Swastika_on_the_Windmill

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 to this question answered yes,

(00:25):
This is cloak and dagger, blackwarfare, espionage, international entrigue.

(00:49):
These are the weapons of the OSS. In today's adventure, the Swastika on
the Windmill, the role of Paulhalfand an OSS agent in Holland, is
played by Lestremaine. The story issuggested by actual incidents recorded in the Washington
files of the Office of Strategic Services, a story that can now be told.

(01:11):
My mouth was astry as ashes.The palms of my hands were ringing
wet. My revolver was drawn andI moved slowly, slowly along the dark
hall. Everything I had been taughtled up to this this moment. The
boards under my feet heated. Fora terrifying moment, I almost lost my
balance and fell backwards. Something wasahead of me in a room along that

(01:34):
dark passage. I sensed it morethan anything else. Then I heard it
on my I stopped breathing until Ipassed that room, and the voices of
the hidden Germans almost slid past themto the end of the corridor. There
was a Nazi stormtrooper in uniform rightin front of me blocking the exit.

(01:55):
Well, fire, fire, fireagain, should work. Well, that's
it, you passed the test.Now the colonel wants to see you.
What I had just come through wasa cleverly designed scarehouse that rivaled any Coney
Island Chamber of horrors for one aminute thrills. This was part of the

(02:17):
training of an OSS agent and ittook place less than an hour's ride from
Washington, d C. I turnedhow far At the present time we have
no information and no way of gettinginformation on the disposition and plans of German
troops and Netherlands. We think they'reup to something. Well, no what
Now you'll be flown to England andfrom there a submarine will take you to

(02:39):
the coast of Holland. The coastof 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 theshadow of the swastika. I can

(03:00):
surface about here. There's mac onHolland. I want to take a look
with tanned Taalfin Thanks com Ona spunning. Through the periscope of the submarine Tuna,
I could see a windmill on theflat lowland of the Netherlands. I
couldn't see the swastika, but Iknew it was there. The pressure gage
showed twenty feet of salt water aboveus. Take her up her out oven

(03:30):
hatch. We climbed the ladder throughthe 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,

(03:51):
here you are, sir. Haveyou fought to go from here? It's
only about five miles from Macum toBoulsward, where my uncle lives. I
can make it before the sun comesup. Goodbye and thanks, good luck,
goodlock swer. So when you rangthe bell at Sanna Paul, I

(04:16):
jumped for my bed the devil,I said, it's the guest Tapo.
They finally put two and two togetherand connected me with the underground. Hush,
brahm, hush, God gave yourtongue, Must you use it so
loosely? I'm afraid my new auntHilda doesn't trust me completely. I trust
no one. Oh, hey,this is poor. How often have I

(04:41):
spoken to you of the times hecame here when he was how old?
Poor? Twelve? Uncle Brown?Yes, twelve and so proper, so
correct, a miniature model of propriety. Well, from the looks of it,
you've grown, but you haven't changedmuch. Still proper is the devil
the result of my strict Quaker upbringing, Uncle Brom. Remember that we were

(05:03):
both taught never to drink or smoke, or lie or or swear? Uncle
Brom. Yes, how long willyou stay in Holland? Only long enough
to contact the leader of the undergroundand get the information I'm after? I
see? Tell me why should webelieve that you are an Allied spy?

(05:27):
Answer me? Sure, you don'texpect me to carry proof about me that
I'm a spy in case the Germansfind me? Then how do we know?
That's enough? At the devil,I say, I'll hear no more
of this talk, all right,Brown, It will be as you say,
and on your conscience. Your yourwife doesn't trust me. You were

(05:53):
surprised to know it out to findyou Aunt Katrina dead and I remarried.
Yes, yes I was, UncleBrom. I was lonesome. It's not
good for a man to live byhimself. And she is a good woman,
but she doesn't trust me. Shehas her reasons. There was some

(06:13):
man in these parts not long ago. He passed himself officer British agent,
gained the confidence of some of theunderground. Then he turned them over to
the Gestapo. I see here asfamily was among those executed. You understand
now, Uncle Bram. You haven'tseen me or heard from me since I

(06:38):
was a boy. You don't knowwhere I've been during those years in between.
You don't know what my loyalties are. Do you trust me? Tomorrow
I will take steps to put youin contact with Hans Bock and Luardin,
the leader of the Dutch underground.When I awoke a few hours later,

(07:00):
it was about ten o'clock. Throughthe window of the spare room that Aunt
Hilda had made up for me,I could see the neat little milk carts
jolting over the Christine and the cobblestones, and I could see the endless stream
of bicycles, and here and therea German soldier in uniform, like a
blot on the landscape. I amafraid the breakfast is not assumptuous. It

(07:26):
is in the old days. Poor, do not apologize for what we cannot
change. Aunt Hilda is right,it was very good. The rogue brood
was just as I remembered it.And these currant buns, these creton bruges,
are wonderful. I will leave you. I have a house to clean.

(07:46):
You're still suspicious of me? HaveI any reason not to be it
enough? Paul is my sister's son. I will stake my own life's blood
that he's to be trusted. Letus hope you do not have to hilt.
Aunt Hilda. Look this pistol.I'm giving it to you. It's
the only one I have, theonly one you have, and you give

(08:11):
it to me. Yeah. Iput myself at your mercy. If at
any time you have proof even theslightest that I'm not what I claim to
be, take my own gun andturn it on me. I will take
your gun and take you at yourword. That should convince her. Poul,

(08:35):
you ah what you say? Ihope. So now, what about
this hunts Buck? How can Iget in touch with him? I will
arrange for a meeting between you halfwayat the Handling in five days from now
to give him time to collect theinformation. You are after. The days

(09:00):
until Thursday, when I was supposedto meet Hans Buck passed slowly, but
they weren't wasted. I set upa short wave radio and a wine cellar
ad in the living room. Ihad long talks with Uncle Brahm, and
I went out of my way towin over Aunt Hilda. Are you sure
there's nothing I can do to helpyou with dinner? Aunt Hilda? Nothing?

(09:22):
Thank you? Oh it's it's stillraining. One need not be too
clever to see that. Eh.In Holland it seems always to be raining
now, rain, mud and despair. I remember when I came here years

(09:48):
ago, it was winter. Iwas in time for the skaters races,
Yeah, skaters races and the booths. Remember the little booths sold chocolate and
milk cooked with aniseed, and thelittle cakes, all the varieties of gingerbread.
Oh, how I love them.Hand me the spoon here here you

(10:11):
are, thank you. Tell meabout America? What is it like?
Well, it's too large to describein a sentence or two. When the
war is over, you must comevisitors. When the war is over.

(10:35):
Well, little can't last forever.And America is helping. And remember our
leader, President Roosevelt is himself ofDutch ancestry. Tomorrow, tomorrow, perhaps
I will make you a gingerbread cake. Yes, I won her over slowly.

(11:05):
And on Thursday when I left forHarlingen, she said goodbye to me
at the door with uncle Brom.You know where to meet him, Paul,
you have everything clear? Yeah,everything, uncle Brahm. I'm to
meet him beside the Monument of theStone Man on the North Sea Dikes.
I'll be nodding and unknotting a pieceof string, so you'll know me.

(11:26):
Good good. We will see youlater tonight then. Yeah, uh,
here this is for you in caseyou should have need of it. My
pistol take it back, Thank you, Thank you, Aunt Hilda. Mm

(12:01):
curtain Morgan, kurten Morgan. Thishabit you have of nothing and non nothing
string? Is it not a wasteof time? Nothing is a waste if
it serves a purpose? Here buck, yeah, right, an elephant we
meet this blend the information the habbit? Yeah where where in my head?

(12:26):
You will have to memorize it asI give it to you. I could
not take a chance of writing anythingdown. I'll remember then remember it and
use it well. There are fortythousand Nazi troops in Holland and Belgium.
But these troops will be on themove within two weeks. Where they're going
northern Italy. They will be usedto cut off the American advance there.

(12:48):
The colonel did suspect the worst.Thank you, thank you. I'll radio
this out tonight. It is appropriate, is it not for us to meet
under the statue of the Stoneman?See the inscription terminus. It means thus
far and no farther a threat tothe sea that is held back by the

(13:09):
dikes. Thus far and no farthera threat also to the Nazis. Yeah,
you understand me. Well, rememberme to your uncle and good bye
for now. Her book is inconstant danger of discovery by the Gestapo.

(13:37):
Poor. It's why he could nottake a chance and write that information down
for you. It wasn't necessary ofa brahm. He passed it from his
head to mine. When will youradio it to London? After midnight?
I think I can start now.What's that ah stopping in front of the

(13:58):
house. There are men getting outso late. Who are they? Brown?
Do you know them? No?I don't I'm afraid. I'm afraid.
It was like this once before,when I came to get my family,
Paul, we were turned in inby someone who pretended to be a
friend. I don't know. Idon't know what to believe. I'll answer

(14:24):
it. I care of the man. Yeah, we have business with you.
I mean, this is my wife, my nephew. Call Healphond,
your nephew Max. Take a goodlook at him. Would you say?
He looks as if he is tobe trusted. I never trust the man

(14:45):
who looks so innocent. What areyou talking about? Who are you?
Do not be so suspicious. Weare from hans Bock. We're members of
the underground, and that ground Iwas not conscious there was an underground in
the Netherlands. What do you wantwith us? All? Being very careful,
I can see that kilman, andthat's good. Perhaps this will prove

(15:09):
who we are. Would you notsay that is Hairbox's own signature. Yeah?
That is He's all right, Iknow it well convinced. Now read
it aloud, ocle bram Let meread it, Paul. Every reason to
distrust man you sent me today?Show proof who he is, or turn
him over to these men for undergroundexecution. But this is ridiculous. I

(15:35):
do not understand or Hairbox seemed totrust me well enough this afternoon. And
have you a German spy a traitin our midst he is I do not
believe that, not Paul, heis not the spy, not for the
Germans. You want proof, Iwill give you proof. See here in
the vine set of it. Thisis his shot me afraid you he was

(15:58):
going to send the message to Heis a friend, he is an ally.
He's a member of the American oasis. Don't you believe me? M
mm hmmm. That is the matter. We believe you well enough. Thank
you for giving us proof of whatwe suspected. What's this? Shall I

(16:19):
shot? My bad Take a goodlook the skull and cosbones. We've been
trailing her bok, but we hadno 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.Where did you fit until? But if
we arrested them then and there,we might get nothing from them. So

(16:41):
we waited. We arrested her bookand we found a paper with his signature
on it, that note you showedus what's forged. Quite right, forged
no longer. I have made myway to the kitchen door. You have
killed him right again. And thenaround your corn your husband was supplying,

(17:03):
and up the backstairs. Let's getup here, right, I even going
last with you. In a floodof memory. It came back Chamber of
horrors, and hours drive from Washington, my mouth was dry as ashes,
and the palms of my hands wereringing wet along the dark hor my revolver
drawn. Everything I had been taughtled up to this, this momentary.

(17:26):
Have you covered from both sides?Drop your gun? Well, fire,
fire, fire again into the darkness. At this time, there was no
instructor to say good work, Paul. There was just a gun in my
back and the leader of the Gestapoto say, you are under race,
Lieutenant Hall, how long do youthink you can hold out? We have

(17:52):
ways of making you talk. No, no, it must reconvince you more,
sergeants. Come on, yeah,well, perhabsolutely have better lucky.
We question your aunt so I don'tget killed and bring her here. No,
no, no, don't do thatletter alone simply because you requested so,

(18:15):
I doean't do as I say,you'll see how long she holds out
she is abstinute, we'd have ashot and you will be a witness.
Mind this amusing. I know whenI'm beaten. Don't bother the old lady.
You're the old man either. Whatare you saying? Well, I

(18:37):
thought I could hold out. Ican see now there's no point in holding
out. You want. What moreis there to say? If you're just
starling for time, not stalling,hair Commander, I'll prove it. I'll
confess everything, tell you everything youwant to know. Wow, you're becoming
smart. And so I told themeverything they wanted to know. General Donovan,

(19:00):
it's the OSS in Washington. TheOSS is part of the American State
Department. The Minister of Finance inBritain is also head of the British Secret
Intelligence. Ahead, Lieutenant Tarifhon we'relistening, Corpora, take this down.
I gave them a mixture of factand fantasy that would have done the German

(19:21):
Propaganda Ministry pride. The true factsI told them Mine knew, they already
knew the rest. They seem toaccept a 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 redpencil. An invasion of North Holland is
part of the Allied plan. Whatthe invasion will be made in the eastern

(19:42):
area of Friesland on the Dutch northSea coast. You are lying to russ
We'll see if you know you're upeaten. Perhaps have been on the wrong
side, Lieutenant tard Fund. You'veradio. I think you ought to use

(20:03):
it tonight and time is now twentythree hundred twenty three hundred. Paul hall
Fan calling headquarters. Can you hearme? Over OSAs Headquarters to Paul Halfon,
you're coming in clear. I've beenwaiting for your message, Paul good

(20:26):
to hear your voice. Why don'tyou say there's a gun in your back?
I could see it's going to takea lot to convince you. Paul
hall fon the headquarters, listen,listen carefully. It's stinking weather for a
drop, but I've got to havesupplies. It's darned important. Over quarters
to hall Fun, would you mindrepeating that so we're sure? Repeat?

(20:49):
Please? Over What the devil's thematter? You said you were getting done
good reception. I said the weather'slousy, but it's darned important that I
get a supply drop. It desa needed point tomorrow night. Can't make
it any darn clearer than that.Over, Okay, Okay, Paul,
we get it. It's darn clear. Now you'll get your supply drop.

(21:12):
Good night, over and out.You heard it yourself, The drop will
be made. Are you beginning tobe convinced of my sincerity? Were you
nervous? Lieutenant? Why do yousay that I never heard you use such
language before? Oh my, Iexpect to get over my nervousness after I've

(21:37):
broadcast many of these radio messages foryou, Commander Brandt. After that,
they drove me back to the jail. Commander Brandt of the Gestapo had never
heard me use such language before,and neither had os as headquarters in the
army. They used to make funof me because of my proper speech.

(22:00):
I gambled on the chance that theradio operator who knew me would detect something
odd about my speech. When heanswered back the same way I knew,
he understood I was a prisoner ofthe Germans and that the supply drop would
probably save my neck. I didn'tsleep that night, and I didn't really
take a deep breath until eleven o'clockthe next morning. Good Morgan, looking,

(22:25):
would you care perhaps for the pieceof chocolate an American cigarette? I
knew the drop had been successful.They sent us home Uncle Brahm, Aunt
Hilda and me, but we broughta border with us, in the person

(22:48):
of Commander Brandt. House was differentnow. Aunt Hilda prepared meal silently.
Uncle Bram smoked his pipe and lookedat me wondering. And twice a week
they sat in the living room andwatched and listened as Commander brand and I
contacted always as headquarters, oh SSheadquarters to Paul Alvin, this is important.

(23:12):
Four and twenty blackbirds are coming throughthe rye storm clouds overhead. Take
in your washing. Good night,horror. Now what did that mean?
Fifteen thousand more Allied troops are addedto preparations for the invasion of Holland,

(23:33):
and we will rush twenty thousand moreGerman troops to the Dutch North Sea coast.
Already we have forty thousand troops waitingthere. We were going to send
them to elsewhere, but they wouldundoubtedly be more use here. Undoubtedly.
Yeah. Got up to bed now, dog shit. The dinner was very

(23:55):
good frog killmon. I cannot helpbeing a good cook. Yes, it's
thoughtful of him to leave us aloneso much, is it? I do
not care much for your company.Hi, maybe he's got his reasons.

(24:18):
I wanted to tell them my reasons, but I didn't dare. Instead,
I stood at the piano and playedthe scale with one finger. Even Uncle
Bram was getting to the point wherehe couldn't look me straight in the eye.
But as Uncle Bram became more suspicious, Commander Brandt became less suspicious.
I think I will go up tobed too. Something was wrong with the

(24:41):
piano. The sea was sharp,as if something were pressing on it,
making it sharp. I walked aroundat the back of the Baby Grand and
I saw it. It was asmall round disc the size of an overcoat
button. I knew it was ato a dictophone in branch room. That

(25:02):
was why he left us alone somuch. I'd give him something to listen
to for I know there must besome explanations for these things you're doing.
Now. Look, you haven't hadit so good for years. Eggs on
the table? When did you haveeggs on the table? Last privileges?
Nobody else has extra ration books.You might as well face it. This

(25:22):
is a new order, Germany's order, and if you're smart like I am,
you'll fall in with them. Paul, is this you? I told
you he was a traitor, aspy. I warned you. You wanted

(25:47):
to see me here, Commander?Yeah, or thank you for coming to
my office so promptly at my corner. I follow orders. So I'm beginning
to see I want you to hearsomething. I think I'll go up to

(26:08):
be I don't understand a dictaphone,but I still don't. I know there
must be so much explanation. Youhaven't had it so good for years,
that's me. What's the idea ofdoing the privileges? Nobody else has exploration?

(26:34):
You might as well. This isa Germany have convinced me. Complete
you're smart like I am. You'reall in with them. I have a
proposition for you. Yes, Iwant you to go to England for US
actors are double agent. You canbe more valuable to us there. Leave

(26:55):
Holland. But I have great helpto you here. I know the risk
it involves, but Germany would payyou well after the war. Take it
over. I thought it over andlet him convince me, and a few
days later a German stormtrooper gave mea personal escort to the border, and

(27:18):
I made my way back from theenemy lines. After I left, my
aunt and uncle escaped and were hiddenby the underground, and it wasn't until
the war was over that I wasable to see them and explain. Lieutenant

(27:40):
Paul Halfan returned to OS's headquarters,and thousands of Nazi troops waited on the
shore of the North Sea for aninvasion that never came. Thus, once
again, the report of another OSSagent closed with the words mission accomplished.
Listen again next week for another trueadventure from the files of the OSS on
Cloak and Dagger. Heard In Today'sCloak and Dagger Adventurers, Paul Alfond was

(28:22):
less. Tremaine Brahm was played byStefan Schnabel, Hilda by Virginia Payne,
Bant by Barry Kroger, the Colonelby Raymond Edward Johnson. Others were Carl
Weber, Jerry Jarrett, Arnold Robertsonand Bob Wilde. The script was written
by winterfred Wolf and Jack Gordon.The music was under the direction of Mary
Ross. Today's True Assess adventure wasbased on the book Cloak and Dagger by

(28:45):
Corey Ford and Alistair McBain. Thisprogram was produced by Lewis G. Cowen
and Alfred Hollander and was under thedirection of Sherman Marx Programs. Get your
Programs here, mystery fans, There'san exciting evening waiting for you tonight on
NBC. First, some listener willhave a chance to win a double reward
for solving the case on one thousanddollars reward. Next, when a woman

(29:07):
reads her own obituary in the paper, the saint finds himself involved in a
case that leads to murder. ThenSam Spade works his way through the rod
and reel caper. Yes, you'llfind adventure here tonight. Stay tuned now
for High Adventure and The Big Guyon NBC