This Is Your FBI: Escaped POWs 04/27/1945

Summary

Podcast Summary: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio Episode: This Is Your FBI: Escaped POWs
Release Date: May 25, 2025

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Introduction

This Is Your FBI episode delves into a gripping narrative set in 1945, portraying the Federal Bureau of Investigation's relentless pursuit of escaped Nazi prisoners of war (POWs) in Texas. Through a dramatized sequence of events, the episode highlights the challenges and triumphs of law enforcement during a tumultuous period in American history.

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Plot Overview

The episode opens with an FBI narration introducing a peril to national security: escaped Nazi POWs posing significant threats. The story follows the escape of two Nazi soldiers from a Texas POW camp on June 18, 1945, and the subsequent manhunt led by the FBI in collaboration with local authorities.

Key Events:

1. Escape and Initial Pursuit (June 19-20, 1945):

   • June 19: Two German soldiers escape from a POW camp in Texas via a tunnel. [01:56]
   • Early Response: The FBI is promptly alerted, coordinating with local police and media to disseminate descriptions and warnings. This swift action exemplifies the agency's preparedness and commitment to national security. [02:37]

2. Disappearances and Disguises:

   • The escaped Nazis employ tactics to evade capture, such as disappearing from sight and posing as ordinary civilians. They are later spotted in a small Texas town, attempting to blend in by dining anonymously in a local diner. [07:56]

3. Intensive Manhunt:

   • The FBI utilizes advanced tracking methods, including fingerprint analysis and piecing together minor clues like a thread and a hatchet, to narrow down the fugitives' whereabouts. [16:05]
   • Despite extensive searches involving multiple agencies and leveraging technology of the era, Lieutenant Paul Tanner remains elusive for several months. [19:30]

4. Final Capture:

   • By September, Tanner is discovered working under an alias as a hired hand for a local farmer. Suspicious activities, such as building model submarines, lead to his identification and eventual apprehension. [25:05]

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Key Discussions and Insights

A. The Threat of Escaped POWs:
The episode underscores the fear and urgency surrounding escaped Nazi POWs, emphasizing their potential to disrupt American society and sabotage war efforts. The FBI's portrayal as a vigilant protector reinforces the era's emphasis on national security.

Notable Quote:
"There are several million Nazis across the sea. Each one of them is a threat to the security of this country." [01:56] – FBI Agent

B. Collaborative Efforts in Law Enforcement:
The narrative highlights the synergistic relationship between federal and local authorities, showcasing efficient communication and resource sharing. This collaboration is pivotal in successfully tracking and capturing fugitives.

Notable Quote:
"By late afternoon, the FBI was busy checking the dozens and dozens of reports which kept coming in." [04:20] – FBI Agent

C. Investigative Techniques:
The episode provides a glimpse into the investigation methodologies of the 1940s, such as fingerprinting and meticulous examination of physical evidence. These techniques are portrayed as crucial in unearthing the truth and securing convictions.

Notable Quote:
"From a small piece of thread, from one fingerprint on the blade of a hatchet, there was proof, conclusive proof, that the hitchhiker on the back of the truck had been Lt. Paul Tanner of the German Navy." [16:51] – FBI Agent

D. Psychological Manipulation and Capture:
The use of psychological tactics, including undercover operations and baiting the fugitives into traps, plays a significant role in Tanner's eventual capture. The episode illustrates the strategic patience and intelligence employed by the FBI.

Notable Quote:
"He looked just like a normal American citizen, but his actions gave him away." [23:24] – Radio Host

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Character Highlights

• FBI Agents: Represented as determined and methodical, the agents are the backbone of the investigation, demonstrating unwavering dedication to their mission.

• Lt. Paul Tanner: The primary antagonist, portrayed as cunning and resourceful, using his training and knowledge to evade capture initially but ultimately succumbing to the persistent efforts of the FBI.

• Diner Waitstaff and Local Citizens: Serve as both unwitting participants and critical informants in the manhunt, reflecting the community's role in supporting law enforcement.

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Conclusion

This Is Your FBI: Escaped POWs encapsulates a tense and riveting saga of pursuit and justice. Through its well-crafted narrative, the episode not only entertains but also pays homage to the FBI's pivotal role in safeguarding national security during a critical period. The detailed portrayal of investigative processes and inter-agency collaboration offers listeners a comprehensive understanding of the complexities involved in such high-stakes operations.

Final Notable Quote:
"In wartime, equitable dollars are fighting dollars. And at all times they are security dollars for you, your home." [28:13] – FBI Narrator

The episode concludes by reinforcing the message of vigilance and the ongoing commitment required to maintain safety and order, leaving listeners with a profound appreciation for the efforts of those who protect the nation.

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Production Credits

• Cast:
  • Lt. Paul Tanner - Paul Mann
  • Narrator - Frank Lovejoy
• Music Direction: Van Cleave
• Author: Lawrence MacArthur
• Production: Jerry Devine for the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States
• Sponsor: Equitable Life Assurance Society (as portrayed through sponsorship messages)

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This episode of Choice Classic Radio Detectives serves as a captivating exploration of historical law enforcement endeavors, blending factual storytelling with dramatic flair to engage and inform its audience.

Transcript

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[Radio Host]

Welcome to Choice Classic Radio, where we.

[Radio Announcer]

Bring to you the greatest old time.

[Radio Host]

Radio shows like us on Facebook, subscribe to us on YouTube, and thank you for [e-mail] this is your FBI.

[FBI Narrator]

This is your FBI. An official broadcast from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, presented as a public service by the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. To your FBI, you look for national security and to the equitable Society for financial security. These two great institutions are dedicated to the protection of you, your home and your country. Tonight, the story of a peril to the nation. Escape Prisoners of war.

[FBI Agent]

There are several million Nazis across the sea. Each one of them is a threat to the security of this country. There are several hundred thousand Nazis right here within our borders. Prisoners of war. Each one of them who escapes is a threat to the internal security of this country. Because they are Nazis. And for us, for our democracy, for our way of life, Nazis have but one feeling contempt. The FBI proved that less than a year ago by a case that broke on the morning of June 19th. Early that sunny morning, two soldiers, two GIs, were walking through a patch of woods on their way back to camp.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Hey, come look at here, rabbit. What am I supposed to do? Salute? Gee, did you see him go voom. Right into the ground. Probably crawled down a hole to sleep. Gee, if he's just down a little hole, what are you pawing around for now? I always wanted to have a rabbit for a pet. All right, so you always wanted a rabbit.

[FBI Agent]

This is.

[Nazi Prisoner]

No. Hey, Eddie. Yeah? What kind of a rabbit could dig a hole this big? A big rabbit. Come on. Hey, these leaves are just covering up the entrance to a tunnel, it looks like.

[FBI Agent]

For Pete's sake, Mickey.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Hey, it is a tunnel. Come on in. I'm too tired. Oh, come on. What do you got to. Well, I really am tired. Where's your pioneer spirit? Where's your rabbit? Don't tell me. What's the matter? It stops here. That's All. Oh, that's great. Now I suppose we crawl back like a couple of brave pioneers. Wait a second. Help me push this thing up. One thing and the roof here feels like boards or a trap door or something. Yeah, does. Come on, push. I'm tired. How will you push? 1, 2, 3. Eddie.

Cowset.

Eddie, you know where we are? Yeah.

[FBI Agent]

Right under the barracks of the Nazi prisoners. That was on Monday morning, June 19th. But the tunnel had already been used. During the night of the 18th, two Nazi prisoners had escaped. That was in Texas. And immediately the FBI headquarters in that state were notified by military authorities. They weren't caught unprepared because special arrangements had been made for such an emergency. And the special agents went to work immediately. The newspapers, the radio stations, and most important, the local police of Dallas and Fort Worth were notified and given detailed descriptions of the two men. The police radioed warnings to all sheriffs and all peace officers. And broadcasts were also sent out over the Texas state patrols network. By late afternoon, the FBI was busy checking the dozens and dozens of reports which kept coming in.

[Radio Host]

Dean speaking. Yes. Yes. Yes. Okay, thanks a lot, Sheriff. Right. Well, that's another lead gone, Phil.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Which one?

[Radio Host]

Those two fellas spotted fixing a puncture on a back road.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Those local police sure get on the job quick.

[Radio Host]

Age 23.

[Nazi Prisoner]

What?

[Radio Host]

I was just reading over the description of Tanner.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Oh?

[Radio Host]

Lieutenant Paul Tanner of the German navy. Captured when submarine disabled by depth charge. Dean speaking. Yeah. Uh huh. I see. Okay, thanks a lot.

[Nazi Prisoner]

All right, which one was that?

[Radio Host]

Those two men seen sleeping in that cemetery.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Bad lead.

[Radio Host]

Yes.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Something's got to turn up, Dean.

[Radio Host]

Yes, and you know when it does, Hackenberg's gonna be easier to spot than.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Tanner because of that scar on his cheek. Yeah, well, with the whole state out on the hunt, there's got to be.

[Radio Host]

Dean speaking. Yes. Yes, yes, thanks. Right. Bicycle was stolen from a house one mile from the camp the night of the escape.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Bicycle?

[Radio Host]

Yes. And the house was on the same road the prisoners took when they went on labor details.

[Nazi Prisoner]

That sounds good.

[Radio Host]

That sounds better than good. Two men on one bicycle. They ought to be easy to spot.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Phil, if we can spot them before they get rid of the bike, let's send out a call.

[Radio Host]

Right.

[FBI Agent]

Late that afternoon, a truck driver reported seeing two men on a bicycle on the night of the escape. An hour later came another call. A farmer had seen two men on a bicycle the morning after the escape. Then there were no more calls, no more reports. The search was intensified. But by one o' clock on the morning of the 20th, the two Nazis and the bicycle seemed to have disappeared. Seemed to have vanished completely. Where were they at that moment? At one o' clock on the morning of June 20th, they were sitting in a diner dressed in blue jeans and khaki shirts, drinking coffee. Two escaped Nazis were sitting in an all night diner in a small town in Texas, usa.

[Diner Waitstaff]

You boys want anything with that coffee?

[Nazi Prisoner]

No, thanks.

[Diner Waitstaff]

You ain't from around here, are you?

[Nazi Prisoner]

No.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Just passing through?

[Radio Host]

Yes.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Where you heading?

[Radio Host]

East.

[Diner Waitstaff]

East, huh? I know somebody's going in.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Maybe we will have something else. Do you have any pie?

[Diner Waitstaff]

Sure. What kind you want?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Oh, anything that's good. You pick it out.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Trust me.

[FBI Narrator]

Sure.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Okay. Two pieces.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Yes.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Okey doke. Whitey, let me have two cuts of that peach pie.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Okay.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Now, Whitey.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Now I heard you.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Gee, I'm getting hungry myself. Scramble me up a couple eggs.

[Nazi Prisoner]

I just ate an hour ago.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Well, I'm a growing girl. Scramble up the eggs, you sheepskate.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Here's your pie.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Thanks. Toast with them eggs too. Peach pie, boys.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Don't shoot.

I don't think we want the pie after all.

[Diner Waitstaff]

But you ordered it.

[Nazi Prisoner]

We have to go.

Here.

[Diner Waitstaff]

You didn't even finish your.

[FBI Narrator]

Come on, let's go.

[FBI Agent]

Let's go.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Knife. How you come with those eggs, Whitey?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Oh, keep your shirt on. You'll get them.

[Diner Waitstaff]

You can put this pie back.

[Nazi Prisoner]

What's the matter?

[Diner Waitstaff]

Beats me.

[FBI Agent]

Didn't they want it?

[Diner Waitstaff]

They didn't want nothing. They even left the coffee.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Millionaires.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Come on, make with the eggs.

[Nazi Prisoner]

The griddle ain't hot enough yet.

[FBI Agent]

Part yourself.

[Diner Waitstaff]

You ring this up. I'll keep the change.

[Nazi Prisoner]

How much?

[Diner Waitstaff]

Dime. You ain't gonna charge him for the pie, are you?

[Nazi Prisoner]

I guess not.

What those guys rush out for.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Now how do I know that griddle looks hot enough to me.

[Nazi Prisoner]

You want your toast though, don't you?

[Diner Waitstaff]

And coffee.

[Nazi Prisoner]

How about a steak too, your highness?

[Diner Waitstaff]

Ha ha, very funny, Marty.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Yeah?

[Diner Waitstaff]

What's takashen mean, huh? Tonkashon or tonkashine?

[Radio Host]

What?

[Diner Waitstaff]

One of those fellows said it to me when I brought him the pie.

[Nazi Prisoner]

The pie. You didn't eat, huh? Yeah.

[Diner Waitstaff]

I think I'll have a piece myself. Oh, here, Tonkashen.

[Nazi Prisoner]

What?

[Diner Waitstaff]

Maybe that's French for what's your telephone number?

[Nazi Prisoner]

French Sounds more like German to me.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Where do you get German out of that?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Listen, when you want to say thank you in Chairman Dope, you say Donkey Shane.

[Diner Waitstaff]

That's it. That's what he.

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[Diner Waitstaff]

Party.

[FBI Agent]

Holy crow. That diner was in a small town. But even the smallest town has more than one road leading out of it. And it's never long before a road branches into other roads, into a network of roads, into highways. As soon as the telephone call came in from the diner, the FBI and the local police drove out after the two men on the bicycle. After the escaped Nazi prisoners, they tried to cover all roads. They kept in touch with each other by radio, and they drove fast because they realized that even on a bicycle, a man can make time if he's desperate.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Where are we Now, Dean?

[Radio Host]

About 20 miles outside of Vancouver.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Must be awfully strong.

[Radio Host]

Who?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Whoever's pedaling that bike. To get this far so fast and with a passenger.

[Radio Host]

Yeah, if they're still using the bike.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Or if they haven't ducked off into a field.

[Radio Host]

Well, if they have, we should be able to catch them in the morning. The whole area has been alerted.

[Nazi Prisoner]

They managed to disappear completely for at least 24 hours so far.

[Radio Host]

I know, Phil, but if we. That is a bicycle, isn't it?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Looks like it from here.

[Radio Host]

You have your gun ready?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Yes. Dean, do you see anybody on the handlebars?

[Radio Host]

No.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Don't tell me it's going to be a farmer out for a joyride at.

[Radio Host]

This hour of the morning.

[FBI Agent]

Say, huh?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Pull over to the side there. Where are you going, Mr. Van Cool? What for? Why do you want to know?

[Radio Host]

We're federal officers. What's your name?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Frank Johnson.

[Radio Host]

Isn't it kind of late to be out for a ride, Mr. Johnson?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Oh, my sister just had a baby. I rode over to see her.

[Radio Host]

Oh, from where?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Vancouver.

You live there? Yes.

[Radio Host]

Can we see your draft card, please?

[Nazi Prisoner]

I'm sorry. I forgot it. You know how it is when you get a call with the baby. What's the matter?

[Radio Host]

Where'd you get that scar on your cheek?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Germany.

[Radio Host]

Where's Lieutenant Tanner?

[Nazi Prisoner]

I really could not say, but probably very well taken care of. What do you mean?

Americans are extremely hospitable.

And just as stupid.

[Radio Host]

I think you'd better get in the car. Hackenberg.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Captain Hockenberg.

[Radio Host]

Captain Hockenberg.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Thank you, Sheriff.

[FBI Agent]

By morning, the Texas newspapers and radio stations had spread the report. One prisoner was captured, but the other was still at large. An escaped Nazi was still free, was still somewhere in the vicinity of Vancouver, Texas. The cooperation of every citizen was requested and the response was fast. Report after report came into the FBI and the state and local police. Report after report was checked and followed up. The most promising came from a doctor.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Well, gentlemen, I was coming home from a late call and just as I passed that filling station outside San Angelo I noticed a man climbing into the back of this truck.

[Radio Host]

About what time was that, doctor?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Oh, I left the hospital at 2. I guess that was about 5 after.

[Radio Host]

What'd the man look like?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Well, to tell the truth, I didn't notice him much or think much about it till I heard the radio broadcast about the escaped prisoners this morning.

[Radio Host]

Thank you, doctor. We appreciate your help.

[FBI Agent]

That doesn't sound like much help. It doesn't even sound like a real clue. But the FBI checks everything, every report. Special agents immediately called the owner of the San Angelo filling station. He remembered selling gas to a truck driver a little after two in the morning before. But he'd only seen one man on the truck. From the gas coupon, the agents learned the license number of the truck. From the license registration, they learned the name and address of the owner. And then they went to him to see what they could learn from the truck itself.

[Nazi Prisoner]

You can see for yourself I'm here fixing the blowout like I was. Anybody could hop on the back without me seeing them. Would be pretty easy, don't you think, Dean?

[Radio Host]

Well, let's see if there's anything in the back to prove that Nazi was riding with you.

[Nazi Prisoner]

What you looking for?

[Radio Host]

Oh, lots of things.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Fingerprints?

[Radio Host]

Yep. But with all this cloth back here, I doubt if we'll find any surfaces too soft. Phil, you have your flashlight?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Sure.

[Radio Host]

Shine it over here, will you? Is that your hatchet, Mr. Lang?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Yeah. Use it to open crates.

[Radio Host]

You mind if we borrow it to send to our laboratory for a fingerprint check?

[Nazi Prisoner]

No, sir. It's all. Hey.

[Radio Host]

What?

[Nazi Prisoner]

That Nancy could have been riding in the back of my truck and picked up my hatchet and I had a pretty narrow escape.

[Radio Host]

We don't know yet whether he was the one.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Even so.

[Radio Host]

Wait a minute. Shine that flash over here, Phil.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Right.

[Radio Host]

This may be something that. Sure.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Why, that's just a little piece of thread. Here's an envelope for Dean.

[Radio Host]

Thanks. This little piece of thread, Mr. Lang is going to take a long trip to our laboratory in Washington.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Board 4.

[Radio Host]

They'll find out what Kind of a shirt it came from. And I got a hunch it came from the kind of shirt worn by prisoners of war.

[FBI Agent]

The hatchet and the piece of thread arrived at the FBI laboratory in Washington on the morning of June 21st. That afternoon, the result of the examination was teletyped to special agents in Texas. From a small piece of thread, from one fingerprint on the blade of a hatchet, there was proof, conclusive proof, that the hitchhiker on the back of the truck had been Lt. Paul Tanner of the German Navy. But where had he gone? Where was he now? An escaped prisoner of war, a Nazi, was still at large in the state of Texas.

[FBI Narrator]

We momentarily close the Federal Bureau of Investigation file of the case of escaped Nazi prisoners of war. We will return to this case in just a moment. It is the year 1872. A distinguished army officer, a young man with golden hair that reaches to his shoulders, is about to sign his name to an application for membership in the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. The Indians of the western plains call him white chief with yellow hair. But you and I will know him better by the name he is signing on the equitable application. So let's watch his pen as it George Armstrong Custer, Brevet Major General, USA A name that has also been inscribed for all time on the role of America's immortal soldiers. Now, we do not know what led General Custer to choose the Equitable, but we do know that he showed sound judgment. For in four wars and through seven major depressions, this society has never failed to meet a single financial obligation. And for 86 years, equitable funds have marched in the vanguard of American progress. Equitable dollars helped build the railroads. They promoted the growth of our greatest industries. They helped grow wheat in Minnesota, oranges in California, cotton in Texas. So by serving its members, the Equitable serves America. And now back to the file on Paul Tanner. Escaped prisoner of war.

[FBI Agent]

When a convict escapes jail or when a Nazi escapes prison camp, it is fairly easy to catch him during the first two or three days because the trail is fresh. But after that, just as rain can blot out footprints, the trail can disappear into nowhere. That's what happened to the trail of Paul Tanner, former lieutenant on a German submarine. The search continued all through the summer. Reports came in, but by September, Tanner was still free. Where was he? Still in Texas, as a matter of record. He was working as a hired hand for a farmer named Alan, working under the name of Gene Meyer, working to get enough money to escape to Mexico.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Gene.

Gene.

[FBI Narrator]

Yes, Dickie.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Gene look what I got done.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Aunt Dickie, don't start pestering Gene with those model airplanes or whatever they are.

[Diner Waitstaff]

But we want.

[Nazi Prisoner]

He worked hard today and he wants to rest. Well, that's okay, Mr. Allen. Let me see what you got done today. Dickie. Say, Gene, are you going to have to go back to that hospital?

Oh, no.

Merchant seamen aren't like army or Navy. We're pretty free.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Should I glue this on now?

[Nazi Prisoner]

That's right. Still, it's funny they let you do what you wanted after you got out of the hospital. What do you mean, funny? A little further down to here.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Right.

[Nazi Prisoner]

We're not making you go back to sea. I told you, I decided to work to build up my health. Well, I ought to just pray that they let you finish out the harvest. Every time the mail comes. I say, that's no model airplane.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Whoever said it was? Pa, anybody can tell it's a submarine.

[Nazi Prisoner]

A submarine? Where'd you learn about submarines?

[Diner Waitstaff]

Gene drew the plans for it.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Oh, it looks just like a picture one I saw.

[Diner Waitstaff]

Oh, not.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Come on, Gene, we'll finish after supper. Dickie, you wash your hands, Dickie?

[Diner Waitstaff]

I did.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Watch him again. Oh, Pa, that's a darn good submarine. I guess you. What's the matter? Well, I was going to say it's probably modeled with sub. You was on yourself. And then I remembered. Remembered what? They don't have merchant seamen on submarines. Come on, let's eat.

[Radio Host]

Sit down, Mr. Allen.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Thank you, sir.

[Radio Host]

Sheriff Ulster said you might have some information for me.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Well, I don't know for sure, sir, but I. Well, I think my hired hand's that Nazi prisoner you've been looking for.

What makes you think so?

Well, he's been helping my little boy build model planes and stuff, you know.

[Radio Host]

Yes, sure.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Last night I got a look at something they were making. It was from some plans this fellow drew. And you know what the darn thing was? A submarine.

[Radio Host]

Submarine?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Yeah. And I got to thinking about it in bed last night. It looked just like the real thing, and I was wondering.

[Radio Host]

Excuse me, Mr. Allen, sir. Yeah? Look at this photograph.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Sure. Why. Why, that's him.

[Radio Host]

Let's go. Is this his room, Mr. Allen?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Yes, sir.

[Radio Host]

Where is he now?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Well, I left him cutting hay down near the river bottom.

I think I'll go over there.

[Radio Host]

Right. Phil doesn't have much stuff of his own, does he?

[Nazi Prisoner]

No, nothing you don't see. Except that little zipper bag there.

[Radio Host]

Let's have a look at it.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Sure. Here you are.

[Radio Host]

I wonder where he picked this up. It doesn't seem to be.

[Nazi Prisoner]

What is it?

[Radio Host]

Something in the lining here.

[Nazi Prisoner]

A book?

[Radio Host]

It's a diary. June 20th. We had a close call today. H completely forgot himself in a restaurant. He sure did. I am a soldier of the Reich and I must get back to the Fatherland.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Did he write that junk?

[Radio Host]

It's not junk to him. Or do people like him? Mr. Allen, that's something a lot of us don't realize. Listen to this. These Americans are stupid fools. This miserable country will cry for help when the Fuhrer lets loose his secret weapons. And I will be there to help him.

[Nazi Prisoner]

That fellow's crazy.

[Radio Host]

Well, he's a Nazi.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Dean.

[Radio Host]

Yes?

[Nazi Prisoner]

He's gone.

[Radio Host]

What?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Not a sign of him in the field.

He was there when I left.

[Radio Host]

Did he see you go?

[Nazi Prisoner]

Sure.

[Radio Host]

Did he ask why you were going?

[Nazi Prisoner]

I said for supplies.

[Radio Host]

Guess he knew you didn't go to town often and got suspicious.

[Nazi Prisoner]

He must have cleared out right after Mr. Allen did.

[Radio Host]

Why?

[Nazi Prisoner]

There was a jug of water next to the mower and it's full to the top.

But where did he go?

[Radio Host]

I don't know where he went, but I know where he was heading.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Where?

[Radio Host]

Galveston. He's got it in his diary. 30 more dollars and I'm ready to leave for Galveston, then Mexico. I guess he didn't wait for his $30.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Mr. Allen. That river down there.

Oh, we'd take you to Galveston all right. Once I rode there, me and Dicky.

And rode there in what an old.

Flat bottom I have.

Did you have it beached right near the hayfield?

Yeah.

I followed some footprints down there. Your boat's gone, Mr. Allen.

And that Nazzy in it.

Yes, and if.

If he gets to Galveston.

[Radio Host]

Mr. Allen, I don't think.

[FBI Agent]

The Brazos river winds its way through Texas to Galveston. And along its banks are reeds, tall grass, foliage thick enough to hide a man in a flat bottomed boat. They hid Paul Tanner for the rest of that hot afternoon. But by nightfall, sheriffs deputies, state patrolmen, local police and citizens from all around had joined in the hunt. By nightfall, FBI agents were in planes and motorboats, watching the river and keeping contact with each other by walkie talkie radios. By nightfall, there was a moon. A bright moon that stripped the river of shadows and made it a clear field of vision for a plane flying above.

[Radio Host]

Moving upstream toward the bridge. Nothing yet from up here.

[Nazi Prisoner]

We're moving up too, Dean. But there's boats running low on gas.

[Radio Host]

Well, you think you can hold out about. Wait a minute. Wait a minute, Phil. I just saw a reflection of moonlight on something that. Yes, there it is again. Looks like a wet paddle close to the right shore. Heading downstream about a quarter of a mile above Dead Man's Bend now just below Hampstead. He's moving closer to shore, though. Looks like he's trying to land.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Come on. Give her everything you've got. There he is. He's trying to make sure.

[FBI Agent]

Cut her off. Stay where you are.

[Nazi Prisoner]

I'll shoot.

[FBI Agent]

I warn you, Tanner. Stay where you are.

[Nazi Prisoner]

Okay, come on. Jump aboard. Well, you let us a fine chase.

Who's in command here?

In command? Yes, I am.

[FBI Agent]

Heil Hitler. At this moment, There are approximately 390,000 prisoners of war in this country. Most of them are Nazis, and each one is a potential threat to our safety. Alert citizens and cooperative law enforcement officers have aided your FBI in the quick apprehension of escaped prisoners of war before they could commit army acts of sabotage. But they remain a menace. Any information on an escaped prisoner should be reported immediately to the FBI. A Nazi may have been a prisoner in this country for a year or for two years. He may have had a chance to learn something about us, about our democracy, about our way of life. Don't think, however, that his objective has changed. It hasn't. He is still a threat to our security. Still a menace because he is still a Nazi.

[FBI Narrator]

In these days, young Americans are fighting and dying all over the world. So the question, what are you doing here at home to help win the war? Is one that deserves a straightforward answer from every American citizen. From every American organization. Members of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States may take pride in their society's answer to that question. In the Equitable Service flag are 2,015 stars. Here at home, Equitable agents and employees are backing up their fellow workers in the fighting forces by selling thousands of war bonds. In every drive, by giving hundreds of blood donations and by performing all the other services that are expected of patriotic citizens in wartime. Of the funds that have been entrusted to the Equitable society by its members, 44% has been invested in government bonds. In both the 5th and 6th war loan drives, the Equitable made the largest single subscription. Each subscription amounting to $500 million. In wartime, equitable dollars are fighting dollars. And at all times they are security dollars for you, your home. The incidents used in tonight's broadcast are taken from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. However, all names used are fictitious and any similarity thereof to the names of persons living or dead is accidental. In tonight's cast, Tanner was played by Paul Mann. The music was under the direction of Van Cleave. The author was Lawrence MacArthur, and your narrator was Frank Lovejoy. This is your FBI is a Jerry Devine production. Now, this is Carl Frank speaking for the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and inviting you to tune in again next week at this same time for this IS YOUR FBI.

[FBI Agent]

This is the Blue Network of the American Broadcasting Company.

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