Are you willing to undertake a dangerous mission behind the enemy lines, knowing you may never
return alive?
What you have just heard is the question asked during the war to agents of the OSS, ordinary
citizens who to this question answered, yes.
This is Cloak and Dagger.
Black warfare, espionage, international intrigue, these are the weapons of the OSS.
Today's adventure, Norwegian incident, is suggested by an actual incident recorded in
the Washington files of the Office of Strategic Services.
A story that can now be told.
It was quite a jump from being an associate professor at Wisconsin to the red dust of
Camp Rooker.
But like most of the guys, I just got used to it.
I got used to the clothes, the food, they let me lie in it a while longer.
I might even have gotten used to that army cut.
Hey Anderson, you awake?
Come on, get up.
That's what I like about the army.
Everybody's so considerate.
Come on, come on, the captain wants to see you.
You too, Ferrillo.
Snap to it and get your clothes on.
Hey, what's it all about?
How should I know?
Ask Private Ferrillo, he's the guy with all the answers.
What'd you do now, Pete?
Nothing.
If the captain wants to see us at this time of the night, you must have pulled a beauty.
Are you nuts?
The captain's a pal of mine.
Probably wants to know if I'm awake.
Gentlemen, what I'm about to say is confidential.
Just between the three of us.
If you refuse my offer, it will not be counted against you, nor will it go onto your record.
I understand, sir.
The Office of Strategic Services has requested both of you.
Well, I accept.
I've always dreamt of having an office job with a pretty wife for a secretary.
I'm afraid you don't understand.
Have a cigarette?
Huh?
Oh, thanks.
You see, the job of the OSS is to disrupt enemy activity in every way possible.
And one of their most effective methods is to drop men behind enemy lines.
Oh, me?
May I ask why I've been requested, sir?
Well, I understand, Corporal Anderson, your parents come from Norway and that you speak
the language.
Yes, sir.
I've spent most of my last ten summers in Norway.
But why me?
I have a tough time with English.
Well, according to your record for Relo, you were a sandhog.
Well, yes, sir.
In cities, I was a demolition expert.
So naturally, the Army put me in the infantry.
Sir?
Yes.
Now, this job is strictly volunteer.
If you want me to leave you alone for a few minutes...
I won't be necessary, Captain.
I should have wise that when you give me the cigarette, Captain, every time I get something
for nothing from an officer, I end up in trouble.
Basic training turned out to be a maypole dance compared to the grind that the OSS put
us through.
Since we've been kids, the word sportsmanship had been drilled into us.
Well, the OSS kicked it out.
The other team was playing dirty pool and we had to go by their rules.
Jagged edge of a bottle, stiff fingers in the eye, a knee in the groin, the flat of
a hand across the neck became close friends of ours.
We slept on the flight across the Atlantic and finally arrived in London.
Gentlemen, I will outline your mission to you.
You may have some hours.
You're going to Norway.
Will you step over to this map, please?
What are you saying?
Shut up.
A PT boat will take you out tonight.
Tonight?
In about two hours.
You will land at this point.
You know the territory, Captain Corporal?
Yes, sir.
My family came from a village not far from there.
You're going to study these aerial photographs later.
There's plenty of cover.
Now here is your mission.
This red line, north to the south, is the main line of supply.
At this point, there's a bridge which you are to blow up.
Well, that shouldn't be tough.
Blowing it up?
No.
However, 500 yards from the bridge, right here, there's a German company barracks.
The bridge is well protected.
It's up to you to figure out a way to dynamite it.
Well, how about our Norwegian contact?
Who's going to meet us?
Well, when you hit the shore, take cover.
At precisely 11 o'clock, a man will be strolling down the beach.
Stop him, ask him how the fishing is.
He'll answer, not too good in winter.
From then on, you're in his hands.
You, Anderson, are his nephew, and you, Fiorello, are his cousin.
Yeah, but I can't speak Norwegian.
You will not say anything at any time.
You will be known as the dumb one.
What?
Well, the real call, the dumb one, goes back to childhood disease.
Oh, now, where are you going?
Now, goodbye, gentlemen, and good luck.
They flew us to the north of England, hustled us on a boat, and tore off for the coast of
Norway.
I briefed Pete on the terrain, everything I knew about the bridge.
We studied the photographs and rehearsed the parts we were to play.
The clothes we were given smelled of fish.
They'd been made in Oslo, worn by a Norwegian, and probably picked up in a hawk shop in the
Bowery.
But we felt the boat slow down, and Pete and I went topside to get our first glimpse of
Norway.
This is as close as we can get, gentlemen.
Now, one of my men will row you the rest of the way and return with the boat.
That's just Andy.
How do we get back?
According to my orders, you have five days to do your job.
On the fifth and sixth nights, we will return at 0200.
Fifth and sixth nights?
You will signal us from the beach with a flashlight.
You know the signal.
We can stay no longer than ten minutes.
Well, supposing we can't make it on time.
What then?
I hope you can.
Where's the dynamite?
You're standing right next to it.
Those barrels are full of fish.
Yes, the top two layers.
The rest of the fish have been gutted and filled with plastic containers of dynamite.
In case you are stopped, don't worry about the fish.
They were caught here last night, packed in ice and flown to England.
And they're still nice and fresh.
Well, if we don't blow up the bridge, we can at least open up a fish store.
Let's go.
We didn't look back as we rowed to the shore.
We listened to the waves hitting the beach.
We listened to the stillness that seemed to surround all of Norway.
We beached the boat, piled our dynamite behind some bushes and waited.
What time is it, Andy?
It's about five minutes past eleven.
Joe was supposed to be here at eleven.
He'll get here.
Supposedly he don't make it.
Then what?
I've got enough rations for five days.
We'll figure out something.
You know, they shoot guys who don't wear a uniform behind the enemy lines.
So, are you scared?
Yeah.
So what?
So am I.
What time is it now?
Can't be more than ten after.
You ought to hold it, Matt.
Coming down the shore?
Yeah, I see him.
You stay back in these bushes and keep me covered.
Our work is back toward you.
If I get in any trouble, you know what to do.
Yeah, I studied real hard, Locke.
Thanks.
Good evening, sir.
Good evening.
A nice night.
Dark but pleasant.
Tell me, how is the fishing around here?
Not too good in winter.
You can come out, Pete.
It is good to see you.
My name is Janssen.
My name is Anderson.
This is my partner, Pete Ferrello.
Welcome to Norway, Mr. Anderson, and to you, Captain Brillo.
Say, I'm going to like this country.
The promotions come real quick.
I understand you're to lead us to a place where we can hide.
Yeah, that is true.
My home is safe.
For the past ten days, my nephews have been visiting me.
Every night, they come down to fish and return with two barrels.
We won't have too much trouble.
What kind of trouble do you expect?
On the road back, we must pass a German sentry.
Two of them, to be exact.
However, you look like my nephews a little...
Won't you run into trouble having four nephews walking around?
No, no.
The other two left by sea before you arrived.
They also left their wagon so that we can carry your catch.
Say, Pop, ain't you awful old to be mixed up in this sort of thing?
Well, what else can an old man do?
I've been told that the underground's very well organized in this district.
Who's the leader?
I am.
There were no lights in the houses we passed.
There were no people on the roads.
This was occupied territory.
Fear and hate filled the air.
This was Norway with no songs.
Unless you can make music out of the heavy tread of a German soldier.
We pulled the wagon up the road for about four miles without saying a word.
Then we saw the roadblock.
Up ahead, the German sentry.
Does he understand Norwegian?
Yeah, yeah.
We took him in after the last war.
We brought him up and he promised to come back.
They all kept their promise.
Nice guys to have around.
Pete?
Yeah.
Your friend plays his part well.
Remember, you have traveled this road for over a week.
If this sentry is familiar, don't be surprised.
Hold your breath, Pete.
Remember which fish swallowed the.45.
Halt!
Oh, it is you, Herr Janssen.
Dark night tonight.
Yeah, mine, Herr.
How was the catch?
We had a good catch.
Hell, yeah.
Let me take a look.
I'd like to know what they'll be serving us tomorrow.
Out of my way, dumb one.
I wouldn't mess with the fish.
And why not?
The smell.
It will stick to your uniform and then the girls will object.
You are smart for a Norwegian.
Janssen, when am I going to get another bottle of that brandy?
Tomorrow night I will bring it myself.
Dumb one, why aren't you wearing the pants with the patch?
Where did you get the new sweater?
I am having them cleaned for him.
I'll bet he is going to see his girl.
Yeah, yeah.
Imagine the dumb one with the girl.
He wouldn't know what to say.
It is very funny, mine, Herr.
Of course it is.
Move along, Janssen.
The stink of fish is beginning to hang in the air.
Go along now.
Yeah.
Hey, dumb one, maybe you will introduce me to your girl.
I'll bet she looks like a fish.
That guy's got a great sense of humor.
We made a move for that barrel of fish.
I thought we were done.
It was close.
Close for him too.
Say, uh, Pop, you and that German sentry were real chummy.
Ain't that kind of dangerous for the head of the underground?
Yeah, for the head of the underground, but I am also the local Christian.
Reached his house without any trouble.
It had been two very long days and we were beat.
I managed to get my shoes off before I collapsed.
Then the sun broke in through the window and I got up.
Pete and I went down for breakfast.
There wasn't much to eat so we broke out our rations and treated Janssen and his housekeeper
to some real special delicacies.
Dried egg and chocolate.
Oh, that was good.
Real good.
I'm not the army here, you say that.
They've dried everything up with steak.
Mr. Janssen, are we going to have any unexpected visitors?
I do not think so.
The Germans very seldom come to my home.
Occasionally an officer will drop in, but not often.
How many men will you need?
I hope we won't need any.
Tonight Pete and I will take a look at the bridge.
How close can we get?
That depends.
On what?
On how much of a chance you want to take.
We've got to get right on it if possible.
When we place the dynamite, it must be done fast.
We can't afford to grope.
Well, you can walk across.
Just like that?
If the sentry doesn't stop you, I would suggest that you ask his permission.
Is he serious, Andy?
Very.
See, if we get caught sneaking across, we're liable to be shot.
If we can fool the guard at the bridge, we walk across.
And supposing we don't fool the sentry?
You get shot.
There it is, up ahead.
Yeah, look at that heiney pacing back and forth.
Wait a second.
Whatever you do, don't say a word.
Even if he sticks that bayonet into you, don't say one word.
I hope you and that guy hit it off real well.
The Janssen gave me a good story.
It should work.
Come on.
Halt!
Good evening, Leutnant.
I am a corporal.
Not that I wouldn't make a better officer than most of them.
What do you want?
We would like to cross the bridge.
Why?
Mr. Janssen is our uncle.
We have a message to deliver.
What kind of a message?
What a party for the Germans who are barracked here.
For the officers, I suppose.
Let me see your papers.
You too.
He is dumb.
He cannot speak.
He can hear, can't he?
Papers.
I think all Norwegians are dumb.
The party is to be for the enlisted men.
Of course, you understand I was not referring to Herr Janssen.
He is a smart man.
He knows which side his bread is buttered.
Here are your papers.
Go on now.
Don't lie down on the bridge.
Thank you.
Keep your eyes open, Pete.
You can only make this trip once.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
How does it look to you?
We can do it.
It will take us at least an hour to set this thing.
An hour?
It's an awful long time.
This is an awful big bridge.
You're going to have to do a good job the first time.
Oh, I see you got back.
Did you have any trouble?
No, no trouble.
I told him that you were going to throw a party for the enlisted men.
He was quite pleased.
Mr. Ferrello, you think you can do the job?
I can do it all right if I have the time.
It is very important to us.
This is their main line of supply from the north.
It will cripple them for months.
What happens after we do this?
There will be reprisals.
A few more will die.
That's a tough shake.
There are times when it is better to die.
And you tend to blow up the bridge?
Day after tomorrow.
The boat will be there to pick us up.
If we blow the bridge at twelve, we'll still have two hours.
There's more than enough time.
It ain't going to look bad for you.
Your nephews disappear the night the bridge goes.
My real nephews will come back on time.
We'd better get some sleep.
Now look, I'd appreciate it if you'd have the underground give me a time sheet on the
German guards.
Yes, sir.
How many, when they change, where everybody is within a mile.
I will have everything tomorrow afternoon.
Well, come on, Andy, let's turn in.
If I knew that being a spy was going to be so easy, I'd have bucked for it long ago.
Yeah, things are going easy all right.
Too easy.
Hey, where you been, Andy?
I've been waiting an hour.
We got a ride to Fort Lauderdale, remember?
We aren't blowing the bridge tonight, Pete.
Well, don't you think you ought to let me in on your plans?
It's my neck too.
It's an opportunity we can't afford to pass up.
Look, professor, in this game we play for all the marbles, huh?
So stop talking to riddles.
According to Janssen, a troop train will be passing through here tomorrow night.
The Nazis are moving south and we can put a real crimp in their plans.
Keep talking.
Not only do we blow the bridge, but we blow up a loaded troop train.
Ain't that shaving it a bit thin?
Tomorrow night's the last night we can make that boat, remember?
It's up to you, Pete.
Stop making me the heavy.
I'm wanting to do it your way, only I want to know what I'm getting into.
That's all there is to it.
Well, just one more question.
Have you figured out how we get to the beach after the blow up?
Through the woods.
They're not crawling with Nazis.
Now, wait a minute, wait a minute.
The commander of that boat said he'd only wait 10 minutes.
And suppose the woods are crawling with Nazis.
Well, we take the big gamble and try to float down the river to the sea.
Hope we make it, that's all.
Yeah.
Well, okay, I vote your way, since we're here, we might as well do it upright.
It's a wonderful opportunity, Pete, even if it is a big gamble.
I don't mind a gamble.
I just hope the dice ain't loaded.
We sat for hours and watched the darkness.
At 11 we looked at our watches, thought about the PT boat anchored offshore.
There were a lot of ifs in our plans.
If the moon didn't shine, if the Germans didn't wise up, if the train wasn't late, if the
guards weren't doubled.
We spent a long night and a long, long day waiting for it to get dark again when Jensen
burst into the room.
You will have to change your plans.
We can't.
We're set to leave in 30 minutes.
Downstairs, a guest of poo major.
What?
Somebody talk.
I don't know.
He says he's looking for someone.
That's just dandy.
He was here some weeks ago.
He met both of you.
I mean, my real nephews.
Come on, start thinking, Andy.
We can't walk past him with our arms full of dynamite.
Can't you get rid of him?
No, no.
When he is in this district, he spends the night here.
He sent me for you.
Oh, great.
I think you can fool him, Anderson.
You resemble my nephew Arne closely.
What did he do?
Yeah, well, he better be fooled because I'll be carrying a.45 under my shirt.
Come on, Pete.
If we can bluff this through, we've got a chance.
Jensen, a bottle of brandy.
Oh, there you are.
I didn't see you standing in the doorway.
I can see the bottle.
Bring it here.
Yeah, right away, major.
Anna, come in.
I want to talk to you.
Yeah, mein Herr.
I understand Norway is playing host to a couple of American spies.
What?
That is impossible, mein Herr.
Impossible, but true.
However, I shall catch them and teach them a lesson.
Do you know what they look like, mein Herr?
Of course I do not know what they look like, you stupid lout.
You think they go around singing Yankee Doodle Dandy?
No, mein Herr.
Come on, Brandy.
This bottle's empty.
I will get some.
No, no, no.
Send the dumb one.
Go ahead, go.
It's odd.
I could have sworn last time I was here he was stoop-shouldered.
Hey, dumb one.
First, the brandy.
Of course, the brandy.
That's what brings me back to this miserable place.
I am glad something brings you back.
Yeah, I'm sure you are.
You probably hate me.
No, mein Herr, you do me an injustice.
Of course.
You are one of our dear quizlings.
How about you, Arnaud?
How much do you hate me?
No, mein Herr.
You are almost as dumb as the other one.
Where is he?
He's right here with the brandy.
Give it to me, dumb one.
Oh.
He opened it for me.
Oh, nice.
Thank you, dumb one.
Arnaud, come here.
Take off my boots.
Yeah, mein Herr.
You ought to lick them.
I could send you to it.
What has happened to your hair?
Jansen, I thought your nephew...
What was that?
Oh, the dumb one, he dropped the tray.
Clumsy fool.
Brandy should be drunk from a bottle.
This is brandy, Jansen.
It has been a long...
Yeah.
Huh?
I don't understand it.
He could drink two gallons and not even get a little drunk.
He's getting plastered now.
He'll be out for at least 10 hours.
I don't understand it.
Well, I don't know what the Norwegian word is, but in Brooklyn we call it a mickey.
Just over this ridge.
We're late, Andy.
That train is doing less than an hour.
Well, you'll just have to work faster, that's all.
Hold it.
What now?
They got guards in the woods.
Yeah, I see them.
It's going to be tough to get around them and slip under the bridge.
That would take us over an hour.
We'd miss the boat.
We'll have to walk the road right to the bridge.
What about the sentry?
We have to get rid of them and pray that we have time to set the dynamite before they discover
him.
So we hit them together?
You walk about a pace behind me.
I've got to get close enough to use a knife.
It's got to be the first time, so don't mess.
Good evening.
It's you.
Don't you pay any attention to the curfew?
What has he got in the package?
Come here and let me...
For a college man, you've sure learned a lot of things.
Look, you'll have to set the dynamite alone.
I'll slip on his coat and stay here.
Pretend I'm the sentry.
I'll send it as quick as I can.
Lock.
Andy, you finished?
Yeah.
I wish I had more time, but I think this will do it.
Let's start moving.
We can't.
What do you mean we can't?
I didn't tie a fuse in.
What?
We had to stay and set it off.
Why?
Look, supposing the train is late, the tie fuse would mess.
We stayed this long.
We might as well finish the job, huh?
Where's your detonator?
About 100 yards back.
Lead the way.
Okay.
I didn't have time to bury the wire.
Hope nobody trips over it.
Bridge looks like a Christmas tree, you know?
More wires than American TNT.
Well, all we can do now is wait.
Yeah.
Gee, I wish I could smoke a cigarette.
So do I.
Might as well get comfortable.
How much time we got to get to that boat, huh?
Less than 50 minutes.
Huh.
Too late to go through the woods?
Too late.
Why?
It's always the river.
It's going to be tough.
Half a railroad will be drifting with us.
Don't worry about that later.
We're going to be sitting ducks when our bridge goes.
It'll be like noon.
Attention!
A guard has been killed!
Looks like they found our friend.
It's really going to get crowded here in about...
Attention!
Hey, hey, here comes a commuter special.
That's our target.
Look at it snag along.
It's getting closer.
Wait till it hits the middle and then push the plunger.
It'll take the whole bridge, you know?
Make sure you get the cards.
I know what to do.
I'll tell you what to do.
I know what to do.
Five, four, three, two, one.
Now!
Pretty, ain't it?
A hurry up jab, you did fine.
You should have seen what I did for graduation.
Down the slope and into the river.
Yeah, I'm right behind you, pal.
Here's our private car.
Grab a hold of that beam.
On.
Got it.
Why, those fires make a beautiful sight.
I'm too busy to be an angel of a...
Well, let go.
The current will drag you right down.
I'm holding, I'm holding.
I had a worse cold.
This will take us close to the rendezvous.
It's real cold.
Hey, Andy.
Yeah?
When we get back to camp, remind me to tell you about a damn.
I know I'm Brooklyn.
What about it?
She give me the air for a lifeguard, because I couldn't swim.
The blowing up of the railroad bridge in Norway cut a German lifeline and paralyzed their
Norwegian forces for months.
Besides the loss of military strength from the troop train, much needed ore and food
was kept out of Germany.
This was another blow struck toward the final invasion.
And once more the report of an OSS agent closed with the words.
Mission accomplished.
Listen again next week for another true adventure from the piles of the OSS.
On.
Cloak and Dagger.
Heard in today's cloak and dagger adventure as Andy was Joseph Julian.
He was played by Ralph Bell, Johnson, Raymond Edward Johnson.
The German major was Barry Kroger.
The guard, Jerry Jarrett, the sentry, Frank Barons.
The American captain was played by Carl Weber.
The script for today's cloak and dagger adventure was written by David Harmon.
The music was under the direction of John Guard.
Sound effects by Chet Hill and Dick Gillespie.
Today's OSS adventure was based on the book Cloak and Dagger by Corey Ford and Alastair McBain.
This program is produced by Louis G. Cohn and Alfred Hollander under the direction and supervision of Sherman Marks.
Programs.
Get your programs here.
The American album of familiar music returns over most of these NBC stations next Sunday, August 27th.
Designed as always to bring you the best in Sunday evening musical listening.
The American album of familiar music will be back next Sunday.
And on Sunday, September 10th, Theater Guild on the Air returns with dramatizations featuring top performers from Broadway and Hollywood.
This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.