The Army Air Force personnel in name ranked serial number with Walter Houston as Cavalcade commentator on the Cavalcade of America sponsored by the DuPont Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. Good evening, this is Walter Houston. Our Cavalcade play, name, rank, serial number is a stole adapted from the Army Air Force's training zone with this team and a manned congregation. Not long ago I had the opportunity to visit the Army Air Force's National Picture Unit in Colorado City, California where we filmed the movie. There, AF film technicians worked though and night turning out films to teach men what others have learned from bitter experience. Much of this work is a military secret. Tonight's story about the Nazi interrogation center for the Captain American Air Force to you is told for the first time to you. We are privileged to have with us some of the officers and men from the Army Air Force's National Picture Unit who helped make this film. The DuPont Company presents Lieutenant William Holden as narrator, 510th Sergeant James T.A., John Beale, Patrick Bates, Charles Cannon, and Corporal Arthur Kennedy, the main rank serial number on the Cavalcade of America. To all captured American fliers is extended this invitation. Welcome gentlemen to Dulag Luft, Germany. Dulag Luft, where American air crews are brought in for questioning, where Nazi intelligence officers gather bits of information that when put together tell them the story of future Allied operations. That is, if the members of the crew talk, if they reveal anything but name, rank, and serial number. Yes, the plane crashed yesterday Captain O'Neill in Northern Italy. A B-99, he captured all the crew but they had thoroughly destroyed what was left of their plane. They had been incarcerated, made to complete, and not yet. But I have this preliminary report. One is wounded, the other is in the hospital. Then we have the pilot, Captain Spencer, a highly intelligent type. The co-pilot, Lieutenant Williams, also intelligent but more easy going. And the mage, Master Sergeant, the overconfident type, not quite as clever as you think. And that is all we have to go on. No personal papers, clothing labels, not a scratch. And I am sure that not one of these men has any complete information concerning activities against us. Here is what information they have we'll get, and you. And we'll start with Captain Spencer. The scene has been laid. The characters are ready. And now the play begins. The play is Peyton, Gill, and Kennan. Is that it, Captain Spencer? No, thank you, Major von Bent. I think I have this good for the nerves, Captain. I'm glad to see you are in excellent shape. I know what a train these low-level bombing missions are. And have you checked with another B-99 crew? From your home base, I believe. Of course, it has looked. My name's James and Spencer. Arranged, Captain. Material number is 02469310. I just see you misunderstand me. You are not being cautious, Captain. Let me assure you, I have no plans that do not conform to the rules of Unifa Convention. May I? Oh, Herr Maurer. I beg your pardon, Major. I understand the American air crewmen have arrived. When may I see them? It's a man that happened to be right here, Herr Maurer. Captain Spencer? This is Herr Maurer, the International Red Cross representative here. How do you do, sir? Happy to see you safe from strife. Thank you, sir. We were lucky. Captain, I have brought you the form, the regular Red Cross form for all American prisoners of war. Mind sending it out? It may be by your opinion, sir. Thanks. This form goes to America? It's sent to the nearest Red Cross headquarters, then forwarded to our American bank. Oh. There you are, Herr Maurer. The other items, Captain, have been filled in. Name, rank, serial number. It's all filled out. But don't you see you write your base address here, your unit number here. I'm using, Herr Maurer. It's very bad. All I see to remember is my name, my rank, my serial number. I should be on duty to speak with Captain. Those items may be filled through it, that you receive your mail properly, and that your base and your parents are informed you saved. Well, it's very odd, sir, because according to the Geneva Convention, just my name, my rank, and my serial number will take care of that. To tell you the truth, I've never seen a form I've been sent before. Captain, I am afraid you are what we call the uncooperative type of prisoner. Music Captain Spencer can be tossed off the list. Tell me, Major Fontaine, suppose every one of these men is as alert as Spencer. What then? Then I shall have wasted my time running. Now, you better get busy with Lieutenant Williams. He's our next man. Yes, sir. If you can only find out where they came from and what kind of mission they were on. There are other things that are important, Captain. Matters, for example, which may have great propaganda value for us. Facts about civilian morale in America. What about economic conditions there? Just as there is no such thing as an innocent question, there is no such thing as a valueless statement. Music Just as there is no such thing as an innocent question, there is no such thing as a valueless statement. Keep this thought in mind as we drop in next on Lieutenant Williams' prison quarters in the west wing of Dulac Blue. Knock, knock, knock. Come in. You are Lieutenant Williams, aren't you? Yes. I am Captain Williams, Lieutenant. I want to check on your hand. Yes. Did you hear any trouble? It's not serious, Captain. Only a slight burn. Still, you better have the doctor look at it. I'll take you to his office now. Do you get it? No, no, go on. They are not toys. Oh, American brand, huh? A very thoughtful touch, Captain. Like? Yes, I'm glad I was thoughtful enough to stock up to see how I practically grew up on these things. You practically grew up on the American language, too, didn't you? Well, I lived in America most of my life. Until the war, that is. You're from Boston, aren't you, Lieutenant? Well, how did you... Nothing's nothing mysterious about it. That's one accent you can't use. Accent? Oh, it could be a coal. Coal? Yes, a kid in the hospital. He's from the South. He's got a drawl a mile long. Really? Where's he from, Alabama? No, Georgia. Atlanta, Georgia. Sergeant, call Dr. Bureau at the hospital immediately. Tell him that Sergeant Cole is from Atlanta, Georgia. Just a slip of the tongue, an insignificant and obviously unimportant bit of information, but enough to start the wheels rolling for German intelligence. Let us follow up this bit of information to the hospital room where an attractive blonde nurse is gently putting the finishing touches on Sergeant Cole's shoulder. Now, that is better, hmm? Hurts a little. It hurts a little, I know. It's a bad breath, just... Cigarettes? Please, it is all right. Cigarettes. I do not know if it is... How do you feel if you're a sobered brain? But is it all right to blow-cig? Well... I know. The Americans, a cigarette means a great deal to them. In all your stories, there's always so much smoking. You mean... American-style? I guess so, as many as I could guess. My favorite, though, it will always be some Wings-Feddy. Well, I reckon I don't know about that. Of course you do. You only know the other name for it. Gone with the Wings-Feddy. How do you like that? You like that? Uh-huh. This is in the book what it is called. Oh, yes, Atlanta. Atlanta, Georgia. You've seen it, perhaps. You've been there? Yeah. Yeah, I've been there. It's wonderful, too. It's quite a bit different than it was in the book, but... But this one was wonderful. Well, someday, maybe, when this part of the world's over. Maybe I will go there. Oh, I almost forgot. You must be like your old friend, or rather I must be like... The Red Cross form? Yeah, sure is your form for all prisoners of war. It simply ensures you are receiving your mail. And it seems that your parents are notified of your change. Now, your name? Charles Cone. Uh-huh. Lorraine. Duck Targon. And your serial number? 1-2-1-2-7-5-8-5. 5-8-5. And your unit? My unit? Well, is that all right to do? Oh, yes. It's a regular part of the form. Here. Here are forms sent out by some of the other boys here. Lorraine, serial number, unit, baby, face. This is the 950th medium bombardment case. And the baby? And the 12th Air Force heavy bombardment case at Manker, Florida. Manker, say to me. That's fine, Ross. Now, I think we'd better have some sleep. You're quite sure you're comfortable? Comfortable? Look, for the past three weeks, I've been living in one tent with eight other guys. That only gives you some idea. One tent? That surprises me. You know, I always thought the American Air Force had far better accommodations for its men than human. Oh, they're good, all right. It's just that we sort of moved into Naples in a hurry. We won't set up for fear. Oh, but before that, it was not so bad. That's right. Back in Tunisia, that was only 60 of tents. Oh, see. Well, that was almost nothing, it wasn't. That was living. But then, baby, this is scary. And then, we are making progress, Captain Lorraine. So, according to this information, Sergeant Cole gave his nerve. Three weeks ago, the 950th medium bombardment group moved to the 12th Air Force Heavy Bombardment Base at Naples, Italy. Ah. But it's more, the accommodations were more inadequate, nine to a tent instead of the usual six. Hmm. A rather sudden move of medium bombers to a heavy bomber field. What does that suggest to you, Lorraine? Well, Major, I'd say they were needed for some special purpose. Something only they could do. Exactly. And something only they could do out of Naples. The B-99s, you know, have a limited range. Certain targets which could not be struck from North Africa could be struck from Naples. Yes, but which targets, Major? Within medium bomber range of Naples, there must be thousands of bombing targets. Oh, no. Not how? Not for low-level missions. Low-level missions, Major? Yes. The B-99s are mainly used for low-level attacks. Obviously, they are planning a low-level attack from Naples. We'll see if Sergeant Mason can tell us about that. Now, your name, I see, is Alfred Mason. That's the fact. Your unit number? The name of your organization, Sergeant. It's a particularly proper name. Yes, sir. It's the 16th Bombardment Squadron. And you're based? Palermo, Sicily. No doubt you'll regret missing out on all the future operations of the 16th Squadron, Sergeant. I wouldn't like to talk about that. Naturally. But you may be sure I shall advise the general strengthening of defenses in northern Italy? Well, I don't know where you got it, sir, but... Disduction, Sergeant. I know those B-99s of yours were built primarily for short-frame missions. That's right, sir. And for certain types of targets, a large one? What do you mean, large one? Industrial targets, for example. Oh, no, no, Major. I'm afraid you're wrong about that. Yes, perhaps I don't know so much about that. But I do know what a fool you are! How dare you come into this office and attempt to deceive a German officer? Well, they're 16th Bombardment Squadron, eh? You think we're so stupid we don't know you're from the 950th Group? And from Naples, Italy, that you came three weeks ago from Tunisia? That's not true, you're wrong! Don't tell me I'm contradicting you. Every single city's life is all about the missions you're planning, all about the extra fuel tanks in your plane. Well, what a waste of time those plans of yours. The whole Air Force is as stupid a liar as you are. Yeah? You'll see how stupid we are. You'll find out. Yes, I have every intention of finding out. Your group is getting set for an important mission, isn't it? No, no, I didn't mean that. You're going to tell me what they're going to bomb. What and when? Now, look, I don't have to tell you a thing except my name and rank and serial number. Sergeant, you know what happens when a prisoner is being made an escape? That's right, he's fired, Arnold. That's what your Captain Spencer is about to do, Sergeant. He's about to be shot, shall we say, while attempting to escape. You're lying. You can see he's making it. It's up to you. A few words? I won't tell you a thing, so you can go right on with your bluff. That's all it is. It's just a bluff. It's a bluff. Come to the window and keep your search. Look, if you haven't much time, it's this way. Think how little it takes to keep that man alive. Arnold! Stop it, stop it, will you? It's all on you whether or not they fire. Now, those planes are going to be making it. What happened? Yes, yes, sir, I don't know. It was only a guess. What? I don't believe it. No, wait a minute. I meant I was only going by heart. Look, you see, right after the mission you were just on, everybody was to have a layoff. And all the planes were going to be checked over. I just figured they were getting set for something big, that's all. How long are they off what they're supposed to be? When were the planes to be ready? In two days, tomorrow morning. Tomorrow morning? Yeah, what's the target? I don't know. I told you, you do know. What is the target? I tell you, I don't know. You've got to believe me. I'll hide. That's an idiot. Oh, geez. No, you can't do that. Don't you understand? I'm telling you the truth. I swear I am. You're listening to main rank serial number featuring members of the United States Army Air Forces of the Cavalcade of America. Sponsored by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. Made of a better thing for better living in two This is the story of Billy Gluck. It is a German intelligence center for captured American air planes. The story of what happened when one such crew broke the Don't Talk rule. While the story continues, Major Von Bain and Captain Winning, German intelligence officers, discussed information revealed to them by an American sergeant. Good work, Rune. For a moment, even I thought it was Captain Spencer before the firing squad. Thank you, Major. You dressed up friendly to act the part. Oh? Yes. And friendly, I think he's a very credible actor. Yes. Let us proceed. Sergeant Mason gave us quite a bit to work on. The A.D. is planned for tomorrow morning. Let us now look at the map. Yes. They will leave from here, from Mettel. They'll go, they'll leave. They say that B-99 can't penetrate further than this area. 800 miles from the base. And that's even with the extra fuel tanks they were supposed to use. Extra fuel tanks. How did you learn about Toastmasters? Mason told me, or his expression did, I made a stab at his truck. There was another stab that worked. I suggested that his group was planning only short-range missions. And he assured me I had made a remarkable discovery. A very poor liar, that boy. So, a long-range mission. We concentrate on industrial targets. Did you? Yes. When I suggested Josset, the good sergeant, assured me I was definitely wrong. Another word of his stupid lie. It is then Sophia, Bucharest, Belgrade, Vienna, and Munich. The next step is to learn which one of these is his target. One more clue. It's all the winnings. I have one clue. I wonder if something will happen to you, Captain, all the winnings. When I talked to Lieutenant Williams, he said something about his flight commander. What was his name? Johnson. Yes. He told me Johnson was given a lead just two days ago. It may mean nothing. Flight commander didn't even leave for what reason? Lieutenant Williams did not know. He could think it was a good thing, a good thing. To give a team man a lead just before an important raid, I think not. I think these are missing clues. Really? I'm sure of it. We must find out why Johnson was taken off. We must find out tonight. And Captain Spencer is our man, I think. He's commanded his crew and therefore would know more about the flight commander. Yes. And whether he likes it or not, Captain Spencer will talk tonight. There we are, Captain Spencer. We have dined with some of our German pilots. We have served the best food in Dulacruz. Anything you say, Captain Williams? Yes. This is a mess room. Excuse me, gentlemen. Excuse me. We have a guest. This is Captain Spencer. Herman Golding, Angle Mark, Huntsville College. Captain Spencer. Happy to meet you, sir. Sit down. And why? Thank you, Lieutenant. You're commander of a P-99, I understand, Captain Spencer. That's right. Then you are a dangerous man. To your health, Captain. And to yours. You know, just as you entered, the commander here was discussing his group's plan to bomb your ammunition dump near Rome. He was telling us something running about his squadron leader who planned the mission. The best plan on our organization, I might add. But quite suddenly this morning, just one day before the mission, the man was released at his command. So what was the explanation? None. None at all. It was very strong. Oh, you will then ensure that the man became ill. It's as simple as that. No, but it is not my friend. He left for Berlin for holidays. I understand it. One does not have a holiday when one is too into flies. Isn't that right, Captain Spencer? He wouldn't have to be very ill. I know of a case quite similar to this. First, the squadron leader did perfectly well. Yes, but a man can have quite a good time, Commander, if all he has is a cold in the head. Cold in the head? Cold in the head? Yes. Yes, I suppose you're right. By the way, there's a phone call I have to make here. Excuse me, Captain Spencer. Gentlemen, I'll be right back. Yes, Commander. And get the captain some more wine with him this Friday. He deserves it. Well, what's the make of it, Major von Benton? Johnson was taken off because he had a cold in his head. Of course, it doesn't have to be too much of a cold to keep a man out of an oxygen mask. That means high altitude flies. Yes, but we know that this mission is to be low-level bombing. But sometimes even low-level missions have to climb up stairs. Mountains. Exactly, mountains. A low-level bombing, you see. But to get to their objective, they must cross some 50-foot-size mountains using oxygen masks. Impossible for a man suffering from a cold. Shall we look at the map? Yeah. No map can downroute to Belgrade, maybe. Not there on the way to Budapest. But we must be unique. Yeah, that is something else. For in order to come in low over the dirty and synthetic oil refineries, one must first fly high, quite high above the Austrian Alps. So, unique it is. Yes, tomorrow morning, and the week I'll be ready for them readings. Thanks to our good friend, Captain Spencer. And the next night, at the operations office of the American Air Base in Naples, weary crew members, having returned from the Munich raid, report to an American intelligence office. Well, Ed, Lieutenant, they met us about an hour out of Munich, Messerschmitt, all over the place. About eight of them jumped Maxwell and Thomas. Their songs were down-burning. Like that all the way to the target. They're getting smaller and smaller. Smith got it, Wilkinson, Marion, Dale and Montgomery and Reynolds. I don't know how many others. I don't know, there was a tip-off. There had to be a tip-off. Oh, could there be? There wasn't anybody from this outfit who could reach the Jerrys, who could talk to them. And we lost Spencer's crew to the Jerrys, but the other day there wasn't a better bunch of guys anywhere than Spencer's crew. Al Mason wouldn't give any information if his life depended on it. And Ralph Cole, I'd cut his right arm off for you. Let alone the Joe Williams and Jimmy Spencer. You'd think they'd talk here in Naples. What could they talk about? If we didn't know where we were going or when or how until this morning, how could they have known it three days ago? You don't have to know where or when or how to tell the enemy all he needs to know. You don't even have to be a traitor. You might as well do. All you need to do is relax for one instant. All you need to do is talk. Give anything but your name, your rank, your serial number. What happened to Spencer's crew may happen to any pilot or any crew tomorrow or next week or next month. And if it does, remember this. Even though you're a prisoner of war, you're still an American soldier. And you, merely by remaining silent, may be playing a greater part in this war than you ever played before. Your name, your rank, your serial number. Nothing more. Your name, your rank, your serial number. That's the moral of our story and the credo of every fighting man in every branch of service. Don't talk. Don't talk. Don't talk. Now thanks to you, Lieutenant William Holden, Private Kent Smith, Sergeant James C.O., John Beal, Pat McVeigh, Al Shannon, and Corporal Arthur Campbell, and all the cast and knights of the Brown Cavalry Corps. Our cavalcade play tonight was taken from an Army Air Force training film. Here's a key story about a Navy training film. A drug store manager, now in the Navy, was given a job of running a motion picture machine. One of the training pictures he had to show taught men how to aim and fire a rifle. John, we call him Jones, was careful really to study the picture each time he ran it in the machine, fired. Because his company was made up of men from Kentucky and Tennessee, squirrel hunters, most of them, and they could drive a pack at 50 yards with a rifle. But Jones, the drug store manager, had never gone hunting and never shot a gun in his life. The other men treated him about the bad showing he was going to make on the target right away. While the day came, out they marched to the range, Jones and the squirrel hunters. What happened? Jones, who had learned to shoot by running a motion, scored third high out of the entire company. That's how good these training films can be. Here's James Whitman to tell you more about them. The Navy alone now sends from 30,000 to 60,000 prints of training films each month to training centers, ship to sea, and advanced bases. Sailors can learn more about a complicated subject, like fire control, from a 15-minute movie, than they can from a two-hour lecture the Navy finds. As for the Army, well, 36 green men in the Engineer Corps, after seeing a training film just once, went out and built a timbered, tennantled bridge so strong that tanks could run over it. Men who had never built a bridge in their lives. These training films, that have done such a wonderful job in wartime, are going to accomplish a great deal for education after the war. In a trade school, a boy will be able to learn the elementary facts about a diesel engine, say, or chemistry, in an unbelievably short time. Girls in business college will learn to take notes and do typing under actual business conditions, with messengers coming and going on the screen, telephones ringing, and all the hubbub of a busy office around them. From kindergarten through college, students will be able to learn more easily and more quickly under the best and latest teaching methods. Training films. And many educational pictures in peacetime, like those in wartime, will be photographed on DuPont motion picture films. One of the DuPont Company's better things for a better living through chemistry. And now, Walter Houston. Next week, the Traverse Food of America will bring you Ida Lapinoe, a thrilling radio dramatization of Irving Stone's best-seller Immortal Wife. The story of Jesse Benton Seamont, wife of an army explorer who later became a presidential candidate and a Civil War general. Listen next Monday to Immortal Wife with Ida Lapinoe on the Traverse Food of America. And now, Walter Houston saying thank you and good evening. Tonight's Cavalcade play was adapted for radio by Ben Kagan from the Army Air Force's training film Resisting Enemy Interrogation, written by Technical Sergeant Harold Medford. The music was composed and conducted by Robert Ambruster. This is Jane Whitman sending you best wishes from Cavalcade sponsor E.I. DuPont in the Morison Company of Wilmington, Delaware. This is the National Broadcasting Company. Thank you.
