 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 Army Engineer. Our story is entitled Floodwaters, a tale of courage and scientific skill backed by years of thrilling experience in the continuing battle of the rivers by the United States Army Engineers. Our first act curtain in just a moment, but first, young men, why not let a thought for tomorrow be your thought for today? Right now, your United States Army needs qualified technicians in such varied and interesting fields as radio, radar, meteorology, photography, and many, many others. Yes, you can be trained to do a job and acquire a skill that will be of great benefit to you for the rest of your life. You can also take pride in the fact that you answered your country's call in time of great need. Why not let a thought for tomorrow be your thought for today? Visit your nearest United States Army and United States Air Force Recruiting Station and enlist in the United States Army. And now, your Army and your Air Force present the proudly we hail production, Floodwaters. Quite an outfit, the Army Engineers. Give you cold, pure drinking water out of a lister bag before you know it. Sling a bridge across a gully or pontoons over a river before you can think of the right word for the job. Busy guys. Sometimes they're busier in peacetime than in war. That's a fact. Talk about service to your country. If there's one bunch who serve their country all the time, it's the United States Army Engineers. Cast your mind's eye over continental United States. Note the fine coasts, the great harbors on both east and west. Admire the forested beauty of the Appalachians. Earthworks ranging from Georgia to Maine. Gasp at the awesome granite peaks of the Rockies in the Sierra's battle-minted bastions that divide the continent from Mexico to Canada. This spectacle is the glamour of a continent. And in between, so unobtrusively in between, lie two-thirds of the nation, a storehouse for the world. Here is the golden grain of Kansas and Nebraska, the rustling corn stalks of Missouri and of course of Iowa. The russet orchards of Ohio and Indiana, the clover of Kentucky, the cotton of Mississippi and Alabama. This is the richest farmland on the earth. Deep, black, fruitful. And overall, within all, the life force of it all is the silver lace-like fan of the rivers. Call them by their names, those rivers. The lovely names that flow silver on the tongue like flowing water. Ohio and Missouri. Illinois and Wabash. Canadian and red. Cumberland and Tennessee. Platon, Arkansas. Yellowstone and Wachtawe. Manonga, Gila and Allegheny. Add them all together. Add their history, their cascading waters out of the mountains to the east and west. Run them all together into the greatest of them all. The loveliest in tradition and in liquid-sounding name, the Mississippi. These are the tributaries from mountain streams to deep-flowing highway for the steamboats. These give life to the Great Valley. Life and sometimes despair, destruction and death. Word that makes black headlines in the spring that clutches at the hearts of valley dwellers with blacker fear. Flood, the rivers loose out of their banks, out of their containing walls, drowning in the countryside, sweeping over the levees. The levees, banks of earth and concrete built by man to help nature. Miles and miles of sea wall up and down the valleys along the rivers. Whose hands put them there? Whose brain plant them? Whose genius devised these bulwarks on the rivers? The Corps of Engineers, United States Army, was first called upon to function in the conservation and development of streams for navigation under authority of an act of Congress approved April 30th, 1824. In addition to improving waterways and harbors and safeguarding navigable waters, the Corps of Engineers has been called upon to build highways and railroads and plan the development of streams in the interest of flood control, hydroelectric power development, pollution control and conservation. To plan the development of streams in the interest of flood control. The answer is in a half dozen words. The Corps of Engineers, United States Army, all things have their beginnings somewhere, perhaps deep in the shadows of history. 1824 is 128 years past, and yet the Corps of Engineers dates back well before that. June 16, 1775. May it resolve that there be one chief engineer for the Army in a separate department and two assistants under him by authority of the Continental Congress. June 16, 1775. The Department of Army Engineers created by act of Congress. The news was welcomed to a man named Washington for the next day, June 17, 1775. Dig a hole, carry the dirt, dump it here. As if it made a difference where we dump it. Perhaps it does. I didn't volunteer for this Army to dig holes and carry dirt. You'll have plenty of chance to use your musket for it. If you don't dig the holes and carry the dirt, chances are a British musket ball to dig a hole in you. I know, I know, but I don't see the plan. You don't have to. It works where they want them. Colonel Gridley has a plan. Gridley, who's he? Chief Engineer. It's said he chose this hill because it's easily defended. Command's all Boston. Maybe he's right about that. Hunker Hill was never much good for anything else. Right. So get busy with that shovel, friend. Hey, British aren't gonna wait for you, you know. And if we hold this hill, General Washington have time to organize against him. The first job of the Army Engineers is to organize the first real battle of our revolution, June 17, 1775, the Battle of Hunker Hill. But engineering must be learned, and learning calls for schools. General Washington knew the truth of this, and in the weary days at Valley Forge, his thoughts bore fruit. June 9, 1778, by order of the commanding general, three captains and nine lieutenants are wanted to officer the companies of sappers. As this corps will be a school of engineering, it opens a prospect to such gentlemen as enter and will pursue the necessary studies with diligence of becoming engineers and rising to the important employments attached to that profession, such as the direction of four to five places and so forth. The qualifications of the candidates are that they be natives and have knowledge of the mathematics and drawing, or at least be disposed to apply themselves to these studies. They will give in their names to headquarters. And so it began. Washington broke camp at Valley Forge and the school of engineers moved north to the storied shores above the Hudson River. And there it stayed until the day that Congress made it all official some 24 years later. By act of Congress, March 16, 1882, a corps of artillerists and engineers will establish a military academy for the study of their respective arts in the state of New York at West Point. West Point created of and by and for the army engineers. Their school, the first school of engineering in our history, the base from which the men went forth to serve their nation in both war and peace. Yes, peace. For the battle against nature is longer, wider and more deadly with a greater goal ahead than most any battle fought with guns. The engineers are in the forefront of this battle and have been there since it first began. The chronology is found in acts of Congress. The river and harbor acts beginning back in 1820 execution of a survey of the tributaries of the Mississippi west of the river and those northwest of the Ohio river is assigned to the corps of engineers. 1836 improvement of the Ohio river is assigned to the corps of engineers. 1850 funds are herewith approved for the survey of the Mississippi Delta by the corps of engineers. Over a hundred years have passed since then. Over a hundred years, untold gallons of water and four bloody wars. And yet the work begun in the 1850s is still the foundation of the battle of rivers waged today. The commanders in the field that spring of 1857 were Captain Andrew Humphries Lieutenant H.L. Abbott, corps of engineers, United States Army. Looks like a big job, Burger. Looks like a mighty big river, Captain. Not so big that it won't be controlled someday. Sir, if I may. Of course, Burger. Thank you, sir. See, I come from Missouri around the valley of the St. Francis River. That's why I volunteered for this job, sir. I thought maybe what we do here might help save our farm, sir. Well, I hope it will. A possible amount of water flowing into and through this Mississippi river and measure it accurately, we'll have laid the ground work for controlling floods almost forever. But fortune was against the engineers that time. In the summer of 1851 Captain Humphries was stricken with fever. He gave up his assignment and when his health returned went to Europe to study flood control over there. Six years later in 1857 Humphries was back at his job as enthusiastic as ever. At this time his enthusiasm was tempered with apprehension. What's bothering you, Andy? The size of the job, Hal, I guess. Well, I've never bothered you before. Well, fools go in. I didn't know as much in 51 as I know today. Well, all the more reason then for for peace of mind? On the contrary, Hal. Andy has shared worry as half a worry. Well, the laws on which we are basing this survey the laws of flowing water in natural channels are not based on good enough experience. But all through Europe they are. The rivers of Europe aren't the Mississippi basin, Hal. There's too much artificial channeling, canals and all. So the laws of hydraulics for rivers based on European observations may not hold true over here. You know, you make me feel like a pioneer, Andy. Well, I guess we are. I guess we are at that. I wonder if Congress realized that when they blessed the engineers with this project. It's possible. Maybe that's why they gave it to the engineers. One year later, Andrew Humphries and Hal Abbott had their chance to study the rampaging Mississippi at first hand. Word came to them. Captain Humphries, message from up river for you, sir. Ah, thank you. Hal. Hal, here it is. Here's what? It's our chance to do a real job. Message from Cairo, Illinois. Flood crest on Ohio threatening entire city. St. Francis River Valley underwater have sent warnings through to Memphis, Vicksburg and Natchez. Can you send us help? Hal, this is it. Sounds like the end of our work to me. It's the beginning. We're going to send all the help we can. And the men we station in those cities all along the river are going to take daily readings of water level, silt content, speed of the crest, everything we can think of. We're going to learn about a Mississippi flood at first hand. You are listening to the proudly we hail production, Flood Waters. We'll return to our story in just a moment. Today, you young men of America have an excellent opportunity to learn a trade that will assure your future. The many fine technical schools of the United States Army are training men in such interesting fields as radio, radar, meteorology, mechanics, electronics and many others. You can become a qualified technician trained to do an important job and do it right. For full details about an exciting career, visit your nearest United States Army and United States Air Force Recruiting Station. There's no obligation, so plan ahead. Face your tomorrow today. You are listening to Proudly We Hail and now we present the second act of Flood Waters. Report to the Congress of the United States and the Physics and Hydraulics of the Mississippi River by Captain Andrew Humphreys H. L. Abbott. It may be stated that laws governing the flow of water in natural channels have been determined which were never revealed before. New formulas have been prepared. Improved methods of gauging the amount of water in streams have been devised. This portion of our work exceeded even our expectations. Furthermore, it has been determined beyond a reasonable doubt that the bed of the Mississippi is formed of alluvial soil deposited by the river, but is a stiff, tenacious clay of an older geological formation. This fact is of the utmost importance in preparing plans for flood protection. In view of the work done and the experience obtained under actual flood conditions, we recommend the plan of levees. It is simple, direct and will protect the vast majority of alluvial bottom land in the Mississippi Valley. And then we had a war to fight. A war between the states. But Andrew Humphries never let the battle of the rivers escape his mind for long. Or the minds of the men of the engineers charged with controlling the mighty waters of the Central Plains. With the war behind them, the work went forward once again. Humphries and Abbott both passed into memory. Year by year as Congress authorized the funds, the engineers fought on, driving back the rivers until at last in 1929. The Congress of the United States called upon the Army engineers to control the Mississippi River and its tributaries. 1945. 291 projects are authorized under a river and harbor act. Through years of history, through disaster, depression, prosperity or war, the battle of the rivers whose first blow was struck by two Army engineers in 1857 has been waged without cease and without rest. Day and night, year in year out the water flows. Cities grew and flourished. The forests gave way to open fields. The land prospered. The nation grew. And time and time again and time again the waters took back what they had given. Even life itself. The pictures of the silent swirling water or the roaring crashing crests. The pictures of the rooftops like so many Noah's arcs riding the rivers with their helpless human freight. The pictures of the wasted wrecked and helpless land in the Mississippi Valley all became too familiar to the people of the nation. 1927 was the worst. 20,000 miles of fertile plain ruin. 4 million acres of food destroyed. 600,000 people homeless. Damage in one city alone, in one house. Then it was the Congress gave the call. The Army engineers must control the Mississippi. What a job this is. Pal Joshua stopped the sun. We can stop a mere river, I suppose. Who do they think we are, Moses? If we could just see the whole thing at once. Get yourself an airplane, fella. Fly high enough and it'll all be laid out for you like a map. Hey, that's an idea. What's an idea? Lay it out like a map. You're nuts. Remember the old Humphrey's Abbott book on the Mississippi? They said the bed of the river is clay. They were right. Now suppose we build a model sort of a relief map of the valley with the main channels in concrete maybe. Then we turn in the water in the same proportion as the model is to the whole valley. We can see what happens when a flood comes down. Hey, you may have something there. May have something? What do you talk to? This idea will take toll. The engineers got the money and built the model. An exact reproduction of the river and the tributaries from Helena, Arkansas to the Gulf of Mexico. Every island, sandbar, obstruction, and bend of the rivers was there. Every detail of those hundreds of miles was reproduced in that 1,500 feet of model down near Vicksburg, Mississippi. And then they turned the water into it. I was right. You see, I was right. Stop growing and tell me what you were so right about. You see how the crest come down the valley? Of course. Now, what happens when it reaches the lower stretches of the river? Where all those bends and sandbars are. It, uh... Well, backs up. Sure, it backs up because the water can't escape through those bends as fast as it coming down. Okay, what happens? We slow down the crest? You're kidding. No one slows down the crest of a flood. We do let it through faster, so it won't back up. Hey, you mean we straighten out the Mississippi? Exactly. We straighten out the Mississippi. Yes, the engineers took over Old Man River and gave them a face-lifting. They made them flow a straight, true course from Helena to the Gulf. Removed 120 miles of bends and bars and other obstacles. The current moves quite swiftly now. When there are floods above Helena, the crest moves down the river, never backing up and pouring over dams and levees the way it used to. And this has been proved true. Proven before the work was completed. Proven in the upper valley in 1937. January of 1937 saw six inches of rain fall on the valley of the Ohio within two days. Half the years, full quote of rain fell in just 25 days. On the 24th of January, the call went out to all amateur radio operators this wavelength. Stand by. Important communications from District of Army Engineers. Stand by. This is the message. You are ordered mobilized to maintain communications under the Chief of Engineers in flooded areas. You are ordered mobilized to maintain communications in flooded areas. The fight was on. Wires down, roads out, railroads ruined. Communications were maintained by amateur short wave radio men. Thousands of men fought seepage and sand boils on the levees. Grimly, without rest, weary until they dropped. Citizens and soldiers fought the river side by side. Below Helena, all was well. The levees held. Almost no water backed up into the tributaries of the straightened river. Above Helena, it was bad. Cairo, Illinois, where the Ohio joins the Mississippi, felt herself safe behind a sea wall 60 feet in height. Headquarters of the fight was at the office of District Army Engineer. From there, the orders flashed. And grim-faced men rolled into action on the roads of Missouri a few miles south of Cairo. What's up out there? How soon can you pack up and get out of here, mister? What for? Levees holding? We know, but not for long. Why not? Good, built wall, that levee. We can't waste time. Water's 58 feet at Cairo and more coming. Engineers have to blow the fuse between Bird's Point and New Madrid. You're living in the spillway. Okay, soldier. I know when I got to get. Have I got half an hour? Just about. Good luck, mister. Hey, soldier! Don't forget to stop by the Kromitz Place. Army Engineers. District Engineer, Cairo. When can you blow the fuse? Anytime you say, sir. Is the spillway clear? As far as we know, sir. Rescue boats will follow the water into the area. And blow it now. River's rising here. It's almost 59 feet now. Yes, sir. Stand by the plunger, fellows. Here we go. All set. Ready? Fire! They blew the fuse plug in the levee at the Bird's Point, New Madrid, floodway. Water raced through the gap, spreading its muddy flood over 131,000 acres of Missouri. The crest raw had passed Cairo down the valley, but the pressure was relieved. Not one engineer built levee crumbled. The danger was passed. The water slowly receded. On February 12, 1937, by proclamation of the mayor of Cairo, Illinois, with the consent of the United States Army Engineers in charge, I hereby proclaim the removal of all restrictions and requests made as to the leaving and entering of this city and the transmission of business. And as the mayor's words returned the city and its people to a normal life, by a strange coincidence, the marquee on a moving picture theater announced for all to see. Opening Wednesday, Rainbow on the River. Rainbow on the River, yes. A rainbow whose colors are the dungary blue and olive drab of the United States Army Engineers. But this is a battle whose end is not quite yet. The waters still flow down from Minnesota and Wisconsin, Montana and Colorado, Pennsylvania and Ohio, and so the work goes on. Fought on the river banks with concrete blankets, pontoons, derricks and the ever-present sandbag. The work goes on near Jackson, Mississippi. What's going on, even as the comrades of these Army Engineers were fighting out ahead of other troops in Europe, the Pacific, all around the world. For a Jackson with pick and shovel, Wheelbarrow and Gunny Sack was building the greatest project of its kind the world has ever seen. 4,500 feet it runs, east and west, 3,500 north and south, 200 acres overall, a gigantic, true-scale model of the central plain of these United States. The entire Mississippi basin, nature duplicated will be there for men to study and control. The mightiest of rivers reduced to size that man can handle, turning on and off the water as the rains and snows fall far to the north. Here, on this model, homes will be protected, lives saved, and the valleys kept fertile for the good of the people in whose service this battle is waged by the Army Engineers. Called them by their liquid-sounding names, rivers who have not all been bound, constricted hand and foot, as they will be someday in the future. Call them Wash-Tor, Cumberland and Platt, call them Illinois, Wabash, Monongahela, sing songs of rivers and the good they bear upon their glowing bosoms, love their beauty and their silver quiet, weave memories around the willows on their banks, and romance round their levees. Yes, name them, love them, and always deep within your hearts. Remember those who fought more than a hundred years to keep them flowing in their places, forever bringing fertile wealth to the great plain of this nation. Remember, the Army Engineers! This message is of vital importance to every American, but it's particularly important to the young men who are listening. For today, the rapidly expanding United States Army is depending on you to do a vitally important job. Qualified technicians are needed, and the Army is prepared to train you in one of the interesting career fields necessary to its operation. You can become a radio or radar technician. You can study meteorology, mechanics, electronics, photography, and many others. Yes, the finest technical training schools in the world will be available to you when you enlist in the United States Army. Why not visit your nearest United States Army and United States Air Force Recruiting Station today? The need is urgent. This has been another program on Proudly We Hail, presented transcribed in cooperation with this station. Proudly We Hail is produced by the Recruiting Publicity Bureau for the United States Army and United States Air Force Recruiting Service. This is Kenneth Bangward speaking and inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on Proudly We Hail.