 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 the station for your Army and your Air Force to bring you this story as proudly we hail the United States Air Force is entitled Mediterranean Rescue the story of Captain Kendrick Reeves United States Air Force the story of an amphibian pilot with the 58th Air Rescue Squadron seventh Air Rescue Group stationed at Willis Field in Tripoli, Libya the names of the other characters have been fictionalized in this story of a rescue mission that won for Captain Reeves a recommendation for the distinguished flying cross America looks up to her men in the sky yes our country looks up to the young men thundering their way to new glory in the skies theirs is a task held in high esteem by the entire nation you are needed to swell their ranks and can do so by enrolling now in the aviation cadet training program of the United States Air Force if you are between the ages of 19 and 26 and a half have had two or more years of college and are otherwise qualified visit your nearest United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station and ask about the aviation cadet training program do it today and now your army and your Air Force present the proudly we hail production Mediterranean Rescue what you hear is a commercial airliner an American made DC 3 the British nicknamed it Dakota it took off from Malta less than an hour ago now somewhere over the Mediterranean it's heading toward Benghazi on the Libyan bulge a scheduled flight a routine flight let's meet some of the passengers first Mr. and Mrs. Bentley Margaret yes Joe tired oh no no dear just relaxing and thinking what a wonderful holiday this is being yes I'll regret when it's over to you so will I I hope we don't find Tewkesbury rather dull after this excuse me I'm sorry I didn't see you standing there my watch has stopped I would like the correct time I think so five past one thank you that is correct what is the time I have no reason to question it sir I set my watch at the airport in Malta by the clock of the waiting thank you does not matter well that's a pompous bore who is he I think his names may take I must have slipped into an air pocket all right now quite all right and they were quite all right but only for the moment in the meantime at Wheeler's Field in Tripoli Captain Kendrick Reeves and his co-pilot Captain Douglas Clayton were whiling away the last few minutes of their duty to her on alert 1335 keep moving hands oh stop watching that clock will you Doug you're making me sleep who's gonna watch it if I don't 25 minutes to go and then freedom sleep for chance to dream hey and that reminds me I never told you about that dream I met the other night what another one this was it the most gorgeous the most Ken I've never seen anything like her what happened what happened what happens every time I meet the woman of my dreams she has a husband or a boyfriend I'm the only guy in the world who seems to miss the boat every time oh don't voice yourself Doug I'll get it thanks for Reeves talking yeah okay Tom right away round up the boys and oh yeah make sure it's the SA 16 albatross because we may have to make a water landing thinly wants to see me there goes my sleep and mine head moving Doug this trouble on the water that's all Tom that's all I came through Ken could have lost its left engine tried to make it a Benghazi on the other one but couldn't one fan just wouldn't hold it they're losing altitude and preparing to ditch how long ago 15 minutes they were dumping all the luggage but they still couldn't maintain altitude was 1340 now didn't you have anything more from them not a peepkin nobody else did either I checked with the RAF base at Castel Benito and with the other okay Tom what was the position 34 degrees 10 minutes north 1710 East how many people aboard 32 including the crew 32 Dakota yeah I know what you're thinking with every break in the world they'll be lucky to stay afloat five minutes okay I better get going it might be one outside chance they get out of that plane at 1400 on the nose two o'clock Reeves Clayton and a crew of four took off in their Grumman albatross and headed toward the position reported by the distressed Dakota then an hour and 35 minutes later at 1535 34 degrees 10 minutes north 1710 East this about it can we're in the area the Dakota sent the distress call from see anything Doug no not on this side there's nothing on this side either check with radar see if they can see anything on the screens look at those swells kicking up must be at least 10 feet high what a time to get rough even if those people managed to get out what chance would they have against that even if they managed to get out if they had the time what do you mean Ken well Dakota might stay afloat at the most about 15 minutes those waves down there Doug get in touch with other search and rescue craft get information we'll make a route search along the Dakota track our route search along the Dakota track the track from Malta to Benghazi but no one knew whether the Dakota tried to return to Malta or flew toward Benghazi Captain Reeves had to use his judgment he followed the track toward Benghazi nothing yet can nobody has any information nobody sees any sign of a single survivor yeah 1600 Ken if there were any survivors we'd have seen them by now somebody would have seen maybe look at that water now it's getting rougher by the minute wouldn't you know it it's beginning to rain we're not quitting Doug who wants to quit that's my boy there's one possibility is anyone covering the track from position back to Malta yeah a couple of Lancasters okay we stick on the track to Benghazi two more minutes then we'll swing left that's probably the direction the Dakota took on account of the dead engine before they hit before they could let anyone know but he's even looking for us that is your capitalistic competence your bourgeois humanitarian life means nothing we don't care if your lectures Mr. Lady you will get my lectures Mrs. Bentley fly to Benghazi to get lost in the middle of the Mediterranean die like a wet pig and I do not appreciate your British courage or your British calm oh shut up will you you at least are in the rot my husband is that is my folder because there is no room for him you made sure I'm getting your face didn't you of course why not my life is worth more than all of you put together you precious life doll I'm all right are you sure yes how about you don't worry about me I've been hanging on to your arms alone don't worry about me told I could perhaps I could hold on to the side of the round no let me try only for a moment don't you dare let go of my arm again you almost went down I guess I'm more tired to help me lift him on to the rock Bentley you will not bring him into the rap you won't help me I'll do it myself I put it you're the crowd of ten people when there should be only seven the rest is losing air we will sink we will drown hold up don't look out you're capsizing the rap I can't do it myself no one Mrs. Bentley they're all sick they can do nothing for you essay 16 AF 907 to searching for Dakota survivors have you seen any over got somebody Doug yeah I can't hold it okay Baker and then keep it contact transmit period tones for VHF homing purposes we'll be listening to give you a steer over well how's the commercial airline what's the word nothing everybody's helping out but what good will it do I don't know 1740 pouring markets I'm just afraid we're four hours too late maybe we're not what do you mean look down there maybe we're not too late at all holy smoke one two three rats loaded send out a position Doug let them all know right all search and rescue craft all search and rescue craft essay 16 AF 907 to calling have located survivors have located Dakota survivors here's position surface craft proceeded once to this position 33 degrees 28 minutes north 1921 East repeating position of Dakota survivors 33 degrees 28 minutes north 1921 East will lead assistance here's hoping we see you soon and it's hoping we don't get ourselves banged up going into that green I better talk to the crew pilot to crew we've located survivors I'm gonna be tough getting down to them and staying with them but we've got to do passenger safety belts and prepare for water landing Doug yeah me a reading on the wind coming from the East 20 nights okay I'm gonna make a full flat full stall landing into the wind downwind from the raft good luck puppy holy smoke that rat knocked over by a wave we're listening to the proudly we hail production Mediterranean rescue our story will continue in just a moment after this important message America is depending on her leaders in the air if you are a young man between the ages of 19 and 26 and a half have had two or more years of college and are otherwise qualified you are eligible to join the ranks of America's leaders in the air you can become an aviation cadet the defense of our nation hangs heavily on our air strength the finest in the world but we cannot relax our efforts the Air Force still needs pilots and aircraft observers if you have the primary qualifications visit your nearest United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station today ask about the aviation cadet training program do it now you are listening to proudly we hail and now we present the second act of Mediterranean rescue just imagine yourself in the cockpit of Captain Reeves playing just imagine yourself seeing what Captain Reeves saw as he brought his plane down on the heavy seas of the Mediterranean the people in the life rafts some shrieking with joy not seeming to mind the rain anymore some praying and some prostrate and numb with sickness unmindful of anything and the people in the water trying to swim for their lives clutching at the waves as if they were solid agents of salvation Captain Reeves made his full flap full stall landing into the wind several hundred feet from the survivors but as his plane made contact with the water it skipped off the water bounced like a rubber ball then when it made contact again duck place propellers in reverse to play power the plane squatted remained on the water it was undamaged in the landing rock of my baby what now can we'll tax it within about 50 feet okay should get closer but I'm afraid to take a chance might be swimmers we can't see I hope they're all there can yeah okay Doug we do power all right take over Doug I'm going to get the boys started right keep jockeying the throttles between forward and reverse thrust so we can hold on to this position right probably for you or anything hey wait a minute Ken matter some guy swimming toward the plane it looks like he's got a rope yeah yeah it is a rope and it's tied to the rats good at least they won't drift okay okay we're ready Jim Joe open the port main hatch so be ready all the blankets hey we got enough do you know captain 32 people we didn't figure on the rain and that raft getting spilled okay those don't get blankets will need dry clothes just have to use our own okay with me captain so long as you don't take my pants I bet we won't have to 32 people are we gonna put them well let's not worry about that now Jim Joe and look up the guy down there below hats from a line don't hit him on the head with it I ain't that good captain I used to pitch for the joints just wrap yourself in this blanket thank you sir James and co-pilot Reeves come on fellas put your muscle behind that tow line bring in those rafts sit down Jamison Jim give the inflator raft and pick up everybody you find the wire now Jamison when you ditched your plane was anyone hurt none of the passengers that I could check with Reeves of course most of them are sick and getting sicker how about the crew the pilot captain Harvey broke his arm he was thrown against the panel where is he he was in the second round the one that capsized no okay when when you loaded the rafts was everybody accounted for yes I made the check myself since we lost that raft I don't know Reeves there was 10 people in it okay I get some rest all right get that raft to float on the double Doug we need surface craft to get these people back to port we love it to ourselves I've got the plane off the water with a load we're gonna have I know I know back won't you get through to anybody I've been talking every ship that's in the area and there's one on the way here now which one the SS is serious great how soon she be here not before it's almost three hours I know Ken but she's getting here as fast as she can we got to do better those people out there have been kicked around for six hours already some of them may be dying the skipper the plane is a broken arm we've got to get help and we've got to have it before 2100 captain Reeves with the help of his two men hoisted the people out of the rafts and into the plane 20 exhausted sick and hysterical men and women 20 items of dead weight who were too numb from the ordeal to help themselves the operation took almost an hour then okay okay that doesn't for now rest of the people in the water let's hope that we can find them let's hope happen getting dark it's tough break Joe getting his so late Joe take care of those people fix them up with blankets Jake you better have some hot coffee too sir that's too bad so be captain it's not with you feeling sick captain rocking of the plane Pete said so be I need you can you hold on for a while I don't know captain I like okay to the best you can keep a watch on the hatch if the raft comes below sing out yeah Jamison what's the situation any real sick ones I don't know Reeves they seem to be suffering mostly from shocker exposure to her unconscious mrs. Bentley and miscontract looks more like exhaustion and everything else how you're standing up okay let's take a look at your pilot Captain Reeves yeah I'm Anton Ladeck diplomatic Korean a very important mission yeah I must get to my legation Benghazi at once how soon can we leave here how soon yes yes how soon I'm expected in Benghazi already I'm six hours behind schedule Mr. Ladeck there are 12 people out there in the water what do you want me to do leave them at this most embarrassing to me this delay sorry British destroyers around we might get here in about an hour duck an hour is no good I know that Ken but what can I do there's nothing closer how about the Asturias where's she now still proceeding under full steam but no dice before 2100 that's still an hour they're sick they need medical attention a couple of delirious the pilot Captain Harvey his arm is broke and have we got the whole Dakota crowd on board I don't know Jameson's County noses now okay let's say we've got him we can't take off with that load but maybe we can taxi maybe those swells might stop as cold okay Doug we'll take the chance if Jameson says we've got everybody excuse me mr. Ladeck you're in my way I must know Captain Reeves why are you wasting valuable time I look mr. Ladeck already it is dark already I'm more than seven hours late reporting to my legation in Benghazi I'm a diplomatic courier what are you waiting for we can't take off mr. Ladeck we've got 32 additional people on board besides the crew is six that makes 38 people I can add Captain Reeves okay then figure it out for yourself I've got sick people wait a minute you will concern yourself with me too Captain Reeves and you will stop giving me excuses I have diplomatic privilege and I demand that you take me to Benghazi I'm just a minute Ladeck don't you pull diplomatic privilege on me I'm in command here and I'll do what I think is right we're not behind the iron curtain in case you don't know you get out of my way I've got work to do you will not insult me in this way I shall report this incident to my government I shall complain about your conduct I share somatic I sick very sick inside yeah I know the symptoms the port main hatches still open stick your head through and let yourself go Jameson missy spently Reeves she came to a few minutes ago her husband I finished by counting he's missing oh Joe soupy yeah what's cooking chief man out there how do you feel so okay now it must have been something I ate out that even more raft you guys and start fishing for that man on the double we were doing all we can your husband's anywhere out there we'll find you'll never find him I wanted to bring him into the rock I tried man refuel he wouldn't help he wouldn't raise his hand miss Bentley I was holding on to Joe with all my strength and then I don't know what happened something happened to me I don't remember they tell me you lost consciousness yes that must have been it but that man Joe would be here he'd be a lot all day we waited so long as Bentley I don't know what I can say except we won't leave here until we're sure absolutely sure help should be arriving soon the ship may be two that'll get the others to court but we'll stay thank you Captain Reeve thank you so much but I feel it's quite hopeless maybe not let's wait and see please excuse me now of course thank you Jamison you think there's a chance your men will find him who knows those conditions out there it'll be a miracle how's your pilot I don't really know but I'm terribly afraid for it his arms badly swollen and discolored that's too bad try to make him as comfortable as possible I gotta check the radio Reeve my compliments you've been superb thanks a code stuck kept my chin up so long I've got a stiff neck any word from the rest of the world looks like it's gonna be the asterisk she's really bearing down between you and me I'd be glad to see a robot right now as a comrade coming along late egg groaning his guts out in the corner that's where he belongs what about Joe and soupy you seen them lately I've got all the lights on wings nose and tail getting worried about those guys can't so much it's not half an hour Doug if that guy was a float that a fauna by now yeah only hope they didn't get kicked over by a way well there are a couple of good swimmers can they could have made it back to the plane maybe but it's building out there maybe I was crazy to send them out but I don't know Doug we just couldn't forget the guy leave him we couldn't turn up back on him you're a tired poppy can listen your grandfather will you don't blame yourself you did what you had to and you did it fine but Joe and so Joe and soupy it'll take more than a Mediterranean to keep those corn cobblers down look out there where right there in the beam of that light the raft yeah and there are three guys they picked up that what else captain or the essay 16 his ordeal was over the ordeal of clinging to an overturned life raft for over three hours and 15 minutes later the asterisks arrived on the scene the ordeal was over for all of them the crew and passengers were transferred from the plane the sick and injured were promptly taken care of rescue mission accomplished to captain Kendrick Reeves USAF for courage beyond the endurance of men for the exercise of sound judgment under the most difficult conditions for the tenacity with which you stuck to your assignment until it was successfully completed proudly we hail salute you you captain Reeves your co-pilot and the men of your crew before we say goodbye to captain Reeves let's go to Wheeless field again where he and Doug Clayton are early on their way home after filing their report boy am I gonna sleep for chance to dream boy what dreams I'm gonna have I listen to happy if I want to dream I'll dream I'm off duty now I wasn't laughing at that no I was I was thinking of Anton latex nightmares his diplomatic mission is in Benghazi maybe he doesn't know it yet but the asterisks is bound for Malta yeah he's going back where he came from yeah young men of America your country is building a mighty air force to maintain the security of our nation this means that there is a job for you the chance to do an important job with one of the finest organizations of its kind in the world today the United States Air Force if you are between the ages of 19 and 26 and a half have had two or more years of college and are otherwise qualified the Air Force needs you as part of the aviation cadet training program for complete details visit your nearest United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station today 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 for the United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting service this is Kenneth Bangard speaking and inviting you to tune in the same station next week for another interesting story on proudly we