 proudly we hail from New York City where the American stage begins here is another program with a cast of outstanding players public service time has been made available by this station for your army and your Air Force to bring you this story as proudly we hail the United States Air Force our story is entitled Air Force wife this is the story of Kathy Russell and her husband Bob an Air Force captain at a moment when their lives are troubled and tangled our first act curtain will rise in just a moment but first young man there's a future in flight today's jet age offers unlimited opportunities for young men between the ages of 19 and 26 and a half who are high school graduates and otherwise qualified yes you can proudly wear the silver wings and fly the mighty aircraft of your United States Air Force when you've completed your training for full details visit your nearest Air Force base or your nearest United States Air Force recruiting station today remember the sooner you apply the sooner you fly and now your army and your Air Force present the proudly we hail production Air Force wife it's early in the morning at Eastman Air Force Base it's a little chilly the sun has just begun to rise an Air Force transport plane is standing on the ramp its doors open and waiting there are a number of Air Force men getting ready to go on a mission the pilot captain Bob Russell and his co-pilot Lieutenant Bert Tilson are checking over their flight plan standing outside the operations office is Kathy Russell Bob's wife near her are some other wives and Sue Collins Lieutenant Tilson's girl hi honey well we're all set take care of you so oh sure don't I always guess you do sort of a habit to say that I know the way I always say to you be careful now and don't drive too fast you know I don't I know I know it's just that I get a mental picture of you getting into the car after you see me off and being in a hurry to get home to the kids and not paying enough attention to the role I'm always careful and you keep right on being careful all right I will and don't forget now if you see Maggie Clark thank her particularly for that plan I will and if I don't see her I'll see the major for sure you know the way you men are about delivering messages from why I'll remember well it's time to get the wheels off goodbye I look you you know where you can reach me and watch out for Danny's cough he woke up again in the night and said his throat hurt and he was thirsty all right I'll watch it goodbye well you're gonna stay here I always watch until the plane's out of sight oh okay we'll take care of things there Kathy hi Sue you look all quiet and composed and dry eyed why not I mean I hate to see Bob leave but he'll be back in a couple of days as will Bert I know you know if Bert and I ever do get married I mean I have trouble with him about your husband he's pleased to be Bob's co-pilot ruins his ambition well I think you're a bird like Bob takes his flying seriously I don't see how you can stay so composed seeing Bob go away like that don't you worry about him of course I do Sue but I'll tell you secrets something I discovered a long time ago all women worry about their husbands when they're away whether they go on a trip or go to an office to work but don't you worry more about Bob going off this way Sue my father is sales manager for a firm he goes away every couple of weeks mother worries about him more than I do about Bob but at least your mother stays in one place she's been picked up and moved around every time she gets used to living somewhere oh so that's it that's why you and Bert haven't gotten married I guess so my family they don't object to Bert they like him but they'd rather I married someone from town here who would stay in one spot oh I see it's a problem I love Bert but I love my family too and you do move around a lot yes that's true we do look Sue I get tired of moving sometimes but there's another side to it you know but your children I'd want kids but I'd like them to settle down in one place go to one school and stay there I used to think that too but kids are more flexible than we give them credit for and this moving around has been good for them you've lived so many places really I think it's been good for Danny and will be good for Sandra too when she's old enough to appreciate it they've seen more of the country than they would have they know more makes them well better Americans they're more adaptable more mature make it sound wonderful it has its own problems and its own advantages look if you want some tips on how to handle your family my mother's visiting me for a few days why don't you drop over and talk to her I'd love to thank this was your first chance to visit it since we've moved here I think she came to see how we're settled and whether she can help better get home or she'll be wondering what happened to me I'm glad to see everything so nice here Kathy I hope looks fine you seem pretty well settled in well you know me mother I take roots in a hurry I do know you Kathy you do what you have to do without any complaints I'm proud of my girl do you know any people here yet some a few of the service wives and I'd met Sue Collins before we moved here of course some of the neighbors have called you'll always make out wherever you are it seems like a nice town but I've seen of it I'm more worried about Danny you're just enjoying being the worrying grandmother I worry too a little bit every time either kid runs a fever but I'm not the worrying type besides he sounded better tonight the aspirin brought his temperature down you're probably right I wanted to talk to you about something else dear dad has been talking to me Mr. Williamson's been talking to him dad isn't having any trouble is he of course not far from it business is doing well it's been expanding all the time Mr. Williamson was saying that he could use another good man it wasn't anything definite but I thought if Bob should ever decide to leave the service this might be a good time and a word from dad mother I really don't think Bob would be interested I'll tell him about it when he gets back but he's crazy about his work what do you think you know I like some aspects of this life and other parts of it have disadvantages but in the service we're all in the same business so to speak husbands and wives I'm more a part of his everyday life than I would be if he had a civilian job and that appeals to me as it were Danny woman who loves her husband of course dear if that's the way you feel I just thought it might be an opportunity for Bob mother he's been building a career in the field he loves a career he couldn't duplicate elsewhere it's something he's thought over carefully we both have is that Danny I'll go up and see if he woke I'll be right back I don't like the way he looks mother I didn't take his temperature but I know he's running a real fever now oh dear I'm going to call up the medical duty officer at the base Danny keeps calling for Bob hey I look at it bird if Sue really wants to marry her she won't let anything like that stand in the way I think that too sometimes Bob but she does love me I know that why don't you talk it over with Kathy when we get back thanks I've taken up a lot of your time talking about my troubles think nothing of it everyone likes to be asked for advice and besides which we like you and Sue we ought to be over clitting about now right we're over the Clinton radio now fine I'll make a position report and check ahead for Culver weather Clinton radio this is Air Force nine or two one two position report over your station at one two eight thousand feet Victor Foxtrot Romeo Eastman to Culver estimate Pulaski intersection at two nine Roger Air Force nine or two one two on your position Clinton altimeter two nine eight nine Clinton radio out Clinton radio Air Force nine or two one two request latest weather at Jackson and Culver over cold front directly across our flight path Culver socked in we have rain sleet severe turbulence and pilot reports of severe clear ice between here and destination from the ground up what should we do turn back or do you think we can make it to Danville call Clinton and request to change a flight plan to instrument conditions and change our destination to Danville which is behind the front Danville is beginning to clear we should be able to set down there until Culver opens up Roger our compass heading will be 110 what altitude shall I request major mcdill this is my mother Mrs. Johnson and where's the patient upstairs lead the way how's he feeling now well he's asleep again I had to wake him you took his temperature yes 104 and 7 tenths how long has he been sick well here we are well he started coughing yesterday it wasn't anything much didn't seem to be anywhere and then today it hung on so I kept him in bed I gave him an aspirin this morning another at noon and by dinner time his temperature dropped to under a hundred gave him another aspirin before he went to sleep tonight and he woke up hot and crying a little while ago and the cough that was all you noticed tonight when he woke up he was complaining his throat was sore how did look not too bad but he didn't like me looking at it said it hurt him to move his head I think we'll take his temperature again here you are son just turn over your mother's right here didn't even wake up then he just cried that's just as well no reason for him to wake up is there anything you need anything I can get for you no nothing at all all right let's see that temperature now hmm what is it it's a up a little more closer to 105 now I think I'd feel better and so would he end you if we had him at the hospital you have a baseball not here yes in the other room here I'll show you hello who's this or Burns and this is Major McDill I'm at Captain Russell's house I want the ambulance here right away 311 Maple Street and have a room ready at the hospital and no it's not the captain it's his boy Danny goodbye I suppose it is best can I may I come to of course Kathy and now while we're waiting you'd better pack a bag for him and I'd better head over at the hospital so I can get a few things ready for him all right doctor by the way do you expect Captain Russell back tonight no do you think I should call him I'm not sure I could reach him oh no I wouldn't bother him yet well I'd better get going the ambulance should be here in a few minutes all right I'll be there you are listening to the proudly we hail production Air Force wife we will return in just a moment for the second act here's an important announcement for all high school graduates if you can qualify as an aviation cadet you can become a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force you'll earn more than $5,000 a year as an aviation cadet you'll get the most thorough training in the world in the field of jet aviation you'll be flying jets yourself within 18 months flying easily and safely a skilled jet pilot with a new world of aviation before you the training is rugged the discipline rigid but when you graduate with your commission you'll have a career ahead of you that will take you far in both military and commercial aviation so if you're between the ages of 19 and 26 and a half single and a high school graduate you may qualify for this training and a wonderful future in the jet age visit your nearest United States Air Force recruiting station today for complete details you are listening to proudly we hail and now we present the second act of Air Force wife Kathy went to the hospital with Danny in the ambulance and Danny has been put to bed in the room the major reserved for him Kathy and Major McDill are talking in the waiting room at the end of the hall their voices low they're in a hospital and it's late at night I don't like this either Kathy we'll make him as comfortable as we can but there's no sense letting you think I'm not worried what can you do well I don't want to do a thing until I've checked I called Dr. Waterbury and asked him to come over he's a civilian he's regarded the best pediatrician in this area but you think you know what it is yes I I believe it's polio polio I'm afraid I know what the minute I called for a doctor I didn't want to say anything till I was pretty sure but well you're a pretty level headed girl Kathy and the best thing is for you to know the truth oh there's Dr. Waterbury coming down the hall now you wait here we'll be back it's too early to tell what will happen Mrs. Russell you know most polio attacks pass without doing any damage to the patient isn't there something that can be done nothing that I know of that hasn't been done already you can be sure he's getting the very best possible care you'll probably sleep through the night now Kathy why don't you go home and try to get some sleep do I have to go I mean can't I stay here well I see no reason why not I'll start by in the morning and he comes up just call me I will and thank you doctor for coming over glad to be of service if I can although I haven't done anything except agree with you good night Mrs. Russell now you try to settle down for the night Kathy I'm going to give you something to help you sleep the nurse will be in and out and I won't be far away there doesn't seem to be much change we should know what we're up against within the next 24 hours you saw the boy Mrs. Russell yes I went in he seemed to be asleep restless but sleeping yes that's right now why don't you go home Kathy you have another child there and there's not much you can do here you can come back later and we'll call you if anything comes up I know but he might wake up and be frightened not knowing where he is that's possible but the chances are he won't awaken for several more hours and you'd rather be here then wouldn't you well yes if you think that's sensible you'll feel better if you go home for a few hours if there were anything you could do here to help him I would suggest it I suppose I might as well go home this might be a long siege Mrs. Russell's no point in you're thinking that you have to be here every minute of the day your part will come later when you'll have to help him recover is it all right if I go in and say goodbye well of course can I and thank you thank you both so much am I wrong doctor was he breathing badly I thought that's why you want to Mrs. Russell to leave they die a frame seems to be a thank you well I didn't want to say anything till I was sure now you've an iron lung available well there's one in the hospital but it's in use at present it's the only one in town I could call my office to check but I know it's the only one should I try to get one ship in I think we should keep a close watch on the patient and start with artificial respiration if it becomes necessary the meantime I'll try to get an iron lung sent in here that'll be fine doctor but all we can do if the breathing becomes affected is to try to keep the lungs working by one means or another for as long as possible that's about it as with most medical treatment all we're trying to do is to help nature right well I'll make arrangements to have an iron lung flown in and have someone available for artificial respiration until then you'll be within reach if necessary I won't be more than 10 or 15 minutes away from here anytime today house looks just the same so does the street go through all kinds of things and yet a street or house looks just the same so much has happened it's still so early but he seems to be up milk and the paper is still by the front door by there must be a sleep upstairs Sandra too I don't want to wake them up no no it can't be Eastman transport missing transport from Eastman Air Force Base which left here early yesterday morning is un-reported at its destination plane is said to be carrying 16 people including the crew all Air Force personnel plane was lost in your home Gaffey I didn't hear you come in how's Danny what did the oh you have the paper was there anything Danny's about the same there's a storm where Bob was going a plane from here unreported all right I know what do you know why didn't you tell me I heard about the storm on the radio last night when you called and said you were going to stay in the hospital I didn't see any reason to mention it not knowing Danny must be better or you wouldn't be home now they seem to think he was better I thought he was worse a Colonel Morton called last night to he said to tell you he'd had a report on the plane it had radioed last night that they were heading for another base to well to wait out the storm he said he be in touch with you as soon as he heard anything more has he called again no dear but it's all right Kathy it's going to be all right whether is there something the matter with me I don't even feel like crying I just feel numb that's not Danny they're talking about I just don't seem to be able to feel anymore it's shock you're still my Cassie the phone I'll get it probably no I'll take it hello speaking this is Colonel Morton I just spoke to bar is he all right he's all right everyone's all right I've had a long talk with bar without going into details he can tell you those when he gets back they ran into a storm and couldn't land at their original destination so they went on to their alternate Danville the severe storm had disrupted all communications he called in the morning as soon as he could get through the way you tell it it doesn't sound like anything I couldn't imagine a pilot as good as Bob getting into anything he couldn't get out I tried to tell that to your mother oh yes Bob said he was worried about your boy he's in the hospital Colonel I called the medical officer at the base major Mcdill came over and took him to the hospital they think it's polio is there anything I can do if you need anything just call me even if you don't call me and let me know how he's getting on I'm glad we have major Mcdill here he's a very competent man major there you are they won't let me in the room is anything wrong well he's having some trouble breathing there's been a team in there for the last half hour giving him artificial respiration stop breathing no but we were afraid he might is he awake yes in a way that is he's conscious but he's pretty drowsy he doesn't seem to be in any pain isn't there's something I could do to help I feel so useless I'm afraid not the artificial respiration looks pretty frightening but it doesn't need to be as bad as it looks artificial respiration how long can you keep that up indefinitely if we have to there's a whole air base here at Kathy isn't that what they use an iron lung for yes the only one here is in use we have the only one in the county I phoned away there's one en route here now by plane should be please come to ward 60 maybe that's it now and so Kathy it looks much better now you don't know how grateful I am to you not to me to the major of anyone he's been handling this right along he was the one who had that iron lung brought in I won't say it's going to be easy sailing Kathy but the worst is over now Danny will live not only that but it looks as though he won't have any permanent damage going to be a long road back but he'll make it even look so much better now of course he does Kathy he is better no I was afraid to look at him almost I thought an iron lung would be I don't know uncomfortable or frightening it's amazing how fast he started to recover that's what kids can do they have so much strength so much recuperative power in their little bodies then too he was interested as soon as he began to feel better he wanted to know all about what was going on I think that's what made me feel so much better it wasn't just that he looked better and you said he was all right but he got back his curiosity and interest yes well he's sleeping now quietly you know with luck we'll have him out of that contraption in a few days and for that you can thank the Air Force Danny couldn't have gotten any more care if he'd been well a general you don't have to tell me that I knew it expected it well he tried to take care of our personnel and you Kathy and Danny are a part of our personnel as much as your husband Bobby's Kathy I still can't get over Colonel Morton calling me that way just as though Bert and I were already married made me think Kathy I've been arguing with my family about bird you know I was impressed there must be something to this business of being an Air Force wife way all the others rallied round and and then Colonel Morton calling me that way what did you mean when you said I was one of the family where you are almost and you'll find it's quite a family Sue they'll all act like that even when you don't know them you'll find you've got a family that reaches all the way around the globe only you won't realize it unless or until you're in trouble oh that must be the call I put in for dad hello yes I was calling Mr. Johnson hi dad yes Danny is much better he's going to be all right oh mother told you already good that'll be wonderful we'll see you tomorrow then Bob should be here by then too yes I'll tell him about Mr. Williamson and what he said but you'd better tell him yourself because I'm against it you know Bob he'll stay in the Air Force as long as there's a job to be done and he thinks he's capable of doing it and I'll help him no no I know you won't interfere but you take it up with him I know what he'll say though all right goodbye dad I couldn't help hearing a little of what you said Kathy I think I understand no Sue you can't really understand more than a little bit of it not yet anyway not until you really are an Air Force wife and know what it means to see everybody pull together when there's trouble not until you know the the feeling you get the security you feel from knowing there's an organization like this built to defend our country but that isn't too big or impersonal to put its whole resources in back of helping one sick child proudly we hail the women behind the men in the Air Force the Air Force wives attention high school graduates if you're not afraid of hard work if you can take rigid training six days a week for 52 weeks then you've got what it takes to be an aviation cadet and if that's the case why your futures all set aviation cadets graduate as Air Force lieutenants earn more than five thousand dollars a year to qualify you must be a high school graduate between the ages of 19 and 26 and a half single and in excellent physical and mental condition visit your local Air Force recruiting station for complete details 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 United States Air Force recruiting service this is Mark Hamilton speaking inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on proudly we hail