 Proudly, we hail! New York City, where the American state begins, here is another program of 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 today is entitled, The Soldier's Creed, and it's the story of a young man who wanted to be a soldier more than anything else in the world. The only trouble was that this young man was too young, eleven to be exact. Our first act curtain will rise in just one moment, but first, ask most anybody what they want out of life, and a great majority of the answers can be boiled down to just one word, happiness. Well, happiness is a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but basically, you might say that it's the achievement of your goals. To be happy is to be successful in whatever you do, and in today's highly specialized world, training is the key to success. If you're a young man of service age, you can get free training worth thousands of dollars by enrolling now in your United States Army's new Reserve for You training program. Under this plan, you can enter the course of your choice and be trained in such interesting fields as x-ray operation, photography, automotive maintenance, and communications. In all, there are over 100 courses to choose from. So, for complete information on how you can benefit from this program, you visit your local United States Army Recruiting Station. And now, the proudly we hail production, The Soldier's Creed. Come and get it! Lunch! Lunch is ready! Where has that boy gone to? Bobby? Bobby, lunch is ready! Man, say that boy is never around when you want him. Bobby! Goodness, my potatoes are boiling over. Boy, it's hot out there today. John, you haven't seen Bobby, have you? He was playing soldier down around the other side of the shed. From what I could tell, the enemy was coming up the hill, and there he was, holding off a whole battalion all by himself. Last count, I'd say he winged at least 2,000 of them, in spite of being severely wounded. John, I'm worried about that boy. Well, he'll be back in school next month, and your worries will be over. He misses his brother, something fierce. Well, you'll do, Alice. Goodness, I certainly would have appreciated Dick Strong back in that North Field this morning. But helping your country is noble service to him. Yeah, you want me to check his over back of the shed to see if he's still there? Oh, no, don't bother. Here he comes. Like he's got the weight of the world on his shoulder. He probably lost that war he was fighting. Oh, don't tease him, John. Right now, being a soldier is the most important thing in his life. Oh, right. Hi, Mom. Hi, Pa. Did you hear me calling you, Bobby? No, Mom. Did you call me? I certainly did. I guess your stomach must have called him. Oh, before I forget, Bobby, I don't want you out on maneuvers this afternoon. You come out the North Field and give me a hand. I'll let you drive the tractor. I'm moving those big boulders. Oh, do I have to, Pa? Well, I don't understand you, Bobby. Do you have to? Well, any other boy would give his right arm to drive on a cat. But Sergeant Cassidy wants me to help him out this afternoon. Well, I can't see what a youngster like yourself would be doing recruiting soldiers down at the courthouse. Oh, please, Pa. He needs me. Well, I... Oh, let him go, John. But you be sure and stay on the right side of the highway going into town. Now, you better eat, both of you. Got a surprise for you. A letter from Dick. Uh-huh. I came in this morning with a mail. I've been saving it for you. Well, Alice, why didn't you tell me you heard from Dick? I wanted to wait until we were all together. Besides, you're hearing it now, aren't you? Oh, read it, Mom. Go ahead and read it. All right, but don't let things get cold. Dear Mom and Dad and Bobby, how are things on the farm? So, Dad finally decided to go after that north field. It's about time. Don't try and do it all yourself. Dad, get Jim Banning to give you a hand. See, I told you. Now, all right. Just go on with the letter, Alice. Go ahead, Mom. How are things down at the creek, Bobby? Have you caught any catfish yet this year? I'll bet they won't be any bigger than the one I got last summer. Oh, he's always bragging. You'll all be pleased to hear that I got my second stripe today. Dick's a two-striper. Gee. So now you'll be sure and address all my letters to Corporal Richard Wilkins. Wait a minute, Sergeant. Here's about that. Dick's a two-striper. Gee. Bobby, will you be quiet? The fellows all went to town last week to help me celebrate my promotion. Germany is a very interesting country. And Dick's a two-striper. And they're going on maneuvers in Bavaria. And the... Hold it, Bobby. U.S. Army recruiting officer Sergeant Cassidy speaking. No, we usually close about five. Yes, I'll be here until then. I'd like very much to talk to your dad. Yes, he can sign the papers while you're here. All right. Yes. Yes. See you then. Just a minute, Bobby. Let me make a note of that now. Now, you were saying... Was that another underage recruit? Yes, Bobby, it was. Bill, isn't there anything I can do in the Army? Seventeen is the legal age minimum. Well, I'm almost twelve. Next year. Next year. I'm big for my age. Yes, you are. And there are lots of things a boy like you can do to help the Army. Learning to be a good citizen, for instance. I am a good citizen. Seeing that your brother gets lots of letters in Germany. I write Dick every day. Bobby, you're just going to have to face facts. You're not going to be able to join the Army until you're of age. I, uh... I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. It's wonderful that a youngster like you should love his country so that serving it becomes all important. Army recruiting, Sergeant Cassidy speaking. No, no, I have no authority from this office to grant such permission. Send your request to the office of the commanding general at Camp Hickman. That's right, Camp Hickman. Well, you should have your answer in about two weeks. No. No trouble. Goodbye. Well, I guess I better be going, Bill. So soon, Bobby, I thought you were going to help me sort some of these pamphlets this afternoon. Well, I just remembered something very important I have to do. Okay, you run along. You're going to come in and see me next week? Well, I don't know. I might not have to. Here's the cream you wanted. I'll set it on the table. Did you get your work done? Oh, if I see another concerned boulder, I'll go out of my mind. I did make a little progress, though. What do you mean? I saw out there giving you a hand. No, it wasn't Jim. It was Bobby. Oh, I couldn't tell. He came back in from town? Sure did. Worked like a real hand all afternoon. Where'd he go now? He came around the front, went upstairs, I guess. He had some letters to write. Missed him. I must have been out back with the laundry. Bobby? Oh, I guess he must have stepped out again. Bobby? Well, go and wash up. Suffer will be ready in a little while. Smells delicious. I could eat a bear. Can I help you with anything? Why aren't you the cheerful one? Well, here, finish setting the table. We're going to have supper in about 10 minutes. Where you been? Up at the road, mailing a couple of letters. Don't write yourself out, son. I think one letter a day is more than enough for your brother. Oh, the other one wasn't for Dick. Oh? It was some business I had to attend to. Mom, you know I love you and Dad very much. Of course, darling. That's a silly thing to say. Well, I just wanted you to know that it wasn't to the army or anything. It wouldn't be because of you or Dad. Oh, you're going away? Well, that's what the letter was about. The letter? The one I just wrote. I'm sure that everything's going to be all right now. But just a second, Bobby. Who did you write the letter to? Why, the general, of course. The general? Bobby, you'd best go on up to the road and take the letter out of the box before Mr. Evans comes by and picks it up. Mom. Tell your father what you've done, Bobby. Anything. I just wrote a letter to the general, that's all. The general? Which general? The one here at Camp Hickman. I heard Sergeant Cassidy talking to someone on the phone. He's the one you go to to get permission. Permission for what? To join the army. I think the letter is still up in the box. Maybe he better go up and get it. No, Mom. Bobby, come on over here and talk to me. Pa, I am talking to you. Bobby, I know you feel all kind of grown up inside, don't you? Yes, Pa. I do. Well, that's fine. That's the way it should be with a boy. Not afraid, ready to take on the world. But you're not really a man, not for a couple of years at least, and the army is man's work, son. I'm not against your joining, not when the time is right. But I want you to be able to do a good job when you do come of age, like your brother, Dick. That's just who I want to be like, Pa. Well, the time will come, Bobby, and I'll be the first to give you my blessing. Do you want me to go get the letter? I'll leave that up to you. Yes, you're right, Mother. Sure misses his brother, something fierce. Good morning, sir. Good morning, Captain. Did you, uh, go through the mail? It all looked fairly routine. Oh, here's one. Looks like it's from a youngster. To the commanding general, Cam Pigman. Look how he spells commanding with one M. You miss something, Captain. This is priceless. Listen to this. Dear general, I am 11 years old, but I'm not too young to go into the army. My father and Sergeant Cassidy here in Beardstown think I am, so I'm writing to you as a general. If there is anything you can do, please let me know immediately. Very truly yours, Robert Wilkins. Oh, wait, here's a P.S. I think I would make a very fine soldier like my brother Dick. He sounds like a young man who has quite an imagination. That's not always bad, Ralph, if it's put to good use. It's a very serious matter with this young man. He deserves a proper answer. When my son, Cal, was 11, he wrote to our congressman to get into West Point. I'll write the boy today, sir. I think I would make a very fine soldier. Yes, that's just like Cal. Straight forward, direct, no nonsense about him. Cal's made a good soldier, too. You can't start too young. Now, where is this young man from? Beardstown, sir. Well, that's not too far away, is it, Ralph? No, sir, about 40 miles. I wonder. I just wonder. You know, Captain, such dedication to an ideal should not go unrecognized. Might be a good lesson for a few people. Get this sergeant Cassidy on the phone for me in Beardstown. Don't worry about him, ma'am. I'm to go with him and I'll see that he's well taken care of. We're good friends, ma'am. I know you are, Sergeant, but I don't understand this. You say the general himself invited him down? He must have mailed that car and signed letter. It's just for the day, ma'am. I don't know, Sergeant. I'd like to have him go. I know he'd enjoy it, but you know how serious he is about these things. All he talks about is enlisting. It would destroy an awful lot of that boy to have him go sour on the army. Well, ma'am, I talked to the general's aide on the phone. I told him all about Bobby and I'm sure that everything will be all right. All right, then. Let the boy go, but just for the day. Just for the day, ma'am. We will return to our second act in just one moment, but first... In the world of music, the melody plus a good arrangement and a good performer most often determines a song's success. Now, in the drama, well, the plays the thing, plus, of course, good actors to deliver the lines. And in whatever occupation you choose, training and teamwork are the reasons for success. If you're a young man of service age, you can be trained for success in the course of your choice by enrolling now in your United States Army's new Reserve-Few Training Program. There are over 100 courses to choose from. In such fields as radar, guided missiles, automotive maintenance, and the medical services. But these are only a few, and if you act now, you can make your application and rest assured that you have a class space set aside in your name. If you're a high school graduate, then we suggest you investigate this outstanding opportunity right away. For complete information, you visit your nearest United States Army Recruiting Station, team up with the Army, and you team up with success. And now the second act of the proudly-we-hailed production, The Soldier's Creed. Bobby Wilkins is an 11-year-old farm boy with an older brother who enlisted in the Army. Bobby's life has changed with the tick-on, and as far as Bobby is concerned, changed for the worse. So Bobby wants to follow his brother into the service, but there's a minor hitch. You see, he's six years under the minimum age limit for recruits. Now, however, Bobby has written to the commanding general of a nearby camp, and the general has invited Bobby to be his guest for the day. Go right in, Bobby. The general is expecting you. Should I wait out here, sir? No, Bill, don't. You come too. The general had indicated that I should bring you both in. Come in. Come in. Sit down. General, this is Bobby Wilkins. Hi, Bobby. Glad to have you with us. I'm glad to be here, sir. I understand you're an admirer of the United States Army. Oh, yes, sir. I certainly am. My brother, Dick, says we have the best army in the whole world. Dick's in Germany. He's a two-striper. Is that so? Yes, sir. And he says he wants to make the Army his career and spend 30 years and maybe become a general, too. Bobby, I think the general would like to hear about you. Not about Dick. You must be Sergeant Cassidy. Yes, sir, I am. You see, you're wearing a brown star. Korea, sir. Bobby, there are a lot of things we've planned for you and we'd better not waste any more time talking if we're going to get them in and get you home by tonight. I'm not going back, sir. What was that, Bobby? I'm not going back, sir. Now that I'm here in the Army, I'm going to stay. I just made up my mind. I'm sorry, sir. I don't think Bobby means to be insubordinate. Bobby, when you're in the Army, you're expected to obey orders. Do as you're told. It's part of the soldiers' creed. Do you know what the soldiers' creed is, Bobby? No, sir. Well, I'll tell you what. I think I've got a copy of it around the office and you can have it, but first you come with me. There are a couple of things I want to show you. Okay, Bobby? Okay. We'll see you later, gentlemen. Sergeant, why didn't you tell me the boy was so single-minded about it? It's not single-mindedness, sir. The boy's a lonely boy. He lives on a farm with very few playmates of his own age. Well, I must admit, I thought it was a great idea when the general suggested it. I thought it would prove a great lesson for a lot of people, young Patriot like this. But now I think he should be taken over someone's knee. Maybe that's what the general has in mind. I don't know. But the general is an exceptional strategist. I think he'll come up with a solution to this problem that'll really fix it once and for all. And then where'd you go, Bobby? We went over to the confidence course. And? We just saw all the things that the soldiers do. Well, just, uh... I wonder what Pop's doing. He said he was going to try and finish up that Northfield today. I bet Pop will miss me when I'm in the Army. Bobby, is there anything wrong? You're not eating anything. No. No, there's something wrong. Don't you want some of your ice cream, at least? If you don't mind, I think I've had enough. Okay, then, if you're ready to get back. Bill? Uh-huh. What is it, Bobby? Nothing. Come on. There are some more things I've got to see this afternoon. You'll be here soon. He thought maybe you'd like to see the range. You ever do any shooting, Bobby? Oh, I'm a good shot. I've got thicks old 22. Well, it's not much different with a carbine. Pop and I go hunting every fall in the woods back of our place. I shot a quail last year. You think you can hit that bullseye? Oh, I'm sure I can. Corporal, will you let me have one of those carbines with a full clip in it? Thank you. Here, Bobby. You're going to let me shoot? Now, squat down here. Take this carbine. It's all the heavy. Standard size and weight. Now, point it at that target there and fire away. We'll check your score when you're through. What's the matter, Bobby? The life is awful heavy. Well, just keep holding it up. What now, Bobby? I can't. Get up. All right, then, Bobby. Forget about it. Captain, I wonder if we could go back now. I want to find Sergeant Cassidy. There are lots more things to see. I don't feel very well. I'd like to go home. Is my driver ready? Yes, sir. He's right outside. Good. If you'd be so kind as to finish up those few things on my desk before you check out tonight, I'd appreciate it. Yes, sir. If anyone calls, I'm going over the range and pick up that Wilkins boy. Excuse me, sir. The sergeant's been waiting to see you. Oh, hello, Sergeant. I didn't see you sitting there. Hello, sir. Well, you should have had Sergeant Thomas here call me and tell me you were waiting. I didn't want to disturb you, sir. Anything wrong, Sergeant? It's Bobby, sir. He's, uh... Well, uh... Go ahead, Sergeant. Well, sir, I don't know quite how to put it. You see, I had lunch with Bobby and maybe things aren't going quite well. I hadn't figured as much. Things aren't going as he planned. I thought you'd notice, sir. He was written all over him. He's a sensitive boy and hurting him is the last thing any of us want to do. Our future depends on boys like that. I couldn't agree with you more, sir. Captain, are you back already? I was just going down the rifle range to meet you. It's the boy, sir. Anything wrong, Bobby? I want to go home, sir. I'm not sure that I like the army. Bobby, come into my office for a moment, would you? Yes, sir. Uh, you'll excuse us just a moment. Bobby and I would like to have a little talk. Bobby, take a good look at those pictures on my wall. Do you know who they are? Yes, sir. That's Washington. And that's Jackson. And that's Grant. And that's General Pershing. And that's Eisenhower. And that last one's General Ridgway. That's pretty good, Bobby. Not a lot of boys here age would be able to pass that test. Now, one more thing. Do you know what all those men had in common? They were all generals. Even more, Bobby. They're all members of the United States Army. There's almost 200 years of history on these walls, Bobby. 200 years of great history. Don't be in a hurry. There are going to be many more years of that greatness. Years in which boys like you will serve with honor, with firm belief in our democratic way of life. You're disappointed now, Bobby, and heard, the wall is too high, the weapons carrier is too big, but don't be discouraged. There are many ways in which you can serve. Learn to be a good citizen. Believe in God and country. And when you do come to us mature, grown, able to withstand the rigors of service life, you'll be ready for us. And we'll know that what we're getting is the real article. You understand that, Bobby? Yes, sir. I think I do. All right, then. Now let's call everyone in. Come in, both of you. Bobby, I promised you a copy of the Soldiers Creed, and I'd like you to have one. Here it is. Regard it well. This is what being a soldier really means. Go ahead. Read it for us. The Soldiers Creed. I am an American soldier. I am part of the Army of the United States, and a protector of the greatest nation on earth. I am proud of the uniform, and will at all times conduct myself, so as to bring credit upon the military service and the nation which it has pledged to protect. I am proud of my organization, and will do in all my power to make it the outstanding unit of the Army. I will be loyal to those under whom I serve, and will do my part in carrying out my orders and instructions given to me or my unit. As a soldier, I realize that I am a member of a time-honored profession, and that I am doing my share to perpetuate the principles of freedom for which my country stands. Regardless of the situation in which I find myself, I will never do anything, whether for pleasure, profit, or for personal safety, which will bring the credit upon my uniform, my unit, or my country. I will use every means within my power, over and beyond the line of duty if necessary, to restrain any of my comrades in the Army from action which may bring the credit. Not only upon themselves, but upon the uniform. I am proud of my country, and the flag, which is its symbol. My every effort will be to do my duty to make the people of this nation proud of the service which I represent, for I am an American soldier. Gee. And now let me read this inscription I placed at the bottom of the scroll. Resented to Master Robert Wilkins on this 24th day of July, 1955, as the outstanding potential soldier of the United States Army for the month of July, 1962. Gee. Well, Bobby, what do you think of the Army now? How many years is it till 1962? A man with a good eye to the future makes a good soldier, and that's why so many bright young men and women are joining the United States Army now. For Army life is an exciting career and there's plenty of room up at the top. Today American soldiers get the finest technical training in the world. Every man is a specialist, a master at his job, and the Army sees to it that every man is trained to do his job and what's more important, to do it right. Because the Army is growing so rapidly, today's soldiers are being promoted fast. Oh, you work hard, sure, but believe me, the rewards are really well worth it. Right now the Army needs healthy, intelligent men and women, volunteers from 18 to 34. If you know what it takes, then you think seriously about an Army career. Stop in at Generous United States Army Recruiting Station. Get all the facts about what the Army has to offer you. 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 for the United States Army and this is Richard Hayes speaking, with another interesting story on Proudly We Hail.