remember we're an amateur with

homemade radios that's used to sit up until all hours of the night talking with other radio hams around the world. how they pick up a lead in fairbanks, alaska. that was sunday to pioneering with elements capable of girdling, the globe boys like these held in their hands a weapon that will someday to play important part in the defense of

our land. we begin our story on a day in 1943 joe brown and his brother jim were seniors that year and like thousands of other american boys their thoughts were far from the peaceful valley that has always been their home. well, you can guess rest that signal corps caught joe's high and. it wasn't long before he enlisted. and two days later, brother jim walked into a navy recruiting office, saw a boil and joe had beaten him to the punch. both got their orders to shove off the same day. naturally, the folks were down to see them leave.

mother used to say that junior, the youngest, always worshiped brother jim. dad and mother course were pretty brave about it all all. and so like millions other american boys, jim and joe. from the drilling they gave the boys those first two months, they did not feel much like letter writing. to hear jim tell it, they time they didn't drill was they were eating or sleeping.

but after the basic training every service man has to go through. we got our first real letter from jim. jim always was good letter writing. dad was so tickled. he took the letter down to the war plant where he works to read it. to the boys. jim said, dear pup, i'm finally learning how to be a real radioman on 830 in the morning until fourth, 15 in the afternoon, we go from one class to another. most of the fellows are around my own age and i mean, we're getting a real education up. a fellow who goes through a school. this gets training that will fit in for any kind of communications job. what the big vixens call the post war world. the instructors are experts. most of them have had practical experience with all kinds of radio installations. they know how to get the stuff across.

so it's understandable. we're taught not only how to repair a piece of equipment under any conditions, but how to build it from the ground up. of course, the big radio manufacturers are working exclusively for the army and navy. keep us posted. all the latest improvements. in class and typing in code is what i like best. they shoot the messages slow first and speed it up until taking 24 words a minute. that stops stops. after we learn what makes the darn thing tick, we get individual instruction and equipment. just the same as they have aboard ship. speaking of ships. don't think the army boys are the only ones using walkie talkies. we have a course and portable that is just as thorough as they come.

not allowed to tell you just how we use. believe me, when the war is, he said, are going to play a pretty role in communications. right now they have a range, about five miles. that's only the beginning. well, we're at the end of our fourth month here. skipper's executive officer came into class today to read off the list of the men who have passed. honestly, you could have heard a pin drop. alan armitage was topless. guernica, barinholtz blane. gosh, i thought i'd never get to my name. he suddenly said, jim brown. it was the biggest of my life. then. i made it from the classroom to the barracks and nothing flat. don't laugh. i had a date with a crow. you see the crow is what navy men call a rating. each man keeps his crow under his mattress until he's earned the right to wear it. when the time comes, he can't

get the needle and thread out fast enough that emblem says i am now already ol man. third class. any time you see a fellow wearing it. you can bet boots he knows his stuff. i don't mean that to be bragging, but only the fellows who have gone through a navy communications school know what it really means to read it it. next day, with the skipper doing the honors, we marched out on the parade ground to get our diplomas. i wish you could have been there, pop. i know you have a war job. besides, the government does not want people traveling around the country unless they to. sort of proud of that sheepskin and mailing it home to you. mother.

well, we got our orders to shove off today and all packed. i can't you where we're going, but i'm on my way. yes. the folks back home are sort of proud them, too. it seems that just the time jim wrote he'd finish school, brother joe wrote that he was leaving maneuvers. a full fledged sergeant now earning $98 a month. joe climbs aboard a radio equipped car as division x of a mythical blue army goes final maneuvers before sailing overseas. their objective to surprise and capture an enemy airport. oh, radio.

its dramatic role in modern warfare and is graphically portrayed as follow a motorized viking force into. the field. and. the. deploying who's got the enemy's flank to command cars each armed with a 37 millimeter anti-tank gun, runs downstream strike across country by radio installed in the car. the patrol is in constant communication with the main force.

from own position. joe passes word that the convoy is being attacked by low flying bombers. joe's radio report is relayed the tank commander and reinforcements into action and. radio serving in many war ordinate modern battle artillery observation post spots the target and by radio corrects the range for gunners miles. calling base point both right 100 short shell mark one huge shot right four zero.

at the message center communications headquarters officers of the general staff are kept informed by radio of battle's progress are encountered often touch with all commanders know to the minute where each unit is operating in the vehicle carrier unable to contact his unit dashes back for the nearest portable equipment to get his through. position. k blocker red barrier blue williams landing one my my radio our sergeant gets the message and contacts the planes guarding the area area radio, coordinating the action radio, making possible combined operations between all branches of the service.

adds 7.63. reserves assembling via for a fact my command and by radio message plucked from skies is transmitted to reinforce man's waiting to be called up here is radio performing swiftly and efficiently in the heat of battle. 8.1 right to short range 4000 i. airborne calling airborne this is readily white airborne as is readily white airport oc land command in over yes radio flies with the paratroops lands with the men ready instant action calling airborne squadron two virtually black first wave landed come on in over.

today the thousands joe browns and the radios are helping us win the war the magic of radio bridging space faster than the most powerful plane. thanks to radio sergeant joe brown is able to report mission

accomplished. nerve center and pulse of our entire communications system. all the great army and navy message centers in washington messages to and from the high command transmitted by voice and by code to our fighting forces in all parts of the world. navy department and ss headquarters, 305 proceed with operation according to plan lessons washington our air at our minus to execute plan c over and by by all the means of communication known to man. 100,000 forces begin to move supply depots embarkation points, ships at sea, all ready for hour -20. execute plan the mobile and so from an unnamed port troops whose regiment shall also be nameless border transport that bears only a number plans is

being put into operation. don finds the convoy at sea ships transports war vessels spread across the ocean, moving as one perfect coordinate ocean affected by the magic of radio communication overhead patrol plane. the navy's big b wise are on guard, their crews ready to attack a lurking sub or to flash word by radio of the presence of an enemy. radar and aboard the carrier flagship of the force. the radio room is on the alert, promoted to radio man second class joe's brother, jim brown, is now doing duty with the fleet.

now steaming boldly into enemy waters. warships clear whole action. below deck the music of some man's phonograph tingles through the crew's quarters. jim brown the from middletown had the duty the morning the message came through. it wasn't long before the man knew this is it from the bridge orders our players and by loudspeakers in every part of the ship the call is for stations and and. at. on the flight deck of the blacktop, the urologist gauges the wind.

the radios are ready for action. now all they all they praying for is put to the test pilots gunners radioman know that the honeymoon is over. this time it's the real thing. the carriers batteries swing on target in the radio room. final word from the fighter squadron that enemy planes attacking in mock.

war.

shore battery silent. the task force is now ready to assault the beach in landing boats manned by tough coast guard and navy cruise. they prepare for invasion. of. troops, trained and amphibious operations. formosa this is the pattern modern war.

in. landing with the first wave radio units establish communication with ships off shore and look who's here. the same sergeant joe brown. we last saw in america the whole training camp. now those machine guns are spitting red hot live. are job done. fighter planes return to the carrier to refuel rearm and stand by to repel any new attack from the skies. the landing proceeds according to plan troop reinforcements, heavy equipment, big guns and amphibious tanks.

huge. 155 millimeter rifle, long arms capable of hurling of shell from the six mile go into action action. following the wake of the artillery barrage, jungle fighters press forward, wiping out snipers and enemy pillboxes by one. from his position, joel blushes word the carrier in cold beachhead established infantry and heavy equipment landed in first operation proceeding to plan situation well in hand. see your reports enemy positions neutralize garrisons flight patrols following advantage.

of yes it could even in wartime. sergeant brown in contact with the radio room aboard the carrier, recognizes his brother's voice, just like the old ham. do reunion by radio. and in the middle of the south pacific. and back in washington, thanks to radio equipment, men and, women of industry, thanks to the courageous use of radio by the united army signal corps and the united states navy communications department of the dramatic story of radio at war with.

well, welcome to today's class where we are moving on