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Series 1 number 1 of a weekly radio program that aired on Portland radio station KOIN. This week's program interviewed two men who visited the Army recruiting office showing that men with any level of experience could sign a contract to join the Army.
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U.S. ARMY ENLISTMENT BROADCAST
APRIL 16, 1941 - KOIN 10:30-45
ANNCR: KOIN presents...... .’’Soldiers of the Air l"
MUSIC : THEME "SECOND CONNECTICUT REGIMENT" (475) UP AND FADE TO BACKGROUND
ANNCR: This evening, KOIN is pleased to co-operate with the United States Army Recruiting Service in presenting the first of a series of regular weekly broadcasts bringing you the informal, informative, and interesting story of "Soldiers of the Air" ',
MUSIC: THEME UP AND OUT
ANNCR: Ladies and gentlemen, this is perhaps an unusual procedure for a radio broadcast, but, here in our studios are one "Big John"... a recruit to you...and one "old soldier" whom we’ve asked to be with us for these programs. We’d like you to meet Bill "Butch" Harris who has many years of Foreign Service tucked under his belt.....Bill--
BILL: Good evening, Mr. .
ANNCR: And, in the other corner, we have with us Larry Foster, soon to become one of the newest of the new additions to the Regular Army.
LARRY: Howdy, Mr.
BILL: Say, Mr. , the way you introduced us sounded as though you might be calling a good preliminary bout at a boxing match. You don't figure on having us "mix it", do you?
ANNCR: Yes, that’s just what we've got in mind.....but you're not going to "mix it" with gloves on.
LARRY: Well, just what did you ask us up here for?
ANNCR: To have a talk with both of you. It seems to be that both of you were seen ut the Recruiting Office today...isn't that right?
BILL: That's right, sir.
ANNCR: And you were theretoday, too, -weren't you, Larry?
LARRY : You bet I was.
ANNCR: Well, then, I suppose the next thing is 'to see that you two meet socially....Larry, this is Bill Harris. Bill, this is Larry Foster.
BOTH: AD LIB. GREETINGS
LARRY: Say, I heard Mr. say that you had several years of Foreign Service "tucked under your belt".....how come you were down at the Recruiting Office today with the rest of the new recruits.
BILL: ’Cause I want to be in the army I That's simple enough, isn't it?
LARRY: NOV 1 2 Yeah, but I thought you already were in the army'.
2-2-2
BILL: Well, you see it's like this-----when you sign up with the army you’re
making out a three-year contract to go to work for them....just like a movie star signs a contract to make pictures for a studio. When
that contract is up, then you get a new one....that is, if they'll
have you again '.
LARRY: And you were taking out another ’’contract", is that it?
BILL: That's right. You see, the army only wants the best men...those that
are physically fit...mentally alert....and whose training and experience will make thorn valuable. Thut's why they'll give you examinations and check-ups from time to time to see that you're still able to qualify as one of the best men. I'm not exactly blowing my own bugle, but I might add that I've been in the service for fifteen years '.
LARRY: Gee'.. ...you ought to know something about it’.
ANNCR: Pardon me for horning in, but the idea is that whether you're a new
recruit or a veteran going in for another hitch, you still have to be subjected to the same careful scrutiny.
BILL: That's to make sure the young 'uns are as good as the old timers...
LARRY: Yeah, and the old timers have got to be as good as the young ones, too'.
ANNCR: Careful, boys, let's keep it impersonal!
LARRY: But when I saw lir. Harris at the Recruiting Office, he didfitt have to answer all the questions I did.
ANNCR: He didn't?
LARRY: Naw. ...he must have a drag with some of the brass hats....all he did was to pull a piece of paper out of his pocket and show it to the Recruiting Sergeant and they told him when and where to report for his physical.
BILL: And that "piece of paper", young fella, was my last honorable discharge paper for the three-year hitch I just finished '.
ANNCR: And what was this long list of questions that so impressed you, Larry?
LARRY: Hell, they asked me my age and a lot of other personal information... then they wanted to know if I’d ever been in jail'.'.'. Cun you beat that '.
BILL: Why, they ask everyone that when you first sign up. They want to be sure that you’ve got a good character and that you aren't u fugitive '. Believe me, young fella, after you've been in for a while, you'll be mighty proud of the restrictions that they place on getting into this man's army'. Obi ¡945
3-3-3 LARRY: Oh. Well, that's different. I think it's a good idea'.
ANNCR : Whut else did they want to know, Larry?
LARRY: Everything about me....shucks, they know more about me now than I know about myself '.
BILL: Yeah, and when you get out...if you ever think you want to..,.they'11 know twice us much about you. But, if you stick with the army, all they know about you will be GOOD
ANNCR: Well, now that both, of you have taken the preliminary steps for enlistment*...and you, Bill, for re-enlistment....what happens next?
LARRY: Oh, I know that one L First thing tomorrow we have to report to the Recruiting Barracks in Vancouver.... gosh, I wonder if that's where we'll be staying'.
BILL: No...that isn't where you'll be staying. After Recruit^Barracks you'll be assigned and shipped to your proper station.
LARRY: Gosh...I'11 have to get up early if I'm going to take a street car or bus over to Vancouver '.
BILL: Bus'. Street car'. Say...you're gettin’ into the N0il army.
LARRY : Whut do you mean ?
BILL: You just report downtown in the morning and they'll have u private chauffeur drive you over to the recruiting barracks in a nice new silver-colored station wagon..... some class, I'd say'.
ANNCR : By the way....maybe I'm a little lute with this.,..but this program is titled "Soldiers of the Air"....what branch of the service did you enlist or apply for enlistment in?
LARRY: Yihy, the air corps '.
BILL: What else?
AMCR : (RELIEVED) Oh, thanks very much...I just wanted to make sure we'd picked the right two men'. Incidentally, when I was visiting the Recruiting Office, I overheard some of the prospective recruits talking about the money they were going to get. How does the pay strike you boys?
BILL: Swell with me '.
LARRY: Well, it's only $21.00 a month....that's not so much when you stop to look at it.
BILL: Yeah, but that's only for the first four months. If you make the grade, your pay goes up...and keeps going up the longer you stay in service and step up in rank.
4-4-4
LARRY 1 Oh, I'm not complaining...that $21.00 a month is all right...but it still doesn't seem like very much money.
BILL: But, after four months, when you turn to duty, your pay goes to $30 a month.
LARRY : Yeah...but even $30 a month isn't a LOT of dough'.
BILL: Wait a minute....I'm "re-upping" for the sixth time and I'd like to set you straight on this pay business.
LARRY: Gee, no offense meant.
BILL: I know. ..but you might us well start getting some of this through ypur head right off the but. You say that private's pay of $30 a month isn't a lot of dough. Well, you won't have much income tax to pay if that's what you mean....but, look at it this way: in addition to that salary, you get all your uniforms and clothes for both dress and fatigue. Just figure what clothes would cost you for a year '. In addition to that, you get the finest kind of a home....new, modern barracks of the latest design with good plumbing, excellent sanitary conditions, central heating....
LARRY: Yeah, but how about those bunks you have to sleep in?
BILL: Bunks? Say, bunks went out with the Charleston,..now you don't have to sleep in any chicken-wire bunks '. No sir '. You get new beds with warm bedding and sheets I Didn't you read in the Journal about that shipment of swell new pillows? As for chow....you eat the finest quality of food that money can buy and it's cooked by men that have been specially trained as chefs and cooks. Just figure what your room and board would cost for a year '. Then you get the best in medical care and dental attention....and, if you need it, a complete, modern hospital with everything to work with I
LARRY: Gee, they sure figure on looking after you, don't they?
BILL: Bud, if you're good enough to get into the army, they want to kee-ij you good enough to stay with 'em as long us you want to'.
LARRY: What else do you get?
BILL: Ye gods '. Isn't that enough?
LARRY : Yeah,.. sure... of course'. I didn't mean that the way it sounded.
BILL: Well, you’re right. There's more besides. In addition to all that, you get an education and a chance to learn a profession or a trade I That's just about all a man could ever hope to get out of life....and believe me, it's a lot more than some of 'em have got before they get into the army.
5-5-5 LARRY: Yeah, I guess you’re right,,,, that's the way my Dad put it up to me'.
BILL: SO, you see that $30 a month is just velvet 1 You can't make that kind of dough and live that good any place else that I know of,,..and still be learning a trade, a business, or a profession while it's going on '.
LARRY: ’Jell, I heard that there were some vacancies in the Air Corps and a few too in Foreign Service, but I just hope I pass all my exams so they let me in.
BILL: Huh'. And we'll both be assigned to the same station'.
LARRY: I think that'll be swell '.
BILL: Yeah...yeah.,..1 guess maybe that would be all right.
ANNCR: Well, it looks like you two boys have gotten pretty well acquainted here in these lust few minutes. And, ’while it looked like you might get into a pretty heated argument, still you've dropped a lot of remarks that have given us a real insight into whut you recruits are going through, and whut you have to look forward to.
BILL: That's right, Mr. , and I'd like to say that the Army is one business that has a future. A young fellow, like Larry here, cun get out of it anything he wants. You take cut in direct proportion to what you put in. Yessir...it's a business with a future; and I'm sure glad that I'm in that business.
LARRY: Yep, I guess a young fellow could do a lot worse for himself.
BILL: You bet he could, ...a LOT worse'.
ANNCR: Well, boys, thunks a lot for being up hero in tho studios with us tonight and we have anothei' guest that both our listeners and you men will enjoy meeting, We've asked him to come up to our little chin-fest and add a few words of his own along this subject of the Army accepting recruits for the Air Corps and Foreign Service branches of the service. Ladies and gentlemen, may we present
OFFICER: Hello, everyone. And you, young man, I'm happy to see you entering
the service. The opportunity is now available for hundreds of qualified young men to serve our country in one of the focal points of our Pacific defenses---Hawaii---Panama—-Alaska---the Philippine
Islands,
6-6-6
OFFICER
(CONT.)
ANNCR:
MUSIC.:
Particularly, according to a recent report there are several openings for two ordnance aviation and ordnance aviation bombardment outfits at Anchorage, Alaska. It's a real opportunity for any young man with a flare for mechanical work, a truly great opportunity to serve at once of the nest interesting posts in the entire ninth corps area. Tho job of the ordnance department is to design, obtain und distribute the pistols, guns, tanks, ammunition, and other tools of war, to the other branches of the army. The aviation ordnance company is one which specializes in equipping the air corps with its own particular weapons ana tools for battle. Hen enlisted for the ordnance department are required to be either high school graduates or qualified journeymen in some mechanical trade.
Of course there are mapy other openings here in the ninth corps area, and they include practically all of the 14 different branches of service, as well as taking in practically every post, camp and station on the Pacific coast. In order to qualify for enlistment in any of these places, the young man must be single, a United States citizen, between the ages of 18 and 35, of good character, and in good health. For further information it is suggested that you call Portland's regular army recruiting station, room 323 the Main Post Office Building, at Northwest Broadway and Glisan Streets. I should be safe in saying that this subject of enlisting in the army is an important one to the young man giving it any consideration. And if it's important, it's worth going to the proper place for getting the proper information. The proper place for information about enlistment is any United States Army recruiting station. So don't hesitate to call on one----I'm sure the sergeant will be glad
to see you.
Thank you very much sir '. You have just heard______________________
who was kind enough to come to the studios this evening and add a few words to our program. You are all invited to come on up to the studios again next Wednesday night...if you can get away...and let's have another bull-session about what's doing in this army you're joining to become "Soldiers of the Air".
THEME (475) UP AND FADE TO BG:
7-7-7
ANNCH: You have just heard the first in a series of programs..." Soldiers of the Air" in which we hope to present the various phases of induction and training for this most fascinating of army services, The Air Corps. These programs are produced in co-operation with the Portland ¡tegular Army Recruiting Station, and with the assistance of the Oregon Writers' Project. Tune in next Wednesday evening at this sane time when "Soldiers of the Air" will again be broadcast from the studios of KOIN, The Journal, Portland.
MUSIC: THEME TO FILL
Extent
- 7 pages
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No known rights (no copyright or related rights are known to exist for this work).
Identifier
- JWtxt_001502
Type
Date.Created
April 16, 1941
Date.Range
Format.Original
File format
Shelf.Location
- O358.4 F29 Apr-Nov 1941
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