 Proudly, We Hale. 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 Air Force to bring you this story, as proudly we hail another airman of the United States Air Force. Our story is entitled The Greater Worth. This is the story of two young airmen, a fellow and a girl who tried to live in two kinds of worlds, but found out that one was more than enough. Our first act, Curtin, will rise in just a moment. But first, if you're a former member of any service, now is the time to look into the United States Air Force prior service program. There are excellent reasons why thousands of veterans are choosing the Air Force as a career. For example, does your current job offer you security, automatic pay increases, 30-day paid annual vacations, promotion opportunities and valuable technical training? The Air Force provides all of these and more. Under the liberalized prior service program, you start out with a grade based on your military skill and get a paid 30-day delay in reporting if desired. In addition, there are choice assignments in the United States and overseas if you possess a needed skill. All the facts about a career in today's Air Force are contained in a personalized booklet your local Air Force recruiter will prepare for you without any obligation whatsoever. Call on him right away and find out why today and tomorrow you're better off in the United States Air Force. And now your Air Force presents the proudly we hail production, The Greater Worth. I'm Airman II, Lou Davis, the first sergeant told me I'm in a bunk in Room 19. Yeah, this is it. Come on in. I'm Airman I, Alex Stewart. Hey, it's a swell room. I think it is. Here's your chest of drawers and your clothes closet. Oh, fine. Might as well get unpacked. And that was how I met my new roommate, Lou Davis. My first impression was that he seemed to be an OK kind of fellow. But as I began to find out after he finished unpacking, first impressions are sometimes misleading. Yeah, we had a bang up bunch of radio maintenance men back at my old base. Sure felt bad when they broke it up. Well, why did they break it up? The squadron was reorganized. Streamline to get more efficiency. Well, don't worry, Lou. You're now in a top radio maintenance section. And not just because it's my outfit either. Sure. Say, where are you from, Alex? Me and my home? Yeah. California? Did you ever hear of Davisville? Davisville, no. Located right on the Mississippi. One of the biggest little cities in the Midwest. That's where I come from. Figures, doesn't it? I had. My name, Davis. Davisville. Get it? Oh, you mean it was named after your family? Yeah. My great, great, great grandfather was one of the first settlers. He was Davisville's first mayor. Since then, we've had two senators, three judges, and four generals in the family. Oh, yeah? So, you see, I have a lot to live up to. That looks that way. You ought to see the place. Hundreds of acres, all in the family. Sounds like a big deal. It is. Why, if I told you about it... And so it went. Lou was a talker, but it seemed he had only one subject. I began to have visions of myself spending my off time listening to his autobiography. And when I left for the Air Force, you should have seen the send-off the hometown gave me. Banned speeches. Yeah, yeah, I can imagine. Say, Lou, maybe you'd like to hear something about our section? Well... I think you should know something about them, don't you? Sure. Like what? Well, the KC-97 Tanker Squadron we service has just dragged up a lot of records. And one of the reasons was that we worked on them. Uh-huh. You told me before they were a good outfit. What I'm getting at is the guys in the section not only know their business, but they're good guys. Fine. Anybody who wants to get along with them has to deliver the goods and level with them. I get you. Not that they're a bunch of stiff necks, but with them it's what you can do that counts. Okay, Alex, I'll take your word for it. By the way, how's the chow around here? And speaking about food, my folks had a cook back home that could fry... I'm about as subtle as a sledgehammer, but even so, I was sure Lou hadn't got what I was trying to say. I figured he'd be in for it and he'd run himself to the section. Early the next morning I was called out to do a post-flight on the line, so I didn't have much chance to find out what would happen. But a chow... Hey, Alex, how about a refueling java and some java? One pitcher of coffee coming up. There you are, Eddie. Thanks. Say, Eddie, how's the new guy, Lou Davis? Okay. He is? Yeah. Sarge put him on a java with me. He knows the stuff all right. I'm glad to hear that. Eddie, tell me, did you find out anything else about him? Where he comes from? No, I didn't ask. You mean he didn't tell you? Well, we talked about his business. He doesn't have much to say otherwise. For my money, he's gonna shape up all right. To say I was surprised would be putting it mildly, but there was another surprise, historically. That evening, Lou started right where he'd left off the night before. And not only that evening, but the next and the next. After a couple of days went by, I had had it. So my father got on the phone right away and called Washington. Excuse me a minute, Lou, but do you mind if I ask you a question? Why, no, shoot. Why are you telling me all this? Why... Gosh, I... I'm sorry I'm bothering you. I'm only trying to be social. Lou, don't take it that way. It's just a... Well, you puzzled me. Lou, I'm gonna level with you during your off time, like now. For instance, you spend most of it talking about yourself to anyone who will listen. But down at the radio maintenance shop, you hardly say anything that's not got to do with work. I guess it is strange, but down at the shop, I just never think of anything else. I feel like I'm part of something big. Yes, I know how you feel. It's something that we can be proud to be part of. And that's the point, Lou, don't you see? I mean, it doesn't matter where a fella comes from. It's what he is that counts. Yeah, that makes sense. Now, how about giving me the once over? I'm no paragon of virtue, that's for sure. I guess none of us is. No hard feelings, then? Why should there be? You only told me something I should have known a long time ago. My little talk with Lou seemed to have some effect. He became more restrained, and as a result was a more agreeable companion. I reached the point of slapping myself on my back, but as usual, when you do that, you end up with a dislocated ego. And this time was no exception, as I was to find out. It was the night of the service club dance, and Lou and I were sort of having a pre-flight inspection. Hey, look, girl. Yeah, just to dance with us, aren't we lucky? Aren't they lucky? Hey, get a load of that redhead. My favorite color. I saw her first. Hiya, fellas. Hi, Eddie. Oh, hello, Eddie. Fellas, the service club director asked me to introduce his young lady around. She's new to the base. Save the explanations and get to the intro. You're wasting time. Yeah. Fellas, meet Airman 2nd Class and Netla Belling. Hello, Annette. Annette, that's a pretty name. Thank you. But no more so than its owner. It is nice of you to say that. And now, Annette, let's go on over here and meet her. Hey, what's your hurry? She's got all evening. Yeah, but sure, but I got a... Listen, you were told to introduce her around, right? Yeah. You don't call this an introduction, do you? Annette, would you dance with me? It would be a pleasure, but... Thanks. I know of no better way to get introduced. Okay, Annette, and away we go. Yeah, but Lou! Don't worry, Eddie. She's in good hands. Yeah, only... Oh, well, I could have figured this would happen. Only not so soon. You sure get yourself saddled with the nice jobs. She's a swallowing gal. She's got a... Bit of an accent, huh? Yeah, she's French. French? But she's a wab. Well, I mean she was French. She came to the States a few years ago, became a citizen and joined the airport. Well, all I can say is I hope she's not on land, please. Look, Alex, I gotta make a call. If you get a chance, would you finish showing her around? Sure, but I don't think we have to worry. The worry Lou seems to have taken over. Take over, he did. He danced with her the rest of the evening, and Annette didn't seem to mind. I was glad for Lou's sake. But later, during an intermission, I happened to overhear him talking to her. Sure, Annette. This is the land of opportunity. You take my dad, for instance. When he was a kid, the family had lost its fortune. But it didn't take him long to win it all back. And now, thanks to him, my family's sitting right on top of... Hi, Alex. Hi. Oh, man, am I beat. I haven't danced so much since... since my high school prom. Yeah, so I noticed. She's a wonderful girl, Annette. Real wonderful. Yeah, I guess she seems to be nice. Hey, what's eating you? Are you sore because I monopolized her all evening? Of course not. What you do is up to you only... just that I thought I had convinced you to cut out the build-up routine, that's all. Oh, that. Yeah. Alex, she told me she was born and raised on a big estate back in France. She's a chateau, I think she called it. So? Well, look, put yourself in my shoes for a minute, will you? Here's a girl you really fall for. And if you can help it, you're not going to do anything that might ice it up for you, right? Possible. Obviously, she's a high society girl, so is there anything wrong, then, if I tell her about my background to show her that I'm her equal in that respect? It all depends on how you look at it. I know how you feel, Alex, but I'm not going to worry about things like that when I've met the one girl in my life that I'm serious about. Boy, what a girl. Do you know... What could I say? I didn't want to break up a romance. They seem to be matched for each other, so who was I to spoil things for them? A few days later, Lou and I happened to stop off at the NCO Club for a sandwich. Uh, make mine a steak sandwich, medium rare, and a side order French cut. Rare for me, otherwise the same. Yes, sir, Alex, you've got to go a long way to get a steak like they make here. May he sure hit... may he sure... What? Some matter, Lou? Let's get out of here. Hey, waiter, cancel my order. What for? I got to get out of here. And the way he looked, you'd have thought he'd seen a ghost. And looking back now on what happened, I suppose you could say he did. You were listening to the proudly-we-hail production The Greater Worth. We'll return in just a moment for the second act. If you have a service experience gained in any of the armed forces, the opportunity is knocking on your front door right now. The United States Air Force needs skilled veterans in many technical categories, and it offers you valuable incentives and guarantees. For example, if your skill can fit a current Air Force shortage, you'll receive a grade based in your ability and military background. If you don't have such a skill, you may qualify for the finest in technical training, putting you out in front in this jet age. An Air Force career means job security, a guaranteed annual wage, big re-enlistment bonuses, regular pay increases, and clothing and insurance allowances. This is only part of the story. Your local Air Force recruiter has a new personalized prior service booklet that will show you in detail how you can improve your present status and brighten your future as a member of the all-volunteer United States Air Force team. Call or visit him right away. Find out why today and tomorrow you're better off in the United States Air Force. You are listening to Proudly We Hail, and now we present the second act of The Greater Worth. That which we try to forget has a way sometimes of reasserting itself. Memories can become shadows, but what has once happened can't be changed. And that's what Lou found out that night when he came face to face with something that he thought he could forget. A memory in the person of Sergeant Buck McCarthy. Lou! Well, I'll be. What a small world. Hey, don't you recognize me, Buck? Buck McCarthy. Yeah, sure. How you, Buck? Oh, what do you know? Meeting up with you after all these years. Hey, you friend of Lou's? Yes, I'm Alex Stewart. Glad to meet you. How you doing, Lou? You stationed here? Yeah, I'm a radio technician. Oh, kid. I'm an assistant boom operator on a KC-97. We're just passing through here. Where's your home base, Buck? West Oak. Guys, it's sure good to see you again. You know, this guy and I grew up together in the same orphanage. Didn't we, Lou Boy? Orphanage. Yeah, but that doesn't mean we didn't have a great time, does it, Lou? No, it doesn't. What a ball team we had. Remember when we played that junior high team from across town? You were the pitcher, I was the catcher. We were real buddies. How long has it been since you last saw each other? Oh, at least 10 years, right, Lou? Yeah. It's getting late. Gotcha. Sorry, I got a report for a briefing. Say, Lou, if you had a chance, drop me a line. Maybe we can get together sometime, right? Sure. So long, Buck. Yeah, so long. Nice to meet you, Alex. Yeah, same here. Happy landings. Hi. Guess you must think I'm a miserable character. No. Alex, do me a favor, will you? Keep it under your hat. I wouldn't want a net to find it out. Sure, Lou. Okay, I never even heard the guy, if that's the way you want it. Thanks, Alex. Thanks. I had long suspected it had finally been confirmed. Only now I knew the reason. Here was a fellow who had apparently missed the love and affection of true parents. The imagined world that he created was a prop to help him face the real world. A prop which I didn't think I had the right to take away from. A couple of days later at the base exchange, I ran into a net by the Coke machine. Hello, Alex. Oh, hi, net. Yeah, have one on me. All right. Here you are. Thank you. Oh, merci, as we say in French. Well, vous, c'est bienvenue, as I say in pigeon French. Not bad at all, as the pigeon flies. Hey, do I detect a faint indication that I'm getting a bird? Oh, I would not do that to you, not a friend of Lou's. Say, speaking of birds, when are you two love birds going to take the long walk? Soon, I hope. He is a wonderful man, very good for me. And I hope I am good for him. I'm sure you are. Or are you going to have your folks come to the wedding? Oh, well, no, I am afraid not. Well, it's a long hop from... Where is it? Your home is Paris, isn't it? It is in a village near Paris. My home is the Château de Brassard. That is the name of the town, Brassard. Brassard? Well, that means armband in English. Say, in that RKC 97s go there sometimes. Maybe one of the crew could say hello to your folks for you. Oh, that is not necessary. I write to him. Them, often. It is really not necessary. Thank you, though. Well, I must be off. I have many letters to type yet. Bonjour. Bonjour. And that was a girl who could make a man a good wife. Pretty, charming, woody. Yet, there was something about her that was puzzling to me. Something I couldn't define. Nevertheless, I was glad to see that she and Lou were in love and I wished both of them well. The next day, though, at the shop... You got any work orders yet, Lou? No, not yet. Expect one in a few minutes, though. Yeah, me too. Think I'll have a cup of coffee while we're waiting. Pretty slick, these coffee dispenser machines. Oh, oh, oh, that reminds me. I met Annette at the Coke machine yesterday. Yeah? Well, all I have to say is you're a lucky guy, boy. She really goes for you. Look, Alex, lay off that, will you? Huh? Hey, what, what, what gives, huh? I broke off with her last night. What? Why? Well, I couldn't stand it anymore. The bluffing, the whole miserable pretence. You did a good job on me, Alex. I know what a windbag I was. Why don't you tell her the truth? No, no, I just couldn't face her. Besides, even if she'd overlooked the difference in our background, she wouldn't forgive me for having misled her. Oh, I wouldn't be too sure of that. I'd tell her if I were you. No, I made a fool of myself once and I'm not gonna do it a second time. It seems that people often insist on throwing away the hat which they want most. I felt that there was little I could do now to help you and add as much as I wanted. There are those times when things have to take their own course and this seemed to be one of those. However, it wasn't long until my chance came to alter the course. It began in a most unlikely way when my NCOIC called me into his office. Stuart, you know the KC-97 we got outfitted with the new equipment? Yeah. Well, they're gonna give it a thorough flight test. See how the unit performs. Now, this will include refueling a B-52 in an overseas flight to Europe. It'll also include a repairman from our section to check the performance. You. Me? Yeah. Now, don't thank me. I'm selfish. I want results. Good ones. And that's why you're going. Well, good luck, Stuart. The flight will take off the day after tomorrow. I don't have to tell you how I was happily surprised. A free trip to Europe in a ringside set at one of the most dramatic and thrilling spectacles you can encounter. A refueling operation of a KC-97 and a jet bomber. You can bet that day and a half flew fast for me. And in no time at all, it seemed, I was sitting far above the Atlantic Ocean watching the huge B-52 nose itself into position under the refueling boom of our KC-97. Take up refueling position. Slowly, cautious, leave it steadily. Sergeant Hamilton, our boom operator, guided the bomber pilot into position. Forward, one hundred feet. Sixty feet. Now, ease it forward. The precious jet fuel pours through the boom and then the job is finished. Once more, we're on our way. Next stop, Orlefield, Paris. About five hours later, we landed and I made a thorough check of all the new radio equipment. That took about a full day, but at the end of it, I had determined that all was well, according to expectations. When my job was finished, I got permission to do some sightseeing during our remaining time. And naturally, I grabbed a bus to Paris. Hello, there, Stuart. Hi, Sergeant Hamilton. Yeah, you seem to have lost. No, not lost. I don't lost. I don't know where to start there's so much here to see. Well, I'm heading for the Eiffel Tower. Want to come along? No, thanks. I've seen all those tourist sites on postcards. I want to try something different. Okay, Stuart. Have fun. April in Paris. It was beautiful. A city made for romance. And then it was, I got the idea. Thinking of romance reminded me of Louis and Annette. And I recalled her hometown named after an armband, Brassard, that's it. Hey, officer, can you tell me where I can get a bus to Brassard? A half hour later, I got off in the village of Brassard and about ten minutes after that, I got a bus to Brassard, and I got a bus to Brassard. And about ten minutes after that, I found myself standing before a large wrought iron gate and half hidden in a grove of stately oaks and formal gardens, stood the chateau itself. A magnificent gleaming white building was a breathtaking sight, beautiful. Oui monsieur, it is beautiful. It was the gatekeeper who spoke to me. A small, whizzing old man of about 70 with a kindly face. The most beautiful chateau in all France. Is there something I can do for you? Perhaps this is the chateau de Brassard of Monsieur Leblanc. Monsieur, this contains the home of Monsieur Leblanc, but the chateau does not belong to him. It doesn't? Well, I was told it... No, wait a minute, she didn't say that. Tell me some more, sir. You see, my young friend, I am Monsieur Leblanc. You? Oh. You are in the United States Air Force. Is there a chance that you know my daughter, Annette? Airman's second class Annette Leblanc? Yes, yes, I do know her very well. Oh, it is more strange that we should meet like this. Not so strange. Now come with me to my cottage. It is not so large as the chateau, but it is as comfortable. It was a cozy little cottage and during my chat with the old man, I learned some things about Annette. Her mother had died when she was a child and she had grown up under her father's care in the chateau. When she was a child, we played a game together. We would, you say, pretend that the chateau was mine and she was the mistress of it. When she was grown up, she still wanted very much to be an important person in the world. That is, I think, why she go to the United States and become a member of your Air Force. A dream come true. Only sad thing is that we are now separated. She would like that I come to America, but this I cannot do unless I have work to do there, a job. Well, that shouldn't be too difficult. You forget, my friend, that I am an old man and there are many things I can no longer do. Maybe. Monsieur Leblanc, do me a favor and don't give up hope. Annette's dream came true and there's no reason why yours can't. Just don't give up. Now I must go and thank you, sir, for everything. Oh, no, it is I who should thank you. Please, give my love to Annette. Yes, I shall. Goodbye, sir, and I know I will see you again soon. The old man gave me a sad smile as if he didn't believe what I said. But he didn't know what was going on in my mind, an idea which I felt could solve a lot of things. I returned to Paris and two days later we landed back at our home base. After turning in my reports, I headed for a phone, made a long distance call, and then arranged for Annette and Lou to meet me in the lounge at the service club. Neither of them knowing that the other would be there. Annette got there first and a few minutes later, Lou walked in. Hey, Alex, how was the trip? What's up? Oh, hello, Annette. Hello, Lou. All right. We'll dispense with the formalities since you two have already met. Now it's time for you to get to know each other and I mean know. Annette, I visited the Chateau de Brassade while I was in Paris and I talked with your father. My father? Yes. Now you two better start telling each other what should have been told a long time ago. There's a long distance call I'm expecting. At the time I return from the phone booth, I want you two to have told it all. Okay, yeah, then it's all set. Oh, fine. Yeah, sure, yep. Yeah, I'll get the ball rolling on this end. Are you odd? Yes, I will. Yeah, thanks a lot, Dad. So long. How about it? You two finished yet? Yes, Alex. We know, both of us. Thank you, Alex. Oh, don't thank me. I only hope you realize that your pretendings were... Well, they were just to help you face the real world. Yes, we know that now. Get this in your head so you never forget it. You don't have to pretend that you're something you're not either to yourselves or to anybody else because you wouldn't still be wearing that blue uniform if you hadn't proved your own worth. I'm sorry. I guess I'm sounding off too much, but I can tell you, you two had me plenty worried. Thanks for sounding off, Alex. You're a real friend. Ah, I see. But I just, just one more thing. I've got a little surprise for you on that. I've just been talking with my father, and he's got a place on the Merlin Shore that could use a good caretaker. Oh. And he's promised me to give your dad the job as soon as he can get here. Alex. Oh, thank you. Thank you. Well, I'll, uh, I'll let you two kids alone now. I guess you still have lots to talk about. Hey, wait a minute, Alex. Your dad is his name Alex Stewart, too. That's right. Then he, is he the Alex Stewart, the industrialist? Well, I suppose he is. Oh, for gosh sakes. I never knew that. How could you know? Even if I wanted to talk about it, you never gave me the chance to. Okay, now, run along you two and don't forget you know who your best man is going to be. Don't worry, Alex. You're the best. Right, Annette? The best. The very best. When you make an investment, no matter what it is, you want that investment to pay off, right? If you're a former service man, you certainly made an important investment in time and energy during your service career. Remember the long hours you spent learning valuable skills? Today, many of these skills are urgently needed by the United States Air Force. That's why you'll be sitting pretty if you re-enlist now. Your nearest Air Force recruiter will give you a booklet telling you all about the new opportunities, new benefits offered to veterans of all services by the liberalized enlistment policy of Uncle Sam's Air Force. To begin with, there's a paid 30-day delay in reporting if requested. What's more, there are liberal bonuses for those career men who re-enlist. And there's a wide range of assignments available in the USA as well as overseas. It's a fact, veterans. Today and tomorrow, you're better off in the United States Air Force. This has been another program on Proudly We Hail, presented transcribed in cooperation with the station. Proudly We Hail is produced by the Recruiting Publicity Center in New York for the United States Air Force. This is Ralph Roland inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on Proudly We Hail.