 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 to bring you this story as proudly we hail the United States Army this is the story of a guy named Scott a quiet soldier whose very nature seemed to invite trouble and accidents until one day it was found that he was suffering from one of the most complex yet most widespread psychological ills offers that curtain will rise in just a moment but first young man here's news about an important opportunity for you right now the United States Army the senior service of our armed forces has an urgent need for qualified technicians to operate and service the complex equipment that science has brought into being the need is vital and you can be trained in such interesting career fields as radio electronics radar photography meteorology mechanics and many many others yes indeed here's your chance to acquire a skill there will be a value to your country and help you later in civilian life too for full details visit the recruiting sergeant at your nearest recruiting station today and now your United States Army presents the proudly we hail production a guy named Scott a great many things about soldiers have changed over the centuries first they turned in their clubs to spears and the spears were traded in for muskets and finally the old smoothbores gave way to rifles and automatic weapons they changed the clothes they wore the food they eat and the way they fight even the reasons for fighting have changed but one thing is remain the same in the thousands of years that men have belong to armies and that is the pride in the outfit whether a man fought in a Greek fight like a Roman legion and medieval free company on Napoleon's grenadiers his squad his company his regiment his division was the best in the world well you see it today in our American Army too guys get drafted they enlist and there they are at some reception center sitting around waiting in their civilian clothes and they're smart yes well listen they all had older brothers or cousins in the Second World War or career and they know the score they got the army all figured out they're not falling for any of this tradition stuff see but a month or so later don't you see them lined up in front of PX's and Taylor shops on the buy and caps with a red-color piping and extra pieces of insignia and just you pop off and say one word against their outfit and brother you'd better be smiling when you say well I enlisted back in 1941 thought I'd try it for a while one thing and another kept coming up and so I guess I stayed for a while and my outfits here in Germany now that is it's the outfit I'm with today it's a new one a lot of the officers of non-coms have seen combat and plenty of it the past 10 or 12 years we sit around and bat the breeze sometimes about the outfits we were with I tell you it sounds like the roll call of the divisions of the American Army my guys talk about the 36 the 42nd the 45th the 69th the 1st the 2nd the 14th armored the 101st airborne and our 10 15 20 others sometimes the arguments get pretty hot that's when I open another bottle of pop because if you ask me any division can make it hot for the enemy and the best one is the one you're with now anyhow I started to tell you about our new recruits now the old man always laughs when I say new recruits sergeant manners he says that you have a hair of old recruits he's all right though the old man is at some time I'll tell you a story about him too well anyway the story I want to tell starts in the orderly room one day early in the summer I'm going through the morning report when the old man walks by my desk on the way into his office he gives me the high sign he wants to talk to me I pick up the morning report and a couple of rosters for his signature and go inside sit down sergeant I'll look through these and sign them later tell me uh who is this private scott jeffrey walters scott in a second platoon well sir an army I guess is like a barrel of apples some apples are big some a little most are good a few are rotten hmm well that's a pretty good analysis sergeant manners of course you didn't answer my question private scott nine months service basic training at fort bernie qualified with pistol carbine m1 and machine gun I know all of that I have a service record in front of me as first sergeant of this company I thought perhaps you might be in a position to know what's eating him it beats me sir he pulls more than if you have details around him and notice he hasn't had a pass in three weeks looks like an intelligent boy why is he having trouble he gives lieutenant guld and sergeant ryan nothing but trouble all day sir he doesn't take care of his weapon or his equipment he doesn't do his fair share of work with a squad if you'll ask me he's a dragon a whole second platoon I'd like to know why well captain ferris he seems to be a guy who just doesn't get a hang about anything he doesn't give a wrap but that rains us knows does he have any buddies aside from asking somebody to pass the catch up a chow I don't think he's set away to anybody does he get much mail uh smith says scott hasn't had a letter since he's been here I don't even think he's got a family there's no next again listed for him that's impossible sergeant everyone has to have somebody listen excuse me sir but he has nobody I call him in on it because I had to complete his records he said there was nobody he was interested in I said come on Scott you gotta list somebody even a friend he wouldn't do it he said if the army doesn't like it the army can fire me still he enlisted I've got to make a soldier out of him yes sir you're fluffing me off sergeant sir you're being polite you're being respectful but what you're thinking is why doesn't the old man let me get back to work I got 160 other men don't worry about my desk is piled full of papers what does he want with his eight ball scott anyhow oh sir I used to be a first sergeant once myself sergeant and I know a good top kick when I see one now you know why I'm worried about scott he's one of my men and where we are is the end of the line if there's ever a showdown every single man counts yes sir so the next time you and I talk about scott I want it to be a long conversation that's all sergeant that's all sergeant and he means every word this captain ferris everything bothers him and he has to know everything it's all right if I ever see combat again and I'm in no hurry give me an officer like that anytime well it's a Saturday afternoon there are passes and the company area is deserted except for the guys in detail I wonder into the day room and who's sitting there all alone playing solitaire but Jeffrey Walter scott you can't put a red jack on a red queen where is it face on the army regulations well it don't make sense am I supposed to be doing something in the company now sergeant now as far as I can see you're off duty why don't you take a pass and go into town that's a personal question and skip it come on over to PX I'll buy you soda no thanks how about a beer no thanks I was thinking maybe we might get up a game of softball I'm not interested let's talk about something important you know Gordon's first gunner in your squad is transfers coming through sergeant Ryan says you could have the job you don't want it is that right that's right if you're first gunner you're first in line for squad leader that's sergeant stripes yeah tell me more I'm a squad leader then I become a section leader and then platoon sergeant I'll be well on my way toward becoming a general scott you don't like any of it you don't like the outfit am I right let's say you may be right now for at least a year we're all going to have to live together work together who knows we may even have to fight together now why don't you do the best you can I am doing the best I can you know Scott everybody who takes the trouble to live once something how do you want I just want to be let alone listen Scott look at the rest of the guys in this outfit they're kind of proud of that company a lot of them maybe don't go around saying it but they feel it good for them I've been in the army a long time Scott I bet you have you can get something out of it you make friends you learn something you do a job if you got to put something into it too I do my job all you do is go through the motions hey did the army interrupt something were you doing anything important on the outside that's a personal question are you enlisted what did you expect to find here what are you looking for I looked at the poster and it said your country needs men yeah or where'd you read the poster Broadway 42nd Street New York what were you doing in New York I always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty now I mean were you working there according to your records you were born in Tulsa Oklahoma I was born there nobody said I had to stay there and you stayed there a long time you went to high school state college is it all right if I go back to the barracks sergeant I'd like to do a little bug fatigue a nice talking to you Scott so you talked to Scott and what do you learn nothing what's biting him what's bothering him who knows oh well I don't want you to think that this that's all I had to worry about I had more to worry about than Scott the years big war games were coming up two whole weeks of maneuvers in Bavaria we were going to be in the field under simulated combat conditions and naturally we wanted the company to make a good showing for three whole days the old man and I had the problem of moving the company and supplies and special orders from battalion and regiment and the 50 million details that keep crowding in on you when your outfit gets in a fight even if it's only a simulated fire so I forgot all about Scott we were supposed to be in defensive positions in the mountains and on this particular night the old man and I were going to make the rounds of our gun position Tompkins was our driver he complained of a stomach ache all day we sent him to the aid station and before you knew it the medics had him bundled off to the hospital it was his appendix but we needed a messenger to go with us so the old man asked the lieutenant tool of section platoon to lend us a man and who do you think the lieutenant sent us that's right Scott so the old man Scott and I got in the Jeep and started driving up the mountain I don't see any sign of the company sergeant according to the map here's where they're supposed to be sir that's right on the first section of our second platoon is supposed to have its guns dug in here too maybe they pulled out sir we would have been told stop the Jeep a minute Scott all right sergeant let's look at that map again the captain I think what is it Scott did you take the first or the second road you came to on the bottom when you said the second that's the one I took you couldn't have we're on the wrong slope of the mountain it's my fault sir I should have watched what time is it my watch says 2348 sir mine says almost 2349 we've got say a minute and a half it's a good two miles down that twisting road we won't make it we've got one chance if we can find us an old fox hole somewhere sir did I look for a hole buddy this slope of the hill is scheduled to get plastered with modifier in 60 seconds so captain sergeant what are we going to do okay is it my fault sergeant you're watching mine are both slow that was a mortar where are they firing mortar shells captain here's a hole yeah jump in Scott come on jump I'll tell you all about it Scott if we live through it you are listening to the proudly we hail production a guy named Scott will return in just a moment for the second act if you're a young lady in the clerical or business world and you want to get a job where you can really get ahead the women's army corps will offer you the best chances for advancement you see as a whack the skill that you've already gained as a stenographer secretary budget clerk or auditor will automatically place you in a skilled group of young women in the service you'll find that your experience will mean a lot to you in getting ahead in this outstanding group of america's foremost women you'll find opportunity is waiting for you when you step inside your local united states army recruiting station gals don't let opportunity pass you by you are listening to proudly we hail and now we present the second act of a guy named scott high on a barbarian mountain slide during a war game three american soldiers crouch in a shallow hole in the ground mortar shells are exploding all around them one of the man is captain ferris co of h company the second is for sergeant manners the third is private scott they have no business being where they are they happen to be there because private scott drove up the wrong road but sergeant manners is telling the story sure it was my fault i should have noticed he took the wrong road but i told him i remember i told him that's what i get for figuring that every man is sense enough to do his own job why are they firing mortars here captain we'll cut up the gold your platoon leader explained the problem didn't he all right i guess so but you weren't paying attention why are you you never pay any attention scott you just can't be bothered you see scott we were holding this slope of the hill and it was decided that the enemy could drive us off by superior numbers so we pulled back around the other slope now our mortars are loving shells over here very simple that's why in our army we give our men the whole picture all the time so they know what they're doing well i get court marshal for this captain ferris you can't court marshal a man for being stupid just pray to one of those shells doesn't find its way into the hole with it which we didn't have all these trees around this captain and that's what's got me worried too how long had i been firing now sir about 10 minutes i'd say a barrage was supposed to last an hour can't we stop them somehow sir can't we let them know get holy yourself scott there is nothing we can do about it we'll either be lucky or we won't and i will be court marshal won't i be in the newspapers and my old man he'll read about it now this is no time to worry about your old man we might just as well worry about his old man it'll take our mind off our own worries by your old man i suppose you mean your father don't you scott yes sir why didn't you list your family on your records i was running away from it you're a big boy scott why why you you probably heard of my father his name is scott jeffrey walters scott just like mine jeffrey walters scott not these scott yes sir the former all-american right he wanted me to be a football player wanted me to follow in his footsteps i just couldn't do it i guess i'm yellow then so well if you don't have it in you you can't do it that's all yeah tell him that ever since i was a kid he made me practice i just was no good at it he wouldn't believe it he said i was yellow i guess i am all i know is i'm scared now all right now i'm scared too so why yeah but i'm like this all the time i said you ran away i couldn't take any more of it when he looked at me and talked to me i ran away five years ago my first year at college he made me swear i'd go out for the team but i i couldn't i was afraid to face him and i played football at school sergeant man is here playing the army a lot of fun maybe it is if you can do it or not do it you can make up your own mind about it land them all in this area wish we had a deeper hole look captain it'll only take four five minutes to run the jeep down the hill and right over to the cp i could get them to stop firing sure their shells bursting all along the road that's the target but sir we can't stay here we can't leave here either sir the barrage has 40 minutes to go i could get down the hill in five minutes i'd rather gamble in five minutes than on 40 so you want to take a chance and run for it yes and in that way you'll be showing your old man that'll prove something won't it well look the army isn't going through all the trouble and expensive training you to be a soldier so you can get back at your father and show him you're a hero doc man has an eye figure our chances both ways we agree that this was our best way to survive sir i'm not trying to prove anything i figure i can make it here have a cigarette scott sir i'm going to try it with the jeep get as low as you can this could be the baby captain for a second i thought hey scott scott he's gone crazy kid scott come back here you can't hear you now sir he's either on that jeep or he didn't make it i didn't hear you give him a direct order not to go sir well i was going to hey that mortar platoon of ours can really lay them in can't they sir i think he can make it down the hill remember how i went over the map with the third platoon made a big issue of the road that leads down the mountain if we ever have to leave these positions i said if we ever have to fight defensively make sure you plaster this road from top to bottom on the way it's good to know that the third platoon knows how to carry out orders of course the old man and i were in no position to enjoy the show oh that's a word i learned from some british soldiers show they call everything a show in a way it is a show our mortars were dropping shells up and down the face of the mountain in a regular pattern it seemed they were searching every square inch of ground it's it's interesting to watch from a distance i mean a nice long far safe distance then all of a sudden there was no more firing i look at my watch the barrage still had at least a half an hour to go did they run out of ammunition or did scott somehow get through we didn't have to wait too long for the answer as often a distance we heard the sound of the jeep working its way up the mountain we both jumped up out of the hole and ran toward the road it was enough moonlight to see that the road had caught it bad every couple of yards it seemed the ground was torn up scott was in the jeep he stopped when he saw us back into a clearing and turned around he waited for us to come to him crazy man i don't say a word to him yes sir well i see you got through all right scott yes sir how was it i don't know sir i just pushed the gas pedal out of the floorboard and drove what did you say well i told lieutenant davis i drove you up this side by mistake he better hold the mortar fire he did i see him well let's get back sir it's all right if i ask you or sergeant manners to drive well what's the matter scott well i i don't i don't feel too well scott get hold of him could he have been hit he said all right and not by a mortar shell a hero has fainted we took scott to the aid station lieutenant meadows said some stuff about delayed shock and emotional exhaustion anyway the whole thing was that he suggested that we let scott sleep for as long as he wanted we left him in a cot at the aid station went back to the cp well the colonel was waiting there he wanted to go up the hill to see what kind of job our mortis had done and the colonel was pleased he said he didn't see how even a field mouth could live through that paris well naturally the colonel was spreading on a little scott was waiting for us when we got back he had come to in the aid station saw no point in hanging around i told him he could go back to his platoon and i saw that he wanted to talk to me uh sergeant you know what you were asking me a couple of weeks ago about being first gunner in the squad yeah or uh i was wondering if you could talk to sergeant right sure how do you feel feel pretty good i took the liberty of doing something on your record scott i wrote down your father's name for next to ken but yeah it's none of my business naturally i mean you can have it take it off if you like or i'll i'll think about it or something else it's none of my business why don't you write on my letter i'll think about that too oh we never got a chance for saying thanks for going down the hill you did a good job yeah i suppose i did you got a cigarette sergeant yeah yeah good job you know i'm 22 years old this is the first time in my life anybody's ever said to me you did a good job well maybe you never did one before yeah yeah i i suppose that's possible they made him first gunner in his squad the next day a couple of months later he got the opened squad leader's job it was a tough one too because it was a new squad all replacements i was walking through the barracks the first day he had his squad together you could hear him all over the room you fellas want to remember you're in the third squad of the second platoon of each company and this is going to be the best squad in the outfit because the platoon and the company is the tops in the whole regiment now this is your machine gun and your equipment and you're gonna worry over it like it was your own million dollar wristwatch everybody here is going to be on the ball and inspection during formation and while we're on the field even when you're off duty oh hello sergeant matters how are you sergeant scott oh i was just showing the squad a few points about the gun okay looks like a good squad scott one thing is sure it's got one of the best squad leaders in the whole outfit you might say everybody in the outfit was surprised when we made scott squad leader but not for long and i'll tell you who wasn't surprised at all the old man he said he knew scott had it all a time well the old man was right as usual attention all high school graduates here's career news that really makes sense under the army's new technical training program you may actually take your pick of 87 great courses and have a classroom seat set aside for you before you enlist that's right you can choose freely from one of the many very exciting army technical courses now being offered in such fields as radar guided missiles automotive maintenance photography and many many others now if the classes are filled or if for some reason you don't qualify you're under no obligation to enlist as a matter of fact you're under no obligation at all what could be a better and fairer deal and consider these other great benefits 30 days paid vacation a year free medical and dental care and most important the knowledge that you're serving your country proudly find out how you can become a skilled specialist on uncle sam's team talk it over with your high school guidance counselor or see the friendly recruiting sergeant at your nearest united states army recruiting station be sure be army 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 center in new york for the united states army 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