The_Trap

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

(00:01):
Are you willing to undertake a dangerousmission behind the enemy lines knowing you may
never return alive. What you havejust heard is the question asked during the
war to agents of the OSS,ordinary citizens who, to this question answered

(00:24):
yes. This is cloak and dagger, black warfare, espionage, international intrigue.

(00:51):
These are the weapons of the OSS. Today's story, the trap about
an OSS agent who prevented an Americanadvance onto German soil from turning into a
massacre, is suggested by actual incidentsrecorded in the Washington files of the Office
of Strategic Services, a story thatcan now be told. Did you ever

(01:19):
notice the name Erwin signed in afancy flourish on the covers of those kid
comic books you know all about moonmenchasing the earthmen into the stratosphere. Well
that's me Irwin Hazen. I'm alittle guy about five foot four. Before
the war, I loved flashy tiesand babies, girl babies. About twenty

(01:40):
one. So what was Erwin doingbeing an OSS spy in a German held
town in France after D Day?Listen, my children, and you shall
hear Sergeant Irwin Haysen reporting, Sir, here are those overlay maps you requested,
Colonel good good fast works. Huh, thank you, So I'll look

(02:00):
them over now. In the meantime, I want you to do something for
me. Yes, sir, I'vejust had word that one of our agents,
Lieutenant Miller, who was sent aheadand the Royere for Advanced Reconnaissance,
has returned. Lieutenant Miller, Yes, sir, I know him. He's
in that tavern about a mile fromheadquarters, getting very drunk. I can't

(02:24):
understand. It doesn't sound like Miller. No, sir, you should have
reported immediately. I want to godown and bring him back to headquarters.
Yes, colonel, right away,sir. Oh hazen, I saw that
cartoon you submitted to Yank. Ohthey're good good, not very flattering of

(02:50):
me, though, Uh, No, sir, I'll love I'll get Lieutenant
Miller for your colonel, sir.Not all of the twelve thousand people working
with the OSS parachuted blind into enemyterritory. Some of them stayed in Washington

(03:12):
making up secret codes. Some ofthem, like me, sat behind a
desk in France and drew maps.But I was through sitting behind a desk
the minute I walked into that tavern. Lieutenant Miller was slumped over the bar,
swaying back and forth, and helooked very drunk. Hey, lieutenant,
what's with you? Colonel wants youto report the headquarters right away?

(03:38):
Oh that's you, Werman, oryou get your ear chewed off of this?
What's the idea? Couldn't this waittill later? I couldn't wait.
He didn't make it otherwise I getit to the colonel, Say Bartender,
how many has he had? Onlytwo? They little one? Sergier?
Oh yeah, oh tell the colonelcouldn't make it otherwise, then you came.

(04:05):
Can't make it now? Maybe whatare you talking about? Tell Colonel
Brier heavily fortified? One? Wethought? I saw myself eighty pieces of
one hundred and five millimeters artillery behindthe lines. Germans are digging in.

(04:26):
Well, come on back and tellingme yourself. Hey, couldn't you have
celebrated later? Made it this far? Needed to drink the regular all the
way. Tell colonel we're heavily fortified, heavily willer. The lieutenant he is

(04:48):
plus out. The lieutenant he isdead. You see. Miller had been
slumped over the barlone. Also,I couldn't see those bullet wounds in his
chest until he fell over. Germansmust have caught on to him and given

(05:11):
him a chase to wonder he gotas far as he did. Sergeant,
you're sure about everything you told you, Yes, sir, but we were
positive that Germans didn't have that muchartillery on the Seventh Army Front. If
this is true and we had walkedin not knowing over the head ah Man
would have been massacre. Thank you, Sergeant. You may go now,

(05:35):
Colonel. If you're going to sendanother agent into that territory to get a
more complete picture of what's going on, I'd like to volunteer send a mission
like this cause for an agent who'shad experience along me. Yeah, yeah,
I know, but you see,Lieutenant Miller was a friend of mine.
Besides, I'm sick of spending thewar behind a drawing board. Look,

(05:56):
I can do it, Colonel.I can speak French fluently, and
I'll do more than just look aroundand come back. I'll come back with
sketches and maps and diagrams everything youwant to know. Look, Colonel,
the next time I send a cartoonto Yank, I'll I'll make a very
flattering one of you. Please,colonel, what do you say? The

(06:17):
OSS placed me in the custody ofa French priest who had sneaked through the
lines from Briere to tell the Americansabout underground activity there. A few days
later, the priest and I wereon the road thirty miles away from the
American held town, walking smack intoenemy territory. The priest was in full

(06:42):
clerical garb me I was dressed likea French peasant, and the German stupish
messn hit me do the talking.Well, I hope we get away with
it. You're not very out ofnecessity. I have become a ditch at
making a very convincing Yeah. Butdo you think that Germans don't believe this
phonny story? What reason will theyhave to disbelieve it? Besides I am

(07:10):
well known and respected in town.These Germans have ino trouble now without staring
at the antagonism of the people bydisciplining me for so small a reason.
Well, all I can say isI hope it works. You have a
chance to find out. Now there'sthe town ah, and there is a

(07:31):
welcoming committee. Let me do thetalking, say hard while Bojo, I
am father Robert, priest of thechurch in this town, and this man
a friend. If you're from thistown, what are you doing behind the

(07:51):
border? Do you have permission?Let mess? Your paper shall pass us
most unfortunately I did not wait torequest the pass. Our seconds is a
harpy. Come with me to theCommandant's off his sweet pleasure. Come my
friend mine as well. There's noway back now, father, you have

(08:22):
been given too much freedom in thistown, Father Robert, this insolence is
sir, it's too much, saidMonsieur le Commando, this poor lad.
You'll be asked your name again,Francois, Francois chouvain, call me by
my title, Francois jouvain. Here, Commandant, I'm going with your story,

(08:43):
Father Abert. It is a sad, sad story of a dying woman
and her last wish to see hernephew. This lad, last remaining member
of her family. Her husband andtwo sons were killed in the early days
of the war. You see,I have the Holy oils with me to

(09:05):
give this poor woman the last sacrament. And why did you not ask permission
to get this boy? I wasafraid, Monsieur le commandore that by the
time the permission was granted, itmight be too late. The woman might
die. So I slipped out.When did you last see your aunt Jovahn?

(09:26):
Why over three years ago, hercommandan. And this is most irregular,
surely the request of a dying woman. Well, I'll let you go
this time. Father over there,there's enough. I'm resting this time without
starting a tempest in a teapot.I'm not question, yes, monsieur.

(09:48):
If you managed to slip so ofthe lines going out, why is it
you did not attempt to sneak backinto town instead of walking boldly up to
the borderline. Sneak back into town? Why, monsieur le commando, That
would be against regulations. But Ido not understand. He the father Rabel,

(10:16):
How is it that you did nottry to sneak back in the peer
Her American friend Irwin Old battle Foss, he can tell you that. Well,
you see, Madam Jeanette. Thisway, if the Germans know I'm
in town and supposedly staying with anant, I can move freely about without
being suspected. Oh, I see, I see the time is late.

(10:39):
I must go now, oh,Madame Jehannie. Heh we if Monsieur le
Commandant should inquire. I did administerthe last rites to you, but the
sight of your dear nephew brought yourlife flowing back into your veins. Of

(11:01):
course, we did not have somethingto eat before you go, have not
much to I have much work todo. Oh, by the way,
at last meeting of the Underground wentvery well, But you think well very
well. Indeed, well, Ican't thank you enough, father, for

(11:22):
everything you've done. Perhaps we shouldmeet again. Who knows? If not,
can'd be with you on your mission? Thank you, father, and
my son. Be very careful.Monsieur le Commandore is not very bright,
but unfortunately he is not a completeidiot. Why that was the last I

(11:50):
saw, Father Robert. It happenedlike that or during the war, a
member of the Underground would come along, get us over a rough spot,
and then disappear. But without allthe help from all the little people along
the way, none of the workof the OSS could have been done.
They helped, they wished us luck. They left. After a few days

(12:16):
of staying with Madame Jeanette, Ialmost felt that she was a relative.
The old girl practically adopted me Erwinhm one king what for a Robert tool.
They coming down. It does notalive. Well, what was that?
I did lose my husband and twosons in the early days of the

(12:39):
war. Oh, I'm sorry,Hella, but it has been good these
last days, cooking for you,making up another bed as if I had
my family again. Are you beingvery careful? Well? I mind my
own business. Look around the townon them all, I can tell rah,

(13:01):
just a handful occupying it, justthe way headquarters saw. It looks
like a pushover. Perhaps it is. Perhaps the agent was here before he
was mistaken. Miller, the Nazisdidn't pump air into him for nothing.
He saw something. Uh, MadameCheonette, here, let me feel your
play the game. Look, what'sthe best way to get through the forest

(13:22):
to the river north of Brierre.I'm going to take a look around there.
Perhaps there there there may be somethingthere. The guard is always posted.
I thought it was just to keepthe townspeople from leaving. But but
perhaps perhaps there's something else. Isthere a way past the guard? Ah?
I have lived here all my life. I know a way. I

(13:48):
will show you, even take youperthway myself. The woods began about one
hundred yards back of Madame Jeanette's littlehouse, and early the next morning we
started through them. I followed herthrough the thick brambles, through the narrow
paths she knew so well, throughthe brush and the high grass that moved

(14:09):
gently in the wind. Madam jeanetteskirt caught on the brambles, and she
stopped just long enough to rip offthat part of her hem and leave it
behind, swaying in the wind.Then she moved on me right behind her.
Maybe this would turn into a wildgoose chase, but I had a
hunch i'd find what I came for. Then we came to a slight clearing.

(14:33):
I will go back now erwin weturn later the we we came.
You remember, yes, yes,I remember. Go now along the outskirts
of this little wood. You'll seea hill. From there you will have
a good view of the river andanything that might be there. All right,
I see a letter. Careful,careful now. A minute afterwards,

(14:56):
she was swallowed up in the woods. A little while after that, I
was on top of that hill,flat on my stomach, under a clump
of bushes, looking down through strongbinoculars. My hunch was right. It
was all there and I began tosketch it quickly but accurately. From somewhere
the Nazis had gotten reinforcements and theirhigh command had decided to make a stand,

(15:18):
dig in and hold there. Atthe river. There were heavy artillery
positions all set up machine gun andanti tank emplacements. There was barbed wire,
lots of it. There were antitank obstacles, and the hundred and
five millimeter artillery miller had seen allof it. There a nice big booby
traple set for our men to walkinto when they tried to advance north across

(15:39):
the river. I couldn't hear them, but I could see them, swarms
of German soldiers working hard, workingfast, digging in, getting ready.
I took down everything I saw andI had it complete, except for the
west bank of the river, nearthe bridge. There were too many trees
blocking my vision. I had toget closer. At the time I got

(16:00):
to the bottom of the hill andcrawled along through the brush to the west
bank. I didn't just see theGermans. I could hear them as well,
and see that more guards are postedat the edge of the town.
The commandant wants no one snooping aroundhere. No one get through. There

(16:23):
were too many of them all around. I knew it would be crazy to
try to get any further without aplan. I had to have time to
think about a way. I waiteduntil they left. Then I slipped back
the way. I came up thehill and through the woods to Madame Jeanette's.
I went around the back, soI didn't see the commandant until I
walked in. You are back,Yes, I uh, monsieur hair Commandant.

(16:51):
I've been waiting for Well, isthere something wrong? No, no,
of course not once. I amyet the talk where I'm as well
as jovem. I believe Father Alberttold me that it's your name that is
correct. It was through the kindnessand understanding of the German high command here
that you were allowed to see yoursick aunt. You understand that you're not

(17:15):
Oh, yes, I appreciate thatit must irregular, but we'll let you
in. However, I am hereto tell you that you had better have
no illusions about leaving Brienna, goingback through the American lines to your village
there. No, no, Ihave no wish to leave. Why you
you've anticipated me, her Commandant.I was going to request permission to stay

(17:37):
here with my aunt from now on. I was in the square today looking
for work, and they're good aslong as you understand, Madam, if
you will allow me to say so, you look very well. Indeed,
oh, she was very ill whenI came. Father Robert gave her last
right media expression. I'm not talkingto you, my nephew is correct.

(18:02):
But there are you here, Commandant. I was very ill, but I'm
very well. Now. Well,that's all I wanted. I'm going out,
but remember you are not to livefor here. What the commandant didn't

(18:22):
know was that I had no intentionof leaving until I made the sketches of
the west bank of the river.Late that night, Madame Jeannette helped me
bury the plans and diagrams I hadalready drawn. You are right, I
do very busier, Beyandy. Ratherthan leave them inside, did you say,
Okay, that's deep enough. NowI put this rock on top of

(18:45):
them. There. That's done.Now you will go back tomorrow. No,
I've got to get a good lookat the west bank of the river.
It is wise you did not tryto press further ahead today. It
would have been too danger of us. I know another way through the forest
or tell me it is a roundaboutwe but it will bring you closer to

(19:07):
the west, or close enough atleast so that you will have a better
view than before. Ah. Butif there are so many troops, as
you say, do not get tooclose. When you have finished, come
back to the wood the same way. I will be waiting. I did

(19:27):
exactly, she said, took thelong way round, across little streams,
watched for landmarks, dropped from highrocks, and landed on rough little paths
that were hidden by the brush.I did everything, she said, except
one thing. I got too close. Roger we laning tho's minds too far

(19:48):
far? What you're doing when thesethe fencers will be ready for anything?
Right now? I decided I betterget out of there, and as I
started, a twig under me.Snap, what was that? Did you
hear something in the bride? Mmhmm, probably some small animal in the
forest. Oh see what happened?There's nothing here? Help me make sure.

(20:19):
Remember the fragment of a woman's dresswe found in the woods this morning.
I was crouched down behind a rockand the German lieutenant came so close
I could have reached out and touchedhis mud kicked boot. He stopped for
a minute, and then he walkedright past me. There was nothing there.

(20:41):
It can't be too careful. Comewith me. There's something I want
to control you. I had everythingindicated on my sketches, minefield's tank positions.
I knew everything about the west bankof the river. I wanted to
know when the coast seemed clear.I started back, but I didn't get
very far. With your hands up, India, I took a couple of

(21:03):
steps and then slammed myself into ashallow ditch. I remember German bird guns
and rifles cracking around me. Abullet went through the hill of my boot
and sent a shock up the legthat made me wonder if it had been
blown off. Then it was quiet, and I waited for them to come
and get me. It was allover. Perhaps that will convince you we

(21:29):
mean what we say. He look, I tell you my name is Francois
Jauva. You know my aunt.She's What were you're doing is a river.
I'm new in bri I don't knowthe forest of the woods. I
was lost. Perhaps another taste ofyour fist. Great, get them up,
put them back on that chair.Now, listen to me. Joever,

(21:55):
whatever your name is, we foundthis sketch of the bridge at the
west bank of the river your pocket. Look, I don't know, I
don't know anything. That part ofthe sketch is quite complete, every detail.
The rest is diagrammed in lightly.Where are the rest of these plans?
I don't know. Have you hiddenthem? Where? If you give
them to somebody whom there are therest of them? Kind of analt eh,

(22:19):
but not ry twisting his arm again? Oh ah ah, yes,
fainted. Have him thrown in asI will question him more tomorrow. That

(22:44):
was the German way of questioning,beating you up, twisting your arm.
I was sure they had a lotmore ways of questioning, but I didn't
intend to stay and find out whatthey were. I had to figure out
a way to escape. And thenI noticed it. The glass of the
window in front of the bars hadbeen shattered. I broke off a piece,
and then I cut myself severely aboutthe face. I guess it doesn't

(23:08):
sound pretty, and it didn't lookvery pretty, but that was the effect
I wanted. I heard the guardcoming back quickly. I threw myself on
the floor in front of the door, so that when the heavy door was
opened, it would crash into myhead. You coman don wants to see
you. Oh, what's the darshere? I must get her. My

(23:33):
hair was matted with blood, andmy cut up face looked pretty horrible.
Not that the God was worried aboutthe state of my health. He was
afraid of what the commandant would doto him if I wasn't able to be
questioned. He left the cell dooropen and ran, and so did I
in the other direction. I ranup the stairs to the second floor of
the small town jail. The Germanshad taken over down below. I could

(23:53):
hear voices. I didn't wait tohear anymore, slid down the sloping roof
and landed right next to a Germansoldier. It was a good thing it
was my left arm they had twisted. I was better with my right anyway.
I took his gun and ammunition beltand shot the front tires of the

(24:14):
German cars. Then I borrowed aparked motorcycle. Just as the Germans were
spilling out the front door. Idrove off, headed back to where I'd
buried the papers, But the paperswere gone. Everything I had worked on
so painstakingly the maps, the diagrams, the sketches, the plans, they

(24:37):
were gone, Madame Jeannette. Maybeshe had them, Madam Jeannette. Madame
Jeanette opened up, Yes, whatdo you want? What, Madame Jeannette?
Where is she? I've got tosee her. You cannot what I've
got to It's important? Who areyou? Where's Madame Jeanette? She died?

(25:03):
What did you say? She died? Yesterday died. But I do
the Germans if there after you go, I want to travel. Go.
That motorcycle ride through enemy held territorywith that car full of Nazis firing at

(25:26):
me was wilder than the stories inthe comic books I used to draw.
For there was a phosphorus grenade onthe ammunition belt I had taken from the
soldier outside the prison. I putthe pin with my teeth and tossed it
back over my shoulder through the side, and there could see the German car
slowing down. It stopped right overthe grenade, and a minute later there

(25:49):
was a car full of very deadNazis. Well that's all that happened,
Colonel. The sketches are gone,but I think I can remember most of

(26:10):
them, the ones I drew lastthe west bank of the river. I
know completely. For the rest,I'll do the best I can. Did
your sketches look anything like this?Sad? What? But those are the
sketches I don't understand. Where didyou sending the woman? Woman? What?
Woman? I don't get this?That's why. Man, Hello,

(26:34):
very madame Jeanette. I heard youwere dead? Your face? What happened
to your face? Never mind?Just tell me. Oh. When I
learned you were arrested, I dugup the plans and with other ground help,
I got them through the lines todeliver them for you. Yes,
but that woman, she had herorders. She was doing as I told

(26:55):
her. Colonel. You know thattavern about a half mile from headquarters?
Yes, I well, do youmind very much if I go there and
get very drunk. The maps,diagrams, and information which Sergeant Urban Hazen

(27:18):
provided allowed the American Army to preparea counter offensive. Three days later,
they were on German soil, andthe report of another OSS agent closes with
the words mission accomplished. Listen againnext week to another adventure based on actual
incidents from the files of the OSSon Cloak and Dagger. Heard in today's

(28:04):
Cloaken Dagger Adventure as Irwin was EverettSloan, the Priest, Barry Kroger,
the Commandant, Stefan Schnabel, MadameJeannette Virginia Payne, the Colonel Raymond Edward
Johnson. Others were Carl Weber,Jerry Jarrett, Ralph Bell and Lattistovitzky.

(28:25):
The script was written by Winifred Wolfand Jack Gordon, and the music was
under the direction of John Gart.Today's True Oss Adventure was based on the
book Cloakndagger by Corey Ford and AllisterMcBain. This has been a Lewis G.
Cohn production in association with Alfred Hollanderand was under the direction and supervision
of Sherman Marx Programs. Get yourPrograms Here, I'm a Templar plays hide

(29:00):
and seek with a friendly killer whohas been commissioned by Underworld sources to handle
the Saint. Hear another top notchadventure with the Saint and also listen for
The Sam Spade Caper with Howard Duffstarring as America's favorite fast moving, fast
talking private eye. Next Exciting HighAdventure, then The Big Guy on NBC