October 9, 2025 • 28 mins
Suspense was one of the most popular and successful radio series during it's run of over 900 episodes, spanning 1940-1962. Guest stars included Orson Welles, Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, Agnes Moorehead, Marlene Dietrich and Humphrey Bogart. The plots were mostly engaging crime dramas, science fiction and some horror - usually with a surprise ending.
Hope you enjoy this episode of Suspense! Find all our OTR radio stations and podcasts at theaterofthemind-otr.com - Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group. - All Podcasts @ Spreaker | Apple | YouTube | Spotify | Amazon | iHeart
Hope you enjoy this episode of Suspense! Find all our OTR radio stations and podcasts at theaterofthemind-otr.com - Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group. - All Podcasts @ Spreaker | Apple | YouTube | Spotify | Amazon | iHeart
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Auto light and it's ninety eight thousand dealers bring you,
mister William Holden. In Tonight's presentation of suspense, Tonight Auto
Light presents a true story taken from Captain Walter Kerrigg's
Battle Report Korea, the facts concerning the United States Navy's
(00:26):
mind clearing operations in one sawn Harbor in October nineteen
fifty one. Needle in the haystack, Our star, mister William Holden,
Hi have will you have a cigarette?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Who?
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Now? Thanks? Here?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
You'll prefer my own brain?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Hey?
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Did you ever think about all the people who feel
like you do about cigarettes, but on something it has
to do with the safety and performance of their car,
they take a substitute and don't know the difference.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
What do you mean?
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Well? For example, many makes of cars have auto light
electrical systems as original equipment, right, But if replacements are needed,
do the owners of those auto light equipped cars insist
on auto light original service parts exactly the same as
those specified by the car manufacturing?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Well, I sure would, Harlow. I wouldn't take a chance
on any part not designed to do the.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Job right, And your wise hat friends, selecting a cigarette
is a matter of taste, but selecting a replacement part
for your car's electrical system is a matter of safety
and performance. So for safe, smooth, efficient operation, insist on
Auto Light original service parts for your auto light equipped car.
They're available at your car dealer's or nearest authorized auto
(01:36):
light service station. And remember, from bumper to tail light,
you're always right with Auto Light. And now auto Light
Presents transcribe the true story of the United States Navy's
actions in One Son Harbor in October nineteen fifty one
Needle in the Haystack, starring mister William Holden, hoping once
again to keep you in suspense. During the last war,
(02:09):
we never tried to sweep even small harbor with less
than thirty sweepers. At Okinawa, for instance, we used one hundred,
At Normandy three hundred, and at good old wan San
as big or bigger than any of them.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
We started in with ten.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Man.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Attention men, Captains Popper, carry on smoking lamps lit, make
yourself comfortable. The correspondence are beginning to call those ships
out there, the fleet that came to stay and stay
and stay at sea. Well, I agree with it isn't
a very good joke, nothing funny about two hundred and
(02:54):
fifty ships steaming around in circles waiting to get into
Unsan Harbor.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Our job is to make sure.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
They do get in, Oh, Command of the map, Yes, sir,
are you men on the port want to get in
closer now here between the fleet and the shore mines?
We don't know what kind of minds, but we do
know that all of these anchorages and approaches will have
to be swept clear, Sir, Yesterday would have been a
(03:22):
good time to had the job finished. We have twenty
thousand troops packed in the space that would be close
quarters for half as many.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
That kind of thing isn't very good on the nerves.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Matter of fact, those Marines who are calling this operation
yo yo, they may have something of that.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Right now.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
There is effectively out of combat as if they were
still training in North Carolina. Gentlemen, Our assault sweep in
the one Sound Harbor will commence at zero six point thirty,
and that's the way it started. Assault sweep definition. An
(04:00):
assault sweep is just a polite, official gobbly gook for
busting through a minefield in spite of anything.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
A few notes here about mines.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
They're different kinds A contact mine floats on top of
the water and explodes when it touches a ship. And
there's another kind that just sits on the bottom and
gets triggered by a ship's magnetic field magnetic mind And
if you.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
Don't like those, try yourself.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
An acoustic mind dandy detonates from a ship's vibration. Or
there's a pressure mine that just goes off when a
ship passes above it. And if you aren't satisfied with
the way they blow up, there just might be a
couple of guys on the beach controlling all of them.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
With an electric cable. Oh yeah, one more thing.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
For every kind of mine, there's a different sweeping operation,
So go sweep mines.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
What's the cobb twenty one mind? So far, sir? No casualties.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
That's encouraging. Let's see we're in here. That means we've
already cleared a channel three thousand yards wide, one hundred
fathom curved to the thirty fathom curve, and we may
get those marines in actions sooner than we expected.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
This keeps up. Helicopter's a big help, sir.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Well, it's something new in mind sweeping flying low ahead
of the lead sweeper.
Speaker 5 (05:24):
Yeah, it's a pilot's radio, sir, I think he spotted something.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
Give me those phones.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Yes, sharply angled mind line directly ahead of lead sweep.
Another line just beyond that. Another another order that lead
sweep to come about is Isaac. The pilot had found
(05:49):
five mind lines inside the thirty fathom curve, and with
only ten sweepers working, that was a little more than
we'd bargained for. We didn't lose any shipping that first day.
We didn't get an inch closer to once on Harbor
(06:30):
at zero nine hundred. The following day we tried something
else that was new in mind sweeping. The fly fly
boys faced off at six.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
Hundred yard and a wolds and came roaring in at.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Fifteen hundred feet floaded with bombs and rockets object to
try and blast a channel for the sweepers.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
It was quite a.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Sight, a five mile column of aeroplanes dropping their goodies
into the water on time signals. I've just reported that
(07:08):
the aerial countermining operation is complete. It's up to us
to find out whether or not at work. A hard
way horses two four eight speed eight knots proceed as plan.
Lieutenant hired about the Pirates, sir, we're preceding his ordered.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
The Pirate was the.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Lead ship in the formation. The whole fleet watched as
she edged out and headed for the waters.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
That had been raked by the planes.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Not far behind came the Pledge and the Incredible and
the Redhead, all trailing their sweeping gear, all anxious to
get a job done, one at a time. They turned
to pass between the islands.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
We are now entering unswept waters. Will it works there?
I hope?
Speaker 5 (07:54):
So are there any minds in those waters? The bombs
and rocket should have done some good.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Yeah, well, we'll know in a minute. So we lost
(08:32):
the Pirate from the Pledge that day.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
Aerial countermining had been an.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Experiment, another good idea that didn't work. Information learn, there's
no shortcut to mind sweeping cigaret dog, thank you, sir.
(08:58):
For the last twenty hours, the Sleek commander has been
asking can we land as schedule?
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Can we land tomorrow? If not tomorrow? And I know, Sir, I.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Can't answer him till I get some answers myself.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
We know their.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Influence minds, but we don't know what kind magnetic contact
or what or how many or where they place we've
got to have this information so we'll know how to
sweep and so I can give the fleet commander an
accurate answer. Well, all set, sir, good luck, don thank
you sir.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
All right, sailor shove off, Hi, easac hold the course,
holding the courses? Big pardon? Si? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (09:45):
How far in can we go? Sit until we get
to the end of those mark lines. I'll swim it
from there.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Doesn't always go like this.
Speaker 5 (09:52):
I mean, we've tried about everything to get those ships
into down Harbary.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
Nothing seems to work in that way. Sometimes. How long
you've been in the navy? Sun?
Speaker 5 (10:01):
Well, it was my first time out, but eighteen months
now was it?
Speaker 4 (10:05):
What'd you do before that? High school? Sir? Could I
ask how long you've been in the navy? Well? I
started out as a seaman. Let's see twenty years.
Speaker 5 (10:14):
Now, and that's a good long time. Have you always
been looking for things? I mean, mine's weeting fourteen years ago?
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Okay, got them?
Speaker 5 (10:20):
I eyes.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
When I'm clear, take her back and follow the cans, yes, sir, Well,
so long, good luck, sir. It took me half an
hour to swim the rest of the way. A couple
of times my legs brushed against the mines more no
(10:47):
more than two feet below the surface. When I finally
got onto shore, there was a welcoming committee waiting for
me about twelve Korean fishermen.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
Hey you're there.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Hey, Hello, you you speak any English?
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Do you hear me?
Speaker 1 (11:12):
Do you speak any English? I say, do any of
you speak English?
Speaker 6 (11:19):
Young Yankee?
Speaker 4 (11:22):
That's right, I'm a Yankee. Do you speak English?
Speaker 5 (11:27):
Me?
Speaker 1 (11:29):
He yeah, yeah, you're a fisherman. Then maybe you can
help me get the information I need. I'm from that
ship out there, understand, h In order to land all
those boats, we have to find out what kind of
mines are in these waters?
Speaker 4 (11:43):
Where they're located? How many?
Speaker 1 (11:47):
Can you tell me anything about them? Can you tell
me who laid them?
Speaker 4 (11:52):
Do you understand? Was there.
Speaker 6 (11:59):
Men who.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Lay mind in?
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Yeah? Yeah, that's it.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
It took a lot of men and boats to mine
that whole area. The Communs had to have help. Now
who helped them?
Speaker 6 (12:11):
Sampan man or a sampan man help? Soldier?
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Say help?
Speaker 4 (12:21):
The soldiers made the Sampan boats help? Huh?
Speaker 1 (12:23):
Well, then a sampan's skipper can tell me what I
want to know? Where can I find one?
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (12:28):
Gode, what no anything, Sogia kir or sampan Man.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Auto Light is bringing you, mister William Holden in Needle
in the Haystack, The true story of the United States
Navy's operations in One Slawn Harbor in October nineteen fifty
one Tonight's presentation Radio's Outstanding Theater of Frills Suspense, Say half,
(13:13):
did you ever hear about a person buying cigarettes without
asking for a particular brand? Oh well, some of those
same folks accept replacement parts for their car's electrical systems
without even asking the name you mean.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
They don't insist on parts exactly like those specified by
the car manufacturer. Believe it or not have, then how
can they be sure to get peak performance?
Speaker 1 (13:34):
They can't be sure. And here's why. Auto Light designs
and builds complete electrical systems for many leading makes of
our finest cars, and every autolite unit like the coil distributor,
generator and others, is related by Auto Light design and
manufacturing skill to work perfectly with every other autolite part.
So when a replacement is needed, it should be an
(13:55):
autolite original service part to assure smooth, safe, and economic performance.
So know what you get eh Harnold Wright half and
in an auto light equipped car, it pays to get
only auto light original service parts. See your car dealer
or authorized auto light service station, because from bumper to
tail light, you're always right with auto light. And now
(14:18):
auto light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage, mister William
Holden in Elliot Lewis's production of Needle in the Haystack,
A prof report, well calculated to keep you in suspense.
Speaker 4 (14:44):
What kind of minds are sinking our ships? How many?
Where are they? All?
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Tough questions and tougher to answer. The one sound fisherman
said there was no such thing. All the answers had
been killed off. I tried another source.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Road water is in the friendly city of one Son,
Commander of the forest. Yes, Lieutenant Ching, sit down free,
Thank you. Sorry so I kept you waiting. It's been
busy here.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Yes, I noticed they leave slowly. I seem to we'd
like to speed that up a little bit.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
I know you want to get those ships in the harbor.
What can I do?
Speaker 4 (15:24):
Well? You can find me a Sampan boat.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Skipper who knows all about the mind laying job you
have done to the water.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Fun Yes, I have.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
Then you know that all who helped have been killed
or taken away.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
I thought there might be one something five miles.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Lot off here. There is supposed to be a mining
before the.
Speaker 4 (15:39):
Youth, or maybe we can find out something there.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
They are still there.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
You realize huh huh, And I have to take that risk.
Can I get some kind of transportation? We have a
jip good any chance of borrowing somebody As an interpreter.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
I am as anxious as you are to secure this harbor.
I will go with you.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Commander Sing was dog tired and nervous and a little
trigger happy. As we drove over the roughest road in
North Korea. He sat with a pistol and a rifle,
ready to handle anything. About fifteen miles out of wan Soan,
we came to a village, a place of about a
(16:19):
thousand people or so. When they heard the sound of
our motor, they scattered in all directions. By the time
we pulled to a stop, there wasn't a soul in
sight except a little girl about five years old. Well, hey,
wait where you're going?
Speaker 3 (16:35):
We recruited him.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Oh no, let's let's try this little lady with the
muddy face First, our kids are the same all over
the world, at least I think they are.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
Come on, leave that rifle here.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
It is not well.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Okay, Hello there, honey, what your name?
Speaker 4 (17:01):
Do you ask her?
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Scene the young guy peak.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
I guess she's a little scared, yang guy A pick. No,
don't ask her anymore. She's scared of you as she
is a me.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
I have something here for you, honey. Here here candy
for you. Go ahead, take it here, do you honey?
Speaker 4 (17:31):
Well? At least the candy was a hit.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
This is no way to handle these people.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Come out of what do you want to do things?
Start pumping bullets into them.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
They have no flag above the village. We do not
know whether they are friendly or not. We are taking
unnecessary chance. You do not like it.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
Something should happened pretty soon over there. Get your hand
off at side on. Maybe that candy work. The old
gent's coming over to us. See what you know? I smile.
We'll do it now. What does he want us to do?
Speaker 3 (18:10):
He wished us to follow him over there. The wood
in the house.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
Looks like some kind of meeting hall.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
Come on, it might not be advisable.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Not things happened to us.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Yet whole places.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
You're turning out to see. What's what?
Speaker 3 (18:29):
They see? My rifle in the gyp?
Speaker 4 (18:33):
Can you get any of that?
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Not much? Something about stranger? Uh, little guns or swords
on the walls. It must be friendly, but do not
count on it. Command.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
He wants us inside and inside.
Speaker 5 (18:57):
Will go.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Now.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
But the bossman of the villas, telling that we've.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Come here, Why old this sir?
Speaker 6 (19:10):
Join comony party? He kills his mother and two sister
because they're no joined. He tried to kill me but failed.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
What you want, I'm not here to hurt anyone, sir.
I'm a member of the UN forces that have come
to North Korea to help restore this country. But before
that I need your help, sir. You and yes, United Nations, they.
Speaker 6 (19:44):
Will have changed many things. Yesterday it seemed the communist
might win today the UN tomorrow, My people, no not.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
We must speak before we decide to help.
Speaker 6 (20:05):
Whoever did that.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
They had a council meeting and everybody who was anybody
in the village got in on it. They discussed how
we'd come in, why we were there, and what we wanted,
and most of all the candy bar I had given
the little girl. In the end, the candy bar won
the old man with his black robe, and white Beard
said that they would give us.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
Any help that we needed. Then he gave another order.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
And a few minutes later a group of men brought
in a tall, rangy looking character who didn't like it
one bit.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
What's all this?
Speaker 3 (20:44):
I do not know? A man's name is fan heath.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
A while of us there is.
Speaker 6 (20:53):
And sim I sit up unham down.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Didn't felling them and he will not give.
Speaker 6 (21:04):
He didn't know that.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 6 (21:08):
You talk to son. He the only ones left alive.
He escaped is the same his sir, Yes, he helped
Russian friends mine make mine? What's then? He him dam
(21:30):
fan man h.
Speaker 7 (21:38):
Kidd loel soon something chim for your tot so hey
chu balon so calso of that ad on cuts to
you know you eat that? He could soon He also
know my anka killer old chalmot.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
No not chunks.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Uh. The power junks pulled sometimes loaded with mine. Sometimes
the junks laid their mind in a curve. When that happens,
the sometimes skip away shot.
Speaker 4 (22:15):
Ask how I got away?
Speaker 3 (22:17):
Uh? Uh?
Speaker 8 (22:20):
Yupsup Nika noa could clock. He jumped from his ship.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
And swam ashore. He's trying a boy. How many junks
did they used?
Speaker 8 (22:33):
Took see something the okay thoty two because you know
how many minds.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
Cook Kiroica al manau Nika.
Speaker 7 (22:48):
And cook I a cabouk and I soap Nika.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
He says three thousand.
Speaker 7 (22:55):
Nika cookout shul hamn that Neka and act sop that he.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Knows where they are.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
He will show you well, God will take you up
on that old boy. Where do you get your first
ride in a helicopter over the harbor? Now for the
sixty four dollar questions saying what kind of mine is
magnetic contact or what?
Speaker 7 (23:15):
Ma sun chung you kirovnika what kiroi Imnida.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
Tells uk chakroi.
Speaker 4 (23:30):
Mine is a mind to him, but he knew everything else.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
Ma sun chung you kiroi inika.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Okay kiroi, saying that's that information vital.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
We got to know what kind so we know how
to sweep stret.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
Yet here have a smoke question. You were great while
you last night?
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Ah, donkey, don keep what no.
Speaker 4 (24:02):
Tell him to wait here.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
We're going to find that mining depo who you were
talking about, and we're going to find out what kind.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
Of mines they used.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
The road to the abandoned mine depot followed a narrow
gage railroad. All along the way there were bunkers and barricades,
indicating that the area had been heavily guarded. Now and
then we passed camp sites where communist guerrillas had recently
been Snipers fired at us from both sides of the road,
but we didn't make any stops until we got to
the abandoned mine. When we stopped in front of the
(24:38):
thick concrete entrances, I forgot all about the trouble weed
had in getting there.
Speaker 4 (24:42):
And ran for the nearest one. No flooded, Yeah, they
must have flooded it before they left.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Then there's no way to find any parts, any plans
that will tell you what kind of mind were. So
we'll hear nothing.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
The whole thing's are busting.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
Trying to find anything in that water would be like
trying to find a needle in.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
That pile of hay over there. Now, what would a
pile of dry hay be doing on this upper level?
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Why I have packed things in the pack, cartons of coils,
detonating parts.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
Well, what do you know, mine?
Speaker 1 (25:33):
You bet your life the eye and nose of an
eighteen hundred pound magnetic mind magnetic Yeah, saying you can
tell your friends that we found a needle in a haystack.
(25:54):
The landing was held up to allow the mind sweepers
to clear all channels. The beach was finally turned over
the troops and twenty two thousand men went ashore in
two days with no losss. Before the end of the week,
the tenth Corps was ashore with fifty thousand men.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
Operation Yo Yo was over. The long March to the
Yallow had begun.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Suspense prevented by Autolite. The Light Star Mister William Holden.
This is Harlow Wilcox speaking for Autolite, the world's largest
independent manufacturer of automotive electrical equipment. In twenty eight plants
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(26:53):
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Speaker 4 (27:10):
For all auto Light electrical systems.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Auto Light is proud to serve the greatest names in
the industry, So from bumber to tail light, you're always
right with Autolite. Next week, it will be our pleasure
to present part one of the first detective story ever written,
a tale considered by many to be the greatest ever written.
(27:36):
Wilkie Collins The Moonstone. Our star mister Peter Lawford. That's
next week on Suspense. Suspense is transcribed and directed by
Elliot Lewis. The music composed by Lucian Morwick and conducted
by lud Gluskin.
Speaker 4 (27:54):
Needle In the Haystack was adapted for suspense by.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
E Jack Newman from Captain Wilbercarrig's Battle Report featured the
night's cast for Joseph Kerns, Jack Brushin, Ben Wright, Steve Roberts,
David Young, Bert Holland and Ted List. William Holden will
shortly be seen co starring with Ginger Rogers and Paul
Douglass in Paramount's new comedy Forever Female and Remember Next
(28:17):
Week mister Peter Lawford in Part one The Wilkie Collins
The Moonstone. You can buy auto Light original service parks
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(28:38):
switch to auto light.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
Good Night.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
This is the CBS Radio network.
Auto light and it's ninety eight thousand dealers bring you,
mister William Holden. In Tonight's presentation of suspense, Tonight Auto
Light presents a true story taken from Captain Walter Kerrigg's
Battle Report Korea, the facts concerning the United States Navy's
(00:26):
mind clearing operations in one sawn Harbor in October nineteen
fifty one. Needle in the haystack, Our star, mister William Holden,
Hi have will you have a cigarette?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Who?
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Now? Thanks? Here?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
You'll prefer my own brain?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Hey?
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Did you ever think about all the people who feel
like you do about cigarettes, but on something it has
to do with the safety and performance of their car,
they take a substitute and don't know the difference.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
What do you mean?
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Well? For example, many makes of cars have auto light
electrical systems as original equipment, right, But if replacements are needed,
do the owners of those auto light equipped cars insist
on auto light original service parts exactly the same as
those specified by the car manufacturing?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Well, I sure would, Harlow. I wouldn't take a chance
on any part not designed to do the.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Job right, And your wise hat friends, selecting a cigarette
is a matter of taste, but selecting a replacement part
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(01:36):
light service station. And remember, from bumper to tail light,
you're always right with Auto Light. And now auto Light
Presents transcribe the true story of the United States Navy's
actions in One Son Harbor in October nineteen fifty one
Needle in the Haystack, starring mister William Holden, hoping once
again to keep you in suspense. During the last war,
(02:09):
we never tried to sweep even small harbor with less
than thirty sweepers. At Okinawa, for instance, we used one hundred,
At Normandy three hundred, and at good old wan San
as big or bigger than any of them.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
We started in with ten.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Man.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Attention men, Captains Popper, carry on smoking lamps lit, make
yourself comfortable. The correspondence are beginning to call those ships
out there, the fleet that came to stay and stay
and stay at sea. Well, I agree with it isn't
a very good joke, nothing funny about two hundred and
(02:54):
fifty ships steaming around in circles waiting to get into
Unsan Harbor.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Our job is to make sure.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
They do get in, Oh, Command of the map, Yes, sir,
are you men on the port want to get in
closer now here between the fleet and the shore mines?
We don't know what kind of minds, but we do
know that all of these anchorages and approaches will have
to be swept clear, Sir, Yesterday would have been a
(03:22):
good time to had the job finished. We have twenty
thousand troops packed in the space that would be close
quarters for half as many.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
That kind of thing isn't very good on the nerves.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Matter of fact, those Marines who are calling this operation
yo yo, they may have something of that.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Right now.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
There is effectively out of combat as if they were
still training in North Carolina. Gentlemen, Our assault sweep in
the one Sound Harbor will commence at zero six point thirty,
and that's the way it started. Assault sweep definition. An
(04:00):
assault sweep is just a polite, official gobbly gook for
busting through a minefield in spite of anything.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
A few notes here about mines.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
They're different kinds A contact mine floats on top of
the water and explodes when it touches a ship. And
there's another kind that just sits on the bottom and
gets triggered by a ship's magnetic field magnetic mind And
if you.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
Don't like those, try yourself.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
An acoustic mind dandy detonates from a ship's vibration. Or
there's a pressure mine that just goes off when a
ship passes above it. And if you aren't satisfied with
the way they blow up, there just might be a
couple of guys on the beach controlling all of them.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
With an electric cable. Oh yeah, one more thing.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
For every kind of mine, there's a different sweeping operation,
So go sweep mines.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
What's the cobb twenty one mind? So far, sir? No casualties.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
That's encouraging. Let's see we're in here. That means we've
already cleared a channel three thousand yards wide, one hundred
fathom curved to the thirty fathom curve, and we may
get those marines in actions sooner than we expected.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
This keeps up. Helicopter's a big help, sir.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Well, it's something new in mind sweeping flying low ahead
of the lead sweeper.
Speaker 5 (05:24):
Yeah, it's a pilot's radio, sir, I think he spotted something.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
Give me those phones.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Yes, sharply angled mind line directly ahead of lead sweep.
Another line just beyond that. Another another order that lead
sweep to come about is Isaac. The pilot had found
(05:49):
five mind lines inside the thirty fathom curve, and with
only ten sweepers working, that was a little more than
we'd bargained for. We didn't lose any shipping that first day.
We didn't get an inch closer to once on Harbor
(06:30):
at zero nine hundred. The following day we tried something
else that was new in mind sweeping. The fly fly
boys faced off at six.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
Hundred yard and a wolds and came roaring in at.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Fifteen hundred feet floaded with bombs and rockets object to
try and blast a channel for the sweepers.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
It was quite a.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Sight, a five mile column of aeroplanes dropping their goodies
into the water on time signals. I've just reported that
(07:08):
the aerial countermining operation is complete. It's up to us
to find out whether or not at work. A hard
way horses two four eight speed eight knots proceed as plan.
Lieutenant hired about the Pirates, sir, we're preceding his ordered.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
The Pirate was the.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Lead ship in the formation. The whole fleet watched as
she edged out and headed for the waters.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
That had been raked by the planes.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Not far behind came the Pledge and the Incredible and
the Redhead, all trailing their sweeping gear, all anxious to
get a job done, one at a time. They turned
to pass between the islands.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
We are now entering unswept waters. Will it works there?
I hope?
Speaker 5 (07:54):
So are there any minds in those waters? The bombs
and rocket should have done some good.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Yeah, well, we'll know in a minute. So we lost
(08:32):
the Pirate from the Pledge that day.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
Aerial countermining had been an.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Experiment, another good idea that didn't work. Information learn, there's
no shortcut to mind sweeping cigaret dog, thank you, sir.
(08:58):
For the last twenty hours, the Sleek commander has been
asking can we land as schedule?
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Can we land tomorrow? If not tomorrow? And I know, Sir, I.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Can't answer him till I get some answers myself.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
We know their.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Influence minds, but we don't know what kind magnetic contact
or what or how many or where they place we've
got to have this information so we'll know how to
sweep and so I can give the fleet commander an
accurate answer. Well, all set, sir, good luck, don thank
you sir.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
All right, sailor shove off, Hi, easac hold the course,
holding the courses? Big pardon? Si? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (09:45):
How far in can we go? Sit until we get
to the end of those mark lines. I'll swim it
from there.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Doesn't always go like this.
Speaker 5 (09:52):
I mean, we've tried about everything to get those ships
into down Harbary.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
Nothing seems to work in that way. Sometimes. How long
you've been in the navy? Sun?
Speaker 5 (10:01):
Well, it was my first time out, but eighteen months
now was it?
Speaker 4 (10:05):
What'd you do before that? High school? Sir? Could I
ask how long you've been in the navy? Well? I
started out as a seaman. Let's see twenty years.
Speaker 5 (10:14):
Now, and that's a good long time. Have you always
been looking for things? I mean, mine's weeting fourteen years ago?
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Okay, got them?
Speaker 5 (10:20):
I eyes.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
When I'm clear, take her back and follow the cans, yes, sir, Well,
so long, good luck, sir. It took me half an
hour to swim the rest of the way. A couple
of times my legs brushed against the mines more no
(10:47):
more than two feet below the surface. When I finally
got onto shore, there was a welcoming committee waiting for
me about twelve Korean fishermen.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
Hey you're there.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Hey, Hello, you you speak any English?
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Do you hear me?
Speaker 1 (11:12):
Do you speak any English? I say, do any of
you speak English?
Speaker 6 (11:19):
Young Yankee?
Speaker 4 (11:22):
That's right, I'm a Yankee. Do you speak English?
Speaker 5 (11:27):
Me?
Speaker 1 (11:29):
He yeah, yeah, you're a fisherman. Then maybe you can
help me get the information I need. I'm from that
ship out there, understand, h In order to land all
those boats, we have to find out what kind of
mines are in these waters?
Speaker 4 (11:43):
Where they're located? How many?
Speaker 1 (11:47):
Can you tell me anything about them? Can you tell
me who laid them?
Speaker 4 (11:52):
Do you understand? Was there.
Speaker 6 (11:59):
Men who.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Lay mind in?
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Yeah? Yeah, that's it.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
It took a lot of men and boats to mine
that whole area. The Communs had to have help. Now
who helped them?
Speaker 6 (12:11):
Sampan man or a sampan man help? Soldier?
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Say help?
Speaker 4 (12:21):
The soldiers made the Sampan boats help? Huh?
Speaker 1 (12:23):
Well, then a sampan's skipper can tell me what I
want to know? Where can I find one?
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (12:28):
Gode, what no anything, Sogia kir or sampan Man.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Auto Light is bringing you, mister William Holden in Needle
in the Haystack, The true story of the United States
Navy's operations in One Slawn Harbor in October nineteen fifty
one Tonight's presentation Radio's Outstanding Theater of Frills Suspense, Say half,
(13:13):
did you ever hear about a person buying cigarettes without
asking for a particular brand? Oh well, some of those
same folks accept replacement parts for their car's electrical systems
without even asking the name you mean.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
They don't insist on parts exactly like those specified by
the car manufacturer. Believe it or not have, then how
can they be sure to get peak performance?
Speaker 1 (13:34):
They can't be sure. And here's why. Auto Light designs
and builds complete electrical systems for many leading makes of
our finest cars, and every autolite unit like the coil distributor,
generator and others, is related by Auto Light design and
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So when a replacement is needed, it should be an
(13:55):
autolite original service part to assure smooth, safe, and economic performance.
So know what you get eh Harnold Wright half and
in an auto light equipped car, it pays to get
only auto light original service parts. See your car dealer
or authorized auto light service station, because from bumper to
tail light, you're always right with auto light. And now
(14:18):
auto light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage, mister William
Holden in Elliot Lewis's production of Needle in the Haystack,
A prof report, well calculated to keep you in suspense.
Speaker 4 (14:44):
What kind of minds are sinking our ships? How many?
Where are they? All?
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Tough questions and tougher to answer. The one sound fisherman
said there was no such thing. All the answers had
been killed off. I tried another source.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Road water is in the friendly city of one Son,
Commander of the forest. Yes, Lieutenant Ching, sit down free,
Thank you. Sorry so I kept you waiting. It's been
busy here.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Yes, I noticed they leave slowly. I seem to we'd
like to speed that up a little bit.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
I know you want to get those ships in the harbor.
What can I do?
Speaker 4 (15:24):
Well? You can find me a Sampan boat.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Skipper who knows all about the mind laying job you
have done to the water.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Fun Yes, I have.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
Then you know that all who helped have been killed
or taken away.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
I thought there might be one something five miles.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Lot off here. There is supposed to be a mining
before the.
Speaker 4 (15:39):
Youth, or maybe we can find out something there.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
They are still there.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
You realize huh huh, And I have to take that risk.
Can I get some kind of transportation? We have a
jip good any chance of borrowing somebody As an interpreter.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
I am as anxious as you are to secure this harbor.
I will go with you.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Commander Sing was dog tired and nervous and a little
trigger happy. As we drove over the roughest road in
North Korea. He sat with a pistol and a rifle,
ready to handle anything. About fifteen miles out of wan Soan,
we came to a village, a place of about a
(16:19):
thousand people or so. When they heard the sound of
our motor, they scattered in all directions. By the time
we pulled to a stop, there wasn't a soul in
sight except a little girl about five years old. Well, hey,
wait where you're going?
Speaker 3 (16:35):
We recruited him.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Oh no, let's let's try this little lady with the
muddy face First, our kids are the same all over
the world, at least I think they are.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
Come on, leave that rifle here.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
It is not well.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Okay, Hello there, honey, what your name?
Speaker 4 (17:01):
Do you ask her?
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Scene the young guy peak.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
I guess she's a little scared, yang guy A pick. No,
don't ask her anymore. She's scared of you as she
is a me.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
I have something here for you, honey. Here here candy
for you. Go ahead, take it here, do you honey?
Speaker 4 (17:31):
Well? At least the candy was a hit.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
This is no way to handle these people.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Come out of what do you want to do things?
Start pumping bullets into them.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
They have no flag above the village. We do not
know whether they are friendly or not. We are taking
unnecessary chance. You do not like it.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
Something should happened pretty soon over there. Get your hand
off at side on. Maybe that candy work. The old
gent's coming over to us. See what you know? I smile.
We'll do it now. What does he want us to do?
Speaker 3 (18:10):
He wished us to follow him over there. The wood
in the house.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
Looks like some kind of meeting hall.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
Come on, it might not be advisable.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Not things happened to us.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Yet whole places.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
You're turning out to see. What's what?
Speaker 3 (18:29):
They see? My rifle in the gyp?
Speaker 4 (18:33):
Can you get any of that?
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Not much? Something about stranger? Uh, little guns or swords
on the walls. It must be friendly, but do not
count on it. Command.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
He wants us inside and inside.
Speaker 5 (18:57):
Will go.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Now.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
But the bossman of the villas, telling that we've.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Come here, Why old this sir?
Speaker 6 (19:10):
Join comony party? He kills his mother and two sister
because they're no joined. He tried to kill me but failed.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
What you want, I'm not here to hurt anyone, sir.
I'm a member of the UN forces that have come
to North Korea to help restore this country. But before
that I need your help, sir. You and yes, United Nations, they.
Speaker 6 (19:44):
Will have changed many things. Yesterday it seemed the communist
might win today the UN tomorrow, My people, no not.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
We must speak before we decide to help.
Speaker 6 (20:05):
Whoever did that.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
They had a council meeting and everybody who was anybody
in the village got in on it. They discussed how
we'd come in, why we were there, and what we wanted,
and most of all the candy bar I had given
the little girl. In the end, the candy bar won
the old man with his black robe, and white Beard
said that they would give us.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
Any help that we needed. Then he gave another order.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
And a few minutes later a group of men brought
in a tall, rangy looking character who didn't like it
one bit.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
What's all this?
Speaker 3 (20:44):
I do not know? A man's name is fan heath.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
A while of us there is.
Speaker 6 (20:53):
And sim I sit up unham down.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Didn't felling them and he will not give.
Speaker 6 (21:04):
He didn't know that.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 6 (21:08):
You talk to son. He the only ones left alive.
He escaped is the same his sir, Yes, he helped
Russian friends mine make mine? What's then? He him dam
(21:30):
fan man h.
Speaker 7 (21:38):
Kidd loel soon something chim for your tot so hey
chu balon so calso of that ad on cuts to
you know you eat that? He could soon He also
know my anka killer old chalmot.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
No not chunks.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Uh. The power junks pulled sometimes loaded with mine. Sometimes
the junks laid their mind in a curve. When that happens,
the sometimes skip away shot.
Speaker 4 (22:15):
Ask how I got away?
Speaker 3 (22:17):
Uh? Uh?
Speaker 8 (22:20):
Yupsup Nika noa could clock. He jumped from his ship.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
And swam ashore. He's trying a boy. How many junks
did they used?
Speaker 8 (22:33):
Took see something the okay thoty two because you know
how many minds.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
Cook Kiroica al manau Nika.
Speaker 7 (22:48):
And cook I a cabouk and I soap Nika.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
He says three thousand.
Speaker 7 (22:55):
Nika cookout shul hamn that Neka and act sop that he.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Knows where they are.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
He will show you well, God will take you up
on that old boy. Where do you get your first
ride in a helicopter over the harbor? Now for the
sixty four dollar questions saying what kind of mine is
magnetic contact or what?
Speaker 7 (23:15):
Ma sun chung you kirovnika what kiroi Imnida.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
Tells uk chakroi.
Speaker 4 (23:30):
Mine is a mind to him, but he knew everything else.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
Ma sun chung you kiroi inika.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Okay kiroi, saying that's that information vital.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
We got to know what kind so we know how
to sweep stret.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
Yet here have a smoke question. You were great while
you last night?
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Ah, donkey, don keep what no.
Speaker 4 (24:02):
Tell him to wait here.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
We're going to find that mining depo who you were
talking about, and we're going to find out what kind.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
Of mines they used.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
The road to the abandoned mine depot followed a narrow
gage railroad. All along the way there were bunkers and barricades,
indicating that the area had been heavily guarded. Now and
then we passed camp sites where communist guerrillas had recently
been Snipers fired at us from both sides of the road,
but we didn't make any stops until we got to
the abandoned mine. When we stopped in front of the
(24:38):
thick concrete entrances, I forgot all about the trouble weed
had in getting there.
Speaker 4 (24:42):
And ran for the nearest one. No flooded, Yeah, they
must have flooded it before they left.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Then there's no way to find any parts, any plans
that will tell you what kind of mind were. So
we'll hear nothing.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
The whole thing's are busting.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
Trying to find anything in that water would be like
trying to find a needle in.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
That pile of hay over there. Now, what would a
pile of dry hay be doing on this upper level?
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Why I have packed things in the pack, cartons of coils,
detonating parts.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
Well, what do you know, mine?
Speaker 1 (25:33):
You bet your life the eye and nose of an
eighteen hundred pound magnetic mind magnetic Yeah, saying you can
tell your friends that we found a needle in a haystack.
(25:54):
The landing was held up to allow the mind sweepers
to clear all channels. The beach was finally turned over
the troops and twenty two thousand men went ashore in
two days with no losss. Before the end of the week,
the tenth Corps was ashore with fifty thousand men.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
Operation Yo Yo was over. The long March to the
Yallow had begun.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Suspense prevented by Autolite. The Light Star Mister William Holden.
This is Harlow Wilcox speaking for Autolite, the world's largest
independent manufacturer of automotive electrical equipment. In twenty eight plants
from coast to coast. Auto Light makes over four hundred
products for cars, trucks, tractors, planes, boats, and industries. These
(26:53):
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Autolite Bullseye sealed beam units, and auto Light original service parts.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
For all auto Light electrical systems.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Auto Light is proud to serve the greatest names in
the industry, So from bumber to tail light, you're always
right with Autolite. Next week, it will be our pleasure
to present part one of the first detective story ever written,
a tale considered by many to be the greatest ever written.
(27:36):
Wilkie Collins The Moonstone. Our star mister Peter Lawford. That's
next week on Suspense. Suspense is transcribed and directed by
Elliot Lewis. The music composed by Lucian Morwick and conducted
by lud Gluskin.
Speaker 4 (27:54):
Needle In the Haystack was adapted for suspense by.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
E Jack Newman from Captain Wilbercarrig's Battle Report featured the
night's cast for Joseph Kerns, Jack Brushin, Ben Wright, Steve Roberts,
David Young, Bert Holland and Ted List. William Holden will
shortly be seen co starring with Ginger Rogers and Paul
Douglass in Paramount's new comedy Forever Female and Remember Next
(28:17):
Week mister Peter Lawford in Part one The Wilkie Collins
The Moonstone. You can buy auto Light original service parks
auto light standard or resist the type spot plugs at
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(28:38):
switch to auto light.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
Good Night.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
This is the CBS Radio network.
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