 proudly we hail New York City where the American stage begins here's another program of the cast of outstanding players public service time has been made available by this station for your Air Force to bring you this story as proudly we hail the United States Air Force Air Rescue Service our story is entitled a day for boys this is the story of airman at work but the kind of work that brings out the best in a man and takes the best kind of man to do it as proudly we hail the United States Air Force's Air Rescue Service our first act curtain will rise in just one moment but first when you make an investment you want it to pay off right well men how about those years you invested in the service learning skills gaining experience valuable to yourself and your country you can make those years pay off in big dividends today by becoming a member of the United States Air Force yes indeed if you've been in any of the armed forces you may be eligible to enlist in the Air Force and agree that will be a real pleasant surprise you see right now the Air Force needs men skilled in certain important fields and you may be just such a man if so the Air Force offers you an opportunity to put your previous service experience to work and to collect on those credits you've earned toward a comfortable retirement your Air Force recruiter has a folder full of details so you ride or visit him right away ask for the prior service man's folder today and tomorrow you're better off in the United States Air Force and now your Air Force presents the proudly we hail production a day for boys when you're in a situation like this the best thing you can do is talk at least that's what the major told me a few minutes ago he said it's the best way to take your mind off your worries I think the major has a point especially in the light of what's happened to me in the last 24 hours and what is about to happen shortly you see I'm the medic in an H-19 helicopter crew of the Air Rescue Service Squadron assigned to this base well this morning when I reported to the ready room to stand by for emergency duty with my fellow crew members Captain Richards and Lieutenant McPherson how's about some coffee suits me captain Sergeant Graham huh I said how about some coffee oh oh yeah sure sir so you're mighty quiet this morning for a change how come I've just been thinking sir the doc says it'll probably be in a few days now I wonder you're so quiet everything will be okay well thanks lieutenant I'm not worried it's just that I'm beginning to realize what it's going to mean to be the father of a baby boy boy I didn't know Air Force doctors were fortune tellers too yes how about that Graham since when can they tell what a baby is going to be before it's born well nobody told me I just know it this is something I've looked forward to for a long time a son just got to be if there's nothing around for a boy to get into mischief with he'll invent something give me a girl every time well at least most of the time well I don't know can you take a daughter with you when you go hunting or to a baseball game I can see you never took a boy along and an outing now I remember once I took mine on a fishing trip what happened he catch more fish than you worse than that he caught poison ivy up to his earlobes Mayday let's go Mayday is an emergency call and the bell was our signal we reported immediately to the operations officer for our briefing gentlemen I've just received a call for help from the US Forestry Service a boy is lost in the Rockies area within the vicinity of the base as indicated on the map since the area is densely wooded and mountainous it's a job for helicopters you will start your search at this point at low-level altitude using a concentric circle pattern with intervals of a hundred yards the weather as of now is clear wind southwest at ten knots but there is a front moving in rain thunder squalls and gusts expected here's a description of the boy any questions yes Colonel the point of origin of our search is that where the boy disappeared from yes it's a summer cottage and I'd like you to drop in there before you start perhaps you can pick up more information from the boy's parents as to which direction he might have taken now any further questions fine and good luck in a few minutes our chopper was airborne with Captain Richards at the controls a Lieutenant McPherson co-pilot and myself down below in the cabin preparing our rescue equipment in about 15 minutes the captain brought our helicopter down to a small cabin set in a clearing high on the ridge of a mountain a perfect four point landing captain with a ship like this how can you miss oh look sir somebody coming out of the cabin an old man hello I'm Captain Richards at the Air Force Air Rescue Service oh hurry glad to meet you I'm Henry Bender you fellas in trouble or something no we're not in trouble sir but we understand little boy is missing you know anything about it do you better do okay we've been asked by the Forestry Service to help in the search for him oh good I've got some dope on him here you check me to see if it's correct okay shoot all right his name is Dick eight years old about three feet tall sandy hair freckles gray eyes and two front teeth missing last seen in this area about nine o'clock last night is that right all right I was the one who last seen him when I put him to bed are his parents here no New York New York now he's my grandson and his folks send him here to me every summer so mr. Bender do you have any idea which way he might have gone it's hard to say one year they found him on the roof here another time he was in a lean to he built for himself up in the woods well he must be really lost this time I'll stick out you hear what I hear squall that's what it is we have lots of them up here what do you think Mac it looks like it might be a bad one yeah I don't think I can get her up through that better make the plane secure until the front passes let's go the sky was black and the wind and rain whipped through the clearing in sudden vicious gusts I dug out the cables and we tied down the blade tips by the time we got finished we were soaking wet but when we got into the cabin there was a roaring fire in the fireplace sit down and dry off a spell here's some sandwiches and coffee oh thanks mr. Bender you look mighty good right now I taste mighty good too smoke venison during the season this place is full of deer see that's a bright peculiar flying machine he fellas got there the first time I seen him up so close when you come in for a minute I thought it was a spaceship from outer space outer space yeah a dick has been filling my head with stories about space travelers every year he comes at something different with him one year it was detectives the next cowboys last year is going to be a farmer and you can better I kept my matches here that's he just started one just to put it out I can tell you I have my hands full as I can see you have cerebral isn't there something you could do to keep this sort of thing from happening every year well I tried my best every time I swear I ain't gonna have to come here again it's too much of a responsibility but then when summer comes I think of them having been in that big city all winter and how good the air and outdoors will be for him and I get kind of lonesome for him while we drank our coffee and dried off the old man told us stories about his grandson but all the time he kept looking at his clock and out of the window with the weather he was putting up a pretty good front but I could see that he was worried about the boy and with the weather the way it was I could understand why but as these mountain squalls do it cleared up suddenly after about half an hour and we thank the old man unshackled our ship and started our search we thoroughly circled the area all around within at least five miles of the cabin but didn't see him anywhere several times we spotted searching parties but they were having no luck either after about an hour after the fuel's down yes we better get back to the base I should hate to think of that kid wandering around by himself down there in the mountains so do I but as soon as we get refueled we're coming right back out again the way I felt about it nothing would have stopped me from searching until we found him I've been on many rescue missions but on this one I was sort of emotionally involved I kept seeing this boy afraid lonely and that wilderness down there not as a strange young kid but as if he were my boy the boy that was yet to be well we didn't find the boy and when we landed at the base and checked at the operations building there was a message waiting for me to call my wife at the base hospital Mrs. Graham please this is a husband hello sergeant Graham this is major William major what's the matter don't get excited sergeant she's all right the baby is going to be a little earlier than we expected that's all earlier can I speak to her oh then I'll be right over just lost boy aren't you oh yes yes I almost forgot look sergeant you do what you feel is right but as far as your wife's concern she's in no danger are you sure major yes when compared to what you can do on your search I see but it's up to you whatever you want to do is all right with me but remember everything is going to be okay at this point the phone and stood for a moment not knowing which way to turn everything in me told me and he should be at my wife's side at a time like this but if I did go to her I knew that the captain and the lieutenant would have to resume the search by themselves or else dig up a replacement for me but most of all what went through my mind was the picture of a sandy head kid with gray eyes and freckles maybe in serious trouble somewhere in the mountains the longer I thought the more I knew what I had to do by the time our ship was refueled I was there ready to take off again oh sir hi captain okay here captain okay here we go once more we headed back to continue our mission and once more it looked like we were going to be unsuccessful as we searched in ever widening circles by now we were flying over some really rough terrain deep gorges and cliffs on all sides but just as we started thinking about our fuel again and to be heading back soon captain well there's enough for another hour look what's that down there where the halfway down the side of that cliff you see something white I'll bring it down a little it's a boy it's him right a loudspeaker okay stand by I'm going down captain Richard started to bring it down but as we got between the two sides of the gorge a downdraft hit us and sent us sprawling he tried again and again but it was no use the ship was thrown around like a toy we couldn't get to the boy but we got close enough to see that he was on a narrow ledge and that if he made one false move well it was at least a 600 foot drop straight down there was no way he could be reached by crawling down from the top we had to get him out of there but quick there was only one hitch that was the big one in one word how you are listening to the proudly we held production a day for boys and we will return in just one moment for the second act many times a man is skilled in a particular job yet he's unable to find a use for it as this happened to you are you a service veteran with a service gain skill that's just going to waste well if you are than listen because you may be able to put that skill to work as a member of the United States Air Force the Air Force needs experience and know how gained in all of the armed forces if you possess one of the critical skills needed to keep America's air defense strong you can put that experience to work in the Air Force and do so at a higher grade and with higher pay than you may realize you've earned credits toward a valuable retirement income so protect that initial investment for full details write her visit your Air Force recruiter ask for the prior service man's folder now remember that's the prior service man's folder this folder will show you why today and tomorrow you're better off in the United States Air Force you're listening to proudly we hail and now we present the second act of a day for boys there's one thing you can be sure of an air rescue work that is you can't be sure of anything every mission is different up to a certain point only can you follow standard operating procedure beyond that well it sometimes takes skill courage or ingenuity and when we saw the boy on his narrow ledge of rock below us we knew that this was one job that would take a combination of all three Graham get on it loud speaker and ask him if he's okay right are you all right yes or he is good now tell him not to move dick you must stay right where you are do not move no matter what happens we've come to get you out of here but do not move okay he's nodding his head captain fine these Canyon drafts are rough but I'm going to bring it down once more lower the hoist cable Graham see if it reaches right sir this is about as close as I can get how is it about 15 feet too high captain oh wait a minute there's a ledge up into the right of the boy there I think we can reach it with a cable where oh yeah sure we can reach it bring the cable back Graham I'm gonna get down there I might be able to work my way over to the boy are you kidding Mac you don't look like a mountain goat to me I don't worry I read books on mountain climbing when I was a kid well I don't know Mac I'll be okay if I need any help our yodel cables in lieutenant okay give me a hand Graham lieutenant McPherson crawled into the hoist I started to lower him away normally it's a fairly routine operation one we trained for and practiced many times but now caught in the cross currents of the gorge the lieutenant swung back and forth like the pendulum on a clock a big clock and if one of those swings was too wide up above me in the cockpit captain Richards had to manipulate two control sticks and a pair of rudders while I stood by on the hoist ready to pull up the cable in a hurry if I saw the lieutenant heading for the rocks too fast while I watched I saw him slip out to make himself free and in a moment he was hanging only by his hands what's he doing down there his hands slip I think he's gonna jump for it yeah watch it Graham this next swing if you're just about there he made it keep the hoist there in case he wants it again the lieutenant waited for a couple of minutes until he caught his breath and then slowly and very slowly started to make his way along the face of the cliff and for the life of me I couldn't see what he was hanging on to but he kept moving until he was about halfway to the boy when all of a sudden he slipped in an instant he was gone sliding down the face of the cliff toward the bottom but as we watched horrified we saw him come to a stop about 20 feet below on a stubby bush grown into the side of the rocks and there he lays still very still get that hoist up Graham that bush won't hold him long you bet you can handle him yes sir use the sling and I'll operate the hoist from here it's going to be a tough one that was an understatement as I found out a minute later swinging in my harness at the end of the cable toward the lieutenant one look and I knew I couldn't use the sling the bush was too small to hold both of us I had only one alternative I took off my gloves rubbed my palms dry and waited while Captain Richards maneuvered me closer on one of my swings I caught a glimpse of the boys staring at me with wide open eyes and I flashed him a high sign the next swing brought me right to the lieutenant I reached out and I grabbed for him I started to put my arms around him but just then the bush gave away and he with it I made a desperate lunge and I caught him just in time I held him so tight I thought the muscles in my arms would snap while Captain Richards raised the ship up to a plateau on top of the cliff and hovered it there until I lowered the lieutenant to the ground as I quickly slipped out of the harness he came to your head how do you feel lieutenant okay I guess that's a knock the wind out of me yeah but we better get you back to the ship you think you can pull yourself in through the door yeah okay let's get this harness on you I buckled him up gave a sign to the captain and the lieutenant was hauled up to the ship minutes later I was hauled up to Captain Richards told me what you did thanks for what you'd have done the same for me captain I got an idea how we can get the kid you have what well while I was down there I spotted a ledge about 10 feet below him now if you let me off where you dropped the lieutenant before I think there's a way I can go down and over rather than try to go straight to the kids ledge and I'll be able to stay with them until you can reach us maybe there'll be less wind by then okay we'll give it a run keep our fingers crossed for a little nothing else we can do this was the payoff and swinging away down there at the end of the cable nearer and nearer to the ledge I tried to concentrate on what I had to do but I kept thinking of Jane and wondering if I was a father and didn't know it by now the swings were getting bigger I was beginning to feel like one of those big steel balls on the end of a chain the kind building wreckers use only I wasn't going to wreck the cliff if I hit it but the captain was a wizard at the controls and he feathered me right to the edge of the ledge I let go the hoist and dropped it was a perfect one point landing right on my stomach I lay still for a moment I had to the wind was knocked right out of me I waved an okay sign at the captain and then looked around below me was a mountain goat path that led downward and over to the ledge underneath the boy I eased myself down to the path made my way over to the ledge without too much trouble now to get up to the boy there were a few small cracks that I could use for footholds that was about all as I stood trying to figure out a route of approach the boy stuck his head out and looked down hi dick you bet how do you feel I guess you are don't worry we'll have you safe and sound at home in no time at all just don't move okay his face was streaked with grime and dried tears but he threw a feeble two front teeth missing grin at me and then pulled his head back out of sight I drew in a deep breath hitched my trousers and reached for the first crevice was a long stretch slowly I pulled up my left foot searched for a crack found it and pulled up my right foot but there was no place where I could put it if I had been three inches taller I could have grabbed the next crevice but it was no soap I was stymied stopped cold he was only 10 feet above me but it might as well have been 10 miles for all I could do I dropped down to the ledge and as I did so I knew what the only thing was that could be done but it wouldn't all depend on me dick hey dick are you afraid that's good I want you to do something for me listen very carefully I want you to put your feet over the edge there and just slide right down here to me how about it think you can do it that's good okay all set any time I'm ready slowly put his feet over the edge that's as far as he got he just sat there frozen I can't Mr. I can't come on dick that's a good boy yeah but I'm gonna catch you see look I'm right underneath you I knew I'd have to try something else something I've been reading up on the last few months child psychology I signal the captain to hold off on the talk and then turn to the kid dick your grandpa told me you wanted to be a fireman once that right okay did you know that to be a fireman you have to learn how to jump into a net well this is the same thing only it's not near so high and a net can't grab you like I can now if you just do it you can learn two things at once well you can qualify to be a full-fledged fireman when you grow up and second you'll have a chance to feel what it's like to be a real spaceman best kind there is a helicopter pilot if you come down now I'll fix it so you can handle the controls of the ship when we go back now how about long moment he sat there and then very simply and easily he let himself slide right down into my waiting arms I think I was shaking more than he was with relief by this time as I had hoped the wind had died down died down enough to enable the captain to reach us with the cable and in minutes we were hauled up to the ship on our way back captain Richards let him sit in his lap and work the controls by the time we dropped them off at the cabin dick had decided he was going to be in the Air Force when he grew up and this was one time his grandfather had no objections on the way back to the base good job Sergeant Graham boy that was one time I really talked sure it did paid off they Graham told me you still feel the same way about having a son you know something captain I'm beginning to think I don't if I spend my days doing rescue work I don't want to have to do it at home too we got back to the base about half an hour ago you can bet I had it right here to the hospital first thing only to find that my wife was in the delivery room and that I had some more waiting to do as you can see well talking like this has helped but gosh how long does it take congratulations Sergeant Graham it's over I wish he made you Williams fine just fine and a baby baby's Graham babies yes boys both of them doc I'm tired one out I am at the end of my rope you mean two boys oh get me a glass of water will you I've heard about it happening but this is the first time in all my years I've ever seen it a father fainting now come on Graham come on wake up they're your babies from now on are you a service veteran then listen carefully because this message is just for you you may be qualified to enlist in the United States Air Force in a gray that will be a real surprise to you if you possess one of the critical skills needed to keep America's air defense strong then the Air Force offers you an opportunity to put your skill to work and at a higher grade and with higher pay than you may realize right now the Air Force needs experience and know how gained in the armed forces and now thanks to new career incentive act you can put your service gain skills to work to your best advantage by returning to the armed forces as a member of the Air Force team you ride or visit your Air Force recruiter for the special prior service man's folder it's full of important details and you'll see why today and tomorrow you're better off in the United States Air Force this has been another program on proudly we have presented transcribed in cooperation with this radio station proudly we hail is produced by the recruiting publicity center in New York for the United States Air Force and this is Dick Herbert speaking and inviting you to tune in the same station next week for another interesting story on proudly we hail