 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 aircraft observer of the United States Air Force. Our story today is entitled Fly By Night. This is the story of a radar observer and his girl. A radar observer is the second man in a two-place F-94 all-weather jet fighter plane. And the girl? Well, she's a girl, a nice girl. Our first air curtain will rise in just a moment. But first, learn to fly. Serve your country in the air. Be an aviation cadet. You'll get the finest aviation training in the world from the United States Air Force if you're accepted. To qualify, you must be single, be between 19 and 26 and a half years old, and be otherwise qualified. If you can meet the test, join the world's best. Join the aviation cadets. When you successfully complete your training, you'll win your wings and become a commissioned officer. For complete details, visit your local recruiting station or your nearest Air Force base. Make flying your future. And now your Army and your Air Force present the Proudly we hail production Fly By Night. My name is Edwards Jim Edwards. I was given the job of writing an article for my magazine about the seeing eyes of our modern aircraft, the aircraft observer of the United States Air Force. To gather first-hand information for my story, I was sent to Connolly Air Force Base in Texas. The first time I saw Paul Walker, he was looking at a radar screen in the B-25, a two-engine Mitchell bomber high in the Texas sky. The plane we were in was being used as a trainer. Forward, it was like any B-25, but aft in the fuselage was different. The rear section was separated from the rest by light-proof curtains. I asked Walker's instructor about it. It's like teaching a pilot instrument flying, Mr. Edwards. Only the instruments aren't for the pilot. Back here, unable to see out as the student, a fledgling aircraft observer, he has a radar screen in front of it. Now he's trying to locate by radar and keep on the trail of a target plane, just as though the target plane is an enemy aircraft in this B-25, a speedy little jet fighter. Well, that one there, he seems to be talking to himself. Well, he's telling the pilot what to do. He's at the number one screen, and he's telling the pilot how to fly so as to keep the target in view. Now, the pilot follows his instructions as though he can't see at all and is completely dependent on the observer. Well, from which student? There's another man at another screen. Well, each student and his turn. Now, each one becomes the observer for one pass at the target plane. Each one works a different problem, so to speak. While one is flying the pilot, there's another student over there watching on a duplicate screen listening to the instructions and another sitting by the pilot hearing the same instructions, but able to see the target visually and see the pilot's maneuvers as a result of the instructions from the student at the screen. Oh, excuse me. I have to go now to set up another problem. May I watch? Sure, sure. Come along. Uh, Mr. Walker, it's your turn now. Yes, sir. This is Jim Edwards, Paul Walker. I am. Mr. Edwards here wants to find out what we're doing, what you do under the hood there. I'm not sure myself sometimes. I sit there looking into my scope, looking for the little light-colored spot or blip that means the target plane. I turn this and that, these knobs here to train the plane's radar antenna on the target to try to keep it in sight within its beam. How does that work? Well, it swings the antenna around from one side to the other up and down, indicating something you can't see in the night by swinging around a spotlight. When you don't know whether the thing you're looking for is higher than you are lower to the right or left in front of you or behind, then, well, these tune the radar unit and make adjustments. Looks like enough to keep you busy. Oh, it's not so much. As long as you keep your head and have four hands. I see what you mean about four hands, but what do you mean keep your head? Well, you have to talk to the pilot and keep talking to him, telling him which way to go. At the same time, you have to manipulate these controls to keep the target plane on the screen and be able to figure out its course and rate of speed and your own. You have to get so used to these things that they all become automatic. Well, what's that over there? Well, that's the panic button. If I should get too confused, I press that and the pilot knows I'm in trouble and the instructor will take over. Does that happen often? Well, honestly, I don't know. I haven't had to use it yet, but I guess I've been lucky. Now, you say you look for a target plane. Is it trying to get away or does it stay on course and you try to intercept it? Well, Bogey, we call the target plane Bogey, tries to cause us trouble. The first few trials we make are on straight intercepts. Bogey is flying on a certain course and we're informed of it and are supposed to guide the plane to a point where we can go after it. Well, that sounds like a mathematical problem. Yes, it is, in a sense. That's without evasive movement. But then on later training trips like this one, Bogey is not only trying to get away, but my instructor here is talking to him by radio, telling him what to do to stay off my screen. It's moving, you're moving. You know something's there, you don't know where. Bogey can be anywhere. So your first job is to catch the target plane with your radar. Yes, sir, that's right. First I have to get Bogey within the radar beam, then I have to hold it there and be able to figure its course and speed in conjunction with ours. Then I have to instruct the pilot in such a way so that he can fly us to within shooting range. Not only that, but come up to it in such a way that we can get in the first shots. All right, Mr. Walker, you're on. You take over now. I can see the young man's expression change. His lean and tense face showed his concentration. He was sitting up straight on the metal-backed seat, bundled to the ears and flight gear and parachute. He was wearing an Air Force helmet with a visor on it that he pushed back so he could look directly into his radar screen. All I could see was a large black box like a studio photographer's camera. Extending six or eight inches from the box was a smaller section that was built and padded so he could put his face against it and look under the screen without any outside light to cause trouble. Look for the hope to find a little oblong spot of light. A blip that indicates bogey. Radar observer walk at a pilot. No joy, steady on course. Oops, I think... No. Port 20 degrees. 10 degrees up. There. Contact. Maintain course. Bogey 25 degrees port. Range 4500. 10 degrees above. Closing at 25 miles an hour. The instructor had led me to expect that. Mr. Walker had located the target plane on his scope. He was telling the pilot that Bogey was ahead of him 25 degrees to the left, 10 degrees higher, some 4500 yards away, and was being overtaken at the rate of 25 miles an hour. All this he had to figure from the changing position of the little blob of light as it moved past the graduated lines on his screen. Then, just as everything seemed to be going well, he had trouble. Behind him the instructor flashed me a grin that said, that was too easy, I'm making it tough for him. Hart starboard. Nose down 10 degrees. 20. Hart starboard, he's off. No arms. Hart starboard again. I've lost it. Bogey's drifted right off the screen. Mr. Walker, unless you give the pilot some different instructions soon, we'll be digging a hole in the ground. That was a part of the training of Paul Walker of Ellsworth, Maine, at Conley Air Force Base outside of Waco, Texas. That was a fraction of the business part. Then when the studying was finished... Beautiful ceremony. I was so proud of you, Paul. Now kindly address me with the respect of which I'm entitled. Lieutenant Walker, if you please. Very well, second Lieutenant Walker. All right, I know what I'm like. Certainly took an act of Congress to make me an officer and a gentleman. Oh, a fine thing to say about you. I thought you were a gentleman the minute I saw you. You know, I was looking at you and wondering who you were and how I could get to meet you. So you came over and introduced yourself? Mm-hmm. Paul, what would have happened if I hadn't had that invitation from Ann to come visit her? Well, you have to believe in fate, Sally. The way I do when I think of you. I knew the minute I saw you that you were the girl for me. If you hadn't come here to visit your sister, I'd have met you somewhere somehow. Listen, you know, I love dancing with you, but it's a nice night. Let's go outside for a little while. It is nice out here. I was just... visiting here for a little while. Ann wanted me to stay longer and I wasn't planning to till I met you. I'll always be grateful to her. So will I. I don't know what I would have done if I'd met you and then had to leave. And I was so proud pinning your wings on you. I didn't realize how much it could mean until I met you. It won't be too long. I'll be able to see you on weekend. You certainly will. I have a leave coming to me now that I've finished my aviation cadet training before I report to my new assignment. Mother thinks it's scandalous that I stayed down here so long. They're anxious to see you in person. I hate to think what you must have written to them about me then. What could I write? Nothing but the truth. All you had to say was that you met a guy who fell flat on his face and is going to marry you. Is it getting your wings today that makes you make such pretty speech? You know, I should be the happiest guy in the world tonight and maybe I am. I'm in love with the nicest girl in the world and she's in love with me. And so in love. And today I won my commission in my wings. I've got you and I'm a full-fledged aircraft observer in the United States Air Force. Well, I hope it's in that order. But I sometimes wonder if you're not more in love with the Air Force than you are with me. Ah, you don't mean that. What are you doing? If this is what you want to do, that's what I want you to do. I'm going to get married as soon as we can. I'll be getting a good salary. I won't be spending much. I can save up enough so... so that we can get married. Oh, darling. Oh, everyone's leaving. Is it over so soon? You want to go? No. No, not right away. Oh, I don't ever want to leave you, darling. This is the aircraft observer, Paul Walker. Lieutenant Walker. And our first-class flying radar man is assigned to Everest Air Force Base just a few minutes as the jet flies from New York City. Lieutenant Walker is part of ADC's the Air Defense Command's 18th All-Weather Squadron. Flying the speedy, sturdy, two-place F-94 jet fighters. Lieutenant Walker's pilot is Captain Brown, Ed Brown from Timor in Iowa. All right, the rest of mine. Two jumps left. My two diamonds go on dummy's clubs. Okay, partner, we made it. Now, let's see, that's game and rubber. Oh, did we take them that time? Kid, I'll say this much for you. You've got the elements of a good bridge player. You know when to make a noise and when to keep quiet. Well, thank you, kind sir, but what would you have said if I hadn't had those four clubs and we'd gone down? Oh, what would I have said? I think I'll sit out. This time I had some maps here. I've been going over. I want to put them in our plane. I want to have to look for them if I need them. Hey, Ned, come on over and sit in for me a couple of hands, will you? I'm bequeathing you a partner who is almost as good a bridge player as he thinks he is, but only almost. How's he doing here, a new radar man? All right, good kid. Has that native New England caution makes him a good bridge player? Yeah, we can see that. How do you find him in the air? As I was saying before being so rudely interrupted, there's something about him that's going to make him a really fine aircraft observer. Never gets rattled. All he needs is experience. That's something you'll get here all right. Yeah, and as long as I'm his pilot, he'll get it in bad weather. Nice night like this, we might as well be in bed. We'll never get a call. If that squawk box on the wall opens its cap, it'll be buckshot 12 or 17 or some number. Any number except buckshot 23. But wait until you get a knife when the birds will walk. Then that box doesn't know any other number, but buckshot 23. That's a hard life you lead round, and we all sympathize with you deeply. Now, are you playing bridge or complaining about the way you're being partially repaid for your many sins? I held better cards when the kid was my partner. Meaning no offense, Ned. He's sort of an eager beaver, that walker, isn't he? Going off now to make sure he puts the maps in his plane. That's the answers, that's all. One no trump. He's new here. Just finished his training a few weeks ago. He wants to make sure there's no mistakes. I said one no trump, and I don't blame him. Well, he's right. But none of us are ever exactly careless. Pass. Scramble. Buckshot 19. Scramble. Vector 310. Angels 25. Call Baldy on easy. Oh, buckshot 19. Not for us, after all. Oh. You got back here in record time. I heard the gong. I was just coming in the door in case it was for us. I was already at the plane. I know. You wouldn't go five steps from here while on duty. Of course. To me, we don't get called very often. Not often enough to suit you, huh? We get our fair share. Couldn't happen to us in a nice, clear night like this, though. There they go. You are listening to the proudly-behaved production Fly by Night. We'll return in just a moment for the second act. How many of you young fellows go down to your nearest city airport on a Sunday afternoon and watch the planes come in and take off? When you see the planes gliding down at the airports, do you marvel at the skill of the pilots who fly them? And when you see the planes take off and disappear into the horizon, do you watch them out of sight wishing you were there at the controls? There's no more need for any of that wishful thinking. If you've got what it takes to be an aviation cadet in the United States Air Force, you, too, can fly the big silver birds. You have to be young enough and smart enough and well enough if you want to qualify as an aviation cadet. Only the best are accepted. Your local recruiting station or nearest Air Force base can give you all the information. You are listening to Proudly We Hail, and now we present the second act of Fly by Night. Lieutenant Paul Walker, a flying radar man has something on his mind. Besides taking off in his old weather jet fighter plane with his pilot Captain Ed Brown, after an identified plane that gets near Everest Air Force Base not too far from New York City. I'm going to be reading and rereading a letter. Captain Brown has gotten a letter, too, but it didn't take him so long to read it. Well, don't look so smug. Other guys have gotten letters from their girls before. Oh, no, not from Sally, not like this. Uh, Dames. Huh? What's the matter? Emily, my girl, just like all women. When you count on them, they're somewhere else. Oh? Yes. Emily will be in Charleston recuperating from an attack of an influenza. I'm terribly sorry, dear. I was so looking forward to seeing you again. Oh, gee, that's tough, Ed. I've told Sally we'll have written her anyway so much about you, and I know she wanted to meet you. Maybe Sally knows someone. Blind dates? Boy, if you knew the flat tires I've taken out on blind dates. Well, I can ask Sally when she gets here, and even if she doesn't know anyone, and you can't think of a girl you'd like to take, you'll come along with us anyway. I want you to meet Sally, and we'll have fun. Oh, sure, I'd be as welcome as a flame out on a takeoff. Thanks. Maybe I'll take you up on it at that. And maybe Sally will know someone. All set? I told Mother I'd be staying with Sally at the Biltmore, and she said it was all right. Oh, it's all arranged now. I'll see you get delivered home. Safe and sound. Oh, don't be too sure. Why, Captain Brown? Look, I don't mean to sound silly. I know you're fliers, but I get all confused. What do you two men do? Well, he's my chauffeur. You know, the dumb kind. You have to give detailed instructions, too. He just rides along on my plane to give it ballast. You see, if it didn't have someone else in it, it's so fast and powerful, it might fly right out from under me. Oh, come now. I thought you were with the ballast. Oh. Touché. Well, you see, we're ADC. That's Air Defense Command. Now, all around at key spots are big radar setups. I don't know how wonderful it is to be with you again. I feel as though I'm dreaming. I wanted to have you in my arms for so long that now I can't believe it's true. I don't even want to think. I just want this to go on forever. Well, maybe it can soon. We won't have to wait much longer. I figure I've got a leave coming to me in about two months. I think that'd be a fine time to get married. Any time would be a fine time. As long as it's to you. It's a month later now. Walker and Brown are back being buckshot 23 of the 18th all-weather squadron guarding the air approaches to New York and Washington. They're on duty in the ready shack, strapped in their parachutes, wearing G-suits, all the paraphernalia necessary for high altitude flying. Their minds are on their work. The girl's forgotten. Hey, Ed, you gonna get in this bridge game or not? Uh, a little later. Oh, don't bother him, boys. He's writing a letter. And just a few weeks ago, he was teasing me. If this weather keeps up, some poor mailman is gonna get awful wet delivering it. Anybody been out lately? Yeah, I have. It's still pouring down rain and too black to see your hand in front of you. Wind a small gale. Scramble buckshot 23. Scramble. Vector 090. Angels 2-0. Call Baldy on Echo. That's us. Come along, Ed. Scramble buckshot 23. Scramble. Vector 090. There goes the bridge game. There goes an F-94 carrying Lieutenant Walker and Captain Brown. As soon as a squawk box called their signal, buckshot 23, they ran from the ready shack into the hangar where their plane was waiting. The hangar doors opened wide. The whole front of the hangar was lifting itself up and back. The speedy, heavily armed jet moved quickly from the hangar to a main runway less than 100 yards away. And Captain Brown began to pour on the coal, rocketing the plane down the runway. The jet takes off into the dark. It's after Burner accommits tail in the night. The whole business of getting into the air took practically no time. These men are part of the air defense command. They have to be ready to move immediately. Now, they're off in pursuit of Bogey and inside their plane. Okay, Paul. Okay, Paul. Okay, Paul. Okay, Paul. Okay, Paul. Okay, Paul. Paul. Right back here. I'm calling GCI. Baldi, this is Buckshot 23 on Echo. How do you read me? Buckshot 23, this is Baldi. Read you loud and clear. Buckshot 23, Vector 090. Angels 1. Climbing to Angels 3-0. Roger, Buckshot 23. Bogey at your 10 o'clock. Still 20 angels. Degree, Starbert. Three degrees below range 20,000 yards. Turn, Starbert. Hard, Starbert. He's off, nose up. Still three below, steady on course. Closing at 60. Bogey dead ahead. Roger, Paul. Starbert easy. Too far. Five degrees port, he's off. That's it. Nose down two degrees. Level. Range 5,000, closing at 60. Range 4,000, port easy. Now that's enough. Chop off 40. 3,000 yards. Less. Bogey three degrees port. 2,500 yards. Take over, it is yours. Keep talking, no joy. Bogey now five degrees port. Level. Turn port easy. Bogey now four degrees. Three. Two. One, dead ahead. Got it. Right up. Multi-engine, installation. Making visual check, U-2. Overseas Airlines Super Constellation, off course. Reporting at the Wally. Wally, this is Buckshot 2-3. Check Bogey, O-A. Super County, Angels 1-5. Course, 1-9-5. Speed, 3-2-0. Roger, Buckshot 2-3. Overseas Airlines Flight 4-8 un-reported at checkpoint. Off course. Come in, Buckshot 2-3. Contact Everest, GCA on Cocoa when approaching field. We'd better check in with our report. I wonder what happened to that pilot? Well, you know how it works. When they leave Shannon or wherever they come from, they get instructions how and where to identify themselves when they get within radar range of the U.S. It's a wild night. He must have been blown way off his course and didn't check in and went in where he could. Yeah, and what was it Colonel Mattson said? Anyone who doesn't identify at a checkpoint is the enemy until proven friendly. That's it, you never can tell. Boy, it's a nasty night down here. You know what, I forgot all about how mean the weather was when we got up there? Got over the clouds and there was that big moon. Yeah, I know. It gives you funny feeling when you come down and realize you've been in a different world. Completely different world. And all the while you've been away, it wasn't very long, but we went a couple of hundred miles and all that time, no one except Baldy and the boys here at the base knew we were gone. That's right. Even the crew with that airliner didn't know we'd come up and we're camping on the tail. Just in case, they turned out to be unfriendly. They didn't know? And all of the people like Sally and my folks sleeping peacefully down here didn't know it either. Didn't even know we were in the air. They were sleeping better because we were. Gives you funny feeling, doesn't it? Oh, come on, you're getting positively poetic. Three diamonds. Oh, there you are. Home of the heroes. Hey, I gotta stop in a few minutes. Want to take my hand, Ed? Don't mind if I do. Paul? No, I'll be back in a minute. I'd written a letter but hadn't sealed it. I'd like to go look it over. Well, here you are, partner. Two aces and a Queen Jack ten. Don't say I didn't treat you right. Hey, how's Lieutenant Walker doing now? You said a while back all he needed was experience. He can give any of you boys cards and spades right now and beat you. And he's still improving. Right now, I'd say... I'd say he's the best darn radar operator in the Air Force. Which is a lucky break as he's with the best darn pilot. Here, here. Well, he is. And I'll prove it to anyone who doesn't believe me. Now, if you've given your poor partner enough trouble, I'll take over your hand and try to pull you out. So, dear, I can't see any reason why we should wait any longer. Colonel Madsen said he thought I could figure on my leave in about two weeks. So I'll be out to pick you up. And it's a good thing it's so soon. Because I don't think I could wait any longer. Well, it just about does it. I'd better seal it and mail it now before I get to thinking about it and try to write it better. Well, that's my story. It'll appear in the latest issue of my magazine. It'll be on your newsstand next month. As you can guess, it's about a group of men who never sleep, the officers and men of the Air Defense Command, and particularly the radar observers, the flying radar men who guide the defense planes to their target, who are in readiness 24 hours a day to see that anyone who approaches our borders is on a friendly mission. They are truly the Minutemen of this jet and rocket and atomic age. By the way, there's a post script to my story. You won't read it in the text of my article, Lieutenant Paul Walker and his girl, Sally, were married last Sunday. How would you like to be a kingpin on the aircrew of the United States Air Force plane? That's the navigator. He's an aircraft observer, a commissioned officer, and he gets there by enlisting in the aviation cadets. It's a great life, but only men young in spirit and years can fill this exacting job. If you can qualify, your advanced training by the Air Force will turn you into a first-class navigator. Then you'll be a kingpin on the aircraft team. You'll be equipped with the finest navigation tools known to aerial science. See what your chances are for joining the aviation cadets of the United States Air Force. Full details are available at your nearest recruiting station or Air Force base. 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 for the United States Army and the United States Air Force Recruiting Service. This is Kenneth Banghart speaking and inviting you to tune in the same station next week for another interesting story on Proudly We Hail.