 Proudly, we hail! New York City, where the American stage begins, here is another program of the 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 Air Force. The story today is entitled, The Real Exam. This is a story of four airmen who were caught in the wild, senseless fury of an Arctic storm and of how they used their skill, training and ingenuity to survive. Our first act curtain will rise in just one moment, but first... When you make an investment, you want it to pay off, right? Well men, how about those years you invested in the service, learning skills, gaining experience, valuable to yourself and your country? You can make those years pay off in real big dividends today by becoming a member of the United States Air Force. Yes, indeed, if you've been in any of the armed forces, then you may be eligible to enlist in the Air Force and the grade it'll be a real pleasant surprise to you. You see, right now the Air Force needs men skilled in certain important fields and you may be just such a man. If so, well, then the Air Force offers you an opportunity to put your previous surface experience to work. You know, many times a man is skilled in a particular job, yet, well, he's unable to find a use for it. Don't let this happen to you. The Air Force needs experience and know-how gained in all of the armed forces. And if you possess one of the critical skills needed to keep America's air defense strong, you can put that experience to work in the Air Force and do so at a higher grade and with higher pay than you may realize. You've earned credits toward a real valuable retirement income, so protect the initial investment. For full details, write or visit your Air Force recruiter. Ask for the prior service man's folder. Now remember, that's the prior service man's folder. This folder will show you why. Today and tomorrow, you're better off in the United States Air Force. And now your United States Air Force presents the proudly-we-hailed production, The Real Exam. In a world of disappearing frontiers, the Arctic remains one of the last great unconquered outposts. This clean, white world of wind, ice and snow is beautiful as well as dangerous. There are many mysteries still to be solved in the polar regions. The solution and the eventual handling of these problems will determine whether this land is to become a source of strength or a portal of weakness. It remains to be explored, studied and used. In this vital work, the United States Air Force plays a leading role. Get at that stove, I'm frozen stiff. Yeah, Kentucky was never like this, no, sir. I didn't think there was that much ice and snow in the whole world. What a place! That's kind of pretty though, Phil. All that whiteness. Pretty! Are you kidding? Oh, I agree with you. This ain't South Pacific, but it's different. There are things to see. Really a favor, Willie, will ya? And stop looking at the bright side of things. Where's Sam? He's down at operations. He met a guy I went to radio school with. You mean he's permanent party here? Yep. Oh, that boy's got my sympathy. Hey, Lieutenant, tell you when we're leaving. He said he had to see this geophysicist for a little while, and then we'd take off. We've been here for four hours. Yeah, I guess there's nothing to do but sit around and take it easy. I always say you can't accomplish anything by worrying. Gotta take them away, they come. Okay, okay, little Miss Sunshine, you're the boss. I'm only the assistant crew chief. So, if you say take them away, they come. If they come the way they come, that's what we'll have to do, I guess. I swear I never saw a guy carry on the way you do it on my born days. Can't ya? At ease. Uh, what's good word, sir? You ready to take off? I'm afraid not. Looks like we'll stay here a while. Well, that's going to be great. That man I'm going to see is still out on a field trip. Won't be back until a day after tomorrow. How about that? That's the story. You men are free to do anything you want until then. Yes, sir. I've seen ya. And I had a date for tomorrow night back at the base. Oh, take it easy, Phil. You live long. That's all you know. Take it easy. Take them the way they come. Anything wrong with that? Yeah, there is. You're too easy going. You don't have any guts. I wouldn't say that, Phil. Hey, why didn't you two guys tell me you were coming over to the day room? I've been looking all over for ya. All right, so now you found us. Hey, wait till you hear what I got lined up for us. Wait till you hear. What did you do? Run into a couple, you ask him, oh, girlfriend? Oh, no, girlfriend. I'm talking about something different. What the devil are you so cheerful about, Sam? Do you realize we're going to be here for the next two days? Yeah, I know. I know. I was talking to a lieutenant. I heard him down in operations. What's so terrible about it? Two days. What's so terrible? Now look, like I was telling you. This guy, Joe Slade, I ran into down in operations. He and I went to school together. Aren't you two when you met him, rub noses? Do me a favor, Willie. Tell this assistant grease monkey of yours to lay off the wisecracks, please. Okay, Sam. Okay. Well, Joe was telling me about the skiing around here. He says it's wonderful. Skiing, eh? What's the plan? Joe's got tomorrow off and he's willing to take us along. Hey, what do you think of that? Well, I don't know. I haven't been on a pair of skis in a long time. It's so nice and warm sitting here next to the fire. I don't know. Oh, come on, Willie, you'll enjoy it. Besides, we need you. You're the only one of us who's gone through that air survival school. And you never know when that information is going to come in handy. Oh, don't remind me of that. Those boys at Steed sure did give me a gun over. Wow. Well, what do you say, fellas, huh? Well, Phil, what about you? Count me in. Anything is better than sitting around here. How much farther is it, Joe? Ah, about six miles. It's pretty level around the base, so they let us go to those hills, out to the west of us. So they say they're about six or seven miles out. Six miles? I'll never make it with this pack. What do we have to carry all this junk for if we're only going out for a few hours? Well, I figured we'd stop and make camp when we get a little tired. I just brought some food and a gasoline stove, just a few things. How's the hunting up here, Joe? You do much of that? No, the license is expensive, so the game up here, you're not allowed to shoot even with a license. Like seal, we may get to see some seal out here. They sleep next to the holes in the ice and they make mighty interesting hunting. But only the Eskimos are allowed to shoot them. Well, that's too bad. Yeah, but the skiing is terrific, too. Where do you see? Okay, lead on. We're right behind you. Okay, fellas, we can leave the supplies here and start on these slopes. Oh, that's good. I'm tired of carrying these skis. Let's go. You do much skiing, Sam? Me? I've never been on a pair of these things in my life. You've never been on skis before? No. You're gonna need a few pointers. Oh, never mind the pointers. Let's get going. I'm gonna be all pooped out before we even get started. But you just can't start skiing, Sam. Oh, there's nothing to it. Look, I've watched it in the movies millions of times. Have it your way. What about you, Phil? I'm an old pro. I used to spend all my weekends in Vermont. Don't worry about me. I hope you know where we are, Joe. Trails sure did a lot of wandering around. I guess we'll find our way back, all right? Kind of flat here. Let's take our skis off, rest awhile, and then we'll start back. Now, that is the best suggestion I've heard in a long time. I haven't got the energy of an anemic turtle. Boy, that was fine skiing. I haven't had so much fun. Hey, Joe, what's that look? What? What's the matter? There, on that flat ground, see? Oh, yeah, now I see it. That's a seal sitting next to his hole in the ice. Hey, why don't you take his picture? I don't have a telephoto lens. I'm sure which I had a gun, though. You couldn't shoot a seal from this distance. Well, why not? Well, if you just hit him any place at all, he slips into the hole and he's gone. What you have to do is shatter his brain or his spinal column. Can't be done from this distance. Well, how do the Eskimos hunt them? Well, you see, the seal takes frequent naps as he lies in the sun. He sleeps for about 35 or 40 seconds, wakes up for five or six, looks around to see what's doing, then goes back to sleep for another 35 or 40 seconds, and so on. Oh, a sack artist if I ever saw one. The seal is nearsighted. For instance, from this distance, he can't see us at all. What does that sound? So you watch it. When he sleeps, you crawl toward him on your belly. When he wakes up, you stop, motions. You following me so far? Yes. And then? Sam, I think your friend's been up here too long. I think you're right. The seal doesn't notice you until you get to about a hundred or 75 yards away from him. Then instead of going back to sleep, he'll stare at you. Now, you just can't lie there and wait for him to go back to sleep again. He's suspicious now, and he won't do it. What you do then is raise your head like a seal, about 15 or 20 inches from the ice. Slowly look around the horizon in a complete circle. Then lower your head for a half a minute or so. Well, that just about beats everything. He'll watch you go through the sack five or six times. Then if he's convinced that you're a fellow seal, he'll go back to taking his naps. After this, you can make real good time. Crawling, stopping, crawling, and stopping. When you get to about 50 yards from him, you take your shot. That's the most you can get much closer. Some matter of fact, crawl right up to the seal, grab him by your flipper, and then hit him with a club. I sure would like to try that sometime. Well, why don't you? But you said they didn't allow a hunting seal around here. Well, not with a gun. Why don't you take your camera, get up as close to him as you can, and then take his picture? I'll be. You think it'll work? What do you got to lose? Okay, here goes. Obviously, any fellas? Hey, look at him go. Yeah, good. That's the stuff. Down, down, down again. Hey, he's all right. Now I know why that Willy's always been so fond of fish. The boy is half-sealed. I don't like the sound of that. He's perfectly on top of the seal now. Hey, let's get out of here, huh? He's taking the picture now. Nice work, Willy. I got him. I got him. I got him. Hey, that was pretty nice. You all right? I don't know. I must have been a crack in the ice. He went down like a ton of bricks. Let me have a look at him. No, just give me a hand, huh? I'll be all right. Got something on my feet. Hold on. Let's feel a leg. Oh, it won't work. I think I'm going to have to set this one on. I'll get that canvas sheet from my pack, Sam. I want to keep that leg of his warm. All right. I'll cover it up again in a minute, Joe. I just want to take a look at him. Yeah, anything you say. Good to see it clumsy. Full like me. Don't forget it could happen to anybody. Does it hurt much when I touch it here? Much better. Here's the sheet, Willy. Well, what are we going to do? Well, I don't know. This storm kind of complicates things. Willy, what's the scar? Is it broken? Yeah, I'm afraid so. Well, look, let's carry him. We can carry him back to the base. No, we'll never make it in this storm. What are we going to do? Stand around here until we all freeze to death. Let's do something. Well, we'll figure something out. Willy, Sam, look, why don't you cover me up nice and warm and then take off? I'll be fine until you get back with a sled. That isn't any kind of an idea. What we ought to do is move to that spot below the ridge. The wind isn't so strong over there. Let's go, fellas. We'll carry him. Okay, anchor the shoulders. To the proudly we hail production, the real exam. And we will return in just one moment for the second act. Are you a service veteran? Well, if you are, then listen real carefully to me, because this message is just for you. You know, you may be qualified to enlist in the United States Air Force in a grade that will be a real pleasant surprise to you. If you possess one of the critical skills needed to keep America's air defense strong, well, then the Air Force offers you an opportunity to put your skill to work and at a higher grade and at higher pay than you may realize. Right now, the Air Force needs experience and know-how gained in the armed forces. And now, thanks to the new Career Incentive Act, you can put your surface-gain skills to work to your best advantage by returning to the armed forces as a member of the United States Air Force. Right or visit your Air Force recruiter for the special Prior Service Man's Folder. Now, remember, that's a special Prior Service Man's Folder. It's full of important details. You'll see why 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 the real exam. And so they were trapped, the four airmen, trapped by the wild, senseless fury of the Arctic storm. And what had started out as a gay interlude in a strange new setting became suddenly a grim, frightening experience. Now, this will do. Now, let's put him down here. How does it feel? I don't know. I can hardly feel it now. We're gonna have to do something about that. Lying around this way without moving his leg, afraid it might get frostbitten. All right then, let's do something. Well, first comes a shelter. And when the storm blows out a little, we can step out our signals. This crazy talk isn't getting us any place. Look, Phil, what's your suggestion? One of us should go back for help. I'll go. You'll never make it, Phil. They'll be out after us with the Whirly Burn. But anything's better than standing around doing nothing. Look, I'm going. You're not going. You're gonna stay here with the rest of us until this thing blows over. Right now there's work to do. I'm not taking any orders from you. I know as much about these storms as you do. Maybe so, but I'm the ranking non-com here and this outfit is my responsibility. We'll go our way out of this deal and we're going to do it together. But we're not doing anything. What do you say, Sam? Don't you think we ought to get moving? Look, Willie's in charge. If he says... Well, we're involved in this too, you know. If you want to help, Phil, think of some kind of shelter we can build. That's our main problem right now. I don't know anything about shelters. You're the one who went to survival school, not me. Willie, I got another canvas sheet in my pack. Maybe we can rig up a lean to against this ridge. No. Now that wouldn't work. See, we're on the... on the lee side. The snowdrifts would build up and collapse at no time at all. What then? Well, you could build a snowhouse. A snowhouse? Are you crazy or something? What do you think we are? A bunch of Eskimos? What do we know about building igloos? That's Sergeant at Steed. If I could only remember what he said. Now, that's it, sure. Now, I'd say a house about ten feet in diameter. But we don't know... All right, now let's go. Hand me that piece of rope in those forks. They do fine. Now, Sam, hold this end. Yeah, yeah, like this. Yeah, that's right. Now, I'll swing the other end in a circle. Like so. Pretty good, eh? And that's where we're going to put the house. Now then. That should be about four feet high. And you stand up. Your foot should make a slight impression in the snow. If there's no impression, the snow is too hard. It will not work well. Then you take a stick about four feet long. And stick it into the snow. Now, that snow bank over there, that one looks pretty good. Let's test it. You want to start cutting the blocks? No, I will test it first. I'll stand on it. So... Now, let's see that print. Good. Now, the snow looks all right. Hand me that ski pole, will you, Phil? There you are. Thanks. Put it into the snow. Now, if it goes in too hard, it means there's too much ice in the snow. Too easy. It won't hold together. If the pressure is uneven, first easy, then hard. There are ice layers. No good that way either, you see? And you're supposed to feel an even pressure against the stick all the way. Here, I'll try. I'm going to work fine. Very good. You better shake a leg. Now, Sam and I will cut the blocks. Phil, you place them along that line I traced in the snow. The blocks will be about 20 inches long and 12 inches wide. The bottom inside edge has to be shaped, sort of beveled, so that the blocks will lean into the center of the house. First, I'll cut a hose on the line along the bank like this. Look at this, will you? This will be finished pretty soon, and I'll take a look at it. I'll chink up the cracks with snow while you finish up those last few blocks. Now, the last one's going to be kind of tricky. You have to shape it and work it up through the roof and then into position trick. Here's that cylinder from the ration kit for a ventilator. Now, that's one thing you mustn't forget. The ventilator. Put that canvas sheet down for the floor. Sam, start that little stove going, will you? Yeah, coming up. I'll set it up near Joe. I want to take a look at his leg. I'm flying off the handle. I just didn't use my head. That's all right, Phil. We're not out of the woods yet. Let's get that shoe with Joe's off. It's warm enough here now. Don't bother, will you? I can take the shoe off myself. Here, let me do it. There we are. See? There's nothing to it. Does it feel any worse? Not worse. What do you think, Willie? Wrap that leg in some warm, soft cloth. That sweater's good. That's it, Phil. Now, this jacket of mine, this fleece lining will help. Willie, what's the scoop? It's frostbitten. That white color of the skin means damage to the tissues. It doesn't look good. Frostbite? Holy smoke. That's serious. Just a second. I know something that's good for frostbite. What are you doing? An uncle of mine used to live in Canada. He told me about this. The best way to restore circulation to a frostbitten part is to rub it with snow. With snow? Wait a minute. Let me think. I don't think that's right. It seems to me. How did that go again? Don't rub that snow on his leg. You have to get the circulation back as quickly as possible. If you waste time, gangrene may set in. I know, I know. But not with snow. Not by rubbing, that is. Sam, we'll make a basin out of that piece of oil skin. Yeah, that's it. Now, let's melt some of this snow and use it to bathe his leg. Now, we don't want it too hot. Just cool. But I always heard that if you rub some snow on the frostbitten part... It does restore the circulation. That's right. At the same time, though, it's liable to destroy a lot of the frozen tissue. How's it coming, Sam? Double order of warm snow coming up. We'll deal now, Joe. I don't know anymore. As a matter of fact, it's beginning to hurt like blazes. Oh, good. That shows the circulation's returning. Hey, look at the color. The whiteness is gone. It's beginning to turn pink. Hey, who's got something to eat? I'm starving. Hey, I got all the ingredients for a stew in my pack. What? I thought maybe I'd try it out on you guys. I guess you're pretty lucky I'm in no condition. Hey, where is that stuff? It just so happens that cooking is a hobby of mine. Here. Cubes, frozen vegetables, potato. Hey, Joe. That massage, it must be a buddy of yours. Go on, go on, Sam. Give it a whirl. I got a cast-iron stomach. Okay, buddy. You're asking for it. First, we'll throw out the vegetables. You got a great talent there, Sam. It's really nothing. Is there any more of that stew? I could use a little. Say, am I imagining it? Or did that storm blow itself out? I think you're right. Okay, let's sit the outside and start stamping out that rescue signal. Then you did a couple hours ago. Leg feeling better? That's me. The original chow. You sat me down to a good feed and I forgot all my troubles. You're a changed man, that's for sure. Be happy to see you back at the base, though. That leg of yours needs attention. Is it broken, Willie? I'm afraid it is, Joe. Looks pretty good, though. I'm sure the medics will fix it up without too much trouble. Hold it, fellas. I think I hear something. Maybe. I can't be sure. Come on, let's go outside and take a look. Right behind you. Hey, what about me? Easy, Joe. We won't forget you. Okay. See it yet, Sam? No, not yet. It must be pretty close, though. Hey, Chopper! Chopper, over here! Here we are! Those helicopter boys are really on the ball. Yes, sir. There it is. Right above us. Hey! Hey, you guys! Hey, me too. You know the first thing I'm going to do when I hit the barracks, don't you? Uh-huh. You're going to hit the sack. Now, that's second. First, I'm going to write that Sergeant Burns at Steed, a nice long letter. That boy hands out some mighty important information. Service veteran, well, think about this for a moment. Are you making the most of your service-gain skills? Well, here's something you should know. You know, you may qualify to enlist in the United States Air Force, and the grade will be a real pleasant surprise to you. Right now, the Air Force needs men with training and experience gained in all of the armed forces. If you're skilled in one of these critical jobs needed to keep America's air defense strong, well, then the Air Force offers you an opportunity to put those skills to work to your best advantage. The Career Incentive Act opens up new opportunities in the Air Force to veterans of all the armed forces. Yes, indeed. If you possess one of the skills the Air Force needs, well, then you may qualify in the United States Air Force. 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. Now, remember that, that's the Special Prior Service Man's Folder. You'll see what a return to the service as an airman can mean to you. And today and tomorrow, believe me when I say, you're better off in the United States Air Force. This has been another program on Proudly We Hail, presented transcribed in cooperation with this radio station. Proudly We Hail is produced by the Recruiting Publicity Center in New York for the United States Air Force. And this is Dick Herbert speaking. And inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on Proudly We Hail.