September 20, 2025 • 35 mins
Today's Adventure: An OSS agent goes behind enemy lines into occupied Holland to stay at his uncle's house.
Original Radio Broadcast: July 30, 1950
Originating from New York
Starring: Les Tremayne; Lester Fletcher; Harvey Hayes; Jared Burke; Gordon Stern; Francois Grimar; Basil Langton; Patricia Courtleigh; Beulah Garrick; Victor Chapin
To subscribe to this podcast and, go to https://greatadventures.info/
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Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715
Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net
Give us a call at 208-991-4783
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Original Radio Broadcast: July 30, 1950
Originating from New York
Starring: Les Tremayne; Lester Fletcher; Harvey Hayes; Jared Burke; Gordon Stern; Francois Grimar; Basil Langton; Patricia Courtleigh; Beulah Garrick; Victor Chapin
To subscribe to this podcast and, go to https://greatadventures.info/
Become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters at https://patreon.greatdetectives.net
Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.
Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715
Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net
Give us a call at 208-991-4783
Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives
Follow us on Twitter @radiodetectives
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to the Great Adventurers of Old Time Radio from
boy S, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. In
a moment, we're going to bring you this week's episode
of Cloak and Dagger. But first I want to encourage you.
If you're enjoying this podcast, please follow us using your
favorite podcast software. And if you're listening on the Great
(00:29):
Detectors podcast, please subscribe to the Great Adventurers of Old
Time Radio. Our listener support and appreciation campaign concludes today.
You can become one of our Patreon supporters over at
Patreon dot Great Detectives dot net. Now from July thirtieth,
nineteen fifty, here is swastika on the windmill.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Are you willing to undertake a dangerous mission behind the
enemy linees knowing you may never return alive.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
What you have just heard is the question asked during
the war to agents of the OSS ordinary citizens who
to this question answered yes. This is Cloak and Dagger,
(01:39):
Black warfare, espionage, international entrigue. These are the weapons of
the OSS. In today's adventure, the Swastika on the Windmill.
The role of Paul halfand an OSS agent in Holland,
is played by Lestremaine The story is suggested by actual
incidents recorded in the Washington files of the Office of
Strategic Services, a story that can now be told.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
My mouth was as dry as ashes. The palms of
my hands were ringing wet. My revolver was drawn and
I moved slowly, slowly along the dark hall. Everything I
had been taught led up to this moment.
Speaker 5 (02:20):
Boards under my feet heated.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
For a terrifying moment, I almost lost my balance and
fell backwards. Something was ahead of me in a room
along that dark passage. I sensed it more than anything else.
Then I heard it on my half man. I stopped
breathing until I had passed that room, and the voices
of the hidden Germans almost slid past them.
Speaker 5 (02:43):
To the end of the corridor.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
There was a Nazi stormtrooper in uniform right in front
of me, blocking the exit.
Speaker 6 (02:50):
Well, fire, fire, fire again, it'd work, Paul.
Speaker 5 (02:54):
Well, that's it. You passed the test. Now the colonel
wants to see you.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
What I had just come through was a cleverly designed
scarehouse that rivaled any Coney Island chamber of horrors for
one a minute thrills. This was part of the training
of an OSS agent and it took place less than
an hour's ride from Washington, d C. We turned how
far at the present time we have no information and
no way of getting information on the disposition and plans
(03:25):
of German troops and Netherlands. We think they're up to something.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Well, no what. Now you'll be flown to England and
from there a submarine will take you to the coast
of Holland.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
The coast of Holland to me, Holland was that little
country where my uncle Brohm lived, where I visited when
I was twelve, where the windmills were now under the
shadow of the swastika. I guess we can surface about here.
There's mac on Holland. I want to take a look
(03:58):
with tenthalphon thanks command. Spilling through the periscope of the
submarine Tuna and I could see a windmill on the
flat lowland of the Netherlands. I couldn't see the swastika,
but I knew it was there. The pressure gage showed
twenty feet of salt water above us.
Speaker 5 (04:14):
Take her up her out o an hatch.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
We climbed the ladder through the hatch, where an inflated
rubber boat was waiting to take me to shore. I'm
only a couple of yards from shore. I can get
out here. Hand me that rucksack. Please here you are, sir?
Have you fought to go from here? It's only about
five miles from Macum to Bolsward, where my uncle lives.
(04:53):
I can make it before the sun comes up. Goodbye
and thanks, good luck, good Luck's.
Speaker 7 (05:09):
So when you rang the bell at Sanna Paul, I
jumped for my bed the devil, I said, it's the
guest tap. They finally put two and two together and
connected me with the underground.
Speaker 8 (05:20):
Hush, brahm, hush, God gave your tongue. Must you use
it so loosely?
Speaker 4 (05:26):
I'm afraid my new aunt Hilda doesn't trust me completely.
Speaker 9 (05:29):
I trust no one.
Speaker 5 (05:31):
Oh, this is poor.
Speaker 7 (05:35):
How often have I spoken to you of the times
he came here when he was how old?
Speaker 5 (05:40):
Poor? Twelve?
Speaker 7 (05:41):
Uncle Brown, Yes, twelve and so proper, So collect a
miniature model of propriety. Well, from the looks of it,
you've grown, but you haven't changed much. Still proper is
the devil.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
The result of my strict Quaker upbringing.
Speaker 10 (05:57):
Uncle Brohn.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Remember we were both taught number two drink or smoke
or lie or or swear, Uncle Brom.
Speaker 9 (06:05):
Yes, how long will you stay in Holland?
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Only long enough to contact the leader of the underground
and get the information I'm after?
Speaker 9 (06:14):
I see? Tell me, why should we believe that you
are an allied spy? Answer me?
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Sure you don't expect me to carry proof about me
that I'm a spy in case the Germans find me?
Speaker 9 (06:27):
Then how do we know?
Speaker 5 (06:28):
That's enough? At the devil, I say, and here know
more of this dog?
Speaker 8 (06:33):
All right, Brown, it will be as you say, and
on your conscience.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
Your your wife doesn't trust me.
Speaker 7 (06:46):
You were surprised to know it, doubt to find you
Aunt Katrina dead and I remarried.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
Yes, yes I was, Uncle Brom. I was lonesome.
Speaker 7 (06:58):
It's not good for the men to live by himself.
And she is a good woman, but she doesn't trust me.
She has her reasons. There was some men in these
parts not long ago. He passed himself officer British agent,
gained the confidence of some of the Undergrund. Then he
turned them over to the Gestapo. I see he as
(07:21):
family was among those executed.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
You understand now, uncle problem. You haven't seen me or
heard from me since I was a boy. You don't
know where I've been during those years in between. You
don't know what my loyalties are. Do you trust me?
Speaker 7 (07:39):
Tomorrow? I may take steps to put you in contact
with Hans spoke in Luardin, the leader of the Dutch underground.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
When I awoke a few hours later, it was about
ten o'clock. Through the window of a spare room that
Aunt held her ma up for me, I could see
the neat little milk carts joling over the Christine and
the cobblestones, and I could see the endless stream of bicycles,
and here and there a German soldier in uniform, like
(08:12):
a blot on the landscape.
Speaker 7 (08:17):
I'm afraid the breakfast is not assumptuous.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
It as what's in the old days.
Speaker 9 (08:21):
Poor do not apologize for what we cannot change.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
Aunt Hilda is right. It was very good. The Rogua
Brood was just as I remembered it. And these current bunds,
these Creanton brutes, are wonderful.
Speaker 9 (08:38):
I will leave you. I have a house to clean.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
You're still suspicious of me?
Speaker 9 (08:42):
Have I any reason not to be it enough?
Speaker 7 (08:45):
Paul is my sister's son. I will stake my own
life's blood that he is to be trusted. Let us
hope you do not have to, Aunt Hilda. Look this pistol,
I'm giving it to you. It's the only one I have, the.
Speaker 9 (09:03):
Only one you have, and you give it to me.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
I put myself at your mercy. If at any time
you have proof even the slightest that I'm not what
I claim to be, take my own gun and turn.
Speaker 11 (09:17):
It on me.
Speaker 8 (09:20):
I will take your gun and take you at your word.
Speaker 5 (09:29):
That should convince her. Paul, you are what you say,
I hope.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
So now, what about this hunts Buck? How can I
get in touch with him?
Speaker 7 (09:40):
I will arrange for a meeting between you halfway at
the Handling in five days from now, to give him
time to collect the information.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
You are after.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
The days until Thursday when I was supposed to meet
haunts Buck past slowly, but they weren't wasted. I set
up a short wave radio and a wine cellar read
in the living room. I had long talks with Uncle Brahm,
and I went out of my way to win over
Aunt Hilda. Are you sure there's nothing I can do
to help you with dinner?
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Aunt Hilda?
Speaker 9 (10:15):
Nothing? Thank you?
Speaker 5 (10:21):
Oh, it's.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
It's still raining one need not be.
Speaker 9 (10:26):
Too clever to see that.
Speaker 8 (10:30):
In Holland it seems always to be raining now, rain,
mud and despair.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
I remember when I came here years ago, it was winter.
I was in time for the skaters.
Speaker 9 (10:47):
Races, Yeah, skaters races.
Speaker 5 (10:52):
And the booths.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
Remember the little booths that sold chocolate and milk cooked
with aniseed, and the little cakes, all the varieties of gingerbread.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
How I love them.
Speaker 9 (11:02):
Hand me the spoon.
Speaker 5 (11:04):
Here here you are.
Speaker 9 (11:08):
Thank you. Tell me about America. What is it like?
Speaker 4 (11:18):
It's too large to describe in a sentence, or too
When the war is over, you must come visitors.
Speaker 9 (11:25):
When the war is over.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
Well, little can't last forever, and America is helping. And
remember our leader, President Roosevelt, is himself of Dutch ancestry.
Speaker 8 (11:42):
Tomorrow, tomorrow, perhaps I will make you a gingerbread cake.
Speaker 4 (11:56):
Yes, I wonder over slowly. And on Thursday, when I
left for Harlingen, she said good bye to me.
Speaker 5 (12:03):
At the door with uncle Brom.
Speaker 7 (12:06):
You know where to meet him, Paul, you have everything clear?
Speaker 5 (12:11):
Yeah, everything, uncle Brahm.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
I'm to meet him beside the monument of the Stone
Man on the North Sea Dikes. I'll be nodding and
unknotting a piece of string so he'll know me. Good good.
We will see you later to night.
Speaker 5 (12:26):
Then, yeah, pull.
Speaker 9 (12:31):
Here. This is for you in case you should have
need of it.
Speaker 5 (12:38):
My pistol take it back.
Speaker 10 (12:43):
Thank you, Thank you, Aunt Hulda Kurtain Morgan, Gourden Morgan.
This habit you have of nothing and non nothing string?
(13:04):
Is it not a waste of time?
Speaker 4 (13:07):
Nothing is a waste if it serves a purpose? Here buck, yeah, right.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
An elephant. We may this blend the information the habit?
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Yeah?
Speaker 11 (13:19):
Where where in my head? You will have to memorize
it as I give it to you. I could not
take a chance of writing anything down. I'll remember then,
remember it and use it well. There are forty thousand
Nazi troops in Holland and Belgium. These troops will be
on the move within two weeks. Where they're going northern Italy.
(13:39):
They will be used to cut off the American advance there.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
The colonel did suspect the worst. Thank you, thank you.
I'll radio this out tonight.
Speaker 11 (13:49):
It is appropriate, is it not for us to meet
under the statue of the Stoneman.
Speaker 5 (13:54):
See the inscription terminus.
Speaker 11 (13:58):
It means thus far and no farther a threat to
the sea that is held back by the.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Dykes thus far, and no farther a threat also to
the Nazis.
Speaker 11 (14:10):
Yeah you understand me, Well remember me to your uncle
and goodbye for now.
Speaker 7 (14:29):
Her book is in constant danger of discovery by the Gestapo, Paul.
It's why he could not take a chance and write
that information down for you. It wasn't necessary of a brom.
He passed it from his head to mine.
Speaker 9 (14:42):
When will you radio it to London?
Speaker 5 (14:45):
After midnight? I think I can start now. What's that?
Speaker 10 (14:50):
Ah?
Speaker 7 (14:51):
Stopping in front of the house? Men getting out so late?
Speaker 9 (14:59):
Who are there? You know them?
Speaker 2 (15:02):
No? I don't.
Speaker 9 (15:03):
I'm afraid. I'm afraid.
Speaker 8 (15:05):
It was like this once before, when I came to
get my family, Paul. We were turned in in by
someone who pretended to be a friend.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Do you believe?
Speaker 9 (15:14):
I don't know. I don't know what to believe.
Speaker 12 (15:18):
I'll answer it, Helderman. Yeah, we have business with you.
I mean, this is my wife and my nephew. Call
healthphond you nephew.
Speaker 5 (15:34):
Max. Take a good look at him, would you say?
Looks as if he's to be trusted. I never truch
the man who looks so innocent.
Speaker 9 (15:41):
What are you talking about? Who are you?
Speaker 5 (15:43):
Do not be so suspicious. We are from hans Bock.
We're members of the underground, and that ground.
Speaker 7 (15:50):
I was not conscious there was an underground in the Netherlands.
Speaker 13 (15:55):
What do you want with us? You're being very careful.
I can see that, Alderman, and that's good. Perhaps this
will prove who we are. Would you not say? That
is hairbox own signature?
Speaker 7 (16:08):
Yeah, that is He's all right, I know it well convinced.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
Now read it aloud, Oka bron Let me read it.
Speaker 7 (16:15):
Poor every reason to distrust man you sent me today?
Show proof who he is, or turn him over to
these men for underground execution.
Speaker 5 (16:29):
But this is ridiculous. I do not understand. Or hair
Box seemed to trust me well enough this afternoon.
Speaker 7 (16:35):
And have here was a German spy, a traitor, a
mid he is I do not believe that, not Paul.
Speaker 5 (16:39):
He is not the spy, not for the Germans.
Speaker 7 (16:42):
You want proof, I will give you proof.
Speaker 14 (16:46):
See here in the vine set of it. This is
his short wave radio. He was going to send the
message tonight. He is a friend. Here is an ally.
He's a member of the American oass. Don't you believe me?
Speaker 15 (17:03):
M mm hmmm, that is the matter. We relieve you
well enough. Thank you for giving us proof of what
we suspected.
Speaker 5 (17:13):
What's this?
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Shall I shut my bad Take a good look.
Speaker 5 (17:19):
Sculling cossbones.
Speaker 13 (17:22):
We've been trailing her bok, but we had no definite
proof that he was connected with the underground. We only suspected.
And today we saw him meet your nephew here on
the North Sea dykes.
Speaker 5 (17:32):
Where did you fit?
Speaker 14 (17:33):
Until thinking?
Speaker 13 (17:33):
But if we arrested them then and there we might
get nothing from them. So we waited. We arrested her book,
and we found a paper with his signature on it.
Speaker 9 (17:41):
That note you showed us what was forged.
Speaker 5 (17:44):
Quite right, note was forged.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
No longer I have made my way to the kitchen door.
Speaker 13 (17:52):
You have killed him right again? And then around yours
to your husband for supplying, and upstairs, let's get.
Speaker 5 (18:00):
Happy here, all right? Right? What I haven't no worse
than you?
Speaker 4 (18:06):
In a flood of memory, it came back chamber of horrors,
and hours drive from Washington, my mouth was dry as ashes,
and the palms of my hands were ringing wet. Along
the dark hole, I revolver drawn everything I had been
taught led up to this, this momentary.
Speaker 6 (18:20):
Have you covered from both sides? Drop your gun? Will fire, fire,
fire again into the darkness. This time, there was no
instructor to say good work, Paul. There was just a
gun in my back and the leader of the Gestapo
to say.
Speaker 16 (18:34):
You are on the race, Lieutenant Hall, how long do
you think you can hold out?
Speaker 13 (18:46):
We have ways of making you talk. No, no, must
reconvince you more. Sergeants come, yeah, well, perhaps really have better?
Lucky we question your aunt so I don't get killed
and bring her here.
Speaker 5 (19:05):
No, no, no, don't do that letter alone.
Speaker 13 (19:07):
Simply because you requested, Sergeant, do as I say.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
You'll see how long she holds out. She is absolute.
Speaker 13 (19:15):
We'll have a shot and you will be a witness.
This amusing.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
I know when I'm beaten. Don't bother the old lady.
You're the old man either.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
What are you saying?
Speaker 17 (19:32):
Well?
Speaker 5 (19:32):
I thought I could hold out. I can see now
there's no point in holding out. You won. What more
is there to say?
Speaker 4 (19:38):
If you're just starling for time, not stalling hair, Commander,
I'll prove it. I'll confess everything, tell you everything you
want to know. Wow, you are becoming smart, and so
I told them everything they wanted to know. General Donovan
HiT's the OSS in Washington. The OSS is part of
the American State Department. The Minister of Finance in Britain
(20:02):
is also head of the British Secret Intelligence.
Speaker 13 (20:04):
Go ahead, Lieutenant Harfund, we're listening, Corpora, take this down.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
I gave them a mixture of fact and fantasy that
would have done the German propaganda ministry pride. The true
facts I told them Mine knew they already knew the rest.
They seem to accept the face value, and so I
kept my story with a real whapper. You taking all
this down, Corporal, We'll take this down with a red pencil.
(20:33):
An invasion of North Holland is part of the Allied plan.
What the invasion will be made in the eastern area
of Friesland on the Dutch North Sea coast.
Speaker 13 (20:40):
You are lying to us, We'll see if you know
you're beaten, perhaps have been on the wrong side. Lieutenant
hart Fund, you've that up radio. I think you ought
to use it tonight.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
Time is now twenty three hundred, twenty three hundred. Paul
Hall Fan calling headquarters. Can you hear me over?
Speaker 2 (21:15):
OSS?
Speaker 11 (21:16):
Headquarters to Paul Halfon, you're coming in clear.
Speaker 17 (21:19):
I've been waiting for your message, Paul, good to hear
your voice.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
Why don't you say there's a gun in your back?
I could see it's going to take a lot to
convince you. Paul hall Fon the headquarters, listen, listen carefully.
It's stinking weather for a drop, but I've got to
have supplies. It's darned important.
Speaker 5 (21:38):
Over headquarters to.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
Halfan, would you mind repeating that so we're sure?
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Repeat?
Speaker 7 (21:45):
Please?
Speaker 12 (21:46):
Over?
Speaker 4 (21:47):
What the bevil's the matter? You said you were getting
don good reception. I said, the weather's lousy, but it's
darned important that I get a supply drop at designated
point tomorrow night.
Speaker 5 (21:56):
Can't make it any darn clearer than that. Over, Okay, okay, Paul,
we get it.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
It's done.
Speaker 17 (22:04):
Clear, Now you'll get your supply drop.
Speaker 8 (22:07):
Good night, over and out.
Speaker 4 (22:11):
You heard it yourself, The drop will be made. Are
you beginning to be convinced of my sincerity?
Speaker 5 (22:19):
Were you nervous? Lieutenant? Why do you say that?
Speaker 13 (22:24):
I never heard you use such language before.
Speaker 5 (22:27):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (22:27):
I expect to get over my nervousness after I've broadcast
many of these radio messages for you, Commander Brandt. After
that they drove me back to the jail. Commander Brandt
of the Gestapo had never heard me use such language before,
(22:48):
and neither had oss headquarters in the Army. They used
to make fun of me because of my proper speech.
I gambled on the chance that the radio operator who
knew me would detect something odd about my speech. When
he answered back the same way, I knew he understood
I was a prisoner of the Germans and that the
supply drop would probably save my neck. I didn't sleep
(23:11):
that night, and I didn't really take a deep breath
until eleven o'clock the next morning.
Speaker 13 (23:18):
Good Morgan, looking, would you care perhaps for the piece
of chocolate an American cigarette?
Speaker 4 (23:33):
I knew the drop had been successful. They sent us
home Uncle Brahm, ant Hilda and me, but we brought
a border with us, in the person of Commander Brandt.
Mouse was different now. Aunt Hilda prepared meals silently. Uncle
Bram smoked his pipe and looked at me wondering. And
(23:55):
twice a week they sat in the living room and
watched and listened as Commander brand and iact. It always has.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
Headquarters Ohs as headquarters to Paul Alvin.
Speaker 5 (24:06):
This is important.
Speaker 10 (24:08):
Four and twenty blackbirds are coming through the rye storm
clouds overhead.
Speaker 5 (24:15):
Take in your washing.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Good night, horn out.
Speaker 5 (24:21):
What did that mean?
Speaker 4 (24:21):
Fifteen thousand more Allied troops are added to preparations for
the invasion of Holland, and we will.
Speaker 13 (24:28):
Rush twenty thousand more German troops to the Dutch North
Sea coast.
Speaker 5 (24:33):
Already we have forty thousand troops waiting there.
Speaker 13 (24:35):
We were going to send them to elsewhere, but they
would undoubtedly be a more use here.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
Undoubtedly. Yeah. Up to bed now, dog shit.
Speaker 13 (24:48):
The dinner was very good, Brokerman, I.
Speaker 9 (24:51):
Cannot help being a good cook.
Speaker 18 (24:53):
Yes, it's thoughtful of him to leave us alone so much.
Speaker 9 (25:05):
Is it? I do not care much for your company.
Speaker 5 (25:10):
Maybe he's got his reasons.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
I wanted to tell them my reasons, but I didn't dare. Instead,
I stood at the piano and played the scale with
one finger. Even Uncle Bram was getting to the point
where he couldn't look me straight in the eye. But
as Uncle Bram became more suspicious, Commander Brandt became less suspicious.
Speaker 9 (25:32):
I think I will go up to bed too.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
Something was wrong with the piano. The sea was sharp,
as if something were pressing on it, making it sharp.
I walked around at the back of the Baby Grand
and I saw it. It was a small round disc
the size of an overcoat button. I knew it was
attached to a dictophone in Branch's room. That was why
(25:56):
he left us alone so much. I'd give him something
to listen to.
Speaker 7 (26:01):
For I know there must be some explanations for these
things you're doing now.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Look, you haven't had it so good for years. Eggs
on the table? When did you have eggs on the table?
Last privileges? Nobody else has extra ration books. You might
as well face it. This is a new order, Germany's order,
and if you're smart like I am, you'll fall in
with them.
Speaker 5 (26:22):
Paul, Is this you?
Speaker 8 (26:24):
I told you he was a traitor, a spy. I
warned you.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
You wanted to see me here, Commander Yeah, or thank
you for coming to my office so promptly at my
corn I follow orders.
Speaker 13 (26:52):
So I'm beginning to see I sit down to them.
I want you to hear something.
Speaker 9 (27:02):
I think I'll go up to be I.
Speaker 4 (27:05):
Don't understand a dictophone, but I still don't.
Speaker 7 (27:13):
I know there must be so much explanation.
Speaker 5 (27:19):
You haven't had it for good for years.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
That's me exactly what's the idea of doing on the
table last privileges?
Speaker 5 (27:26):
Nobody else has explorations. You might as well face it.
This is a Germany have convinced me complete. You're smart
like I am. You're all in with them. I have
a proposition for you.
Speaker 13 (27:39):
Yes, I want you to go to England for us
actors are double agent.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
You can be more valuable to us there.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
Leave Holland. But don't I have great help to you here.
Speaker 13 (27:53):
I know the risk it involves, but Germany would pay
you well after the war.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
Over.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
I thought it over and let him convince me, and
a few days later a German stormtrooper gave me a
personal escort to the border, and I made my way
back from the enemy lines. After I left, my aunt
and uncle escaped and were hidden by the underground, and
(28:23):
it wasn't until the war was over that I was
able to see.
Speaker 5 (28:26):
Them and explain.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Lieutenant Paul Halfan returned to OSS headquarters, and thousands of
Nazi troops waited on the shore of the North Sea
for an invasion that never came. Thus, once again, the
report of another OSS agent closed with the words mission accomplished.
Listen again next week for another true adventure from the
files of the OSS on Cloak and Dagger.
Speaker 17 (29:14):
Heard in Today's Cloak and Dagger Adventurers, Paul Alphond was less,
Tremaine Brahm was played by Stefan Schnabel, Hilda by Virginia Payne,
Bant by Barry Kroger, the Colonel by Raymond Edward Johnson.
Speaker 5 (29:27):
Others were Carl.
Speaker 17 (29:28):
Weber, Jerry Jarrett, Arnold Robertson and Bob Wilde. The script
was written by Winterfred Wolfman Jack Gordon. The music was
under the direction of Murray Ross. Today's True Assess Adventure
was based on the book cloakan Dagger by Corey Ford
and Alistair McBain. This program was produced by Lewis G.
Cowen and Alfred Hollander and was under the direction of
Sherman Marx Programs. Get your programs here, mystery fans, There's
(29:53):
an exciting evening waiting for you tonight on NBC. First,
some listener will have a chance to win a double
reward for solving the case on one thousand dollars reward. Next,
when a woman reads her all obituary in the paper,
The Saint finds himself involved in a case that leads
to murder. Then Sam Spade works his way through the
rod and reel caper. Yes, you will find adventure here tonight.
(30:13):
Stay tuned now for High Adventure and The Big Guy
on NBC.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
Welcome back. Between last week's show and this week's it
seems like they were trying to boost the star power
of Cloak and Dagger. In the previous episodes, you essentially
were hearing those sort of New York character actors who
were primarily just the workaday actors. Even though Larry Hayes
(30:48):
had a few detective series to his name over the years,
he was much more of a character actor here. Of course,
Les Tremayne, who had starred in The Thin Man and
had spent two season since prior to this in the
Adventures of the Falcon and came to prominence as the
lead in the First Night Or Program as well as
(31:09):
having his own variety program with Jackie Gleason. And unless
Tremaine turns in the very good performance that you can
always expect of him, now, this story and it's ending
is really something that you can only accept from a
sort of based on a true story series, because your
(31:31):
big dramatic movie does not end with the bad guys
foolishly believing your hero has gone over to the other side.
But that could totally happen in war. What this episode
illustrates is one of the great dangers of being part
of one of these fanatical states. You cannot afford to
(31:54):
believe your own propaganda if you are in a position
of real life responsibility. But really, what the lieutenant was doing,
it meant the ideals of the German propaganda. That's what
made it so easy to buy, despite the fact it
(32:15):
not make him much sense. I mean, if they tortured
him more, they might have believed that they broke him,
but in this case they just became victims of their
own propaganda. Listener comments and feedback now, and we start
on Facebook, where emn't wrights Regarding the episode the Trap,
that's the first Kloackendagger episode that didn't have me on
(32:38):
the edge of my chair. There seemed to be an
effort to lighten this one, and the subject didn't lend
itself to lightning up. But it had enough surprises, so
on balance, I still think it's a terrific choice for
the Great Adventurers. Well, thank so much, Hamant. I do
think that there was a method in the Golden Age
(32:59):
of eight where they tended to try to balance the
heavier episodes with lighter episodes. But you're right, it's not
quite in keeping with the spirit of Kloagndagger to have
like lighthearted moments from the OSS. I do think last
week's episode was probably a bit more successful at that.
(33:23):
Over on Spotify, n Wing roates Irwin Haysen was the
creator of the Golden Age Green lantern in Dondee, not
that it was him or they used his name. Not
sure if it was him, or they used his name
because he was well known in the army. Well, I
(33:44):
don't believe it's him, because the story of Hayston's service
in the military was that he was stationed at Fort
Dix and manage the Fort Dix Post News paper, and
in the course of doing that he wound up in
(34:05):
the hospital through overwork. But he said that was the
proudest time in his career, So it doesn't seem like
him being in the OSS would be possible. But his
comic strip work might have inspired some of the choices
and mechanics sixty six simply wrote good one. Well, thank
(34:26):
you so much, appreciate the comments. And now it's time
to thank our Patreon supporter of the day, and I
want to thank Matt, Patreon supporter since September twenty twenty four,
currently supporting the podcast at the Secret Agent level of
four dollars or more per month. Thanks so much for
your support, Matt, and that will do it for today.
(34:48):
If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your
favorite podcast software. And if you're enjoying the podcast on YouTube,
be sure to lock the video, subscribe to the channel,
and mark the notification bell now. If you are listening
to the Great Adventurers of Old Time Radio feed, we
will be back on Tuesday with the next chapter and
(35:11):
the interplanetary adventures of Flash Gordon. If you're listening to
the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio, we will be
back with a Sunday Encourse Slash special and then on
Monday we'll be getting into Danger with Granger. In the meantime,
do send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives
(35:33):
dot net, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, check
us out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com, Slash Great detectives
from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham signing off.
Welcome to the Great Adventurers of Old Time Radio from
boy S, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. In
a moment, we're going to bring you this week's episode
of Cloak and Dagger. But first I want to encourage you.
If you're enjoying this podcast, please follow us using your
favorite podcast software. And if you're listening on the Great
(00:29):
Detectors podcast, please subscribe to the Great Adventurers of Old
Time Radio. Our listener support and appreciation campaign concludes today.
You can become one of our Patreon supporters over at
Patreon dot Great Detectives dot net. Now from July thirtieth,
nineteen fifty, here is swastika on the windmill.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Are you willing to undertake a dangerous mission behind the
enemy linees knowing you may never return alive.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
What you have just heard is the question asked during
the war to agents of the OSS ordinary citizens who
to this question answered yes. This is Cloak and Dagger,
(01:39):
Black warfare, espionage, international entrigue. These are the weapons of
the OSS. In today's adventure, the Swastika on the Windmill.
The role of Paul halfand an OSS agent in Holland,
is played by Lestremaine The story is suggested by actual
incidents recorded in the Washington files of the Office of
Strategic Services, a story that can now be told.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
My mouth was as dry as ashes. The palms of
my hands were ringing wet. My revolver was drawn and
I moved slowly, slowly along the dark hall. Everything I
had been taught led up to this moment.
Speaker 5 (02:20):
Boards under my feet heated.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
For a terrifying moment, I almost lost my balance and
fell backwards. Something was ahead of me in a room
along that dark passage. I sensed it more than anything else.
Then I heard it on my half man. I stopped
breathing until I had passed that room, and the voices
of the hidden Germans almost slid past them.
Speaker 5 (02:43):
To the end of the corridor.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
There was a Nazi stormtrooper in uniform right in front
of me, blocking the exit.
Speaker 6 (02:50):
Well, fire, fire, fire again, it'd work, Paul.
Speaker 5 (02:54):
Well, that's it. You passed the test. Now the colonel
wants to see you.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
What I had just come through was a cleverly designed
scarehouse that rivaled any Coney Island chamber of horrors for
one a minute thrills. This was part of the training
of an OSS agent and it took place less than
an hour's ride from Washington, d C. We turned how
far at the present time we have no information and
no way of getting information on the disposition and plans
(03:25):
of German troops and Netherlands. We think they're up to something.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Well, no what. Now you'll be flown to England and
from there a submarine will take you to the coast
of Holland.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
The coast of Holland to me, Holland was that little
country where my uncle Brohm lived, where I visited when
I was twelve, where the windmills were now under the
shadow of the swastika. I guess we can surface about here.
There's mac on Holland. I want to take a look
(03:58):
with tenthalphon thanks command. Spilling through the periscope of the
submarine Tuna and I could see a windmill on the
flat lowland of the Netherlands. I couldn't see the swastika,
but I knew it was there. The pressure gage showed
twenty feet of salt water above us.
Speaker 5 (04:14):
Take her up her out o an hatch.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
We climbed the ladder through the hatch, where an inflated
rubber boat was waiting to take me to shore. I'm
only a couple of yards from shore. I can get
out here. Hand me that rucksack. Please here you are, sir?
Have you fought to go from here? It's only about
five miles from Macum to Bolsward, where my uncle lives.
(04:53):
I can make it before the sun comes up. Goodbye
and thanks, good luck, good Luck's.
Speaker 7 (05:09):
So when you rang the bell at Sanna Paul, I
jumped for my bed the devil, I said, it's the
guest tap. They finally put two and two together and
connected me with the underground.
Speaker 8 (05:20):
Hush, brahm, hush, God gave your tongue. Must you use
it so loosely?
Speaker 4 (05:26):
I'm afraid my new aunt Hilda doesn't trust me completely.
Speaker 9 (05:29):
I trust no one.
Speaker 5 (05:31):
Oh, this is poor.
Speaker 7 (05:35):
How often have I spoken to you of the times
he came here when he was how old?
Speaker 5 (05:40):
Poor? Twelve?
Speaker 7 (05:41):
Uncle Brown, Yes, twelve and so proper, So collect a
miniature model of propriety. Well, from the looks of it,
you've grown, but you haven't changed much. Still proper is
the devil.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
The result of my strict Quaker upbringing.
Speaker 10 (05:57):
Uncle Brohn.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Remember we were both taught number two drink or smoke
or lie or or swear, Uncle Brom.
Speaker 9 (06:05):
Yes, how long will you stay in Holland?
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Only long enough to contact the leader of the underground
and get the information I'm after?
Speaker 9 (06:14):
I see? Tell me, why should we believe that you
are an allied spy? Answer me?
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Sure you don't expect me to carry proof about me
that I'm a spy in case the Germans find me?
Speaker 9 (06:27):
Then how do we know?
Speaker 5 (06:28):
That's enough? At the devil, I say, and here know
more of this dog?
Speaker 8 (06:33):
All right, Brown, it will be as you say, and
on your conscience.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
Your your wife doesn't trust me.
Speaker 7 (06:46):
You were surprised to know it, doubt to find you
Aunt Katrina dead and I remarried.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
Yes, yes I was, Uncle Brom. I was lonesome.
Speaker 7 (06:58):
It's not good for the men to live by himself.
And she is a good woman, but she doesn't trust me.
She has her reasons. There was some men in these
parts not long ago. He passed himself officer British agent,
gained the confidence of some of the Undergrund. Then he
turned them over to the Gestapo. I see he as
(07:21):
family was among those executed.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
You understand now, uncle problem. You haven't seen me or
heard from me since I was a boy. You don't
know where I've been during those years in between. You
don't know what my loyalties are. Do you trust me?
Speaker 7 (07:39):
Tomorrow? I may take steps to put you in contact
with Hans spoke in Luardin, the leader of the Dutch underground.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
When I awoke a few hours later, it was about
ten o'clock. Through the window of a spare room that
Aunt held her ma up for me, I could see
the neat little milk carts joling over the Christine and
the cobblestones, and I could see the endless stream of bicycles,
and here and there a German soldier in uniform, like
(08:12):
a blot on the landscape.
Speaker 7 (08:17):
I'm afraid the breakfast is not assumptuous.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
It as what's in the old days.
Speaker 9 (08:21):
Poor do not apologize for what we cannot change.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
Aunt Hilda is right. It was very good. The Rogua
Brood was just as I remembered it. And these current bunds,
these Creanton brutes, are wonderful.
Speaker 9 (08:38):
I will leave you. I have a house to clean.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
You're still suspicious of me?
Speaker 9 (08:42):
Have I any reason not to be it enough?
Speaker 7 (08:45):
Paul is my sister's son. I will stake my own
life's blood that he is to be trusted. Let us
hope you do not have to, Aunt Hilda. Look this pistol,
I'm giving it to you. It's the only one I have, the.
Speaker 9 (09:03):
Only one you have, and you give it to me.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
I put myself at your mercy. If at any time
you have proof even the slightest that I'm not what
I claim to be, take my own gun and turn.
Speaker 11 (09:17):
It on me.
Speaker 8 (09:20):
I will take your gun and take you at your word.
Speaker 5 (09:29):
That should convince her. Paul, you are what you say,
I hope.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
So now, what about this hunts Buck? How can I
get in touch with him?
Speaker 7 (09:40):
I will arrange for a meeting between you halfway at
the Handling in five days from now, to give him
time to collect the information.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
You are after.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
The days until Thursday when I was supposed to meet
haunts Buck past slowly, but they weren't wasted. I set
up a short wave radio and a wine cellar read
in the living room. I had long talks with Uncle Brahm,
and I went out of my way to win over
Aunt Hilda. Are you sure there's nothing I can do
to help you with dinner?
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Aunt Hilda?
Speaker 9 (10:15):
Nothing? Thank you?
Speaker 5 (10:21):
Oh, it's.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
It's still raining one need not be.
Speaker 9 (10:26):
Too clever to see that.
Speaker 8 (10:30):
In Holland it seems always to be raining now, rain,
mud and despair.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
I remember when I came here years ago, it was winter.
I was in time for the skaters.
Speaker 9 (10:47):
Races, Yeah, skaters races.
Speaker 5 (10:52):
And the booths.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
Remember the little booths that sold chocolate and milk cooked
with aniseed, and the little cakes, all the varieties of gingerbread.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
How I love them.
Speaker 9 (11:02):
Hand me the spoon.
Speaker 5 (11:04):
Here here you are.
Speaker 9 (11:08):
Thank you. Tell me about America. What is it like?
Speaker 4 (11:18):
It's too large to describe in a sentence, or too
When the war is over, you must come visitors.
Speaker 9 (11:25):
When the war is over.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
Well, little can't last forever, and America is helping. And
remember our leader, President Roosevelt, is himself of Dutch ancestry.
Speaker 8 (11:42):
Tomorrow, tomorrow, perhaps I will make you a gingerbread cake.
Speaker 4 (11:56):
Yes, I wonder over slowly. And on Thursday, when I
left for Harlingen, she said good bye to me.
Speaker 5 (12:03):
At the door with uncle Brom.
Speaker 7 (12:06):
You know where to meet him, Paul, you have everything clear?
Speaker 5 (12:11):
Yeah, everything, uncle Brahm.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
I'm to meet him beside the monument of the Stone
Man on the North Sea Dikes. I'll be nodding and
unknotting a piece of string so he'll know me. Good good.
We will see you later to night.
Speaker 5 (12:26):
Then, yeah, pull.
Speaker 9 (12:31):
Here. This is for you in case you should have
need of it.
Speaker 5 (12:38):
My pistol take it back.
Speaker 10 (12:43):
Thank you, Thank you, Aunt Hulda Kurtain Morgan, Gourden Morgan.
This habit you have of nothing and non nothing string?
(13:04):
Is it not a waste of time?
Speaker 4 (13:07):
Nothing is a waste if it serves a purpose? Here buck, yeah, right.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
An elephant. We may this blend the information the habit?
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Yeah?
Speaker 11 (13:19):
Where where in my head? You will have to memorize
it as I give it to you. I could not
take a chance of writing anything down. I'll remember then,
remember it and use it well. There are forty thousand
Nazi troops in Holland and Belgium. These troops will be
on the move within two weeks. Where they're going northern Italy.
(13:39):
They will be used to cut off the American advance there.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
The colonel did suspect the worst. Thank you, thank you.
I'll radio this out tonight.
Speaker 11 (13:49):
It is appropriate, is it not for us to meet
under the statue of the Stoneman.
Speaker 5 (13:54):
See the inscription terminus.
Speaker 11 (13:58):
It means thus far and no farther a threat to
the sea that is held back by the.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Dykes thus far, and no farther a threat also to
the Nazis.
Speaker 11 (14:10):
Yeah you understand me, Well remember me to your uncle
and goodbye for now.
Speaker 7 (14:29):
Her book is in constant danger of discovery by the Gestapo, Paul.
It's why he could not take a chance and write
that information down for you. It wasn't necessary of a brom.
He passed it from his head to mine.
Speaker 9 (14:42):
When will you radio it to London?
Speaker 5 (14:45):
After midnight? I think I can start now. What's that?
Speaker 10 (14:50):
Ah?
Speaker 7 (14:51):
Stopping in front of the house? Men getting out so late?
Speaker 9 (14:59):
Who are there? You know them?
Speaker 2 (15:02):
No? I don't.
Speaker 9 (15:03):
I'm afraid. I'm afraid.
Speaker 8 (15:05):
It was like this once before, when I came to
get my family, Paul. We were turned in in by
someone who pretended to be a friend.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Do you believe?
Speaker 9 (15:14):
I don't know. I don't know what to believe.
Speaker 12 (15:18):
I'll answer it, Helderman. Yeah, we have business with you.
I mean, this is my wife and my nephew. Call
healthphond you nephew.
Speaker 5 (15:34):
Max. Take a good look at him, would you say?
Looks as if he's to be trusted. I never truch
the man who looks so innocent.
Speaker 9 (15:41):
What are you talking about? Who are you?
Speaker 5 (15:43):
Do not be so suspicious. We are from hans Bock.
We're members of the underground, and that ground.
Speaker 7 (15:50):
I was not conscious there was an underground in the Netherlands.
Speaker 13 (15:55):
What do you want with us? You're being very careful.
I can see that, Alderman, and that's good. Perhaps this
will prove who we are. Would you not say? That
is hairbox own signature?
Speaker 7 (16:08):
Yeah, that is He's all right, I know it well convinced.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
Now read it aloud, Oka bron Let me read it.
Speaker 7 (16:15):
Poor every reason to distrust man you sent me today?
Show proof who he is, or turn him over to
these men for underground execution.
Speaker 5 (16:29):
But this is ridiculous. I do not understand. Or hair
Box seemed to trust me well enough this afternoon.
Speaker 7 (16:35):
And have here was a German spy, a traitor, a
mid he is I do not believe that, not Paul.
Speaker 5 (16:39):
He is not the spy, not for the Germans.
Speaker 7 (16:42):
You want proof, I will give you proof.
Speaker 14 (16:46):
See here in the vine set of it. This is
his short wave radio. He was going to send the
message tonight. He is a friend. Here is an ally.
He's a member of the American oass. Don't you believe me?
Speaker 15 (17:03):
M mm hmmm, that is the matter. We relieve you
well enough. Thank you for giving us proof of what
we suspected.
Speaker 5 (17:13):
What's this?
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Shall I shut my bad Take a good look.
Speaker 5 (17:19):
Sculling cossbones.
Speaker 13 (17:22):
We've been trailing her bok, but we had no definite
proof that he was connected with the underground. We only suspected.
And today we saw him meet your nephew here on
the North Sea dykes.
Speaker 5 (17:32):
Where did you fit?
Speaker 14 (17:33):
Until thinking?
Speaker 13 (17:33):
But if we arrested them then and there we might
get nothing from them. So we waited. We arrested her book,
and we found a paper with his signature on it.
Speaker 9 (17:41):
That note you showed us what was forged.
Speaker 5 (17:44):
Quite right, note was forged.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
No longer I have made my way to the kitchen door.
Speaker 13 (17:52):
You have killed him right again? And then around yours
to your husband for supplying, and upstairs, let's get.
Speaker 5 (18:00):
Happy here, all right? Right? What I haven't no worse
than you?
Speaker 4 (18:06):
In a flood of memory, it came back chamber of horrors,
and hours drive from Washington, my mouth was dry as ashes,
and the palms of my hands were ringing wet. Along
the dark hole, I revolver drawn everything I had been
taught led up to this, this momentary.
Speaker 6 (18:20):
Have you covered from both sides? Drop your gun? Will fire, fire,
fire again into the darkness. This time, there was no
instructor to say good work, Paul. There was just a
gun in my back and the leader of the Gestapo
to say.
Speaker 16 (18:34):
You are on the race, Lieutenant Hall, how long do
you think you can hold out?
Speaker 13 (18:46):
We have ways of making you talk. No, no, must
reconvince you more. Sergeants come, yeah, well, perhaps really have better?
Lucky we question your aunt so I don't get killed
and bring her here.
Speaker 5 (19:05):
No, no, no, don't do that letter alone.
Speaker 13 (19:07):
Simply because you requested, Sergeant, do as I say.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
You'll see how long she holds out. She is absolute.
Speaker 13 (19:15):
We'll have a shot and you will be a witness.
This amusing.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
I know when I'm beaten. Don't bother the old lady.
You're the old man either.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
What are you saying?
Speaker 17 (19:32):
Well?
Speaker 5 (19:32):
I thought I could hold out. I can see now
there's no point in holding out. You won. What more
is there to say?
Speaker 4 (19:38):
If you're just starling for time, not stalling hair, Commander,
I'll prove it. I'll confess everything, tell you everything you
want to know. Wow, you are becoming smart, and so
I told them everything they wanted to know. General Donovan
HiT's the OSS in Washington. The OSS is part of
the American State Department. The Minister of Finance in Britain
(20:02):
is also head of the British Secret Intelligence.
Speaker 13 (20:04):
Go ahead, Lieutenant Harfund, we're listening, Corpora, take this down.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
I gave them a mixture of fact and fantasy that
would have done the German propaganda ministry pride. The true
facts I told them Mine knew they already knew the rest.
They seem to accept the face value, and so I
kept my story with a real whapper. You taking all
this down, Corporal, We'll take this down with a red pencil.
(20:33):
An invasion of North Holland is part of the Allied plan.
What the invasion will be made in the eastern area
of Friesland on the Dutch North Sea coast.
Speaker 13 (20:40):
You are lying to us, We'll see if you know
you're beaten, perhaps have been on the wrong side. Lieutenant
hart Fund, you've that up radio. I think you ought
to use it tonight.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
Time is now twenty three hundred, twenty three hundred. Paul
Hall Fan calling headquarters. Can you hear me over?
Speaker 2 (21:15):
OSS?
Speaker 11 (21:16):
Headquarters to Paul Halfon, you're coming in clear.
Speaker 17 (21:19):
I've been waiting for your message, Paul, good to hear
your voice.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
Why don't you say there's a gun in your back?
I could see it's going to take a lot to
convince you. Paul hall Fon the headquarters, listen, listen carefully.
It's stinking weather for a drop, but I've got to
have supplies. It's darned important.
Speaker 5 (21:38):
Over headquarters to.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
Halfan, would you mind repeating that so we're sure?
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Repeat?
Speaker 7 (21:45):
Please?
Speaker 12 (21:46):
Over?
Speaker 4 (21:47):
What the bevil's the matter? You said you were getting
don good reception. I said, the weather's lousy, but it's
darned important that I get a supply drop at designated
point tomorrow night.
Speaker 5 (21:56):
Can't make it any darn clearer than that. Over, Okay, okay, Paul,
we get it.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
It's done.
Speaker 17 (22:04):
Clear, Now you'll get your supply drop.
Speaker 8 (22:07):
Good night, over and out.
Speaker 4 (22:11):
You heard it yourself, The drop will be made. Are
you beginning to be convinced of my sincerity?
Speaker 5 (22:19):
Were you nervous? Lieutenant? Why do you say that?
Speaker 13 (22:24):
I never heard you use such language before.
Speaker 5 (22:27):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (22:27):
I expect to get over my nervousness after I've broadcast
many of these radio messages for you, Commander Brandt. After
that they drove me back to the jail. Commander Brandt
of the Gestapo had never heard me use such language before,
(22:48):
and neither had oss headquarters in the Army. They used
to make fun of me because of my proper speech.
I gambled on the chance that the radio operator who
knew me would detect something odd about my speech. When
he answered back the same way, I knew he understood
I was a prisoner of the Germans and that the
supply drop would probably save my neck. I didn't sleep
(23:11):
that night, and I didn't really take a deep breath
until eleven o'clock the next morning.
Speaker 13 (23:18):
Good Morgan, looking, would you care perhaps for the piece
of chocolate an American cigarette?
Speaker 4 (23:33):
I knew the drop had been successful. They sent us
home Uncle Brahm, ant Hilda and me, but we brought
a border with us, in the person of Commander Brandt.
Mouse was different now. Aunt Hilda prepared meals silently. Uncle
Bram smoked his pipe and looked at me wondering. And
(23:55):
twice a week they sat in the living room and
watched and listened as Commander brand and iact. It always has.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
Headquarters Ohs as headquarters to Paul Alvin.
Speaker 5 (24:06):
This is important.
Speaker 10 (24:08):
Four and twenty blackbirds are coming through the rye storm
clouds overhead.
Speaker 5 (24:15):
Take in your washing.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Good night, horn out.
Speaker 5 (24:21):
What did that mean?
Speaker 4 (24:21):
Fifteen thousand more Allied troops are added to preparations for
the invasion of Holland, and we will.
Speaker 13 (24:28):
Rush twenty thousand more German troops to the Dutch North
Sea coast.
Speaker 5 (24:33):
Already we have forty thousand troops waiting there.
Speaker 13 (24:35):
We were going to send them to elsewhere, but they
would undoubtedly be a more use here.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
Undoubtedly. Yeah. Up to bed now, dog shit.
Speaker 13 (24:48):
The dinner was very good, Brokerman, I.
Speaker 9 (24:51):
Cannot help being a good cook.
Speaker 18 (24:53):
Yes, it's thoughtful of him to leave us alone so much.
Speaker 9 (25:05):
Is it? I do not care much for your company.
Speaker 5 (25:10):
Maybe he's got his reasons.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
I wanted to tell them my reasons, but I didn't dare. Instead,
I stood at the piano and played the scale with
one finger. Even Uncle Bram was getting to the point
where he couldn't look me straight in the eye. But
as Uncle Bram became more suspicious, Commander Brandt became less suspicious.
Speaker 9 (25:32):
I think I will go up to bed too.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
Something was wrong with the piano. The sea was sharp,
as if something were pressing on it, making it sharp.
I walked around at the back of the Baby Grand
and I saw it. It was a small round disc
the size of an overcoat button. I knew it was
attached to a dictophone in Branch's room. That was why
(25:56):
he left us alone so much. I'd give him something
to listen to.
Speaker 7 (26:01):
For I know there must be some explanations for these
things you're doing now.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Look, you haven't had it so good for years. Eggs
on the table? When did you have eggs on the table?
Last privileges? Nobody else has extra ration books. You might
as well face it. This is a new order, Germany's order,
and if you're smart like I am, you'll fall in
with them.
Speaker 5 (26:22):
Paul, Is this you?
Speaker 8 (26:24):
I told you he was a traitor, a spy. I
warned you.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
You wanted to see me here, Commander Yeah, or thank
you for coming to my office so promptly at my
corn I follow orders.
Speaker 13 (26:52):
So I'm beginning to see I sit down to them.
I want you to hear something.
Speaker 9 (27:02):
I think I'll go up to be I.
Speaker 4 (27:05):
Don't understand a dictophone, but I still don't.
Speaker 7 (27:13):
I know there must be so much explanation.
Speaker 5 (27:19):
You haven't had it for good for years.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
That's me exactly what's the idea of doing on the
table last privileges?
Speaker 5 (27:26):
Nobody else has explorations. You might as well face it.
This is a Germany have convinced me complete. You're smart
like I am. You're all in with them. I have
a proposition for you.
Speaker 13 (27:39):
Yes, I want you to go to England for us
actors are double agent.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
You can be more valuable to us there.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
Leave Holland. But don't I have great help to you here.
Speaker 13 (27:53):
I know the risk it involves, but Germany would pay
you well after the war.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
Over.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
I thought it over and let him convince me, and
a few days later a German stormtrooper gave me a
personal escort to the border, and I made my way
back from the enemy lines. After I left, my aunt
and uncle escaped and were hidden by the underground, and
(28:23):
it wasn't until the war was over that I was
able to see.
Speaker 5 (28:26):
Them and explain.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Lieutenant Paul Halfan returned to OSS headquarters, and thousands of
Nazi troops waited on the shore of the North Sea
for an invasion that never came. Thus, once again, the
report of another OSS agent closed with the words mission accomplished.
Listen again next week for another true adventure from the
files of the OSS on Cloak and Dagger.
Speaker 17 (29:14):
Heard in Today's Cloak and Dagger Adventurers, Paul Alphond was less,
Tremaine Brahm was played by Stefan Schnabel, Hilda by Virginia Payne,
Bant by Barry Kroger, the Colonel by Raymond Edward Johnson.
Speaker 5 (29:27):
Others were Carl.
Speaker 17 (29:28):
Weber, Jerry Jarrett, Arnold Robertson and Bob Wilde. The script
was written by Winterfred Wolfman Jack Gordon. The music was
under the direction of Murray Ross. Today's True Assess Adventure
was based on the book cloakan Dagger by Corey Ford
and Alistair McBain. This program was produced by Lewis G.
Cowen and Alfred Hollander and was under the direction of
Sherman Marx Programs. Get your programs here, mystery fans, There's
(29:53):
an exciting evening waiting for you tonight on NBC. First,
some listener will have a chance to win a double
reward for solving the case on one thousand dollars reward. Next,
when a woman reads her all obituary in the paper,
The Saint finds himself involved in a case that leads
to murder. Then Sam Spade works his way through the
rod and reel caper. Yes, you will find adventure here tonight.
(30:13):
Stay tuned now for High Adventure and The Big Guy
on NBC.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
Welcome back. Between last week's show and this week's it
seems like they were trying to boost the star power
of Cloak and Dagger. In the previous episodes, you essentially
were hearing those sort of New York character actors who
were primarily just the workaday actors. Even though Larry Hayes
(30:48):
had a few detective series to his name over the years,
he was much more of a character actor here. Of course,
Les Tremayne, who had starred in The Thin Man and
had spent two season since prior to this in the
Adventures of the Falcon and came to prominence as the
lead in the First Night Or Program as well as
(31:09):
having his own variety program with Jackie Gleason. And unless
Tremaine turns in the very good performance that you can
always expect of him, now, this story and it's ending
is really something that you can only accept from a
sort of based on a true story series, because your
(31:31):
big dramatic movie does not end with the bad guys
foolishly believing your hero has gone over to the other side.
But that could totally happen in war. What this episode
illustrates is one of the great dangers of being part
of one of these fanatical states. You cannot afford to
(31:54):
believe your own propaganda if you are in a position
of real life responsibility. But really, what the lieutenant was doing,
it meant the ideals of the German propaganda. That's what
made it so easy to buy, despite the fact it
(32:15):
not make him much sense. I mean, if they tortured
him more, they might have believed that they broke him,
but in this case they just became victims of their
own propaganda. Listener comments and feedback now, and we start
on Facebook, where emn't wrights Regarding the episode the Trap,
that's the first Kloackendagger episode that didn't have me on
(32:38):
the edge of my chair. There seemed to be an
effort to lighten this one, and the subject didn't lend
itself to lightning up. But it had enough surprises, so
on balance, I still think it's a terrific choice for
the Great Adventurers. Well, thank so much, Hamant. I do
think that there was a method in the Golden Age
(32:59):
of eight where they tended to try to balance the
heavier episodes with lighter episodes. But you're right, it's not
quite in keeping with the spirit of Kloagndagger to have
like lighthearted moments from the OSS. I do think last
week's episode was probably a bit more successful at that.
(33:23):
Over on Spotify, n Wing roates Irwin Haysen was the
creator of the Golden Age Green lantern in Dondee, not
that it was him or they used his name. Not
sure if it was him, or they used his name
because he was well known in the army. Well, I
(33:44):
don't believe it's him, because the story of Hayston's service
in the military was that he was stationed at Fort
Dix and manage the Fort Dix Post News paper, and
in the course of doing that he wound up in
(34:05):
the hospital through overwork. But he said that was the
proudest time in his career, So it doesn't seem like
him being in the OSS would be possible. But his
comic strip work might have inspired some of the choices
and mechanics sixty six simply wrote good one. Well, thank
(34:26):
you so much, appreciate the comments. And now it's time
to thank our Patreon supporter of the day, and I
want to thank Matt, Patreon supporter since September twenty twenty four,
currently supporting the podcast at the Secret Agent level of
four dollars or more per month. Thanks so much for
your support, Matt, and that will do it for today.
(34:48):
If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your
favorite podcast software. And if you're enjoying the podcast on YouTube,
be sure to lock the video, subscribe to the channel,
and mark the notification bell now. If you are listening
to the Great Adventurers of Old Time Radio feed, we
will be back on Tuesday with the next chapter and
(35:11):
the interplanetary adventures of Flash Gordon. If you're listening to
the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio, we will be
back with a Sunday Encourse Slash special and then on
Monday we'll be getting into Danger with Granger. In the meantime,
do send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives
(35:33):
dot net, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, check
us out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com, Slash Great detectives
from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham signing off.
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