Man Behind The Gun 43-06-06 (36) Trainer Of War Dogs [K9 Corps]

Summary

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Podcast Summary

Harold’s Old Time Radio

Episode: Man Behind The Gun 43-06-06 (36): Trainer of War Dogs [K9 Corps]
Original Airdate (Radio Play): June 6, 1943
Podcast Release: January 26, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of the “Man Behind The Gun” series focuses on a lesser-known but vital component of World War II military operations: the training and deployment of war dogs—the K9 Corps. Blending fictionalized characters with authentic military procedures, the story highlights not just the technical demands of transforming civilian pets into skilled military assets, but also the emotional journey of their handlers. Through the perspective of Feeny, a brash ex-jockey turned reluctant dog trainer, listeners are guided from basic training frustrations to gripping frontline missions, all underscored by a growing respect for the war dog’s courage and utility.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: The Role of the Homefront (00:43–02:11)

• The narrator acknowledges the broad support for the war—everyone from Midwestern farmers to Detroit factory workers contributes.
• The opening frames the significance of every American, not just those in uniform.

“Back of the man behind the gun stands you…the plain citizen of America…You also serve in the fullest sense in the fields, in the kitchen, at the desk, at the lathe.” (Narrator, 01:11)

2. Introduction to the K9 Corps & Feeny’s Reluctance (02:11–04:30)

• Listeners meet Feeny, a wisecracking, ambitious jockey drafted for war, expecting a frontline combat role.
• Instead, he’s assigned to train war dogs at Front Royal, Virginia, and is immediately skeptical.

“War dogs? Dogs for defense, they call them now. Look, Sarge, I joined the army, not the circus.” (Feeny, 03:47)

3. Humor & Camaraderie Among Soldiers (05:07–06:19)

• Feeny learns about the war dog program, including the amusing detail that dogs “get more mail than anybody else.”
• The episode paints a picture of camaraderie and coping mechanisms amid unfamiliar duties.

4. The Power of Letters & Sacrifice (06:19–08:40)

• Feeny reads a touching letter from a child whose brother is missing, underscoring the personal stakes and morale behind the war effort.
• The segment humanizes the K9 program, showing how dogs are both a link to home and a source of hope.

“I love you. Yours truly, Edith Leffler. P.S. when you go over the seas, please look for Jack.” (Edith’s letter, 06:19–07:29)

5. Training War Dogs: Skepticism Turns to Respect (08:40–13:23)

• Feeny grudgingly begins training a mongrel named Legs under the stern Sergeant Schulhauser.
• The narrative details the step-by-step process of military dog training—obedience, attack, carrying messages—and the emotional challenge of treating a dog as a soldier, not a pet.

“One properly trained dog is equal to six men. Says who? The Army.” (Hutchins & Feeny, 07:52)

• Sergeant Schulhauser shares his own struggles as a German-American, adding emotional depth and realism.

“Are you ashamed of the country you were born in? Are you ashamed to talk in public because people hate you for your accent?” (Schulhauser, 13:10–14:00)

6. Field Deployment & First Combat Experience (14:21–17:56)

• As training concludes, Legs is assigned as a messenger dog.
• Feeny and his fellow handlers head to the Pacific theater; anxiety and dark humor help them cope with deployment jitters.

“You know what today is? Derby day, Hutch. … I don't care who won. Good night, kid.” (Feeny & Hutch, 16:41–17:56)

7. Jungle Combat: The Crucial Role of Messenger Dogs (18:31–24:43)

• The story fast-forwards to the jungle, where Feeny’s unit must maintain communication with Captain Moreau’s company, surrounded by Japanese forces.
• Radios are unusable—dogs like Legs are the only means to send messages safely.
• In their first deadly encounter, Feeny and Legs survive an ambush, with Legs saving Feeny’s life by attacking a concealed enemy.

“You're cold. You sweat like a pig, but you're cold. You watch the dog, his head up, sniffing as he picks his way. You're almost mad at him, he's so cool and sure. But his calmness steadies you.” (Narrator, 20:04–20:21)

• Feeny is rattled by having to kill, but the mission presses on.

8. The Messenger Returns Under Fire (24:02–25:17)

• Legs is tasked with carrying a vital message back through hostile territory.
• Feeny worries for his dog’s safety, demonstrating the intense bond that’s formed.

“He got me through.” (Feeny on Legs’ reliability, 23:02)

• Legs completes the mission, unflinching in the chaos of battle.

9. Sobering Realities: Death & Duty (25:51–27:50)

• Upon completion, Feeny learns that one of Legs’ “masters” has died; nevertheless, the dog’s only job is to keep running the message, indifferent to human death.
• The segment hammers home the relentless demands of war and the professionalism forced upon both men and dogs.

“He knows. All right. Maybe he cares. But he's a messenger. Between two guys, one of them happens to be dead. But that doesn't change the job.” (Narrator, 26:31)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Everyone’s Service:
  “You also serve in the fullest sense—in the fields, in the kitchen, at the desk, at the lathe. All of you American citizens solidly behind the man behind the gun.” (Narrator, 01:41)

• Army Humor About War Dog Requirements:
  “Sure, they're put in 4F if they're under 20 inches high or got a bad heart or can't stand noise. I suppose they get basic training too, huh?” (Feeny, 03:59)

• Unexpected Emotional Impact:
  “Mother says you must do our share in the war for us while Jack is lost...P.S. when you go over the seas, please look for Jack.” (Edith's Letter, 06:19–07:29)

• On the Value of a Trained War Dog:
  “One properly trained dog is equal to six men. Says who? The Army.” (Hutchins & Feeny, 07:52)

• Stern Guidance from Sergeant Schulhauser:
  “You don't beg a dog to stay. You command him to stay.” (Schulhauser, 10:59)
  “You are going off to war to kill…You better get hard because if you come back at all, you will sit and cry all day too.” (Schulhauser, 14:00–14:21)

• Tension of Battle:
  “You're cold. You sweat like a pig, but you're cold...But his calmness steadies you.” (Narrator on Feeny & Legs in the jungle, 20:04–20:21)

• The Reality of War, Not a Game:
  “Your job, it's going to take a long time to finish. You're not going to be eating Wiener schnitzel in Berlin or sukiyaki in Tokyo for a long time. There's plenty to do. First, take a look at the dog. He's waiting. Well, what are you waiting for, soldier? You've got a job to do. Get down to business.” (Narrator, 27:05–27:50)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:43 – Episode Introduction: The Homefront and the Fighting Men
• 02:11 – Introduction of the War Dog Training Story
• 03:47 – Feeny Sent to War Dog School
• 06:19 – Feeny Reads Heartfelt Letter About Missing Soldier
• 08:40 – The Value and Training of Military Dogs
• 10:32 – Feeny Begins Training with “Legs”
• 14:21 – Preparing for Field Deployment
• 18:31 – Entering Combat Zone in the Pacific
• 20:21 – First Deadly Encounter: Legs Saves Feeny
• 23:14 – Messenger Dog Mission Under Fire
• 25:51 – Death of a Handler and Steeling to Duty
• 27:50 – Closing Reflections: The Relentlessness of War

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Tone & Language

The script leans heavily into period-specific slang ("put five bucks across the board," "flea traps," etc.), mixing tough-guy bravado with moments of honest emotion and vulnerability. The narrator bridges these moments, shifting between gritty, sardonic soldier banter and earnest, almost poetic reflection on the grim realities of war. The tension between humor, duty, and trauma is a key element throughout.

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Final Thoughts

This episode offers both an educational glimpse into the logistical and emotional rigors of American K9 Corps training and a poignant study of how war changes men and animals alike. It serves as a reminder of the unsung heroes—both human and canine—who carried messages, fought fear, and did their jobs in the shadows of World War II.

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Transcript

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[Narrator]

The Columbia Broadcasting System presents the man behind the Gun, dedicated to the fighting men of the United States and the United nations and broadcast in the hope that these authentic accounts of men at war will bring to all of us a better understanding and deeper appreciation of the job being done by our fighting forces everywhere in the world. Back of the man behind the gun stands you, the farmer, the worker, the businessman, the plain citizen of America. If you were not winning the battle of the Middle west, the people of Great Britain, fortified with Wisconsin cheese and Kansas wheat, might not have withstood the withering waves of Nazi blitz. If you were not winning the battle of Detroit, Tunisia would not have fallen to the roaring rumble of General Sherman tanks. If you were not winning the battles of Long beach and Seattle, American air power could not be stopping the Japs in the tangled Pacific isles. Could not these long June days be pulverizing the industrial might of Germany and softening the Achilles heel of Italy. You also serve in the fullest sense in the fields, in the kitchen, at the desk, at the lathe. All of you American citizens solidly behind the man behind the gun.

During the past months, the man behind the gun has brought you many sounds of war. The high, deadly whine of a dive bomber, the sharp staccato of anti aircraft guns, the crack of a Garand rifle, the throbbing of a battleship's engines. But tonight we bring you a peaceful sound. A familiar sound which, like everything else, has gone to war. Tonight, the man behind the gun is a trainer. A trainer of war dogs. You're a jockey, a snub nosed, cocky little character who's hugged every rail from Santa Anita to Saratoga. This was the year you were going to ride the derby winner. You thought. Well, you can stop thinking, kid, because you've got your official invite to play cops and robbers with Hitler. When you go for your physical, they tell you you're the boy who can do it.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Pretty solid, huh, Doc?

[Narrator]

Turn around and breathe deeply, Feeny.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

You birds waste too much time in this rigmarole.

[Narrator]

Going someplace?

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Yeah. Yeah, to Berlin. So come on, hurry.

[Narrator]

It Up.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Those Nazis need a fast lapping around and I'm the kid to do it.

[Narrator]

You get your chance.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

I think I want to be in on the kill and get it over with quick.

[Narrator]

Don't worry. The war will be going on for quite a while.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

I'll put five bucks across the board. We're in Berlin before Christmas.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

Take a deep breath, Feeny.

[Narrator]

And exhale slowly. Yep, you've got the trigger, Rich. And when they shove a rifle in your hand for basic infantry training, you grin as though you'd won the first at Hialeah. So you're not in the cavalry. Okay. You're small and light and hard are natural for advanced patrol work. Only you don't get a crack at it because one morning you find you're getting shipped to Front Royal, Virginia to train with war dogs.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

War dogs? Dogs for defense, they call them now. Look, Sarge, I joined the army, not the circus. I want to see action. You will. Yeah, whenever we get near a tree. How did dogs get in this anyway? They were inducted, same as you. You mean they take a physical?

[Narrator]

Sure.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

They're put in 4F if they're under 20 inches high or got a bad heart or can't stand noise. What if they got dependents? I ain't kidding you. They even get typhoid shots. I suppose they get basic training too, huh? Sure, Same as you. Including GI callers and GI Chow. I got five bucks says one thing ain't the same. What? I bet those flea traps don't pull KP So you're going to fight the.

[Narrator]

War at the wrong end of a leash. You don't like it one bit, and by the time you hit the shaved mountaintop that's Front Royal. You've made up your mind you're pulling out somehow and transferring to a real combat outfit.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

You fold your hands under your head and smile into the dark. That first night in the Front Royal barracks. You'll stay at the post until they have to scratch you.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Is that yacht going to go on all night? Shut your face. I'll blow it out your footlocker. That's made to a pack of dogs.

[Narrator]

What a war.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Well, somebody's using his head. Bump him off and we'll get a little sleep. Nobody's bumping them off. They're getting a new batch of dogs used to gunfire. Hmm. Come again?

[Narrator]

You roll over on your side to talk to the sandy haired link in the next bed. He looks like a well rested Gary Cooper. His name's Hutchins.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

They have to keep firing Nearer and nearer until a dog won't flinch when you shoot right over his head. Ain't that exciting? They have to do it at night.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

Sure.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

The Japs fight on a 24 hour day. Hey, you know, you don't have to work with dogs if you don't want them. Yeah. You tell me how I can duck it. And stay out of the guard house. Answer their letters. Whose letters? The dogs. They get more mail than anybody else. You ain't kidding me, are you?

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

No.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

You think I can get the job? Sure. Nobody else wants it.

[Narrator]

So that's what you do. Become secretary to a kennel. Answer letters that come from hundreds and hundreds of kids. Tell them Rover is fine and thanks for the biscuits and the bows and the collars and the sweaters for the Greenland trip. Four days of it and you're a casualty with writer's cramp.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

How's it coming, Feeny? Oh, fine, fine. One more day and they can amputate. I got a letter here for you, Hutch. For me? Well, for one of your hounds. Same difference. What does the letter say? Put five on the notes. I can tell you before I open it. Dear Rob Roy, how are you? How's the army treating you? We all miss you. Yeah, here it is. How's the army treating you? We all miss you very much. I guess you were lonesome for Jack. Well, he must be the kid's brother.

[Narrator]

Go on.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

We got a telegram Thursday night from the War department in Washington, D.C. that said he got missing in action. Mother says that just means Jack got lost for a while. But Vicky Morrison from next door says that means Jack got killed. I think Mother thinks so too because I can hear her crying at night when she thinks I am asleep. But I am not. What? Poor kid. Mother says you must do our share in the war for us while Jack is lost. I suppose you have a good trainer because you are smart and can beat Hitler and the Japs and the Germans. Please take care of yourself and do not get missing in action. I love you. Yours truly, Edith Leffler. P.S. when you go over the seas, please look for Jack. Wow. How are you gonna answer that? The other dog's had a good trainer, I guess. Fed up to the ears with this job. With what you know about breaking in horses, you'd make a good dog trainer. I wanna fight. I'll bet that's why they sent you here instead of putting you in the cavalry. They're very smart of them. Only I don't want it. We sure could use you, though, you know. More Men bust out of here than dogs. They ought to send them much home. Oh, sure. We don't have enough as it is. One properly trained dog is equal to six men. Says who? The Army. How do they figure that? You put a dog on patrol and he can smell out a Jap and see in the dark better than a cat. And they can hear better than a man. They can tell one plane from another just by the sound of the motor. Yeah, yeah, sure, sure. They can bark their heads off and tell Adolf where to point his gun. Well, the Germans have a white dog that does that without barking. What are you handing me? Well, it's like this. We have a machine gun ambush, see? Beautifully camouflaged, eh? Nobody spots us. We're picking off Germans like bottles on a fence. And one day we look and we see a white dog staring at us. He raises a paw, he points and bang. A trench mortar comes flying over and we're on a little list for the hometown newspaper. Who are. You know, you're pretty wise without knowing anything about it. Okay, Hutch. Dogs are wonderful, but they ain't equal to any six men. In the first place, a man's got a head and he's got a gun. And in the second place, suppose I do train a dog. Suppose he's a holy terror. Smells out heinies like crazy and points him right off the map. And then I get picked off.

[Narrator]

Where's he?

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Still doing his job. Yeah, yeah. You're always flapping your jaw by getting over fast and mowing down the Germans. Well, one dog sees more action than any 10 soldiers. You train with them and you'll get all the action you want. You broken down jockey. Okay, Rover, I'll go to the dogs. Oh, now that stinks. So do the dogs.

[Narrator]

You get four dogs to train, so you'll be used to handling different kinds of. They're all just so much GI equipment to you until one of them develops the cute trick of biting you on the butt every time you turn around. He's a big, lean, black son of a gun with sort of crazy giggling eyes like the first two year old you ever rode at Belmont. He looks like a bad cross between a Belgian police and an Irish setter. But the army says he's a farm dog.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Hey, Hutch, what's a farm dog? That's a refined GI way of saying mongrel.

[Narrator]

You start basic training by handling him on a short six foot leash. Both of you are being taught by a master trainer. The big hulk of a hard faced German American sergeant named Schulhauser. He almost smells of sauerkraut. And you don't like him. For two cents, the dog marches around with you. And while you march, you teach him to heel. Only he's more interested in nipping you in the rear.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Sit, Fortune. Come on, get away from there. Now, look, Baby, I'm very fond of.

[Narrator]

You, but not when.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Yeah?

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

Is that duck named Baby?

[Feeny (Soldier)]

No.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

Is he named Butch?

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Well, no.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

What, is he named Daddy Long Legs. Then call him that.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Now, look, you can't call him Mutt.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

You call a dog by the name he has always known. He's enough to learn without being further confused. You understand? Do you understand?

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Yeah, I understand. Nicknames are verboten, Sergeant Schulhauser.

[Narrator]

After your dog learns to obey the different commands on a short leash, you put him through the same routine on a 25 foot leash. And then without any leash at all. And that's the tough part. Like trying to get a horse to save something extra for the home stretch. You know he can do it, but you don't know how to tell him to stay.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Legs, stay. No, baby, don't come with me. Stay where you are. Stay.

[Narrator]

Stay.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Now, that's it, Legs. Stay. Stay.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

Beanie.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Yeah.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

You don't beg a dog to stay. You command him to stay.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Okay?

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

You command him and you don't let him bark.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

He just let out one of the dogs. I heard him, okay? Barking is boating, Sergeant Schulhauser.

[Narrator]

The dog's getting harder. And you're getting to like him as much as a thoroughbred. He hardly barks now. And he doesn't want to play as much as you do. Sometimes you deliberately turn around badgering him to take a nip out of you, but he rarely does. You're down to the dirty work now, teaching him to prowl. To smell out the enemy and grab him.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Leg attack. He hurting you, Kenyon? Yeah. Hold him this arm guard. Give it. Legs. Release.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

That.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Good boy, Legs. That's getting them. That's taking a nip out of old Adolf.

[Narrator]

Come on.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

You want to play, boy? You want to slap me around? What?

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

Now, you know you're not to play with them. That dog is a soldier, not a pet. He's useless to us if you spoil him.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Okay. Patton is. Don't say that. Don't say what, Sergeant Schulhauser?

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

Kenyon, get a new arm guard. I'll work as Feeny.

[Narrator]

Thanks, Sergeant.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

All right, tell him to attack.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

It's a pleasure. Legs. German, attack. Speedy. Call him up. Legs, release.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

Why did you give that command?

[Feeny (Soldier)]

I just Told him to attack.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

That's not all you said.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

That's the command.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

You said German attack.

[Narrator]

Why?

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Because I'm sick and tired. I've been picked on by a fat faced hernia.

[Narrator]

Why are you.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Release. Release. Release, please.

[Narrator]

Release.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

Thanks. Now you can go and turn me into the company commander. Now go on, tell me we're hit by an uncom. But don't ever call me a chairman.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

I'm sorry, Serge. I'm a stinker.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

I picked on you because you were too easy with a smart dog. And we need them. Enemy gives their dog six months to a year of training. They can. Been doing it since the last war. We can't.

[Narrator]

Why not?

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

We don't have enough. We have to send them right out. They're needed so badly. You wasted time so I picked on you. Maybe in the wrong way, but there's no excuse for saying what you did.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Yeah, I know.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

You don't know. Are you ashamed of the country you were born in? Are you ashamed to talk in public because people hate you for your accents? I hate Germans more than you. Much more. I know them. You are going off to war to kill.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Like.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

Like in the movies.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

I'm going over to help finish it off quick.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

Yeah, yeah, of course. My brother went off like you. He is 6 foot 3 and worked in the Chicago stockyard. But he was as soft as you. He went to Guadalcanal and came back. Now he sits all day and cries.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Now hold on. Maybe I don't know Germans, but I do.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

You know, you don't even know what you're fighting for and what it's like to fight. You better get hard because if you come back at all, you will sit and cry all day too.

[Narrator]

You haven't got time to wonder whether you're getting hard inside or not. You haven't even got time to look at the racing form. It's near the end of training now and the dogs are being reviewed for assignment in the field. Some are going to be scouts or sentries or pack dogs.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Some to are going.

[Narrator]

Some are going.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

What do they do?

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

They have a piece of leather attached to their collar. And you send them out to find wounded men. When they do, they take the leather in their mouth and come back.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Oh, and then you follow them to the wounded guy, huh?

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

Yeah.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Legs is a natural for that.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

We have something else for him. So many messengers get killed, we want to substitute dogs. They can do it faster and safer.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Legs gonna be a messenger dog.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

You have two masters, you and I. St. Hutchins, Hutch.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Oh, that's swell.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

You've got to tram him so he'll cover almost any distance between the two of you.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Yeah, but suppose I send him to Hutch and Hutch has moved.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

As long as the dog can pick up the scent, he'll find him.

[Narrator]

So you get to work. It's slow at first, but that dog wants to learn. He wants to learn and he does. Before you know it, he's carrying messages all over the joint and moving as fast as man of War. And then he's ready and out you go. When you take him on the train, you're as excited as though you were putting a horse in a boxcar marked Louisville. He doesn't jump around now. He doesn't bark. He doesn't even growl. He's cold and he's hard. And heaven help the poor slob, he gets his teeth into. Looking at him. Quiets you down. And it isn't until later, when you're trying to grab some shut eye, that you get that feeling of waiting for a race to begin. You're sharing a lower berth with Hutch, which means that he and his feet have three quarters of it. And you're wedged up against the window.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Hutch.

[Narrator]

Shut up.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Ah, you can't sleep, can you? No, I never could on trains. Give you odds that four legged piece of black ice is found. McCulloch. Legs. Maybe you forgot to tell him he's going to war. Think you'd feel it. I'm popping myself. You'll kill me. Why? You're gonna mop up all the Nazis fast, aren't you? Maybe not all. You're gonna send Legs in with the message it'll win the decisive battle. You're gonna stop Adolf single handed. You're gonna eat Wiener schnitzel in Berlin. Oh, don't. I don't want to be no Sergeant York, but this thing's been going on too long. We gotta get in there and clean it up fast. Al, that's you? Sure.

[Narrator]

Did you feel like that?

[Feeny (Soldier)]

I don't know. I don't think about it much. How can you help thinking about it? I'm in the army. I don't think I do what they give me to do. I want us to win and I want to help us win. But I hope I don't get killed. Guess I'm a little afraid. You're a funny guy, Hutch. Yes. Are you, Feeny? Thank you, really. Hutch. Hutch, listen. You know what today is? Derby day, Hutch. Oh, Happy derby day. I don't Even know who won some horse. I staked my role. It was Count Fleet. Well, could be funny. Won, I guess. I don't care who won. Good night, kid.

[Narrator]

You wait on all kinds of lines for all kinds of things in the army. Sometimes it's. It seems as though half your time is spent in waiting. But none of it can stack up against waiting for a convoy to hit port. You just wait and wait and wait and nothing happens till late one afternoon when you're up topside for a breath of air.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

I look friends. Excuse me. I hate jazz. I hate Germans too. Yeah, but I'm afraid of jazz.

[Narrator]

Oh, Mud. This is the first time you ever heard guns going off in your direction. You shiver. You're a few yards from your command post giving legs his breakfast. All around you is a mess of sticky, stinking, hot smelling trees. It's taken you days of stumbling through jungle to get up to the front. Now that you're here, you want to take Legs and run someplace with him. Yeah. You're scared. You reach down to grab his collar and then you stop. You can't interrupt him. He's eating as though he hasn't heard a peep. You both went through the same training. You're both soldiers. Only you're scared and he's hungry.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Yes, sir.

[Narrator]

We're moving up and we've got to contact Captain Moreau's outfit.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Yes, sir.

[Narrator]

He's about a mile and a half upstream.

Now, here, you better take this map. Right. We're going to try to encircle that Jap position.

So Moreau and I must keep in touch the whole time.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Can I take my dog?

[Narrator]

Yes. Now, as soon as you find Moreau.

Get his answer to this message and.

Send it right back with legs.

Hutchins.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Yes, sir.

[Narrator]

You're moving on with us. Yes, sir. Now, Feeney, there's been plenty of fighting in there. Moreau's up to his neck and the whole area is lousy with Japs, dead and alive. Don't fire unless you absolutely have to. You'll give yourself away. Use your bayonet.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

I get it.

[Narrator]

And watch out for those Japs. Sometimes they may only look dead if they don't stink. Stick em.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Yes, sir.

[Narrator]

Lots of luck. Thanks.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Look, kid, don't you think that. Shut up. He picked me. Yeah, but look.

[Narrator]

I know.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Okay. Okay. Take care of the jerk Legs. Guess. You make sure you're around when he comes back. I'll be here.

[Narrator]

You snap a leash on Legs and start out. You only got a mile and a half to go but you sure wish you were riding it on Count Fleet. Only he couldn't get through this mess. The vines and branches slap in your face and the trees are dark and shadowy as you walk carefully after Legs. You're cold. You sweat like a pig, but you're cold. You watch the dog, his head up, sniffing as he picks his way. You're almost mad at him, he's so cool and sure. But his calmness steadies you. When you move on faster. You're not sure how far you've gone. When Leg stops short and tugs sharply at the leash, you take it off. His tight black head moves slowly until it points at a thick clump of slimy trees and bushes. Like a black ghost, he moves into the trees. You look up and around as you follow but his nose. And in a minute you see why. There's a dead Jap flat on his face in the mud, his hands reaching out onto snake like vines. You bend closer, peering at him. Then suddenly one of his eyes opens and his right hand shoots up, clutching a pistol. You're frozen, cold still. But in a leap, Legs are talking, his teeth sparing into a brown wrist. Now you come to life as sore as a boil. You raise your bayonet, plunge it down deep into flat flesh. Once, twice, three times. That does it.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Good going, Legs.

[Narrator]

Good going. Release. You begin wiping the bayonet off on his shirt. But you're afraid you're going to be sick, so you get away fast. Now you remember what the captain said. If they don't stink, stick em.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

What a jerk. What a jerk.

[Narrator]

After a while you slow down. That Jap was number one. The first notch in your belt.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Legs, we did it. You and me.

[Narrator]

We slit a guy. And how do you feel? You feel lousy. You don't want them to kill you, but you don't want to kill them until Legs jerks on the leash again.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

What is it, boy?

[Narrator]

This time it stinks all right. It's a fuzz faced blond kid stripped to the bone. And you can see lots of bone. You can see how the Japs have sliced him. And you're sick right then and there. You feel better afterwards. And now you watch the dog's nose, hoping you'll smell out another brown butcher so you can do a job on him. We're almost there. The gunfire tells you you're not going to walk in on a game of Spit in the Ocean either. You duck in and out through the trees. Finally, during a lull in the firing, you meet up with a dirty, tired bunch of GIs walk up to one of them who's resting by a light trench mortar.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Hey, Johnny. Where's Captain Moreau?

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

That's me.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Oh, I got a message for you.

[Narrator]

Sir, from Captain Wetzel. Oh, good. Know anything about mortars?

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Some.

[Narrator]

Fine. You'll have to give me a hand with this, if you can. We've been having some trouble and we're pooping out a little. Yes, sure.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Oh, Tom.

[Narrator]

Those chimps must live on Benzedrine. Let me use your back so I.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

Can write a message to work.

[Narrator]

Sure. Does Hound ever carry a message before?

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Not in action.

[Narrator]

Guns don't bother him. Think he'll get through?

[Feeny (Soldier)]

He got me through.

[Narrator]

Take the message from him and slip it into the carrier attached to the dog's collar. He stands there, black and firm and big. Almost too big. Run your hand along his back as you kneel beside him.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Make it good, baby.

[Narrator]

Run like the devil and make it good. And then you remember, don't pet him. You'll ruin him. So you move away a little and say in a hard voice, message, go. And boy, does he go. Black streak shooting into the black trees, slipping under the gunfire, away from open ground and into the shadows.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Look at him take cover.

[Narrator]

Look at him. I wish soldiers had the sense of dog.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Yeah, so do I.

[Narrator]

You're worried. You've changed position twice and you know Moreau is waiting for that dog to get back. Waiting for an answer from Captain Wexler. It's really a good dog, Captain. Sure, he's a good dog.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

I guess it's pretty important to get that message from Captain Wexler, huh?

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

We don't hear. Pretty soon.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

You couldn't use a radio or a telephone or something?

[Narrator]

No. We don't even take any. Move around too much and the squints would intercept anything.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

He's. He's a good dog and smart.

[Narrator]

Stop worrying, Feeny. He'll get through.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Of course, you know, things can happen even to the best dog.

[Narrator]

He'll get through. Getting pretty thick, sir. Well, if Wexler's got that message, we can box him up certain.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Captain, maybe you ought to send a runner out, huh?

[Narrator]

You want to go? Yes. And what happens if your dog is looking for you? Well, you could shut up and relax. This is your first day at the rat race, isn't it?

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

Well, soldier, you've had an awful lot happen so far. Don't be a hog. Oh, they're getting tough now. You're some heaviest stuff. Get on that mortar, Feeny. Right. And keep your mind on It?

Yes.

Running back and forth among the men, watching the guns, watching the firing. Watching 50 million things. But you know his mind is always on that message from Wetzler and the Black Dog that's got to bring it. You start worrying all over again. And then you begin worrying about handling the mortar in two minutes. Your mind's so boxed up in what you're doing that you don't realize something is rubbing your shoulder. Something cold. Something wet. Something that feels like a dog's nose.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Legs. Legs. Oh, baby. I knew you'd do it, Wiggins. Dirty, sloppy, black wee bags. Hey, Captain. Captain, come here. Don't like your beautiful flank? Hey, Captain, here's your message.

[Narrator]

What were you worrying about, kid? You scuff Legs around while the Captain reads the note. Dog lets you, but he doesn't play back. The day hasn't been very different for him. He just wants some water. And while you're giving it to him, the captain comes over. How tired is he? Three miles couldn't knock him out. Wexler doesn't know that the Japs have shifted. He's going around the wrong way. We gotta get him back this way.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Legs don't get to him.

[Narrator]

Say, this boy.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

Bumped off.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Oh, dead.

[Sergeant Schulhauser]

He was fading when the dog got there.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

That was fast. Geez, that was fast.

[Narrator]

What?

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Nothing. Look, if he's dead and they're moving.

[Narrator]

On, they're taking his body with him. Will that make any difference to the dog? You look at Legs and your eyes follow the set line of his back.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

No, it won't make any difference. He'll find out.

[Narrator]

Good. Here's the message. You take it and you kneel down beside the dog to put it in his carrier. You don't pat him. You don't whisper. You don't nuzzle his ear.

[Feeny (Soldier)]

Yeah, I guess he does.

[Narrator]

He knows. All right. Maybe he cares. But he's a messenger. Between two guys, one of them happens to be dead. But that doesn't change the job. Yeah. That dog knows this isn't cops and robbers. It's about time you knew it. You're not yelling bang bang with a broomstick. You're not playing three shots for a nickel, either. Your job, it's going to take a long time to finish. You're not going to be eating Wiener, schnitzel and Berlin or sukiyaki in Tokyo for a long time. There's plenty to do. First, take a look at the dog. He's waiting. Well, what are you waiting for, soldier? You've got a job to do. Get down to business. Greg. Message go. All incidents in this broadcast are based upon fact. The names used, however, are wholly fictitious and any similarity to those of actual individuals in the armed forces is coincidental. In just a moment, we will tell you about next week's man behind the Gun. But first, a message from your government.

We ask you to listen to the sound of a can of bacon grease. Stand by. The glycerin required to fire those five anti tank shells can be reclaimed from only two pounds of waste cooking fat. Save your kitchen fats and take them to your meat dealer, who will pay you for them. Your kitchen is an arsenal. Don't pour gunpowder down the drain. The man behind the Gun is produced and directed by William N. Robeson. Tonight's broadcast was written by Corporal Arthur Lawrence. Jackson Beck is the narrator and the original score is composed and conducted by Van Cleave. Next week, the man behind the Gun celebrates United Nations Flag Day with the inspiring story of our allies in action. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.