Brenner Pass an episode of Cloak and Dagger radio show

Please enjoy Brenner Pass a great episode of the legendaryCloak and Dagger radio show - A Classic Old Time radio Show - OTR

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
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 ordinarycitizens who, to this question answered yes.

(00:25):
This is cloak and dagger, blackwarfare, espn R International intrigue.

(00:49):
These are the weapons of the OSS. Today's story, the Brenner Pass,
is the story of an American engineerwho's single handed cut off the escape of
part of German army in Italy fromun Russian American troops. The Brenner Pass
is suggested by actual incidents recorded inthe Washington files of the Office of Strategic
Services, A story that cannot no, Oh, Padre, I don't want

(01:26):
if Eric welk cos Abe, drinkdrink this f it will warm your inside.
I want to talk to you.I want to tell you drink this
first. Boy. I'm so tired, so so tired. You you won't

(01:53):
give me away? Will you willhide me if the Germans come? Won't
you, Padre? Oh? Won'tyou claim to me my son because you
knew I'd give you sanctuary? Anyman has sanctuary in this house? Yes?
Has when an oath hell, yourmeal. Anything you tell me,
only God and I will witness.And if I had not taken this oath,

(02:16):
I still would not give you away. Thank you, father. You
are an American. That much youhave told me. Do you want to
tell me more? Or do youwant to sleep first? No? No,
it is better you sleep first.I said, beside you, I
won't leave you. No, no, Padray, I want to tell you

(02:38):
that may not be much time.I have a feeling that time is running
out for me. Si. Myname was Donald Harper. I say it
was because somehow I don't feel asif I have a name anymore. When

(03:00):
you're tracked down and hunted, you'renot a human beings. There's no past
or future. There's just the presentand you run. So much has happened
in a few weeks that it's hardfor me to remember. Remember back from
this morning when you found me unconsciouson the steps of the chapel, back

(03:22):
to the moment I was sent onmy Mission number twelfth, nineteen forty four,
Captain Harper, and well aware ofeverything we have to gain if this
scheme of your succeed. You stillthink it's just a scheme, Hey,
Colonel, I don't have to thinkI know what your chances are of actually

(03:46):
getting through to the Brenner Paz andblowing up that highway, and I know
what'll happen to you if the Italianfascists or the German police catch you.
I know a couple of things too, Colonel. One of them is the
country up there in the mountains.Yes, I nearly broke my neck half
a dozen times when I was akid climbing the rocks around my grandmother's hut,
and just before the war I tooka trip from the States to see

(04:10):
her again. I skied over everyinch of that mountain near the Brenner Pass.
Colonel, I know I can doit. We've been through this before,
Harper. I'm aware of everything inyour favor, your knowledge of the
country, the fact that you werean engineer before the war. But give
me supplies some TNT, an Italianuniform and some phony papers in case I

(04:30):
tangle with the fushery Stea. It'sall I need, Colonel, I tell
you, I can do it.It's true. If that highway to the
Brenner Pass could be destroyed, itwould take the Germans months to repair it.
It would cut off one of theirretreats out of Germany. In course,
now we'd have them where we wantthem. When the American armies advanced

(04:51):
their backs to the mountains and noway out, that's it, that's it.
Your permission, colonel, Please letme try it. You say your
grandmother's hot is right near your objected. Yes, sir, I'll give you
names to memorize of other partisans inthe mountains who might help you on the
way. I'll have all the suppliesyou requested, and you can lose it.

(05:25):
From the beginning, Padre, Ihad bad luck. It snowed during
most of the forty mile journey,and it was difficult for me to move
quickly, and the longer it tookme, the more chance I had of
being discovered. Then it came.You know what a storm is like here

(05:49):
in the mountains, How it compliedyou and throw you against the rocks.
When it was all over, Irealized what had happened. I had been
thrown off my course, but thatwasn't the worst of it. My knapsack
was gone, all my supplies andthe packet with papers the Oss had forged

(06:14):
for me. I had no identificationnow and no food, but I still
had the tnt for the highway nearAmpezzo. There is a tavern Padre,

(06:38):
not far from Parola. It wasn'tsheer recklessness, but desperation that made me
go in there, and knowing Ihad no papers, knowing the tavern catered
to Nazis and PASCISTI, knowing therucksack on my back was filled with explosives.
But there was no other place formiles and I had to get food
or I couldn't go on us.More of the storm was look like this.

(07:18):
What would you like to order?Some bread and cheese if you have
it, and some coffee black,very strong if you have a sea.
I tried to make myself as inconspicuousas possible. I hope the Germans would

(07:43):
continue to be amused by the Italiangirl and not asked to see my papers.
I had nearly frozen in the snowa half hour before now. The
sweat broke out all over my forehead. Pay attention to her, I kept
praying, watch her, watch her, don't even look my way. She

(08:03):
is great coffee gutty, it ishere. I haven't here rightmportant general,
tell us how you are? I'mnot important at all? Forgive me the
way that should have served you first. That's happy with us all. Why

(08:39):
you are somebody hasn't been here withus, Soldier I gutty signor and I
I will just finish this coffee andthen I must go. Wait a minute,
you must have been rude, SoldierNona never route to me if I
asked you to drink with us.You must no, no, please,

(09:03):
Seniorna. Some other time, perhapsnot now. I must go. Huh,
you're afraid of me, afraid ofgirls, and afraid to drink beer.
Oh, you should be back inyour mama's laugh. I will give
you some beer now, perhaps youwill acquire a taste for it. Here

(09:24):
she threw it in my face.I felt it start to trickle down my
neck, and I could hear theGermans laughing themselves sick. I wanted to
snap that small neck of hers inhalf from making me the center of attraction.
Got you? Wait? You aresure you are to You're sure you're

(10:00):
not followed? Here for my house? Very sure? I'm eko. And
it's snowing again. Even the tracksfrom my snow shoes are covered. We
must be careful, very careful,All of uspotisms, the Germans, are
closing in on us. Do youknow what would happen if they found out
I took you in an American?This would happen. But I tell you
there's nothing to worry about, andI'll be gone in the morning. In

(10:22):
the morning, one all I wantis a night's rest. There is a
bed in the back room. Youmean you've senior heartbur You are sure you
are not followed? Very cool?Yes, yes, and I'll be gone
in the morning before you're awake.What's the thing, senor the time being
in a species of hospitable? Butthese times, there are very bad times

(10:43):
for all. Yes, yes,I know, and it is important too,
Yes, in order to fight backlater, one must leave now.
Yes, yea. And the Germansare clever, very clever. If theing
you you were here, I wastoo tired to stand there and listen to
the old man's whimpering, too tiredto watch his narrow eyes like small brown

(11:07):
button's, dart about the room,looking first at the windows and then at
the door, half expecting the guestStoppa to come. All I wanted to
do was sleep. I fell acrossthe bed, but a few minutes later
I sat bolt up, riding listeningto the voices from the next room.

(11:31):
Americans, are you sure? Areyou sure? American's artist, his hawks
swallow half the boy the American alwayssay, sent you fellow here. Oh
how the German, that girl,the girl from the tavern, the friend
of the Germans. I didn't stayto hear any more. There was a

(11:52):
small door leading out to the backof the hutbet I knew, Padre that
somehow I must have come to thewrong house. I didn't dare take any
more chances and stop again until Ireached my grandmother's. And I was so

(12:13):
tired, so tired. Don't knowthem me, don't know them? So
good you get, Nana, Nana, Oh but how you look so thin,

(12:37):
so tired? Nothing changes here,does it. It could be six
years ago or ten, Nana,sitting here like this in this house and
your mom, your papa, howareday Neil does not come easily me long?
But you have heard from them,yes, Nana, a few weeks
ago. They're fine. They triedso hard to get you to America.

(12:58):
When the war came. I wouldnot go anywhere on you. This is
my home. No one could makeme leave my home, not the Germans,
not the FASCITTI here I stay untilthe world rites itself again. But
what can I get you? Si? Comedy? Make yourself comfortable. You

(13:20):
are hungry, yes, but I'mtoo tired to eat. I just want
to sleep. Do then I'll makeup the room for you later for an
hour. It's here on this couch. When you wake, I will have
food for you like the old days, carom my, dear one, I
will be in the kitchen sleet now, Lee. I don't know how long

(13:52):
I slept. When I awoke,I wandered for a moment where I was,
and then I saw her standing overme like a little boy. You
sleep. I've been watching you,you watching your sleep. You don't drink
beer, and you're afraid of girls, and you sleep like a little boy.
You followed me here, you broughtthem. What are you done with

(14:15):
my grandmother? What I kill you? I should have killed you then I
will now end of the kill herehere? What's going on? You?
All right? Of course? I'mall right? What are you doing,
Tony? What is wrong? Oh? Your grandson has his mother's heart,

(14:37):
tell of blood in his veins.He wants to kill me, That's all.
I'm ashamed of you. Donaldough.This girl, she's a friend.
Friend. I will get the soupfor you, Senora at the jail.
Perhaps some soup will cool, butnone. I saw that girl with the
Germans. She she told me aboutthat. She did not know who you

(14:58):
were. Then, yes, shewondered why you disappeared from her father.
She knew the name Donald Harper becauseshe had me speak of you often.
So she came here after you.I saw you asleep, and she understood
why you had run away from her. She was with Germans. I was
there. I hurt girl, Donaldo. He is the leader of our group

(15:20):
of Parsons. You're leader, butthe Germans. The Germans. I amuse
them, Porky, I mean Mary. I tell them funny stories and they
laugh at me. Here's just sothey do not hear me laugh when I
get them drunk and they tell methings I can use to our adage your
soup. Drank it, Tony,I'm sorry, I understand, jabella question,

(15:46):
I gatsa Donaldo. No, yes, no, the girl is very
fun at telling you embarrassing h Donaldo. We are friends now, see see
Tony, friends, you work toohard? Came you? What are you

(16:17):
doing drawing diagrams. Nana, I'vegot all the plans made to blow up
that highway early tomorrow morning, andI want to make sure nothing goes wrong
here. I brought your Sunday toeat. You will spoil me, Nana,
But it was good to have youspoil me again these past few days.
How good it is to be ableto Will you leave then tomorrow?

(16:40):
Ask to you do what you haveto do? Yes, I must,
but I'll come back to say goodbye. First. I come, I come,
Joe? Where's the now do?Tony? What are you doing here?
Are you displeased to see me?Where is that partisan friend you are

(17:00):
going to send to help me here? What? Me? Me? Me?
Me? Me? I am thefriend. Oh no, I can't
do as good a job as anyman. Let me help you. No,
it's crazy. Please let me doit, girl, it's crazy.
It is not crazy. Think whatit will mean for me after you were
gone from these nondons. Listening tomy fat friends the Germans talk about the

(17:25):
explosions, and to know secretly thatit was I who helped to make it.
Please please DONALDO Meal. It's toolate to get anyone else. That's
why I waited so long. Theonly man to get on this short notice
is my papa, and he isa scared rabbit. It was right the

(17:48):
first time. You are a littlesheet. Ever, what's take her with
you? DONALDO? All right,then pay attention to this diagram. Now
there's a railway, as you know, going right over that highway. If
we plant enough DNT to blow thatright out of the road, it'll be
blocked up for months. It wasabout four o'clock in the morning when we

(18:17):
got to the highway and climbed upon the tracks of the railway. Tony
stayed up above, and I mademy way slowly, slowly, climbing down
into the framework of the trestle,feeling my way along the girders. They
were icy under my hands, andtwo or three times I almost slipped castles,
cassels and now them all right,watch yourself, watch how you handle
those explosives. Do not trouble yourselfabout me. I told you I can

(18:41):
work as well as any man,and work as quietly as once. The
troop crane of Germans would be comingover the railway soon, and I had
to finish before it came. Ihad a coil of wire around one arm
and a pair of pliers hanging ona throng for my waist. Tony.
You hear me, yes, Ihear you. Down those packages of explosives,

(19:02):
one at a time. Here hereyou are, all right, guys.
I shoved them in where I wantedthem, packed them close, Tony,
the wedges quickly. Don't be sosore about it. I'm doing get
as fast as I can here,all right. I lashed the grenade on

(19:22):
top of the braced explosives, woundit tight with a wire, twisted it
with flyers. Finally I was finished. There was snow on the ground,
and yet my shirt was wet withperspiration. All right, last finishing touch.
That does it for this side,Tony. Now let's get to the
other side. See you give meyour flyers before you dropped them. I

(19:52):
have helped you much this far.See see you've helped me much. Let
me do it. No, No, we have many time to wide you.
That train will be along any many. Please please let me set off

(20:15):
the explosion. Let me have thatpleasure. I will follow your directions.
I will do it just the wayyou told me. No, but the
train it's coming. Just tell mewhere to pull it. All right,
you win. But Heaven help youif you make a mistake. Hold it
now, steady and don't pull onthe wire yet. I will pull it
softly, softly, lightly, butturn there she comes. Pull it done,

(21:07):
And I pulled the wires in youreyes. No, no, what
is it? It is that theseattacks come on after some water? Quick
I will stay with you. Mustleave quickly, No, I'll stay.
You go on. This section willbe swarming with soldiers after work you've just
done, and if they find you, they'll wonder what you're doing here.

(21:29):
Men do not know how to takecare of the sick. I will stay
and help you. All right,get the water. You should know,
her said, I would have beenall right. I don't talk. Just

(21:56):
what is it Germans coming to thishouse? I can see through the window.
Oh no, no, no,you should have gone before nothing.
Wait, no, no, it'sall right. I'll do this one thing
more more for me. I won'tleave while you hould them off for me.
Is that what you want? Iknow them. I am a favorite
of this. Please God on me. You can escape and do more important
work, and I will not beharmed if I stay. Behid my son

(22:17):
escape escape. There's still doing Thegirl with him upstairs, upstairs. They
may be around the back too,So go upstairs, jump from the window
to the roof of the barn.You can make it for me. No,
Tony, go, go go,I say, promise, not turned
back. Promise. I ran upthe stairs to the tiny attic. I

(22:45):
heard the door close downstairs, soI knew they had come in. I
could distinguish their voices, too,although I couldn't hear a word they were
saying. I opened the window andsaw it wasn't easy jump to the roof.
Then Tony screamed, and I forgotmy promiseur and went back, flappening
myself against the wall at the headof the staircase. I have done nothing
but I to take care of thissomehow, Tony, You're always alarm on

(23:21):
yours alone, I take. Isurprised the first German when I jumped him,
brought the bottom of my god downon his head, a gun and
a girl. But the other Germanwas not so simple a matter. He

(23:48):
had my shoulders pinned down and Icouldn't move. Then then I saw Tony
standing over us, a heavy candleomblum in a handburn. Good work,
Tony, Now listen to me,Cavali, Tony, take my grandmother back
to your house. No one willknow you are here. If other's question,
you tell her. My grandmother washere alone when someone, a stranger,

(24:11):
took refuge here and killed the officerswho came. Then she went to
your house because she was afraid.Will you remember that all of it?
Will you be back? Will Ihaven't see you again? Perhaps? Perhaps
Colleen, Colleena, my dear littletom Now go go quickly. She did

(24:48):
that, wanted to same one,Padrena, that's anything that my way here.
You will hide me if they come, you will do what I can
for you. What right are youcoming in like this? Breaking down the
door? Not make fare on you. This is of God. It's all
right, Padre, It's all right. No, no, no, you're

(25:22):
mistaken. My name is not DonaldHarper. I'm an Italian soldier. I
was lost in the snow. Mypapers are gone, untimes is it's tiresome.
I admit it. You are theAmerican who blew up the highway.
Answer you are mistaken, heir,holp man, you are. We will
see Tata turning the old man.You're hell halpers o seep see see I

(25:48):
come, I come ha ha,you're recognized him. I see excellent to
me off, what is this man'sname behind them? Ha? Half for
Donald Harp the senor as an American. No, I have told you you
will left Solon. See you havetucking ave gone. You will leave my
daughter and me alone, and theold lady too, now that I have

(26:08):
told you, we have done nothingto do with it. And yeah,
yeah, yeah yeah, but youwill not tell my daughter if you promise,
remember she has a soft hearted willdistress take him away. See we
are on your life, lawyer.You have nothing to say. Everything has
been said for me. That highwayhas been completely destroyed. I'm delighted to

(26:32):
hear it that many loyal soldiers asI have been killed. Well, thank
you for telling me. And whatis more, you are in Italian uniform
a spy. But it's such agood to waste on you American. But
they won'te can be used again.Tatnt y'r hi hortman. Take this man
out and tang him. But Icannot know you will do as you are

(27:07):
told her doctor. Here was thedeath certificate of the Americans who was hanged
this morning. Sign it and thecause of death you want and I should
ride as I told you, Justas I told you, heart failure,
pity. Some weeks later, tworetreating German battalions found their escape through the

(27:40):
Brenner Pass blocked. Captain Harper haddone his job well, and the on
rushing American troops caught the enemy withtheir backs to a mountain. Though Donald
Harper did not live to see victory, he shared in it, and once
again the record of an OSS agentcloses with the words mission accomplished. A
further adventure in Black Warfare is nextweek's Cloak and Dagger. Heard in Today's

(28:29):
Cloak and Dagger Adventure, where EverettSloane, Hester, Sundergarde, Barry Kroger,
Louis Soren, Virginia Payne, RaymondEdward Johnson, Carl Weber and Boris
Aplan. Script was by Winterfred Wolf. Music was under the direction of John
Garth. Today's true OSS Adventure wasbased on the book Cloak and Dagger by

(28:51):
Cary Ford and Alastair McBain. Thishas been a Lewis G. Collen production
in association with Alfred Hollander and wasunder the direction and supervision of Sherman Marx
Day. Tune for the second BigMystery High Adventure on NBC Day Tune for

(29:15):
the second Big Mystery High Adventure onNBC