Leatherneck Legends xxxxxx 01 The King's Error

Summary

Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: Leatherneck Legends xxxxxx 01 The King's Error
Release Date: March 1, 2025

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Introduction

In the "Leatherneck Legends" series, Harold's Old Time Radio delves into gripping tales inspired by the storied history of the United States Marine Corps. The inaugural episode, "The King's Error," transports listeners to the tumultuous South Seas of Sumatra, where courage, loyalty, and justice collide amidst betrayal and conflict.

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Setting the Scene

The episode opens with an evocative narration setting the geographical and temporal context:

[00:00] Narrator: From taco night in Tulum to sushi in Tokyo, every bite is rewarding and Pulse worthy with MX Gold's 4 times membership rewards points at restaurants worldwide. (Note: This segment appears to be an advertisement and is skipped in the content summary.)

Shortly after, the story unfolds in the harbor of Guadalupattu on the island of Sumatra, where two merchant ships, The Friendship and The Falcon Belle, are moored side by side.

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Character Introductions

Captain Endicott of The Friendship and Captain Hannah of The Falcon Belle engage in a convivial conversation post-supper, establishing their camaraderie and the mutual respect between the two captains.

[00:53] Captain Endicott: The United States Marine Corps.

[02:05] Captain Hannah: Pretty wild, lonesome part of the world, these South Seas.

Their banter reveals tensions concerning a local individual named Brosie, a character introduced with suspicion:

[02:17] Captain Hannah: Oh, this fellow Brosie.

[02:19] Captain Endicott: Yeah, that's him. I wonder where he learned English so good.

Brosie’s influence on the island and his dealings with the captains hint at underlying conflicts that drive the story forward.

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Rising Tensions

The plot thickens when Captain Hannah inquires about Officer Hiram Drew, a familiar face to both captains. Their reunion is short-lived as it leads to a harrowing discovery:

[05:48] Captain Endicott: ...then when we started across the deck, there were the bodies of my mate, Mr. Drew, and the two seamen, Whaler and Smith, all murdered.

The theft of $12,000 and the removal of cargo escalate the conflict, setting the stage for a quest for justice.

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Conflict Emerges

Malice takes form with the introduction of King Brogy, the self-proclaimed ruler of Kuala Batu. His confrontation with Captain Endicott highlights the power struggle and the impending threat to American citizens:

[06:13] King Brogy: Listen to him. He's King Brogy on this island.

[06:24] Captain Endicott: You better like it. Listen here, Captain. The king here has got every chief on this island right where he wants him.

King Brogy’s dominance over the island's chiefs and his disregard for American law intensify the narrative’s conflict.

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Marine Corps Response

Emphasizing the protection afforded to American citizens, the narrative underscores the role of the United States Marine Corps in safeguarding their rights:

[07:22] Tiny Ruffner: But King Brogy... the Friendship was a United States merchantman engaged in legitimate trade. Hiram Drew and the other two men who were murdered on the Friendship were citizens of the United States. And every citizen of the United States has a right to and gets the protection of the United States Navy and the United States Marines.

A decision is made to deploy Marines to handle the situation, highlighting themes of duty and honor inherent in military service.

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Climax and Resolution

Under the command of Lt. Shubrick, the Marines launch a strategic assault on Kuala Batu’s fortified positions:

[08:16] Captain Endicott: Go see what you can find out.

The ensuing battle is depicted with vivid intensity:

[09:01] Captain Endicott: Yeah. Well, our ships hove to three miles outside rudderfowl.

Despite fierce resistance, the Marines' coordinated efforts lead to the downfall of King Brogy’s strongholds:

[11:25] Tiny Ruffner: ...the Marines, under Lt. Shubrick, speedily leveled that third and last fort and then set fire to Brogy's whole town of Kuala Batu and reduced most of it to ashes.

The decisive victory ensures justice for the fallen sailors and restores order, reinforcing the protective role of the Marine Corps.

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Conclusion

"The King's Error" masterfully intertwines themes of loyalty, justice, and the relentless pursuit of duty. Through engaging dialogue and dynamic storytelling, Harold's Old Time Radio pays homage to the valor and integrity of the United States Marine Corps, offering listeners both entertainment and a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by service members.

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Notable Quotes

• Captain Endicott on Duty:

  "You better like it. Listen here, Captain... you've got to show these savages just what American citizenship means."
  [06:47] Captain Endicott

• Narrator on Marine Tradition:

  "The Marines did do it, living up, as always, to the tradition of the Marine Corps."
  [11:25] Tiny Ruffner

• King Brogy's Authority:

  "You better like it. Listen here, Captain. The king here has got every chief on this island right where he wants him."
  [06:19] King Brogy

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"The King's Error" is a testament to the enduring spirit of the Marines, weaving a tale that honors their legacy while captivating listeners with its dramatic narrative.

Transcript

[Narrator]

From taco night in Tulum to sushi in Tokyo, every bite is rewarding and Pulse worthy with MX Gold's 4 times membership rewards points at restaurants worldwide. Wherever you dine, points are piling up. So bring your friends along for your next course. Because it's not all about the posts, it's about the company and the memories. How can gold from Amex sweeten your next food moment? Learn [e-mail] Explore Gold terms and points Cap apply.

[Captain Endicott]

The United States Marine Corps.

[Tiny Ruffner]

Is on the air. This is Tiny Ruffner, announcer for the United States Marine Corps, bringing you another in a series of thrilling adventures based on experiences taken from the annals of this branch of Uncle Sam's fighting forces. The scene of our story today is the south seas of the island of Sumatra, the harbor of Guadalupattu within a few yards of each other. Two ships are anchored in the harbor. Two merchantmen, one the Friendship, the other the Falcon Belle. Each is moored alongside a wooden jetty that sticks out from the beach in the cabin of the Falcon Bell. Her skipper, Captain Hannah and Captain Endicott of the Friendship, have just finished supper.

[Captain Endicott]

Well, Captain Hannah, that was a fine supper. Fine supper.

[Captain Hannah]

It's Falcon Belgrove, isn't it, Cap'n Indicate.

[Captain Endicott]

Yes, I'll admit that it is.

[Captain Hannah]

Don't blame me if the food's better than this on that tub of yours.

[Captain Endicott]

All right, all right, Hannah, have your little joke. So good to see a friendly face. I don't mind.

[Captain Hannah]

Yes, yes. Pretty wild lonesome part of the world, these South Seas.

[Captain Endicott]

Ah, this island of Sumatra is something to write home about right now.

[Captain Hannah]

Hey, had any trouble?

[Captain Endicott]

Oh, no, no, not yet. But I don't like this fellow.

[Captain Hannah]

Oh, this fellow Brosie.

[Captain Endicott]

Yeah, that's him. I wonder where he learned English so good.

[Captain Hannah]

Half caste. Spent some time in the Philippines, they say.

[Captain Endicott]

Him and his saloon and his store and his girl at Shaza.

[Captain Hannah]

Oh, her, of course.

[Captain Endicott]

As I say, I've had no trouble paid him his money and he moved my cargo of pepper down to the.

[Captain Hannah]

Jetty and a hokin spectadol of it.

[Captain Endicott]

Oh, yes, yes, of course. It's all aboard now and we'll be underway in the morning. Yes, I'll be relieved, I can tell you. I got $12,000 of English money aboard.

[Captain Hannah]

12,000?

[Captain Endicott]

Money for that cargo I delivered. It's been a good voyage, my friend. My owners stand to make 30 or 40,000 out of the Friendship this time.

[Captain Hannah]

Well, this brougie's pretty bad, but I don't think he'd dare come aboard the Friendship and cause trouble, Captain Endicott.

[Captain Endicott]

No, I guess not. But I'll be glad to shove off just the same.

[Captain Hannah]

Yeah. Yes, I know how you feel. Well, shall we get a little air?

[Captain Endicott]

Good idea.

[Captain Hannah]

Yes.

[Captain Endicott]

I gotta be getting back to the Friendship anyway. My mate and a couple of hands are stowing the last of the cargo.

[Captain Hannah]

Yes, it don't pay to get caught with cargo stowed too high on this ocean, huh?

[Captain Endicott]

Oh, that part's all right. I got a good mate.

[Captain Hannah]

Better take no. Say, Captain Indiga. Say. Yeah, here we've been sitting and chawing for three hours or more and. Gosh, I forgot to ask you.

[Captain Endicott]

What?

[Captain Hannah]

Hey, you got an officer name Hiram Drew.

[Captain Endicott]

Hiram Drew?

[Captain Hannah]

Yeah. Tall young feller with dark hair.

[Captain Endicott]

Why, he's my mate. Joined me in Shanghai six months ago.

[Captain Hannah]

Well, snarl my halyards. Hi, Drew.

[Captain Endicott]

Hey, where'd you know him?

[Captain Hannah]

Where'd I. Why, Hiram's the neighbor's boy back home.

[Captain Endicott]

No.

[Captain Hannah]

Yes. Many the time I've bobbed him on my knees. This one right here. Why, his ma told me she'd had a letter saying he's with you and I plumb forgot. Plum forgot.

[Captain Endicott]

Well. Well, he's right over there in the friendship now. Him and the two men.

[Captain Hannah]

Well, I'm gonna walk over with you and shake hands with High.

[Captain Endicott]

Proud to have you, Cap'n.

[Captain Hannah]

Come on. Uh.

[Captain Endicott]

Oh.

[Captain Hannah]

Watch that horser, Cap'n.

[Captain Endicott]

I got it.

[Captain Hannah]

Well, well, well. Say, tell me, ending I. What kind of an officer is High?

[Captain Endicott]

Fine, fine. Good. City boy.

[Captain Hannah]

Navigator.

[Captain Endicott]

Good. Good.

[Captain Hannah]

And a wind hails him with all.

[Captain Endicott]

Ill hold, but never crowds him.

[Captain Hannah]

Well, well, hey, what a story to take home to his ma. You know, she sets great store by him. Great store. I ain't seen him since. He's a man grown, you know.

[Captain Endicott]

No, right.

[Captain Hannah]

Well, I'd be glad to shake his hand.

[Captain Endicott]

Well, here's a jetty and here's a friendship. Now, let me see. Mr. Drew ought to be about midship right over there.

[Captain Hannah]

I'll call him Hiram. Ahoy, Hiram.

[Captain Endicott]

Maybe going below for a minute.

[Captain Hannah]

Hiram ahoy. Hi. Here's a message from your moth. Wait til he hears that. That'll bring him a running. Hey, Hiram.

[Captain Endicott]

That's odd.

[Captain Hannah]

Maybe he's left the ship.

[Captain Endicott]

Mr. Drew wouldn't leave the ship. Here, we'll go up the gang plank, Mr. Drew.

[Captain Hannah]

Whale up. Smith ahoy. Rest of the crew ashore, Captain Indicott.

[Captain Endicott]

Yes, yes. Well, come on, let's go below. Wait.

[Captain Hannah]

Huh?

[Captain Endicott]

Anna, look. They're the dick. Oh, it's Hiram Drew. Then when we started across the deck, there were the bodies of my mate, Mr. Drew, and the two seamen, Whaler and Smith, all murdered. Strongbox in the cabin had been broken open and $12,000 had been stolen. And all the cargo I bought from you had been removed from the hold.

[Tiny Ruffner]

Now I want justice.

[Captain Endicott]

Mr. Brogey.

[King Brogy]

Mr. Brogy. Listen to him. He's King Brogy on this island. Captain Eliphat. And you better remember it, King Broy.

[Captain Endicott]

Then your highness, or whatever you'll have. Ah, you don't like that, huh, Captain? And the captain.

[King Brogy]

You better like it. Listen here, Captain. The king here has got every chief on this island right where he wants him.

[Captain Endicott]

All right, Shasta. All right.

[King Brogy]

Well, I want to tell.

[Captain Endicott]

Something's gotta be done. All right. What do you want me to do? You.

[Tiny Ruffner]

Why I want.

[Captain Endicott]

You ain't maybe hitting. I did it. Are you a captain? I'm accusing nobody, but I am.

[King Brogy]

You better not, if you know what is good.

[Captain Hannah]

Shah, sir.

[Captain Endicott]

Now see here, King Projee. You're the law in Kuala Battu, and I expect justice. I want the murderers of my mates and my men punished. And I want them now. I'm supposed to look all over this island for a couple of fellows Just because you couldn't look after your own stuff. You say you're the. Ah, get out of here. Indica. Don't bother me no more, you hear? Don't bother me no more, you hear? Endicott, you're making a great mistake. King Brogie. You're forgetting something. Something very important. I ain't forgetting nothing.

[Tiny Ruffner]

But King Brogy, as he called himself, was forgetting something important. Something very important. The Friendship was a United States merchantman engaged in legitimate trade. Hiram Drew and the other two men who were murdered on the Friendship were citizens of the United States. And every citizen of the United States has a right to and gets the protection of the United States Navy and the United States Marines. One afternoon, not so long after King Broji dismissed Captain Endicott as Broge and his girl Shasta sat in deep chairs on the verandah, hit stores and saloon, three sailors mounted the steps and sat down at the table from their dress. The sailors appeared to be three ordinary seamen from some trading schooner. But as Brody had seen no ship anchor in Kuala Batu harbor, he asked Shasta.

[Captain Endicott]

Who are those three guys, Shasta?

[King Brogy]

I don't know. Off his tramp, I guess.

[Captain Endicott]

Yeah, but where is it?

[King Brogy]

That is right. No ship is in.

[Captain Endicott]

Go see what you can find out. See what they'll have.

[King Brogy]

Oh, you Want people to think I'm a waitress?

[Captain Endicott]

Go on, before I take my.

[King Brogy]

All right, all right.

[Captain Endicott]

You're getting pretty high toned around here.

[King Brogy]

Hello, sailor.

[Captain Endicott]

Hiya.

[King Brogy]

Hey, what ship you offer?

[Captain Endicott]

We're from a whale, folks.

[King Brogy]

Oh, yeah?

[Captain Hannah]

Yeah, that's right, sister.

[King Brogy]

And don't call me sister. No, no. You don't know who I am around here, do you?

[Captain Endicott]

Oh, you own the place, ma'am?

[King Brogy]

Well, practically.

[Captain Endicott]

Oh, then could we have a sandwich and a glass of beer, maybe?

[King Brogy]

Certainly. But what is this stuff about a werebow?

[Captain Endicott]

Yeah, that's right.

[Captain Hannah]

Oh, Lieutenant. I mean, loosen up, Shoebrick, and tell the lady the troll.

[Captain Endicott]

Yeah. Well, you see, our ships hove to three miles outside rudderfowl. The skipper let us come ashore on a whaleboat while she's being fixed.

[Captain Hannah]

My name's Pinkham, and here's a Shoebrick. And here's a Zedson. What's yours?

[King Brogy]

Shassa.

[Captain Hannah]

Oh, Shassa.

[Captain Endicott]

Hey.

[King Brogy]

Yeah. You Americans or English? What is funny?

[Captain Endicott]

Well, we were just thinking maybe both the Americans and the English would like to claim us if they could catch us.

[King Brogy]

Oh, I get it.

[Captain Endicott]

Hey, Ms. Shasser, you say you practically own this place. What's that mean?

[King Brogy]

Well, him and me are engaged practically.

[Captain Endicott]

That guy over there?

[King Brogy]

Yes. Son, you don't need to use that horn. He's King Broje. And I mean king. You see that hill over there?

[Captain Endicott]

Yeah.

[King Brogy]

Well, he's got a big fort there, full of men. And you see that hill there?

[Captain Endicott]

Yeah.

[King Brogy]

There's another fort there and enough men with guns to shoot up the whole beach. And you see that big heel there?

[Captain Hannah]

Yeah.

[Captain Endicott]

Come over here.

[King Brogy]

All right. I'll be back in a minute.

[Captain Endicott]

Sure. Take your time.

[Captain Hannah]

Sure.

[Captain Endicott]

We're no rush. What'd you find out?

[King Brogy]

They're off a trader three miles out. It's got rudder trouble. And they came ashore. They were both.

[Captain Hannah]

Oh, they did?

[King Brogy]

They're all right. They said they're wanted by both the Americans and the English.

[Captain Endicott]

What was you talking about?

[King Brogy]

Nothing.

[Captain Endicott]

You was pointing over toward the fort. Were you telling them about the fort?

[King Brogy]

No, I wasn't.

[Captain Endicott]

Well, you better not.

[Captain Hannah]

Hey, they're leaving.

[Captain Endicott]

All three of them.

[King Brogy]

Hey, don't you want something to eat or drink?

[Captain Endicott]

We'll be back later.

[Captain Hannah]

Yeah, we'll take a little walk.

[Captain Endicott]

That's all right. I wonder what those guys are up to. I wonder. Well, Lieutenant Shubrick, what did you and your men find out? The three of us went to Brody's place, captain. Three reconnoitred along the beach. Roji has the place pretty well fortified. Three forts and they all look pretty strong, sir. You know the location of each? Yes, sir, we do. How many men do you think you'll need? About 250, sir. Very well, Lieutenant Shubrick, take them. Thank you, sir. We'll sail right into the town so you can have the help of the ship's guns. Make your dispositions and give all instructions as we sail in. And more than ever, Lieutenant, I'll expect you Marines to live up to the tradition of your corps. Three Americans were murdered in cold blood here, and Captain Etiquette, an American citizen, was robbed. We've got to show these savages just what American citizenship means. The Marines will do it, sir.

[Tiny Ruffner]

And the Marines did do it, living up, as always, to the tradition of the Marine Corps. At about 2:00 in the morning, the landing party, under the command of Lt. Shubrick, embarked in boats and proceeded toward their objectives. When they reached the shore, they immediately attacked the three strong camouflage forts that King Brogy's girl Shassa had so obligingly pointed out. Lieutenant Shubrick directed Lieutenant Pinkham and one detachment to take the first fort nearest the beach and Lieutenant Edson and one detachment to take the fort in the rear of the town. Lieutenant Shubrick himself set out to take the third fort, to which Brogy had repeated at the sound of the first shot. The fighting on all three fronts was sharp, hard, tough. But while Lieutenants Pinkham and Edson swept away resistance and captured the first two forts in short order, the third fort, Lt. Shubrick's objective, proved more difficult. However, with reinforcements which arrived later, The Marines, under Lt. Shubrick speedily leveled that third and last fort and then set fire to Brogy's whole town of Kuala Batu and reduced most of it to ashes. By the next day, under the heavy pounding of the ship's guns, not only Brody, but all the native chiefs in his gang begged for peace. Having learned sadly and well the full meaning of American citizenship.