlistments during your career. This is only part of the story. Your local Air Force recruiter has all the facts. Ask him for a personalized copy of the prior service booklet, and see why today and tomorrow you're better off in the United States Air Force. And now your Air Force presents the proudly we hail production, Top Flight. Total ground and taxi time, engine number one, 23 hours. Engine number three, Khrushchev, Sergeant Olsen speaking. This is Sergeant Dewey. You got that aircraft maintenance and inspection report ready yet? I'm working on it right now. Give me about 15 minutes, okay? Okay. I'd have had it sooner, but I'm alone now. Cheer up, Olsen. You'll soon have somebody to talk to. Your new assistant crew chief is on his way over now. Oh, he is? Yep. Guy named Glenn Fowler. Just got in this morning. Well, Swell, what's he like? Seems fine. He's been assigned here from Lockborn. Lockborn? Well, that's reconnaissance, isn't it? Uh-huh. But I'm sure the transition won't be difficult. Oh, no, it shouldn't be. Well, okay then. Give me that report as soon as you're done. We'll call Sergeant Dewey. Sergeant Olsen? Right. Oh, I guess you're Airman Fowler. Yes, the line chief told me to report here. Glad to have you join us, Fowler. I can use a good assistant. I'll do my best, but... But what? I guess you know I've come in from a recon squadron. Sure. You being a bombing squadron, I figure I'm going to have my hands full, making the changeover from the RB-47 to the B-47. How long have you been an assistant crew chief, Fowler? Six months. Six months. You had no trouble getting to know an RB-47, did you? No trouble, but it wasn't a cinch. Nothing good ever is. There's not that much difference between the two planes. Basically, they're the same. Yes, but that K-System bomb site, I don't know. Well, sure. I grant you the K-System is a complicated affair. But it's not much tougher than the RB-47's flash bomb release sequence. Yeah, it's complicated, that release sequence, but... Don't worry. You'll do all right. I hope so, Sergeant Olsen. My new assistant crew chief stood about six feet, with 185 pounds or so of hard-packed muscle welded to his frame. He had a top sergeant chin, and all in all, he looked to be the kind of guy that could navigate his course without taking too many fixes. It seemed a little odd to hear a man like that talk the way he did, but I figured it to be just the newness of everything that would wear off in time. Shortly after this, while I was still filling him in on our procedures, Captain Fraser, my aircraft commander, stopped by. Good morning, Sergeant Olsen. Oh, good morning, sir. Captain, this is Airman 1st Class Glenn Fowler, the new assistant crew chief. Well, glad to meet you, Airman Fowler. Thank you, sir. I'm sure you'll be happy with our old girl out there, right, Sergeant Olsen? I think he will. Now, you're settled all right? Yes, sir. The first sergeant assigned me a room at the barracks. Good. Say, it's almost lunchtime. I'll drive you up that way, okay? That's mighty nice of you, sir. Glad to do it. Now, Sergeant Olsen, I just wanted to let you know that there might be a strategic evaluation squadron test coming up for us. Oh, is that right? Do you know when, sir? Well, I haven't heard. Thought I'd keep you off, though, so we can sort of be prepared for it. Okay, Captain Fraser. Fine. Ready to go, Fowler? Coming, sir. I didn't see Glenn that afternoon because he had some paperwork to get through with that personnel. But bright and early the next morning, he showed up. Good morning, Sergeant Olsen. Morning, Glenn. Getting to feel at home yet? Sure do, Sergeant. Ready for work. Where do you want me to start? Well, the captain's taking her up today. You can make the anti-icing valve actuator motor checks. You know how, don't you? Yes. Make sure the valve's open and closed within the time limits. You bet I will. I want everything to go right for Captain Fraser up there. You know something, Sergeant Olsen? When he drove me to my barracks yesterday, he came in with me and checked my room. Wanted to make sure I had everything I needed to make me comfortable. That's just like him. He really looks out for his men. Yeah, he sure does. And here's one, Ammon, who's going to look out for him. Excuse me. Crew Shack, Sergeant Olsen speaking. Olsen, Sergeant Dewey here. Orders have just come down for your plane and crew to report to the Strategic Evaluation Squadron at Little Rock, Arkansas. SES, when? Monday morning. Monday? That's only three days from now. Sorry, but speed is part of the test. Good luck. Yeah, thanks. Sorry, Sergeant Olsen. What for? I thought I handicapped you, doesn't it, to have a new man like me to break in at a time like this? We'll do all right. Just means we'll have to hustle. Well, Sarge, I'll try my best. Try as best he did. We worked overtime that weekend getting about five hours sleep a night. Going through the A-5 harmonization, preflight and flight crew operational checks. But the plane was ready at takeoff. So long, Sergeant Olsen. Have a good show down there. We will, Glenn. By the way, there's something I want to tell you. Olsen, Sergeant Olsen? Yes, sir. Coming right up. I'll see you when I get back, Glenn. You better go and grab some sleep. All right, Sergeant. We made the trip to Little Rock in the Strategic Evaluation Squadron. The trip included a series of tests to determine the capabilities of both plane and crew. It proved to be highly successful for all of us. Upon our return, each one of us knew after having undergone the strictest kind of judgment that he was top flight in his job and there's nothing can make an airman feel any better than that knowledge. But another kind of evaluation had been going on. As I told Glenn when I saw him upon our return to our base. Well, what do you mean, Sarge? What kind? Yours, Glenn. Mine. Sure, listen. Now, if you still have doubts about how you're going to make out here, forget them. The way you put out that weekend should convince even you. Well, thanks, but... Look, there's one word I don't want to hear from you. There are no ifs, ands, or buts anymore. Okay? Okay, Sarge. Okay. Several weeks later, Captain Fraser, who was also Wing Athletic Officer, stopped by at our Crew Shack. I'm looking for volunteers, Sergeant Olsen. We've got to get the baseball diamond into shape now that spring's here. It can count me in, sir. Good. Is the bill here? I don't think so, sir. I'll stick to softball. It's about all I can handle. But, uh... How about Glenn here? Sure. What about it, Fowler? Think you'd like to try out for the team? Me? Sure, you. With a bill like yours, you should be able to knock a ball a mile. No. No, no, not me. I think I'd better get out to the plane. There's something I want to check. I should have figured something was wrong then, because I knew we had just checked the plane thoroughly, that it was in tip-top shape. But all I thought was that he just didn't care for the game of baseball and maybe was embarrassed about refusing the captain. As the weeks went by, Glenn continued to demonstrate that he was a top-notch assistant crew chief. So much so that one day, when I stopped by at the line chief's office... Sergeant Olson. Just the man I want to see. Oh, what's up, Sergeant Dewey? Your boy, Airman Fowler, turned out to be a good man, didn't he? Just fine. Yeah, that's what I thought, too. But get this. I just darvered him a job on another plane as crew chief. But he turned it down. What? Uh-huh. Well, he satisfied where he is. Now, maybe you can enlighten me as to why anybody had turned down a chance for advancement. Well, I wouldn't know, Sergeant. Maybe he's got a reason. Anybody do that would have to have a good reason. A real good reason. He had a reason, all right. But I didn't find that out until later. One Sunday afternoon, not long afterwards, when he and I were walking past the parade grounds, looks like the baseball team's doing little practicing. Yeah. Want to watch a while? No, I don't think so. Because I was saying, Sarge, the emergency hydraulic system reservoir. Hey, watch it. The ball. I got it. All right, here you go, fellas. Hey, a strike, if I ever saw one. It must be 350 feet from here to that home plate, and yet you picked up that ball and threw a strike. Now, how'd you ever learn to do that? I don't know. Come on, level with me, Glenn. Takes more than just muscles to be able to do that. Well, uh, I was a, I was a pitcher in high school. Uh-huh, you must have been a pretty good one from what I just saw. How come you didn't try out for the wing team? Oh, it's the old story. I was a pretty good pitcher, but not good enough. What do you mean? I kept on winning games until the Scouts came down for the major leagues one day to check on me. I'd have been okay if only I hadn't known they were there. Well, what happened? Well, I blew up. I couldn't find a plate. Lost my first ball. Did everything wrong in the book. After that, Fiasco, I couldn't win another game. Oh, I see. So, when I graduated, I decided to enlist in the Air Force. I always wanted to be part of a team. Well, you couldn't have picked a better one. I know. I might not have made a perfect pitcher, but I learned how to fix a jet engine, and that's worth a lot more. You understand what I mean. Sure. Sure, Glenn, I understand. I understood all right. The self-doubts, the uneasiness about taking on new jobs or responsibilities, it all fell into place. He had lost his self-confidence. It was as simple as that. Or, at least so, I thought. I figured there was only one way for him to overcome that episode, so I worked on him, and in a short time was able to persuade him to try out for the wing baseball team. Fowler, you'll pitch Sunday's game. You think you're being shaped by then? As ready as I'll ever be. Good. Be at the field at 2.30. Good night, men. Good night, sir. Hi, Captain. How do you feel, Glenn? I think I'll do all right. I know you will. I just know you will. You are listening to Proudly We Hail, our production, Top Flight. We'll return in just a moment for the second act. But first, if you're an ex-service man experienced in a critical skill needed to keep America's air defense strong, you're in luck. The Career Incentive Act opens up new opportunity in the Air Force to veterans of all the armed forces. Yes, if you possess one of the skills the Air Force needs, you may qualify for the United States Air Force and in a grade that will be a pleasant surprise. The Air Force needs men skilled in many important fields, so put your service-earned experience to work to your best advantage as a member of the Air Force team. Make the credits you've earned toward a comfortable retirement pay off. For complete details, write or visit your Air Force recruiter. Ask for the special Prior Service Man's folder. See what a return to the service, and Airmen can mean to you. Today and tomorrow, you're better off in the United States Air Force. You are listening to Proudly We Hail, and now we present the second act of Top Flight. Sunday afternoon came. The weather was fine, the crowd large. Everything right for a perfect game. As I watched Glenn step up to the pitch's mound I thought of how much this game meant to him and me. To those hundreds watching in the stands it was an intra-wing baseball game to be won or lost. But for Glenn and me there was a lot more at stake. As Glenn stood leaning forward on the mound looking down for a sign from the catcher he gave no sign of tension. Perfectly calm and easy in his motions he was the epitome of what a top flight pitcher should be. He got the first batter out on strikes and then on it was smooth sailing until the fifth inning. With two men on he served up a big fat homerun pitch. And another. And another. I couldn't take any more. I just about tore my heart out standing there and watching the roof cave in on him. A roof which I had helped him to think might stand up. When he came off the field shortly afterwards I was waiting for him. Hey Glenn! Glenn over here! Some clobbering I got right? Those guys must have been using K-System bombsite instead of bats. Don't worry about it Glenn. You'll do better next time. It won't be any next time. I've had it and I know it. I'm sorry boy. What for? I should have known better. I was the one who talked you into it. You only meant well. But it's no use. I just don't have it in me. Look. Do me a favor, huh? Just don't let this get you down. Put it out of your mind. Forget it ever happened. Yeah sure. I'll put it out of my mind. But give me a little time. I'm not okay. I'll snap out of it. I figured it would take more than just a little time. But luckily things began to happen in our base. And he didn't have much time to brood about it. Within a few days our squadron got orders assigning us to TDY in Germany as we were informed by our squadron commander. To accomplish the strategic air command primary mission and that is being prepared to conduct strategic air operations on a global basis we've got to spend time in foreign countries. We want the cooperation of these countries you can see that each one of us has got to try to win the friendship and understanding of their peoples. So when we set up operations in Germany remember that how well we get along with the civilians could very well determine the future success of the SAC mission. All right that is all. In SAC things are so well organized that when something happens it always happens quickly. And these days of supersonic wars it has to. So within a matter of a few days our whole wing had moved, locked, stock and barrel to a base in Germany without being out of commission for one minute. And in no time at all it seemed we were settled back into our regular routine. One evening several weeks later after we had landed in Germany and following a post-flight debriefing by Captain Fraser. And Sergeant Olson the exhaust gas temperature was slightly over maximum. You'd better check the compressor. Yes sir I made a note of it. Good. Well it's all I've got. You notice anything else during the flight? No sir I didn't. Okay well I guess I'd better hit the SAC. I got an early appointment tomorrow morning with a burgemeister. Oh incidentally Sergeant maybe you can help me out a bit on that. On what sir? You know I've been appointed community relations officer for the wing. Yes sir. And I figured one good way to get our wing and the people here to know one another better is through sports. So I've been trying to set up some games between the wing and the community. That's a good idea. I thought so too but I just can't seem to arouse the interest of the townspeople in anything I suggest. Well maybe that's because they don't know too much about American sports sir. That could be. What do they play mostly over here sir? I believe it's soccer. That's right. That's their national game isn't it? That is. Hmm. A game between the town and the wing. I'll put it to the burgemeister. We'll see what happens. Captain Fraser's suggestion met with an instant response from the townspeople and he proceeded to set up soccer teams in the wing. That wasn't too easy though because soccer is a relatively unfamiliar game to Americans. However he did manage to get together a number of airmen who wanted to participate but their wish was a long way from their ability as Glenn pointed out to me one day when we stopped by the practice field. I don't like to say this Sarge but I'm afraid it's going to take a while to make soccer players out of them. Oh yeah? How do you figure that Glenn? Well Americans are accustomed to carrying the ball or throwing it or hitting it. They just can't get the knack of pushing it around with their feet. So all they want to do is kick it and the ball has to be manipulated. It's something like playing basketball with your feet. It's a pretty good way of putting it. You sound like you might know something about this game. A little. Back in my home town they had a turmburine. I played on this soccer team. Hey look at that. He should have passed it to the man on his right. Why don't you tell him Glenn? No. I've got something I want to get at the PX. Want to walk me down? Yeah. Sure. Sure Glenn. From the way Glenn acted that day he'd have given anything to go over and join the players on the field. But here was one fellow that wasn't going to persuade him to. I'd learned my lesson once. What he predicted though turned out to be right. As I found out from Captain Fraser. Yeah they tried their best. But the local teams are too good for him. That's too bad Captain. Now I can't get a local team to schedule a game with any of the wing teams. Not enough competition for them. Now if I could only dig up a soccer instructor, a good one somewhere, one that speaks English. They do you happen to know of any? Why... Sir, why don't you ask Annemann Fowler about that? I've got a hunch he might be able to help you. Oh yeah? He know anything about soccer? I think he does. Good, I'll check with him. They know to get on to something else. I've got some news for you. There's a request in the works for a crew chief to be reassigned from our squadron to a B-52 wing after we return to the states. And I've heard that you along with several others are being considered for the job. Me, sir? That's right. That's what you get for being such a good crew chief. Well, gosh, this is sort of... I don't think... No, no, just a minute Sergeant Olson. Let's be realistic about this. You're going to say you don't want to leave the crew. Well, the truth is, I'd hate to lose you too. But it'll be a stuff up the ladder for you, right? Sure would, sir. All right, so you take that step. Maybe I'll take a step too and we might meet somewhere a little higher up. Now in the event you are picked, we've got to think of a suitable replacement for you. Any suggestion? Well, I'd have to give that some thought, sir. Oh? How about Fowler? He's a competent assistant crew chief, isn't he? Yes, sir, he is. But, well to be frank, I don't think he's particularly anxious to advance himself. What makes you think that? Well, you remember, sir, how he was knocked out of the box that day he pitched for you? Yeah. Well, that wasn't the first time it happened to him in high school, too. Just when the big league scouts were there to check. And it must have knocked something else out of him, too. Self-confidence. I see. He could have been a crew chief on another plane a long time ago. Sergeant Wesley offered it to him, but he turned it down. Something should be done about it. Too good a man to let anything like that interfere with his career. Well, that's what I thought, sir. I tried once, never again. Oh, here he comes now. Good morning, sir. Sergeant Olson, the interphone is out. Looks like it might be a tube. Okay, I'll make that a work order for radio repairman. You know, the captain and I were just talking about you. Me? Yeah, I was about to tell him that you know something about soccer. That right, Fowler? Used to play on a Turnverein team back in his hometown, right, Glenn? Turnverein. Oh, yes, sir. That's an organization of German-Americans. You know, they like to play their old country sports. Uh-huh. Hey, look, Glenn, would you do me a favor? I'd be glad to, sir, anything. Fine. You know, the winged soccer teams, they're not doing so well. Well, please don't ask me to play, sir. I don't want to seem ungrateful for how swell you've always treated me, but you remember what happened that time I tried to pitch. Yes, but I'm not asking you to play. I need a teacher bad. I thought maybe you'd give us a hand with that. Well, gosh, Captain, I don't know if I can. Glenn, I know you think you don't have the stuff to play ball anymore, but look at it this way. You're serving successfully on a team now that's far bigger than any kind you ever failed on. And by helping me to further community relations like this, you'll be helping to serve the Air Force team also. Now, you've got the stuff, Glenn, or you wouldn't be wearing those stripes on your arm. Now, what do you say? Well, when you put it that way, sure, sir. I'll try it. Good fellow. And I'm sure you won't regret it. As it turned out, Glenn's teaching did help to improve the Airmen's playing. So much so that Captain Fraser felt confident enough to schedule an exhibition game for local charity with one of the district's top soccer teams. It was quite an event. The whole town turned out it seemed. I was a volunteer scorekeeper for our team, so I had a ringside seat for what I hoped but didn't expect what happened that day. So you don't think we have a chance, Sergeant Olson? I'm afraid I don't, sir. Those men have been playing this game all their lives. It's like asking Piper Cubs to compete with the B-47 outfit at a bombing meet. Perhaps. But don't forget our men have improved a lot since Glenn took over. You might be in for a surprise. Just then the play began. And as I predicted, our team was being steamrolled by their opponents. Yeah, it looks like you were right, Sergeant. I guess I pulled a butte all right. I thought maybe I'd whip up some interest in that community if they could see that we'd improve, but... Excuse me, sir. Look, out on the field. That's Fowler, isn't it? He's putting himself in the game. I never thought I'd ever see that. Well, I did, Sergeant. Come on, Glenn Boy, give it to him! Give it to him, he did. The opposing team was far off guard. Before they could pull themselves together, our team sparked by Glenn's presence and made several goals. But, of course, they still weren't a match for the Germans. At the end of the game, the Germans were the victors. But our team had made such a fine showing against tremendous odds that Captain Fraser was immediately swamped with offers to schedule more soccer games. We're all set now. They learned a lot about the Air Force airmen out on that field today. And as time goes by, they'll get to know us better. And we will them. Yes, sir. If I may, sir, I'd like to offer my congratulations for you having judged Glenn correctly. You certainly knew how to bring him out of himself. It's only a beginning, Sergeant. I just hope it has further results. It did have further results. That came no later than the next day, following a phone conversation I had with Sergeant Dewey. Oh, Glenn, see you in a minute. Yes, sure, Sergeant. Yeah, what is it? You'd better be prepared to go along with Captain Fraser on his flight today instead of me. Me? Sergeant, I've never been alone on a flight before. Well, it's a good time to start. Look, Sergeant, I don't want to see him as though I'm... Well, this is an important flight. If it's okay, it'll put us on top for consecutive flying hours, Log. And I wouldn't want to jump around. Now listen to me, Glenn. Yesterday, when you went out there on that field, you defeated the only thing that stood in your way. From now on, it's going to be top flight for you and nothing else, so go get your gear ready. Later that afternoon, Glenn took off on his first flight as acting crew chief, the first of many, I hope, because I had learned on the phone from Sergeant Dewey that I'd been chosen to be reassigned to the B-52 outfit. If Glenn made out okay on the flight, he would take my place as crew chief. And when the plane landed upon its return, I knew my hopes hadn't been in vain because I could see by the look in Glenn's eyes by how straight he carried himself. And by the way Captain Fraser slapped him on the back that he'd made it. After the debriefing, I told him the good news. Gosh, Sarge, I... I don't know what to say. I never expected there's nothing to say. It's all yours from now on. It's a job for a man, Glenn, but I know now that you can handle it. Yes, Sarge. I can handle it. Thanks to you and Captain Fraser. No, maybe. But thanks mostly to yourself. Sitting here in the KC-97 tanker plane that's helping to fly our squadron back to the States, I can look out of the window and see below us the farmers in the fields, villagers in the streets, the hands all raised and farewell to us. I know I'll always remember this place where some airmen found many new friends and where one airman found himself. There are all kinds of investments. Money, land, time, even work is one type of investment. If you bought stocks and bonds, you'd expect a reasonable profit on your money. If you owned an apartment building, you'd want a return on your property. It's only natural when you make an investment of any kind you want it to pay off. And training, even though you can't touch it or sell it, is an investment that no one can take away from you. You former servicemen, how about those years you invested in the armed forces, learning skills, gaining experience valuable to yourself and your country? You can make those years pay off in big dividends today by becoming a member of the United States Air Force. Yes, if you've been in any of the armed forces, you may be eligible to enlist in the Air Force in a grade that will be a pleasant surprise. You see, the Air Force needs men skilled in certain important fields, and you may be just such a man. If so, the Air Force offers you an opportunity to put your previous service experience to work and to collect on those credits you've earned toward comfortable retirement. An Air Force career will give you many extra benefits, a guaranteed annual wage with allowances for dependents, travel and clothing, 30 days paid vacation each year, and up to $2,000 for re-enlistments. The Career Incentive Act opens up new opportunities to veterans of any service, and you owe it to yourself to find out what this can mean to you. Your Air Force recruiter has a folder full of details, so write or visit him right away. Ask for the prior service man's folder, and you'll know why today and tomorrow you're better off in the United States Air Force. This has been another program on Proudly We Hale, presented transcribed in Cooperation with the United States Air Force. Proudly We Hale is produced by the Recruiting Publicity Center in New York for the United States Air Force. This is Ralph Rowland inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on Proudly We Hale.