Direct_Line_to_Bombers

Cloak and Dagger is an NBC radio series, a foreign intrigue adventure adapted from the book Cloak and Dagger by Corey Ford and Alistair McBain. Ford also was host of the series. Cloak and Dagger was broadcast from May 7 to October 22, 1950, as part of "a mystery block with several other shows of far inferior quality". The program was sustaining for all 22 episodes.

Episode Transcript

(00:02):
Are you willing to undertake a dangerousmission behind the enemy lines, knowing you
may never return alive. What youhave just heard is the question asked during
the war to agents of the OSS, ordinary citizens who, to this question

(00:22):
answered yes. This is cloak anddagger, black warfare, espionage, international

(00:47):
intrigue. These are the weapons ofthe OSS. Today's adventure direct line to
bombers. The story of an AmericanOSS agent who, during the height of
the war, directed from the streetsof Berlin and where can attack is suggested
by actual incidents recorded in the Washingtonfiles of the Office of Strategic Services,
a story that can now be told. After you get back from a mission,

(01:23):
you sit around and there's nothing todo but sit around. So that's
what I did. I sat ina room in Milton Hall in England,
where OSS agents had trained. Ithought about the restaurant on sixth Avenue I
wanted to open after the war.I was never so bored in my life.

(01:44):
Yeah, Hey, Nikki, thecolonel wants to see it. Very
important. Okay, Pal, tellmy pal, the colonel, I'll be
there and win the war for him. That that that died, And that
was how it all began. Novembernineteen forty four. After that, I

(02:06):
didn't have time to be born.I know you've just come back from a
mission in France, Lieutenant, soit's strictly up to you if you want
to go out again immediately. Ohnow, listen, I mean, Colonel,
if I have to sit around hereand do nothing, I'll blow my
tongue. You speak German? Don'tyou well enough to know that Hitler speaks

(02:30):
a lousy German full of grammatical errors. If I see him, I'll tell
him you may be closer to himthan you think, Barbara, Yes,
Colonel, send in Professor Warburg.And that's how I met the professor.
He this little guy with a beard. He weighed about as much as ten

(02:51):
cents worth of liver, and hereminded me of my chemistry teacher back in
Lincoln Junior High School. Professor,tell Lieutenant or lesson, of course,
just what you told me. It'sthe greatest of pleasure, Colonel. Lieutenant.
I am an escaped political prisoner ofthe Nazis, and I am here
in England illegally, and you justwalked into headquarters and told that to the

(03:13):
colonel. Do you know you canbe interned? I know that very well.
But I can no longer sit byand be idle while I have a
plan that I know can help theAllies. What Professor Warbur suggests, Lieutenant
is that he be parachuted into Germanywith another agent, make his way to
Berlin. I assure you I canmove about Berlin blindfolded. I know it

(03:38):
well. Berlin. This could beinteresting. What then, then, with
a radio transmitter, we could pinpointmilitary targets to American planes overhead. We
could direct bombs from the streets ofBerlin itself. Wait a minute, walk
around with a walkie talk in themiddle of a raid, carrying on conversation

(03:58):
with bombers. When do we leavepal I am ready any time, today,
tomorrow, yesterday. Professor may havebeen ready yesterday, but the oss
wasn't. First we were briefed forweeks how to get food coupons in Berlin,

(04:21):
how to buy a railroad ticket,how to post a letter, how
to greet a German officer in thestreet. Little things an American cigarette,
an English match, a laundry markcould give us away. And there were
big things too. We were grilledfor hours on cover stories. Forgeries became
documents, fiction became facts for passes, stamps, signatures, everything authentic,

(04:46):
everything airsots, including my manners andhabits. So I was ready to pass
as a citizen of Berlin. Andthen a plane took us high over German
soil and we jumped. All right, they made it, nikki. Yeah,

(05:15):
so if you kill me, misterBerlin, we can walk it.
Make it before daylight. We shouldfind the farmer who owns this field and
say Dona Shaan for providing us withso ideal a landing place. Yeah,
we'll send them a letter sometime.Right now, let's get out of here.
We wait where you are, andwe keep your hands to the hair
unless you want it, I blowyour heads off. What let my dog

(05:40):
tell you too? Bit well,when a good dog keeping so steel as
your farmer, professor, you stillwant to say, donkeys? Still you
you have made the mistake. Myfriend, my companion and I got lost
trying to find the road. Wecame by accident your field. That's right,

(06:00):
we both of us only recently dischargedfrom the army. If you would
care to see our papers right herein his knapsack. If you don't kick
your hands up, and we'll letthe dog go for your troape. I
do not care to see your papers. I saw you parachute. I'm an
American. Play. Oh, walknow to the barn rod. We'll see

(06:21):
to it that you stay there,won't you roll? The German farmer left
us in the barn, and hedidn't have to lock the door. That
big black doberman with the impatient fangswatched us as if he wanted us to
make a move so we could jump. Oh. If we get out of

(06:43):
this, my friend as he'll neveragain be a dog lover, professor,
don't move, don't turn your head. Just listen to me. Yeah,
I'm listening. There's some harness strapshanging on a hook right over my head.
I noticed them when I came in. If I can pull him down
fast enough, I'll throw them overthe dog when he leaps. Try to
ntag. Yeah, but horse blanketsnear you. When I pulled down the
straps through the blanket over him,it's gotta be fast, better work,

(07:08):
and I'm ready. On three?Then one, nice boy, yes,
nice big ugly mutt. Two.Three, The harness caught on the nails.
I tried to pull it down thedog lead my nick and then the
nail came off too, and thestraps fell across the dog's snout. Professor

(07:30):
flung the blankets over the dog's head. I have him, Nikki, but
I can't hold him the shop.Where's that shovel? I slurry, honey,
I can't hold him here? NowI hid him, and then suddenly
the only sound in the barn wasthe dull foot of the show. The
dog didn't move and make a sound. He never would again. The head

(07:54):
that they get out now, yeah, let's go. Ah. The smell
of the bakery is always good.Unfortunate it is. I have only this

(08:18):
morning made pe for cook Joseph.Just we always like it. How good
to see you again, Anna.I told my friend Nikki that you would
take us in, help us notdearly Nikki, I will do anything I
care. We may stay here then, Anna, if all goes well,

(08:39):
we believe, right after the raintomorrow night, Yeah, twenty four hours
all we need. Of course,you may stay. I still live about
the bakery. There is an extraroom. My grandson Emil will not be
home from the uth camp for aweek. Youth. What could I do,
Nikki? What could anyone do inthese days in Berlin? But right
with the wind until there is achance to fight against it. Helping you

(09:01):
and your mission will give me mychance. Little Emil, eight years ago
seemed like only yesterday. I usedto sit with him on my lap here
in this bakery and twirl my goldwatch on the chain for him. Remember
Anna, how he laughed? Yeah, I remember. He has forgotten you
by now, and you would notknow him. He's thirteen years old.

(09:24):
Thirteen years old. Already they havepoisoned his mind. I cannot get to
him. I do not dare.He's a little parrot, speaking only what
is taught him. Nikki. Somemore coffee, No thank you, fraud
like moreeph cool or aprostrudo, aspecialty of my shop, aprostrudel. No
thanks. Six years ago, atthis very table, I had Emmela on

(09:48):
my lap when they Gestapo walked inand arrested me. They did not like
what I taught in their school.What sir, someone's coming. I don't
know who it can be. Customersnever come by this late time. Other
surprise. I'm home, Amyl.What this ment? Emil? Your manners?

(10:11):
These are friends just passing through Berlin. They just think the night this
is her. NOI the can heruse. Oh yes, of course,
Hitler. I did not expect youuntil next week came here. How is
it you are here so early?I want a great honor which I want
to tell you about. I didnot know i'd have to share to a

(10:35):
stranger. Shame Amy. These menare were soldiers of the fatherland. Yeah,
yes, Emil, we were bothwith the elite god of one of
Rammel's Panza division. Yes, thatis before we received our medical discharges.
Sit down, my boy, Iwill bring you something to eat. Don't

(10:56):
you want to hear about the annaI received? Look mater and my sleeve
red swastika. Yeah, read forthe youth movement and a swastika. Because
I learned my lessons faster than theothers. The commanded chief of the whole
youth movement awarded me my swastika,and he told me I could take my
vacation a week early. Are youproud of me? Grandmother? Yeah,
my boy, Yeah, let meget you something to eat. Nine nine

(11:22):
and I'm too tired going up tobed. Grandmother said you were staying here?
Will I see you in the morning, gentlemen, Well, I'm not
sure. Oh, they will behere now that you are homey mil,
I will sleep on the couch andgive them my room. Oh, it
is all right, It is thatgood. Perhaps then, heyos, if
you will hear me about Rama agreat leader? Yes, yes, perhaps

(11:46):
we will see you in the morning. Emien, why do you stare at
me? Do I stare? Boy? I thought? So? Have I
met you before her yours? Oh? I am sure not your face ever
since I came in grandmother. HaveI met him here before? No?

(12:09):
No, Emil, Joseph was herebefore you were born. Even you have
never seen him. It has beenyears, fifteen, maybe before you were
born. I suppose so. Well, good night, professor. He wouldn't

(12:33):
remember what he Oh how could he, Nikki, He was a baby that
last day Joseph saw him, barelyfive years old, and the professor was
thirty pounds heavy at least, andclean shape. Yeah, yeah, Anna
is right, Nikki. Do notworry he could not remember. Do not
worry. I could and help worry. I lay awake half the night thinking

(13:01):
about that kid in the room nextdoor, the thirteen year old puppet with
a new red swastikan. It wasjust a feeling. I had a funny
kind of feeling at the pit ofmy stomach. That made me wish they'd
kept him in that youth camp untilafter we were gone. When I got

(13:24):
up, the sun had been upfor hours, and so had the Professor.
I went downstairs to the bakery.There was a smell of fresh bread
baking, and I knew for ourlight nose in the kitchen. But the
Professor was sitting at the table,swinging his watch on the gold chain and
talking to that German quiz kid.But where do you want to know?
Oh? I amn't just interested.I want to see how well you have

(13:46):
earned that swastika. I stood atomof the stairs and listen. He's the
greatest man who ever was or wiepy. When I joined the Fuerst Organization,
the man in Chad said, joinan organization, but this forward forward,
appanelados to eternity. You have learnedyour lessons, then? Ye are you?

(14:07):
Are you sure I have never seenyou before? Of course not,
my boy, I seem to remember. Hey, Yoseph, ah, good
modern head. Noiday. Since we'rejust passing through Berlin, don't you think
we ought to say a few ofthe sights before we leave? Yeah,
yeah, you're right. We willleave now. Perhaps sleep Emil, we

(14:30):
will talk more. The raid wasscheduled for that night. The Professor and
I had a lot of work todo. We made arrangements to meet about
four point thirty that afternoon at thetab an an Laanstrassa. We went separate
ways. I did a lot ofwalking and I made a lot of notes

(14:54):
in my head. The Klingenberg powerplant was still functioning, just Kreutz junction
of the city railroad had been repaired. There was an ammunition dump on the
north side that obamas couldn't see fromthe air. It's a nice day.
A lot of Germans were walking thestreets, and I made a lot of

(15:15):
notes in my head. Reached allnow nine and later. I am waiting
for a friend. Professor was fifteenminutes late, and I started to get
nervous. Maybe somebody had recognized him. I sat there and sweated it out

(15:37):
fifteen minutes, twenty minutes, halfhour, and then he finally came.
But he wasn't alone. Hell noideck, this is Halpmann Miller the net only
this afternoon, and I invited himto come and have dinner with us.

(15:58):
It was not quite that way.It was I who insisted upon coming alone.
I uh, give it, sitdown. You were with one of
Rommel's panzer divisions. I understand,yes, we were only recently discharged from
the army myself. I am justback. We will have much to talk

(16:18):
about. There is that stupid waiter, never around when you need them.
He will be here presently, leastnot soon enough. I will go to
see him myself. Right back.Where did you pick him up? He
found me, my friend. Thereis a reservoir near the rail line.
I was looking around. I thinkhe was a little suspicious at first,

(16:41):
but then I told him I waswith Rammel. He became more friendly.
I am beginning to believe I wasin Africa myself just the same. I
wish you could have shaken her.What did you find out? It was
a profitable afternoon and you profitable afternoon? Good? He comes back? Ah?

(17:11):
Yes. At first, it seemsstrange to me that, yeah,
yourself here should show so much interestin the rest of them. And I
was nearly taking a stroll and gettingreacquainted with Berlin. Then I watched you.
I saw you walk down towards therail line. That was when I
stopped you and began to talk.We are both glad you did help give

(17:34):
us this opportunity to get acquainted.Yeah, I hope we should see more
of you while we're in the capitol. Perhaps, annoyed, Dick, perhaps
you shall see a great dealer.I think I should have called the waiter
and order some brandy. Oh,I say, you have not yet finished
your meal? Annoyed, still eating, It's very good. A diet at

(17:56):
the hospital was not so very nodoubt, no doubt, everything I ate
stuck in my throat. I know, I knew that German officer was watching
eyes, watching me strangely, andI didn't know why. I knew that
something was wrong, and I didn'tknow why, you, professor felt to.

(18:18):
Her name is Gertrude little Trailer,and I tell you about And she
has friends, oh so very prettyfriends you would like to meet. Perhaps,
yes, you would like to verymuch help me? How you would
have enjoyed them? We might havehad great fun together, all of us.

(18:44):
Unfortunately you may be otherwise engaged withthe Gestapo. What what did you
say? Her? Helpman? AndI have been watching you through then.
I annoyed it. You're an American. Do not move either. I have
my hand on my dad was surelyyou're joking. No, European. It's
the way you do to change thefork from the left hand to the right

(19:08):
after the knife is used it firstit escaped to me. I just knew
something bothered me. Then I realizedwhat it was there. It was the
little thing that could put a ropearound my neck. Americans hold the fork
side the right hand. In mynervousness, i'd first a little thing like

(19:30):
that European manner of eating would bevery please. Sharp knife I had been
eating with was still in my hand, almost disciplable by myself. It disappeared
under the table and halfway into theGerman officer. Good. It was stupid
to get myself into that gym inthe first place. We're not out of
this yet, waiter, waiter,I'm on her check please. And a

(19:52):
friend has had a little too muchto drink. Who will take him home?
Yeah, yeah, right away.Between the two of us we managed
to get him out of there.His head was rocking back and forth like
a drunk. The knife was stillin him, so the blood didn't flow
very much. He kept his capearound him all right. There is no

(20:15):
one around here, and he candump him behind his ship. All right,
we're beginning to leave a trail amile long. It's a long pal.
It's nice meeting you. Come on, professor, let's go. When

(20:38):
we got back to the Baker,there was more trouble waiting for us.
Troubled sixty one inches high, weighingabout one hundred and ten pounds, wearing
a new red swastika on his arm. They're in the kitchen. Something is
wrong. I don't like the soundof that. Come on, if someone

(21:00):
is no wonder you're so stopped thismorning when we were I've watched on the
chain. I thought I remember somethingthat just now. How you have never
seen her use it before? Theenemy? I have when I was very
little. They could stop. Okay, they arrested a man with a gold
watching a team. I tell youhe is the same one Amy. They
do not even look alike. Whatmeans this broadcast radio? I found hidden

(21:22):
in your bedroom and a head box. It's called a walkie Talking'll give it
back to me, nick use,if you come back, you see you
see who We've wasted time. Ishould have gone to the authorities right away.
They have treaded to grandmother. Heknows, Hannah. I am afraid
so I've been holding him here hopingyou would return. What did you say?
You know grandmother didn't you? Theydidn't treat to adult trader. You're

(21:44):
a traitor, told him, gettingaway from me. I hate I hate
you? Sign did you get stopto kill you? To have your shn
his bedroom? Look him there untilafter you have gone right all me?
Get your hands on me. Youwill have to come with us and we

(22:12):
leave here tonight. Anna, youcannot stay now. Professor's right frowl like
that kid upstairs will turn you over. The Nazis so fast. You want
know what happened to you? Mylittle Emil turned me in us? It
would he, I'm afraid he would. Anna. It is best that you
come with us. They are goingto try to get through the lines into

(22:33):
France. Once there there are undergroundworkers who will help us. Nikki,
is it all right if I bringthis tray of food up to him?
He has not eaten, he's stillsuch a little boy. Yeah, sure,
sure you oh take it up,but don't untie his hands. Remember,
yes, I will remember on theradar to start soon. Let's go

(22:56):
over this map. Make sure wehave everything right here? Yeah, no,
the arail line is here sector twogrid B three. If Obomba's knocked
that out, Berlin's transportation is completelycrippling. And here on the map power
plant is in six to six gridG five. Nicky, he's gone his

(23:19):
hands, he got them loose.He lowered himself from the window with the
betches. What are we to do? He'll bring the Gestapo back with him.
We don't know how long he's beengone, Professor, the window quick,
yea, the back door. Thatis a car coming. That is
elliot, Look look, no timethey'll have this place around it. How
do you get to the roof theroof? Yeah, yeah, up those
stairs. We can go to theother rooftops and perhaps the ski. It

(23:41):
better be no perhaps about it.He went up to the attic stairs and
onto the roof. You could seethe Germans from there. Four of the
black Shirts spilled out of an armoredcar. Two of them broke in through
the front door. Two of themstarted the mount in the rear, and

(24:03):
then we heard Amy, my boy, Hannah, Nikki, Nikki, she's
dead. Well, it won't doher any good if we stay here.
Come on across the parap at anyOh, that's music for my ears at
least and keep them from getting morehelp right now, stay away. So

(24:26):
I'm done now, and it wouldgo easier with you come and get us,
paral. One of them did tryto come and get us, and
he got it first, right betweenthe eyes. He swayed for a few
seconds back and forth, and thenhe fell off the roof on the street
behind. That's one of the nikki. Then only two left and two What
happened to the third? It wasbehind you. Fourth Nazi had come up

(24:48):
the other way through somebody else's atticand on the roof behind. Now there
are just two left, Professor,Professor, what is it? My my
leg I come, I can't goany further, Nikki. What happened afterwards

(25:12):
was a nightmare. Was if theearth cracked wide open, spread hot,
burning, and the noise of theplanes and the akag and the German guns
and the bombing made my stomach turn. We crouched behind the parapet and I
held them off while the Professor directedthe bombers, Attention, attention, bombers.

(25:33):
The Klingenberg power plant is still functioningand supplies electric power to vital industries.
Bomb Sector six gred G five,the Auskritz junction of the city railroad
has been repaired. Knock it out, and old traffic in Bellin will be
stopped. Sector two, Grid Bthree. All right, go now,

(26:06):
Nikki, while there is a chanceI can hold them off long enough for
you to get away. I can'tleave you here. No, they won't
take me. Don't worry. Lookout, Harry, you will make a
chart. Listen, listen to me, Nikki. Go across the next two
rooftops and then down through the skylight. There is a tailor show. I
have a professor out of the backdoor. There. It leads to an

(26:26):
alley. Once over the fence onthe cover of the rage, you can
make it. How look, Iwill go without you, all right,
I will change your mind. Attentionattention, bumber, What are you doing?
Attention bombers? Impetitive? Wait twominutes and bomb cross roads at sector
seven, Grade D three. Professor, what are you doing? You're crazy?

(26:47):
That's here this sector. Go on, run, run, Nikki,
I'll cover you. I ran,humbled and fell and got up and ran
again. When I got down inthe alley through the tail shop, I
kept on running me and then thebomb fell and the concussion rocked the ground.

(27:07):
And I went to the flat upmy face. When I look back,
I knew that our Pomis had madeanother direct hit. Professor had not
only held off the Germans while Igot away, but it kept them there
until it was too late for anyof them. Little German bakery that specialized

(27:29):
and I'm prostroid or folded up.It had been made of matchsticks. Somewhere
in the wreckage. The Professor,with his gold watch on the chain,
was buried under it, and overheadthe planes headed back. There was nothing
left for me there. I headedback too. Lieutenant cas Olesnicas made his

(27:55):
way to France and after months fromthere to England. But his direction of
the bomby raid from the target itselfkept some of Berlin's major industries crippled and
its transportation system paralyzed. And onceagain the report of an OSS agent closes
with the words mission accomplished. Listennext week when we again present Cloak and

(28:21):
Dagger heard in Today's Clock and DaggerAdventure Wherever at Sloan, Bill Zukert,

(28:42):
Lily Darvas, Barry Kroger, MichaelArtist, Raymond Edward Johnson, Carl Weber,
Jerry Jarrett, Bobby Wile, andBrad Barker. Script was written by
one of Rude Wolf and Jack Gordon. Music was under the direction of John
gart to Day's True O S SAdventure was based on the book Cloak and

(29:03):
Dagger by Cory Ford and Alistair mcbain. This has been a loose g
Con production in association with Alfred Hollanderand was under the direction and supervision of
Sherman Marks. NBC offers three ofradio's top mystery adventure shows, The Big
Guy, Sam Spade and The Saint. So if mysteries are your meat,
listening to night next here High Adventure, then The Big Guy on n b C