Cloak and Dagger: Operation Sellout

Welcome to the Great Adventurers of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're going to bring you this week's episode of Cloak and Dagger. But first I do want to encourage you, if you're enjoying the podcast, to please follow us using your favorite podcast software. Also, today's program is brought you in part by

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 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, Operation Sellout, is the story of an American agent who went into German occupied France to locate Nazi submarine bases, and is suggested by actual incidents recorded in the Washington files of the Office of Strategic Services, a story that can now be told.

I knew something was up when Colonel Palmer met Tom Barnes and me at the dock that night. He hadn't come down from London just to wish his bon voyage. There wasn't time for such formalities in the OSS, even when a couple of its agents were embarking for the coast of Nazi occupied France. None at the Chief pulled to a stopped. The Colonel stepped into the faint glow of the blackout life Captain Dagger.

Yes, sir, this is the radio operator. Captain. That's right, So I'm Bond Blans Corporal Bond Sussex. Gods, you men are all set, Yes, sir. We shove off in twenty minutes and he'll put you ashore below Santas just before dawn. After you've been landed, you'll move inland exactly six kilometers. You'll be met there by an agent of the Marquis. Understand I men.

We got a lecture then, and we didn't need it. We knew our mission was important. German submarines and hitting our convoys and the Atlantic hitting them hard. Shipping losses had to be cut and the best way to cut them was to blast the Nazi subpens along the French coast. Understand, it was my job to locate the biggest pens. It was Tom's job to radio the information back to England, so the Allied air forces with no where to lay their eggs. No, we didn't need any lecture and how important it was.

You're not listening.

Oh, I'm sorry, colonel. I heard it all in London two days ago, Sir. I was wondering why you came down here to say it again.

And they've had another reason for coming down. That's what we figure, Sir. There's been a change and plans slight one. Yes, Originally you two were the one to take this mission alone. I've decided now to send a third man with you.

Who is it, sir?

I'd rather say nothing about it till you see him. He'll be something of a surprise to you, perhaps surpriser, yes, though not too unpleasant one. I hope your reaction to him may well determine the success of your mission.

I afraid I don't understand, Colonel.

You will admit it. He's already on the boat.

Hold on, Tom and I followed the Colonel an on Doc. The British Navy torpedo boat that was going to take us across the channel lay in the water, black shadow on the Black Knight. We climbed the board, stowed our gear on Dick, who called the Ford Cavin. Tom and I exchanged looks. Neither of us like this a slight change and plans.

Your new man is in here, Captain.

Let's have a look at him, Colonel. For a moment, the bright lights of the cabin spilling out on the deck blinded me. Then I saw him. First I thought it was a gag until the guy turned, until he made a stiff bow from the waist, until he said, good evening, gentlemen. I'm looking Carl Mulla of the German ice Fair, and I knew it wasn't a gag. He belonged in that uniform he was wearing. It was all his every Nazi stitch of it, right up to the Death's head in signy on his left shoulder.

EMLA, this is Captain LINCD. Dagger and this is a couple of Bonds of the British Army and detached service with the OSS.

It is a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen, is it? Oh? Palmer May Bonds and I speak to you alone?

All right?

I will go out on deck.

Wellan.

Although we have to say it, Sir, you must know how we feel about this.

I'll say a link So.

I don't like the idea of taking a jerry with us in the Nazi territory.

Do we have to do it?

Colonel, you volunteered for this mission, Bonds. You don't have to do anything. Here's a degger and I can do the job. So without a Jerry, even do it faster with him, Corporal, and we've got to start hitting those subvents as quickly as possible. Meller will be valuable to you in obtaining information from his former fellow officers.

Must have a lot of faith in this Nazisir.

He's not a Nazi, He's a German.

Is there a difference?

Yes?

Even when he was an officer in one of Hitler's Pet Division's colonels.

Through no choice of his own, Daggat, Meller was captured by the British North Africa two years ago. He's been working as an interpreter for the OSS for eighteen months. He's been thoroughly screened. We have faith in his story that he's always been opposed to Hitler.

Wellly, he could have been lying to you, sir, just waiting for a chance like this, a chance to get back to German territory.

It could have been. We don't think it was.

Yeah, But if he were, Sir, Bonds and I are a couple of dead ducks. He'll sell us out the minute we get across the channel.

That's quite true, Daggett. And that's the chance you'll both have to take.

We could have backed out, but we didn't. You never do. So we headed across the channel, one Englishman, one American, and one German. I don't know what the German was thinking. He didn't say much, but the Englishman and the American were thinking it was going to be a one way trip. Just before dawn, the torpedo boat put us ashore below Santa's Air He stood listening to a motors die away, and I turned and walked up to Lieutenant Calm Mueler. I lifted his lugo out of its holster, and he

Will usually thought myself, rather than fall into the hands of the Nazis.

Yeah, I know you will if you're on the level. If you're not, though, you'll think twice about using it on us. See you, you couldn't get both of us with one shell, understand Yeah, I understand. Here, cap be Diane. It was just a phony gesture. Of course. He knew as well as I did that it didn't mean a thing. The country was occupied by a half million of his countrymen. He could wipe us out like stepping an up bug if he wanted it too. Dawn was breaking and he

That's all cleonomic.

Yeah, yeah, we'll cross one at a time. You first knew, yeah, yeah, could be dead. He got over the hedge row and out onto the highway. It was halfway across. Tom and I straighten up to follow him, and we saw it. We dropped down again. A German reconnaissance car swinging around the bend in the road, stopped a few feet from Muler. He looked at the Nazis, He looked at him.

We looked at.

Both of them through the hedge row and waited.

Ida I hit that.

It was in the lift of his voice. It was in a smile on his face. There was no mistaking it. Hal Mueller was back with his buddies. Hal Muler was home.

I think let's get away from her, make a run for a long hedgerow.

For what he tips off those crowds. We won't get ten feet.

Yes, I guess you're right.

Well, if we go, I'm taking Jerry with us.

I'd had the same idea. I had already sneaked my revolver out of my coat. We drew a bead on that stiff Prussian back, and we did some all waiting, crouching and waiting until I hit now, all right here, capitan, it is safe for you to come out.

Now.

We went out, but not before it exchanged another whisper, not before Barnes said what we were both thinking.

Maybe the Colonel was right ling, maybe the jetty is on the square, or maybe he's just smarter than we thought.

What do you mean, smart enough to use us for bait? That was it?

Bait? Why get rid of us so fast? We weren't that important. He could get rid of us whenever he wanted to, and he'd only wanted to after we'd served his purpose, after we'd jeopardized the French my quy by exposing them to him. Yes, after we'd sent a lot of Yankee and British flyers to their death join Mueller and continued on to our rendezvous point. There's nothing I could do about it. You'll have been as signed as a member of the mission. So if I'd acted like one.

All right, link, We'll just six kilometers east of the beach.

Now, yeah, yeah, this patch of woods must be the place. What do we do now here, Capitaine? Nothing?

Just wait, wait for what? Monsieur stepped out from.

Behind a bush as silently as a shadow. But shadows don't carry Tommy guns.

You were expecting someone, Monsieur.

Yeah, man named Philippe Martan.

I am Philippe.

Then you know who we are now.

I'm afraid not, monsieur. If there were two of you, I would.

Know, but not three.

There was a last minute change of plans.

A very great change, since it made room for a Nazi officer.

Look, not all men who wear Nazi uniforms a Nazi officer, true, Monsieur.

But old frenchmen know are Nazi when they see one ino out of uniform. Why is this man here?

Tommy gun was shoving in a Mula's chest. I had to talk fast. I explained who the German was. I said, the OSS trusted.

Him, the OSS made passed him, Monsieur, but I passed no German.

That makes no difference. I orders are that mule is a remember this mission. Let's get going. You hear me my time?

Very well, monsieur, follow me. Where are you taking us to my farm? You will set up your radio in my barn?

Is it safe?

Safe?

Why don't you ask your friend Herr Muller.

Two hours later, Time had his transmitter set up in a loft to Philippe Martin's farm a few miles outside Santa's Air. With your permission in here, Capitaine, I will leave now. Yeah, you know what you're to do, Mula, Yeah, yeah. With these forged orders Colonel Palmer gave me, I will be able to secure all the necessary information about submarine pins in the Santas Air area if you want to, I hope her, Capitaine, I will be able to prove to you that I do want to.

We hope so too, Mulla.

All right, get going. Expect you to contact us daily.

You don't hear from you somes at the door.

How could that be, Philip pit It's.

All right, monsieur. He's my sister Mary. She's also a loyal member of McKee.

Marie Martin wasn't just a loyal my key member. She was a beautiful one too. I wouldn't have had a look at herd and lord and only have had a look at that Tom Barnes, as a brother, introduced her.

This is my sister, Marie, monsieur Marie, Captain Daggett, go for Barnes and and hell late a germ here teller.

Mueller is a prisoner of war, mademoiselle working for the USS. He is a Nazi, an X Nazi, Mademoiselle.

The only X Nazis are dead ones.

Philip, throw this pig out of here, mademoiselle. Brother and I have had all this out. Philipps agreed to you no right to agree. This is as much my power met it is his. I will not have a Nazi on it, all right, all right. In as much as Muella is just leaving for Santa's Air on a mission, you.

Are sending him on a mission. You must be out of your mind, Gabita, I.

Brother and I have had all this out. Philipp's agreed to you no right to agree.

This is as much my farm as it is his. I will not have Enotsy on it.

All right, all right. In as much as Mule is just leaving for Santa's Air on a mission, you are.

Sending him on a mission. You must be out of your mind, Cabite.

I think she has a point link. You remember that little discussion we had back on the highway about bait. Yeah, I remember, Tan, And I'm pretty sure now that we were right. We have no more proof now than we did then.

I would rather he would stay here, Capitel, than see him go on a mission.

Well, here, Capitaine, get going, you'll learn.

Sastan.

You will hear from me here Capitaine.

We you will hear from him through the Gestapo.

I wasn't sure she was wrong, and Tom Barnes was sure she was right. But then Tom's judgment wasn't to be trusted, not where Marie my town was concerned. Well, Tom, where you've been? Oh?

I took a walk with Marie down Mother Brook.

You take a lot of walks with Marie, don't you. Why not?

There's nothing to do but cool our heels until we hear from Mulla, And quite frankly, old man, I can't think of anybody I'd rather cool my heels with.

And then we heard from Mueller. We heard quite a lot from him, and not through the Gestapo either. You must copy these maps immediately, her capitan. I must get them back to the Nazi headquarters before morning. You will find on them the location of the Nazi subpins from San Jasea to Dunkirk. I copied the maps and deciphered the code symbols. Turned my report over to Tom to transmit to England. But Tom was stubborn. How do you know those maps weren't fatling? I don't.

Maybe Mula's using us just the way we thought here.

Maybe he is.

And why on else?

Said that's tough, because those are my orders and I'm going.

To obey them.

Send it Tom, we'll see what happens. Well, we saw what happened that night off in the distance of thousand searchlights stamped the sky, when black puffs and smoke everywhere, the truants were throwing up a curtain of flect that no air force and the whole world could penetrate. Next day, Mueller came back to the barn. By then Tom had received the box score from England.

Twenty planes. You hear that, Murea, we lost twenty planes last night.

I do not understand here, Corporate.

Oh no, oh, you don't understand it at all, do you? They knew we were coming. They were waiting for us. But you don't understand it.

You are implying, of course, that I betrayed you. But I give you my word.

He is the word. I'm a Nazi. Are you perhaps convinced now?

I told you we should have listened to hurling easy?

It is too late, of course to save those twenty planes. It is not too late to stop other.

Raids, because of course he's righting Al Radio Colonel Palmer, this minute.

Capitane, Well Muller, I am, I have another map.

If you wish to look at.

It, all right, let's see it. I am. I would prefer the show it to you alone.

Alone? Why you pick up a German?

Come?

Are you suggesting there's anyone help but yourself? Will come?

Trusted Lord Mula, You're in no position to make such a request. You have something to show me you can show to me here, very well, here, Capitane. He had something to show me, all right, A detailed shot of the biggest sub pens along the whole coast. I knew it was worth any risk to try to smash those pens, but Tom Barnes didn't know it. He needed a lot of convincing. He insisted that shot was bait, just bait. It turned out he was right. Next week was a nightmare.

I love you, Marie.

Oh shit, you must not say it in once today there's no place for the word love.

Maybe not madame, But when the water is over, I'm going to ask you to marry Tom Link.

What are you doing here?

Get back to the barn. Want you radio Palma to call off the raids.

At last you have come to your stensis capita.

What about Mueler? I think we'll forget Mueller. It's almost a week since we heard from him. You don't even know where he is.

But we can guess no capital. He is in Berlin, probably receiving a medal from his.

Spir Tom and I had to work fast. Once it done. On the Germans that there'd be no more rage. They'd be after us. Radioed the Colonel canceling the raids, telling him we thought our mission was over. Six hours later came the answer. The colonel thought otherwise, Good lord, we can't be serious. Link, Hey, serious? All right? He still wants to smash those subpins at Sander's Air. Since they couldn't do it from the air, they're going to do

Big job.

Yeah, but this time we didn't have two strikes against us. No, because this was one clam bake that Carl Mueller wouldn't know anything about. What do we do? First, Link contact the local leader of the my key, Well, let him know what's happening and he'll give us a safer place to roost.

But how do we contact him? Philip w know him, Philip's and Van. How about Marie?

She might know too, Right, go get her? He went to find Maria. I packed up the radio and the other equipment. I heard the door open me. I thought he brought it back. I was wrong. Good evening, hair capy Taine Muller. I didn't expect you to show your face around here again. I heard in Santa say that their aids have been canceled.

So if you and corporate bonds might be on your way back to England, we're packing now.

Oh I am not to go back with you. Then there's only one place you are going, Muler.

So.

Put your gun away, hair Capitaine. You do not need to kill me, since you are leaving me here. I shall make use of the one shell you so kindly left in my evolv. Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you will. You couldn't bear to be left behind with your Nazi pals. Could you learned from Michael house shuts? I didn't know where they were from. I didn't wait to find out. I hit the floor, dragging the candle off the table with me. The barn went black. I lay there for a second, and then from outside I.

Heard this has him lightly. I think I got him.

Tom had fired the shots. When I lit the candle again, I saw it was wrong. The doorway where Mueller had been standing was empty. Mula was gone. I was sure I hit all right? Never mind, we got something more important to think about the Mueller, he told Marie.

We capita, he told me, you wish to see the local marquis leader.

That's right.

Can you take us to him?

May we, Capita? I will arrange for you to meet Monsieur n.

She said it would take until the next evening to arrange it. Tom and I cleared out of the farm and hold up in the patch of woods where we first met Philippe. Of course you had a start raining just before dog Marie showed up in the woods.

It is done, Capita.

Monsieur t N will be waiting for you at eight o'clock the room behind the village cafe.

Good work, Marie, you're going there with us Andre Dommy, no moche.

I must return to Monsieur Tienne. But I will be waiting for you at the tackle.

She was standing in the doorway when we got there at eight. She led us around the bank into a small, dirty, dimly lit room.

What's why, monsieur.

He rose from his chair and stood behind the table. Monsieur Etim was a small dark man. His eyes were shifty and calculating, kind of eyes you often find in the head that has a price on it.

My apology is, monsieur for not seeing you sooner. I was at my headquarters in the hills.

I had to walk down the roads were within muddy.

No apologies necessary, monsieur.

Mademoiselle Martin informs me, you wish the assistance of the magis.

We need plenty of assistance. British commandos are planning raid on the port of Santa's are a commander san Nase. Eyes of his grew wider, they grew bright. He stepped from behind the table. But he shouldn't have, because that was when I saw his boots. They were clean and polished. There wasn't a speck of mud on him, and yet he'd walked through the mud from his headquarters in the hills.

He said, is something that met there?

He knew something was a matter, all right. He knew what it was too. He saw my eyes on his boots, and he understood. His hand went under his coat, but it never came out, because that was all I needed, for the love of Heaven, one shot did it. He grabbed his stomach and he slumped to the floor.

Lord link costs the idea.

Yeah, that's one collaborator, less sure, That's all he was. Tom Natcy's planted him here to find out about our new mission.

Yes, but they didn't know we had a new mission you sent me. Would have thought we were packing up to go back to England.

That's right.

He did well? Then, who could.

Have started to tell him? He saw it for himself, Marie. A look on her face confirmed it. A look on his face. It's the kind of thing you don't like to remember. That was all she needed. She bowlted for the door and threw it open. I took one while shot at her, and I missed. Before I got fired again, she was gone. She knows about the raid Link. We've got to stop her before she gets to the German. There's no telling which way she went on. We'll split up. You go that way and out.

The clink. Who's Marie?

Come on? Ran down the dark alley behind the cafe the end of it. We found her lying face down in the mud.

She's deadlink.

Yeah, but.

Who shut her? I did here, Corporal Mueler.

I'm so sorry her, Barns. I know how you felt about but she was our enemy. She had to die. But how did you know? Mueller?

I finally found a Frenchman who trusted me her Capitaine.

His name is Monsieur Etienne. You mean that was his name? You see?

He thought that I was a Nazi too, he confided in me. I said, Mueller, Yeah, her copper. Okay, I ought to tell you. What I mean is I don't know how to say it. I'm sorry I didn't trust.

Do not say it, please, I I understand.

Her.

Capitaine.

Yes, Mulla, I have used that one shell you left in my revolver, but I wonder if you would permit me to have one more.

On No, not one more, Carl, I'm giving you back the whole clip. That same night we contacted the real leader of the my key. Two weeks later, the commando struck in his air. They wiped out that subpen and they went back to England. Tom Barnes and I went with him, and so did our friend Carl Mueller.

And once again the report of another OSS agent closes with the.

Words mission accomplished.

Listen again next week for another true adventure from the files of the OSS on.

Clok and Dagger.

Heard in today as Clark and Dagger Adventurer as Captain Daggett was Carl Eastman, Tom Barnes, I and Marker, Carl Mueller, Louis van Ruten, Reed Louise Edison, a Jen Raymond Edward Johnson, Anomas and the.

Nazi Carl Webber.

The script was written by Kenfield and music was under the direction of John Guard, sound effects by Many Siagul and John Cowards Engineering Donovan. Today's OSS Adventure was based on the book Clock and Dagger by Corey Fort and Alistair McBain. This program is produced by Lewis G. Collen and Alfred Hollanda under the direction and supervision of Sherman Marx.

Three Gimes Mean Good Times on NBC.

Welcome Back. This was an interesting episode. I'll think that our hero suspicion of Mueller is definitely understandable now, certainly his superiors had trusted Mueller enough for this assignment. On the other hand, you can recall the episode a few weeks back where the OSS agent in the Netherlands convinced

And for practical purposes.

If a German soldier's pointing a gun at you, it really doesn't matter if they backed the Social Democratic Party in the March nineteen thirty three elections. But the existence of someone like Mueller is no ideological loyalty to Hitler and forced into the military for some reason and willing to help out the Allies is certainly something that you can believe happened. All right, Listener comments and feedback and just a brief comment over on Spotify from doctor who