Cloak and Dagger: The Secret Box

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 are enjoying the podcast, to please follow us using your favorite podcast software and our listener support and appreciation campaign continues. You can become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for two dollars per month by going to Patreon dot Great

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. In today's adventure, the Secret Box concerning an American agent who was sent into a Japanese infested jungle who take back a prisoner. The role of John Marco, the OSS agent, is played by comedy star Jerry Lester. The story is suggested by actual incidents recorded in the Washington files of the Office of Strategic Services, a story that can now be told.

I always carried this little box. I never knew when it might come in handy. It was about as big as a small lunch box. Well, to begin at the beginning, I happen to be in the radio room at OSS headquarters in Bambo that night when the message came through.

How important chap on the captive for you, can you come get him?

Come soon?

Chop only chum away again for.

Headquarterter in Mama to Agel Terry.

So that's how Harry Stevens and I happened to be in an eighty eighteen flying over Agent Terry's position about eighty six miles behind enemy lines in Burma. And like I say, I had this little box in my knapsack. Oh oh, in case I forgot to mention it. My name is Johnny Marco Snappy Songs and what are he sayings? Just mentioned my name in Sheboygan. Oh they loved me in Sheboygan.

Yeah, yeah, I know, Marco.

Hey, Harry, did I ever tell you about my last date in Frisco before I went overseas I.

Can hardly wait. Her name was Rose.

She had a name like a flower and a face like a weed. I called her cream a weed because she was so mushy.

Marco, I have but one thing to say to you.

Well, talk to me.

I hope you'll live to be as old as you jokes.

You know the trouble with you, Harry. You don't realize you're carting around a million dollars worth of talent. I tell you they love me and your boy.

I'm in the city.

Hang on, I'm gonna take a dive, see if i can find a landing strip.

We had figured our checkpoints carefully, but when we reached our rendezvous, all we could see was a rough field with a Buddhist pagoda at the fire end. Nothing else, No landing strip, no markers, no one waiting downstairs. Just a rough field covered with brush. We knew something must have gone wrong.

I don't get if, Marco.

Well, the jap's probably closed in and they're afraid to come out of hiding.

Oh great, live jaft. Prisoners aren't dropped in our laps every day. Hey, Harry, huh who is this agent Terry?

Anyway?

Oh, missionary, it's been working with a tribe of Anglo or me for years. Colonel says he's already radioed back a lot of information on enemy physicians. This is the first prisoner he's ever taken. What a rotten break.

Will look circle around again, maybe we'll see something.

Up.

Better head back before we run into trouble ourselves.

Hey, Harry, Harry, Look look the brush it's being yanked away.

Yeah, yeah, I see it. Look those natives they're putting up the white Marcus stripes, the.

Safety land panels out. It just like seeing something pumped before your eyes.

Let's go.

And landing strip came out of nowhere, just all of a sudden, there it was. The plane bumped the ground and rolled in. But we kept the motor still running in case of a jab trick. And we sat there waited for whatever was going to happen next. Harry, Harry, Look, look, look something or somebody's coming out of that clump of bamboo at the end of the field.

Yeah, hip your hand on your gun.

I'll make a quick getaway if I have to check, Harry, Harry.

Natives, Yeah, but are they friendly spears? Hey the arm let's get out of here.

Yeah.

Hey, wait a minute, there's a white woman with him.

I am missus Terry. Gentlemen, one would never suspect I was a n agent.

Two it one, Well what's the angle? I mean, well, I think you point.

Oh it's very simple. Really, my husband, the late Reverend Oscar Terry of God killing Man, went to his rest a few months ago.

You mean man that you're the agent who's been sending all that information to OSS headquarters in Bambo.

Naturally this is Lynn Taw. I suppose you'd call him the right hand man. Say how'd you do? Lynn?

How you do? Hi?

Lynn incidentally sent the radio message. He does so enjoy tinkering with mechanical devices. I showed him how to use it. Unfortunately, however, my husband, the late referend Oscar Terry, a god filling man, is the only one of us who knew how to take it apart and put it together again.

Lynn, Yes, miss Tarring, that radio?

You have it?

I have it here, excellent captain. Would you either have this replaced in Bomo with new parts? I have a new radio dropped over to.

Us by sure, missus Terry. I'll see what can be done for you.

Oh, thank you so much, Oh fancy I almost forgot. We have a Japanese prisoner for you.

About a half a dozen natives a short distance away standing around the cart.

In it.

They had a jab officer with his hands and feet tight.

They dragged him over.

He was a surly character. Maybe I would under the same circumstances.

Anyway.

He didn't say a word, just glared at us from under the bloody bandage around his head.

Here is your guest, gentlemen, Colonel Siwaka, the Japanese high Command. He resisted arrest rather strenuously, so it was impossible to avoid banging around a bit. Well, goodbye, now, good luck. Do give my regards to your colonel.

We loaded Colonel Slowaka into the small plane, and a few seconds later, as we swung over the field, we looked down and saw that all trace of the strip had completely disappeared. The brush was replaced and there was nothing only jungle.

How's our friend, Colonel Siwaka doing, Marco?

While he's a little tied up at the moment, Hey friend, how you doing? Friend doesn't want to talk?

You know something, that's the best audience you'll ever have, Marco. One who can't understand English.

Oh come on now, will your hair? Hey, maybe you got something? Hey friend? Uh, did you know that the former ruler of Russia was called the Tsar? His wife was called the csarena? And you know what they call his kids. Get a load of this czardines?

Yeah you know?

I think you're right, Harry.

Friend obviously doesn't understand a word of comedy English.

Oh what's that? Chat?

Backack?

They've spotted us. Can we get away from him?

Now?

We can try.

That's climbing, Harry, gee a thousand feet in.

About a half a minute. It's no good.

Hack it out of rageous way.

But what do we do?

I'll level off and head for home. I can't get away from him just climbing.

You did it. We're not arranged now.

I think I just spoke too fast. Trouble Black must have hit one of the engines. It's not all fine that it could have been worse. I can get us back on one.

Brother. If you were your sister, i'd marry.

Oh you're a big hearted guy, you know that, Marco.

Well, I don't go around for rose and every day you better go back and see our friend is doing.

When the colonel sawaka doing extreme well, thank you? Keep me your hands on the flying instruments. The captain, Hey, and you, lieutenant, keep me your hands and their way in there.

I thank you? Are you dirty dog face? You spoke English all the time.

Enough to tell you that if you do not as you are told, I put the boy through your heads. I thank you, lieutenant, for have you been gone within easier reach? And you do anything, do not talk, just to continual to fly plane.

So Harry kept the plane steady, his back to our friend, and I just stood there and watched Colonel Siwaka as he manipulated the parachute and buckle it on, changing the gun from one hand to the other as he put his arms through the straps of the choote. Then he opened the handle of the waiste door.

I we say good bye now it was on a pleasant to ride.

Why you had it in the air.

Keep my hands in air? Watch better? Now I shoot you both.

Then I jump goodbye, friend, don't forget to ride.

Jack shouldn't have opened the waist first. All I had to do was bank the plane over and it's side and we.

Lost Yeah, we lost him all right? Oh he shoot open?

Oh fine, Uh, mission unaccomplished. Well anyway, it was a nice ride.

Glad uh second engine couldn't take the strain of that flip flop was punking out.

Yeah, it cut all right?

Hit the soap, Marco, we better pail out.

I made it okay, rolled over a couple of times when I landed and pulled the shoot down. But it was another story with Harry. As he bailed out, his slipstream caught him, flung him back against the horizontal stabilizer and cut a gash.

In his head.

Miraculously, his shoot open and he drifted into the green jungle and landed upside down in the top of a tall mahogany tree. Harry, Harry, are you all right? Can you talk?

Mark? Strapline of the shute? It tangled?

Kick it out my head?

I cut it, yeah, I see Marco.

Get me done?

Yeah?

Yeah, easy boy. Now I'll do something something But what I tried to climb the tree to.

Reach them, but it was no use.

The trunk was bare smooth. I kept slipping back. It was the two of us were in the middle of a nightmare. Harry, Harry, can you hear me?

Yeah?

I can't climb that lousy tree. It's too slippery. There's nothing for me to hold on. Marco, it's no yourse, Well, oh what do you mean? It's no use you waste.

Time standing there, You'll be caught. Jap's all around. You know that as well as I Harry.

When you're listening now, you're listening to me, get away now, will you?

They may have seen the place.

Shut up now when you're shut it out of a boat that ducks.

I know I am anyway, Just do one thing, Marco, Yeah, don't leave me here to stop or falling the Jeff hands.

Maybe you can make it back along.

You're nuts now, I couldn't do that.

Just don't leave me to start, please, please, huh shook me first, so the head marker, please.

I knew he was right. I couldn't leave him plase marker, not that way, and I couldn't.

Stay maka well.

I took the forty five from the holster at my belt. When I heard the dry click of the hammer being drawn back, I broke out in a sweat. My hands started to get wet. Marca, I counted one, two, and.

The looks of it, we are right in time.

Lynn Tow and the natives went to work swiftly knocking down a second, smaller tree against the mahogany. They scaled it like cats to the base of the branch where Harry was hanging, tossed a loop of rattan across the branch and told a torrent. Then they lift Harry and passed him from hand to hand and lowered him gently to the ground. And all the time I just stood there next to missus Terry, feeling the blood pounding in my head. And I put the pistol back into my holster and.

That other bandage.

Please here, here you are, Miss Terry.

That's a good fellow. Thank you so much. How is your head now, Captain Stevens much better face?

I still don't understand.

How did you hear so the Japanese act gut hit your plane almost immediately after you left us. We came along with the jungle in case this should be need of us.

Lady, no one ever needed you more.

You say, Colonel sir Waker, escape dear here for the kitty. H Now I think that bandage will do.

Do you get back, Miss Terry?

Yes?

Lynn Lynn say leave now? Do not stay back to village?

Oh yes, great, but that poses a problem. As I told you earlier. Our radio is out of use.

There's no way of contacting headquarters and telling them to send a plane for.

Us, exactly, Lieutenant Marco, Well, do.

You think we can make it back through enemy lines on foot?

Possibly take five or six days anyway, But it.

Could be done, couldn't it. I mean we could sneak through.

Couldn't we by.

Passed the JAT So I don't can't do?

Brind Car help, Thank.

Your capitalized Lynn Tao, my husband, the late repend Oscar Terry.

A god fearing man, thank you.

He would approve heartily.

Lynn Tao knew plenty of short cuts, and we followed him, skirting Jap patrols all the way. There was something uncanny about the way he led us over miles of jungles. We kept our packs light because we had a pretty long high take ahead. But just the same, I kept that little box with me. I never knew when it might come in handy. Then we came to a small stream.

Our Moscow to stream here take off shore.

Well wait a minute, then, why bother? We'll be wading through a lot of water, and why take our shoes off and on?

But do Ashlyn say if she get wet feet?

Wet or time many saw come on feet well, not be easy for you to walk much distance to Obama.

We crossed several more brooks, and we kept taking our shoes off than not on and off. The jungle along the banks grew thinner, and so did we. The sun beat down harder, the water washed, stand up around our knees, the shoes off and not on and off. We'd splash him and then stumping, and then start walking again. A couple of days of this, you're pretty beat except for iron Man.

N Ah, feel.

Good, Linden. Then the sun had to hold up a while.

We'll rest here near scream.

Hey, this is an ideal spot for a picnic. Fifty million insects can't be rough. Got your first, you little foreigner.

Marcaa got the water left my canteens dry?

Yeah, sure, here.

It's so you got. It's okay, Go ahead, dragon, lend the swallow water we could when do say, do not worry.

Watch I will show what to do. So you know.

Hey, wait a minute, what are you taking? The hold in the sand.

Pot first dick small hall in sand near stream ways leave in bomb i geese and water come to shant and leave it not be muddy can bring.

Hey, that's the greatest. The leaves act like a filler.

Of our water is clear. Uh, drink it with your hand. Will not hurt you.

Now this lind Tao had a dozen cute little tricks like that, he'd have been a riot and vodell well. The next morning we were back on the trail, pushing our way through sharp blades of grass, and all of a sudden we heard the tinkle of an iron bell.

Helen, what's that? I escape book?

Elephant coming thank to us villagr in jungle put iron fell around neck to warm or thanks to our guns.

We've got guns. Let's shoot at.

Us on our shoot You have been left. Not go too hide, only leave the elephant.

Anyway, Do not sooth still.

The size of them.

Look at the size of them. It's like being charged at by a six story still.

Do not shoot yet, only if we must.

Shot passed right by us here.

Maybe he didn't think we were worth noticing.

You know, something to hurt One thing? I can't figure out about an elephant with a tail at both ends. How does he know which end to sit on?

Funny man, come on, let's make time.

Lynn Taud did our seeing and our thinking for us. He did everything but walked for us, and we got sort of used to leaning on him. Nothing could happen to iron man Lynn.

Only it did.

Lynn Lynn.

Harry, Harry, He's dead. That knife went right in his back.

Where did it come from?

What?

They came out of the jungle, at least fifty of them, half naked savages, carrying long stalks of bamboo that had been sharpened to deadly points. Their leader was a giant, must have been about six foot seven. He held up his hand, and the sudden silence scared us more than.

The noise we done thee What did he say?

Did you understand him?

Harry?

I look, friend, France heavy frimt nuh.

No, friend, Juan Dunlee, White devil.

White devils.

That was us.

The slashed off pieces of the vine ropes around the tree and twisted them about us so we could just move our legs. Then they pushed us ahead of them through the great daylight of the jungle, through the dim passages of winding leanas the climbing tropical plants.

The above us.

Stray bird shot the.

Color through the overhanging trees.

After about a mile, the path became a trail. The Leannas were cut away. We tripped over some coconut husks by the side of a chardfire. We were coming into the village. Then Harry saw them first, Marker Luk.

Up there on the poles.

Human heads, a rower, skulls.

Head hunters, Marca, there's a head hunters.

Wolf, Guam Dunley Wolf.

Hey, look, chief Chief, you got it all wrong. Now, No, we're not devils.

We're friends.

Friends.

It's American. You are right, it's no yours. Colonel Swaker, I am a great the friends of these ahead hunters, so I want them out your coming. Told them you are Quan Dunlee, what devils who come to bring a puaga? And the question and stood them jeef, what the devils away?

Then Guam Dunley.

Basha the young Titus and threw us in a straw thatched how they called the Basha. Through the makeshift door, we could see the skulls on the pole, an endless row of them under the hot sun, and up the poles streamed columns of jungle ants giving them an ancient burial.

Looks like the end of the line. Marko, Yeah, hey.

Wait a minute, Harry, that Chief speaks a little pigeon English. He understands a little. Do you think we could reason with him?

It doesn't look like a reasonable type. Besides, our friend Colonel Siwaka got to him first. The tribes convinced with dangerous.

Yeah, but as dangerous as a glass of buttermilk, lot money bucket that Waka outside talking to the curt.

We got company.

I do the U are comfort? Captain?

Why don't you climb a tree? A little monkey watch.

A tongue.

Was the most affortunate for me. I found a way here to a friend a camp. Sorry, I don't like your friends. My friends do not to work you either. I think you are devil Americans. We'll bring evil to the people. Sleep well, tomorrow you will join the heads on the poles.

In the morning, they brought us out. I guess we were pretty important because the big chief himself came over to tie us to the poles. Then I got an idea. I sleeped my hand in my pocket and grabbed a coin, just held it tight.

Kwan dunlee. Tie you now, hey, Jeeve, look at this.

What are you doing carrying dimes around in your ear? Well?

What do you know?

Another in your other ear? And here's one in your nose. Say you're a pretty sly carriacter. Aren't you a regular walking back of Englandbarka, What are you working to? Just a couple of magic tricks. If I can get away with them, I'll tell you they love me, Mudgie. That's right, Toba magic. Now if you get me that knapsack you grab for me, I'll do more. See knapsack bag from back, Sammie, remember, will do Toba.

You will not listen to band but off a head now.

Hate you look at this, Look at this, now you see it? Now you don't resto coins disappear? Oh get knapsack or you'll disappear. Sabbie.

Good sharp run by Hua boy.

That coin trick got him in the che pushed Sowaka's side. Send one of his rover boys to get my knapsacked. They brought it to me and I took out the little bottle. I always knew it would come in handy sometime. Then the chief held up his hand again. Both h and I went into my act. Ruh, what an audience and what a performance. I'll watch closely, ladies and gentlemen. The hand is quicker than the eye. Rest to change. Oh, I take this little glass of water, just an ordinary

You're doing great, I tell you.

Cut off of the hats.

Still you tell them cheef go away, little man, you bother me. Now for the next bit of magic, ladies and gentlemen. I pulled every trick in the book out of that little box, dow cigarettes from the chiefs here, pulled flowers out of empty pots, yanked a dozen colored scarves out of a single white handkerchief. And then I broke a stick in half and put it together. Boy did they love it. And now by my final bit of hocus pocus, ladies and gentlemen.

Why was he tried walk and have them forget to put them together?

I got something better as I was saying, you're coming after, Maybe this will stop him. Look what sign from God's look stopped him? All right? I pulled a bee blower out of the box blue Hawk, and out came a tiny doll dressed in a jack uniform, without his head, and.

He floated to earth.

A superstitious native stepped back, afraid to come any closer. See see sign Japanese is Kwandan Lee. God say so Americans friends, friends, doll there on the ground. Japanese now signed from Gods, follow great White father and fight Japanese chief.

You tell him I'll do you to God.

He told them all right, big trouble. We had a keeping them from tearing Sawaka apart. We wanted them alive to take back to OSS headquarters in Bamo. Well that's the story. The next day the headhunters let us back through the jungle with our prisoner. There's only one thing I'm sorry about. Too bad variety couldn't have caught my act. I tell you they loved me.

In Burma, Captain Harry Stevens and Lieutenant John Marco safely delivered Colonel Slowaka to os S headquarters in Bambo, where he gave valuable information on Japanese war industry and finance. And so, once again, the report of ANOTHERSS agent closes with.

The words mission accomplished.

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

Clap and Dagger.

Starred in today's Cloak and Dagger Adventure as Marco was Jerry Lester, with Larry Haynes as Harry. Colonel Siwaka, Daniel Lockoe, Missus, Terry, Irene Hubbard, the Colonel Raymond Edward Johnson. Others were Carl Weber, Arnold Robertson and Jerry Jarrett. The script was written by Wonterford Wolf and Jack Gordon. The music was under the direction of Murray Ross. Today's True Oss Adventure was based on the book Cloakandagger by Corey Ford and Alistair McBain.

Welcome back.

A great story, so many great twist and turns in this adventure, and I like, just as with the episode with the cartoon is you get an illustration of how people in the OSS came from a lot of civilian backgrounds that came in handy in ways that you wouldn't expect. Now, it's worth noting that our star. Jerry Lester was kind of a big deal in nineteen fifty. This was his first radio dramatic role, but he did a lot of comedy.

Now.

I would say that that was funny, but of course I'm not a spy, but that is also what you would expect to spy to say. I just I don't think I can win, so I will just let the audience determine it. I will say that large man hosting an old time radio podcast. If that's my cover, then I must work for an organization out of get smart. On a more serious knowing something of the limitations of strategic bombing this point, I have to wonder how much of this episode is actually real. I don't believe that

For today.

If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. We will be back next Saturday with another episode of Cloak and Dagger. If you are listening to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio, we will be back tomorrow with our four thousand, eight hundredth episode special, which will be our final listener support and appreciation specials for the Great Adventurers. We will be back on Tuesday