
Today's Adventure: An OSS agent goes to Siam to rescue a captured pilot. Original Radio Broadcast: July 2, 1950 Originating from New York Starring: Everett Sloane; Ralph Bell; Berry Kroeger; Raymond Edward Johnson; Eileen Heckart; Martin Balsam;...
Loading summary
A
Finding great candidates to hire can be like, well, trying to find a needle in a haystack. Sure, you can post your job to some job board, but then all you can do is hope the right person comes along. Which is why you should try ZipRecruiter for free at ZipRecruiter.com Zip ZipRecruiter doesn't depend on candidates finding you, it finds them for you. Its powerful technology identifies people with the right experience and actively invites them to apply to your job. You get qualified candidates fast. So while other companies might deliver a lot of hay, ZipRecruiter finds you what you're looking for. The needle in the Haystack. See why 4 out of 5 employers who post a job on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day. The smartest way to hire. And right now you can try ZipRecruiter for free. That's right, free at ZipRecruiter.com Zip that's ZipRecruiter.com Zip ZipRecruiter.com Zip. You just realized your business needed to hire someone yesterday. How can you find amazing candidates fast? Easy. Just use Indeed. Stop struggling to get your job post seen on other job sites with Indeed sponsored jobs. Your post jumps to the top of the page for your relevant candidates so you can reach the people you want faster. According to Indeed data, sponsored jobs posted directly on indeed have 45% more applications than non sponsored jobs. Don't wait any longer. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed and listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit. To get your jobs more visibility@ Indeed.com Arts, just go to Indeed.com Arts right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Hiring Indeed is all you need. Welcome to the great adventurers of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're going to bring you this week's episode of Cloak and Dagger. But first, I do want to encourage you if you're enjoying the podcast to please follow us using your Facebook favorite podcast software and today's program is brought to you in part by the financial support of our listeners. You can support the show on a one time basis by mailing a donation to Adam Graham, P.O. box 15913. That's P.O. box 15913, Boise, ID 83715 and you can become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as $2 per month. Go to patreon.greatdetectives.net now from July 2, 1950, here is the eyes of Buddha. We delay the start of this program to bring you a special bulletin from the NBC newsroom in New York. Here's the latest on Korea. Seoul has been raided by American and Australian warplanes. They shot down two enemy planes, one of which was marked with a Russian red star. A spokesman says that we have made 142 raids against enemy targets in both south and North Korea in the past 24 hours. American officials say there is a serious threat from Red ground forces south of Seoul. Keep tuned to your NBC station for the later news. 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. Weapons of the OSS Today's adventure, the Eyes of Buddha. Concerning an American OSS agent who went deep into enemy territory to enlist the help of a nation which had declared war on the United States is suggested by actual incidents recorded in the Washington files of the Office of Strategic Services. A story that can now be told. In 1944, the tiny kingdom of Siam was officially at war with the United States. So there I was in March of that year in an official Siamese plane. On my way to ask Siamese help in rescuing an American flyer from the Japanese. Sound crazy? You ain't heard nothing yet. The Siamese character beside me had received his master's degree at Yale and his PhD at Harvard. Major Laudol Prayadeepak. I decided to call him Louis. Look down, Lieutenant Berman, out of your window. Yeah, what about it? In those green forests, as you may know, still roam the ancient peacocks and the sacred elephants of Siam. Louis, I may as well tell you right now. There are four things I know definitely about your country. What are these, my friend? The Siamese twins were named Eng and Chang. Siamese cats have blue eyes. Somebody wrote a book called Anna and the King of Siam. And what is the fourth? Tan Yak Dai Fuying Mai, the one I know of your language, which translated means. Do you want to meet a girl? Well, rest easy. There will be no need for you to speak more of the language. Must a ghost have need of words? Once we arrive at Bangkok, you will be spirited from one place to another, my friend. As a ghost. Fasten your seat belt. Kindly fasten your seat belt. We are coming into the Dan Muang Fi. Well, so far this has been too easy. From Rangoon to a secret airport in Siam where you pick me up this plane. And here we are in Bangkok. Is this another hidden field, Louie? No, not exactly. What do you mean, not exactly? Oh, I should say There are about 800 Japs on hand about the field. Fasten your seat belt, Lieutenant Perman. The official Siamese plane with the sacred white elephant paint slid right across the field and taxied past hundreds of Jap soldiers guarding the Runway. The hangar door at the west side of the field opened. The ground crew rolled the plane in. Then the door slid closed again as if we had been swallowed up. Louis and I climbed out of the plane. Lieutenant Berman, this is Lam. He will drive us to the OSS hideout in Bangkok, where you will meet the regent of Siam, the leader of the underground here. How do you do, Lum? I do very well. Alon suggests we wait few minutes before leaving. Oh. Is anything wrong? I suggest you wait here. I will return, tell you when it is safe to leave. Two Japanese officials in car right outside. We waited. It was smoking hot in there. By the time Lum came back a few minutes later, my shirt was ready for the ringer. Oversaw's gone. Now is safe. We will leave by side door. Come quickly. KA Is outside. You see, Lieutenant Berman, thus far your mission is proceeding successfully. Better not talk too soon, will we? We haven't reached the hideout yet. Perhaps you are right. Ah. Proceed. L. Lum drove us right through the downtown district of Bangkok toward the palace which is being used as underground headquarters. As we drove through the streets, I could see Jap pillboxes in the internment camp and everywhere around us walking the streets. Guns and their holsters were Japanese. Then we turned at a busy intersection and it happened. Blum. Blum. What is it? What is wrong with that horn? I do not know, Major. I do not know. Is stuck. Well, not stuck. Oh, great. Everybody's turning around to look at us. Can't you do anything about that? A little horn. A little horn. Quiet. Talking to it isn't going to help. Lum, stop and yank out the wires. Little horn, do not blow. Do not blow. This is very unfortunate, my friend. You have a gift for understatement. Lum. Lum, we are causing too much attention. Do as the American says. Horn, please. Shh, shh. I beg of you. Quiet. Nice little horn. Pretty little horn. Stop the car and pull out the wires. Oh, there's no need, Major. It has stopped by itself. All I had to do was speak nicely. To it. Oh, my aching back. Hey, this is quite a place. Marble floors, winding staircase, just like the movies. Wait till I tell my wife about this. The palace, set back only a little way from the street, has been underground headquarters for two years. At all hours of the day, Japanese soldiers march up and down in front of it, yet none of them know what is going on inside. Well, you can be sure of one thing, Louis. What is that, Lieutenant? I won't tell him. After you, my friend. The servants have prepared dinner for us. You must be hungry. We will eat now. Only a couple of miles away were camps where Allied prisoners lived on little more than bread and water. Yet here I was, an American, right under the noses of the Nips, consuming a dinner that began and ended with iced beer that included roast duck and freshwater prawns, salad, curried beef, dried fish, topped off with large bowls of fresh bananas and pieces of sumo. The Siamese improvement on grapefruit. Ah. Have you had enough to eat, Lieutenant? Would you care for something else? Oh, no. No, thanks, Louis. I've had more than enough. Bailly. Coffee. Coffee. Hey, that. What's his name? Bailly. He isn't very talkative, is he a good choice. We feel for a servant in underground headquarters. He hears nothing and repeats less. Bai is a deaf mute. Tell me, Lieutenant Berman, what did you do before the war? Me? Oh, I was a stunt pilot. I barnstormed all over the country in old crates and jennies, anything that had wings. I got a trunk full of tin medals for almost getting my neck busted. I see. Now, look, Louis, I admire good pilots. And one of General Chennault's hot flyers is a prisoner of the Japs somewhere around here. If anybody's going to get him out, I'd like to be the one to try it. We will see to it that you get your chance then. When is the regent coming? I'm anxious to meet him. Oh, he will be here after midnight. After midnight? Yes. You see, this is the evening of the Japanese admiral's birthday. It was necessary for the regent of Siam to be there out of friendliness, of course. About 12:30, he arrived. He was dressed elegantly in a white silk coat and white pongee trousers. On his head was a delicately embroidered turban. This was Luang Pradeep Manodarm, Regent of Siam and head of the Siamese underground. I trust you will forgive me for being delayed. Oh, that's all right. The Japanese admiral would never have forgiven me for leaving his party. Major, some more brandy for the lieutenant. Of course. How about Your mission? Well, several months ago, one of General Chenault's best pilots crashed on the Burma Siam frontier. Other members of his flight reported that they saw the plane go down, settle in the spreading banyan tree, but they didn't see it burn. So the presumption is he is still alive somewhere in Tayam. Yes, that's it, Major. In the morning, drive the lieutenant to Colonel Sangwan at Camp Punjara. Yes. Excellent. I think Colonel Sangwon will be in a position to get the information you are after. That's great. Your Excellency, this may be a little out of order, but. Yes. Don't you ever get the feeling you're walking around with your head in a noose? A very good question. Well put. I imagine I am a great mystery to the Americans of the oss. No doubt they feel mystery shrouding our whole people. After all, you are supposedly an ally of the Japs. Supposedly? We are an independent nation, Lieutenant. Our people are proud and freedom loving. Siam sits in the heart of Southeast Asia, an inscrutable Buddha. The Japanese overran our borders and from our capital in Bangkok declared war on the United States. The green flames of the jungle consumed us. So the Buddha sits, arms folded on its bronze breast, its face expressionless. But the eyes of the Buddha wink. Is that it? The eyes wink lifted, its ears are tuned to the enemy, and the jeweled lips whisper. There are 50,000 Japanese here in Siam, my friend. We will continue to wait and watch and listen until they are driven out. The next morning, Louis and I, with Lum driving, set out for Camp Punjara. Ever since my arrival in Bangkok, I had the feeling I was sitting on a powder keg that was liable to go off any minute. Driving through the streets in broad daylight didn't make me feel any better, but I figured the Siamese knew what they were doing. This time, nothing went wrong with the horn. But something else happened that gave me quite a turn. It sounds fantastic, and it was, but it really happened. A Jap MP directing traffic held up his hand and the official car we were riding in stopped. I didn't like stopping. I felt better while we were on the move. Then all of a sudden, I saw a Jap soldier looking curiously in the window, staring at my occidental face. We looked at each other for a few seconds. Neither of us said a word. Then the car moved on. Louie. Louis, that Jap soldier, he saw me. I know. Even with his civilian hat and his shirt over my uniform, he couldn't have mistaken me for a Siamese. No, Doubt. But if he saw me. Put your mind at ease, my friend. I'm sure he doesn't believe what he thought he saw. And if later he convinces himself it was and goes to his commanding officer, he will lose face for telling so ludicrous a tale. You mean they won't believe him? Come now, Lieutenant Berman. What would an American be doing in Japanese occupied Siam? Driving along the streets in full daylight? Ridiculous. Don't you think you have come to the right place, Lieutenant Berman? Well, I'm glad to hear that, Colonel Sangwon. I have heard of the flyer you seek. I know the prison camp in which he is now being held. Hey, that's great. When do we start? Not so fast, Lieutenant. We must make plans first. This is not a matter to be undertaken rightly. Come. We will have dinner first, and then we will discuss the problem. Dinner, Colonel Sang Juan. I've been wined and dined ever since I got to Bangkok, but I. I haven't done a thing. Ah, my wife, Tara. We will dine, then we will talk further. Does my English surprise you, Lieutenant Berman? I was educated in America. I am a graduate of Wellesley College. It was not your English which made the Lieutenant observe you with such interest, my dear. It is your appearance. Am I not correct, Lieutenant? You're very correct, Colonel. You have an extremely attractive wife. Thank you both. My husband's lavish compliments embarrass me occasionally. I suppose they are to be expected after only two months of marriage. Two months? Well, congratulations. It is I who am to be congratulated. More coffee, Lieutenant? Colonel Sanguine. Colonel Sanguine? That is dead, my dear. Louis. What happened? A car. Japanese. Colonel Kishinami with many soldiers. What could he want here? He requests an audience with you, Lieutenant. There's no time to lose that screen. Quickly. Go behind it and pray to the great Buddha he does not stare on. And you, Major, sit here in the Lieutenant's place. Pretend it was your place. Quickly, quickly. Nobody had to tell me to be quick. I got behind the bamboo screen and Louis slid into my chair at the table. Then he stood up immediately with sanguine as Kishinami came in, a great ornate sword swinging from his side. He stood so close to me, I could have reached out and touched that sword. Would you care for some coffee, Colonel Kishinami? No, thank you, Colonel Sangwan, I am here unofficial business. Ah, yes, Colonel Kishaname, what can I do to help you? We have discovered a clandestine airfield in this territory. Surely it is not so close to this camp without your knowledge. Airfield? Oh, Certain? Certainly. It was constructed as a temporary emergency landing field some years ago. It has been infrequently used. Our observation shows it to be in excellent condition and indicates constant activity. Wow. I cannot believe this. Let me accompany you and see this airfield. Taba, my dear, you will forgive me? Of course. I will be here. It happened so fast, I couldn't believe my eyes. As the Siamese colonel turned to say goodbye to his wife, that treacherous Jap sword was whipped out and Sangwon was very neatly decapitated. It beheading San Juan must have been the signal for the Jap soldiers in the room to take out their guns. But before they could do anything with them, Taba sprung at Kishan army and with a meat knife from the table, stabbed him through the heart. The Nip soldier tried to get at her, but Louie got him first. Then that powder keg I'd been sitting on really went off. With their leader killed, they did not have much heart left for the fight. They are gone now. But Louie, I don't understand it. Nor I. What brought on the assassination of the colonel? That phony errand he came on was just an excuse to get in. It is possible that the order has come for the total subjugation of our people by the Japanese. If true, it is open war from now on. Will there be another attack tonight, you think? If so, we are armed and ready. There is nothing to do but wait. What about Tavar? Is there anything I can do for her? No. She is one of my kind. It is best to let me console her. Lieutenant, thank you on her behalf for your kindness. Married two months. What a lousy shame. Go to your quarters. We will wait. Nothing further occurred that night. But none of us slept. In the morning, a big black official limousine drove up. It was the regent of Siam. I have received an apology from the Japanese government for the incident last night. They are quite adept at apologizing. My husband has been killed and you call it an incident, Excellency? Yeah, how about that? It is my belief that the order for the subjugation of Siam had been issued by the Japanese high command and rescinded because they did not believe the time appropriate. But what about last night, Excellency? Evidently, through some oversight or the difficulties of communication, Colonel Kishinami had not been warned that the plan was off. It is my belief that all will be quiet now for a while. Shall we sit quietly once more and wait for them to attack us again while our backs are turned? There are many of us in the underground. Kava is right. Let us attack. Let me avenge my husband. Now listen. Listen. Wait a minute. You've played a waiting game so far. Wait a while longer. I know the fuse is burning close, but wait. That time is past, Lieutenant. Any open act on your part will really make the Japs crack down. Right now, Siam is the best listening post the Allies have in the East. Believe me, Washington knows what it's doing. You're a better help that way. The lieutenant is right. We will continue to be a docile puppet state and sell out the enemy to the Allies. But your Excellency. I say we will wait. I have myself promised President Roosevelt that we Siamese will continue to be loyal and silent. We will wait until we are told otherwise. Did you get the information you came after, Lieutenant? No. Colonel Sanguine was going to give it to me before. I know the camp you are looking for, Lieutenant. I will tell you what you want to know. The Japanese prison camp at Korat is only about five minutes drive now, Lieutenant. The object of your mission ends there. We're taking a long chance, Louis. You are the one who is taking the long chance. You think it will work though, don't you? I can only say I hope. When I turn you over to the Japanese commander as a prisoner, there is a strong possibility you would be thrown into the same stockade as the American flyer for whom you are looking. And if I'm not? Just being inside those gates will give me an opportunity to find out exactly where he is in that camp. You find him. We will attend to the rest. I hope I can count on that. Trust us. Oh, look out there. Major Prior from the region. I have a prisoner for Colonel Inotto. Very well. Pass. I am indeed indebted to you for bringing this prisoner to me, Major. I have brought him, Colonel, in Otu with the compliments of the regent of Sayada. Is it not to be expected since we Siamese are the Allies and the friends of the Japanese? Of course, of course. You will be cooperative and answer my questions. You understand? I don't know any answers. How did you get here? He just told you. My plane crashed near the border. What was your mission? How many were with you? Were you head up our secret airport in Siam? Which one raise it? Who is your conduct? You're crazy. I haven't any contact. I tell you, I just crashed. This American is going to be stubbornized. Dear Major. Give him time. He will break down. They all do. Unfortunately, they do not. The American flyer we have had interned here for some months has resisted all our efforts to obtain the truth. Is it not possible he has told you all he knows? Oh, come, come, Major. You Siamese are too trusting. Perhaps Colonel Enoch will. Perhaps you are right, American. I will have you taken to the stockade where I ask you. Take good look at the other flyer. Look well at him. Know that our worst fate awaits you if you do not cooperate. Sergeant. Yes, Colonel. Throw this prisoner in the stockade on the west side of the camp. I will deal with him later. I tried to hide the way I felt about being thrown together with a very man I had come all the way to Siam to find. I walked past Louis without looking at him. But out of the corner of my eye I saw that his face was coolly impassive. Get out with your America. Took me a couple of minutes to get used to the darkness. Then the darkness took form and I saw a figure huddled in a corner. An emaciated, bearded figure wearing an American uniform. Lieutenant Davis. Who's that? Who are you, friend? American. Are you all right? Can you hear me? Can you understand me? I've come to get you out of here. Come here. Closer. Let me see you. You are an American. I don't believe it. Colonel Innertool told me to take a good look at you. I am now I'd like to go back and take a good swing at him. You heard that? What are you doing here? Who are you? Lieutenant Berman of the oss. General Chennault asked me to find you. Find me? Get me out of here. Listen, listen. Don't talk. Don't talk. Just listen to me. He listened all right. And even in the semi darkness I could see the light come back into his eyes at the idea of getting out of that place. At about 7:00 o'clock in the evening, the jack guard outside the stockade was changed. The new sentry brought us in some food. Here, eat this. It is the best I could do. Mom, Is it really you? Oh, this is better than I hoped. The Japanese guard whose place I took was willing to pay attention to a little bribe. Japanese soldiers are so underpaid, you know. Lieutenant Davis, this is Lum, a Siamese. A friend. Can you get us out of here? We have a plan. Tonight, when the moon is low, I will turn my back and you too will make a run for it, try to escape. I'll never make it. No, of course not. You will be shot in the attempt and killed. Sorry, Lama. I don't think much of that idea. Have you got any other? I have no finish. Listen. Listen. I will only pretend to shoot you. You Will only pretend to die. The soldier who was bribed and one other who has accepted our money will get you quickly. Stand over you. A Siamese doctor in the camp will pronounce you dead. Leave the rest to us. It won't work. It won't. Lieutenant Davis. If the Siamese say it'll work, give him a chance. When the moon was low and the signal from Lum, we broke out and made a run for it. Stop. Stop. Prisoners are scared. When we heard the shots, we threw ourselves face down on the ground and held our breaths. Stretched out like that, without moving, our eyes closed. Everything that happened around us after that seemed to be a crazy dream. I fear, Colonel Inotu, they are already. Sorry. What did you say? These Americans, Colonel Inotu, they are both very dead. Dead? What shall we do with them, Colonel? I await your orders. Go with them. If they are dead, bury them. Of course. Take them to the cemetery and bury them. Now that our plan has worked, Lieutenant Berman, I may as well tell you. I was never sure it would turn out this successfully. But Louis, you did have this pain already and warming up at the cemetery. We Siamese are eternal. Optomet. The graves are dug, Major, what shall we do? We will say goodbye to our friends, the Americans. First Lung. Then we will go back and throw the dirt over the empty graves in case Colonel Ino 2 comes to inspect them. A plane. Get on a plane again out of this place. Plane going home. I pray, Lieutenant Davis, that you will both return to our land one day in happier times. I assure you of a greater welcome and far greater hospitality. And now, goodbye and a pleasant journey. Just before we took off, Major Lao Doll Paya Deepak presented each of us with a green velvet box. In them were cufflinks of pure gold and pounded ruby dim dust with the initials AM for the boy king, Ananda Maidol. And a golden crown for the mark of the dynasty, a royal present from the King of Siam. As we looked down, we could see Lum and the two bribe Jap soldiers, with Louis directing operations, shoveling the dirt in over our graves. Thus, on April 18, 1944, Lieutenant Davis, the missing pilot of the Flying Tigers, was rescued from the Japanese prison camp and rejoined his unit. And once again the report of another OSS agent closed with the words mission accomplished. Listen again next week for another true adventure from the files of the OSS on Cloak and Dagger. Heard in today's Cloak and dagger adventure were Grant Richards, Everett Sloan, Ralph Bell, Barry Kroger, Raymond Edward Johnson, Eileen Heckert, Carl Weber, Martin Balsam and Jerry Jarrett. Script was written by Winifred Wolf and Jack Gordon. Music was under the direction of John Garth. Today's true OSS adventure was based on the book Cloak and Dagger by Corey ford and Alistair McBain. This has been a Louis G. Cowan production in association with Alfred Hollander and was under the direction and supervision of Sherman Marks. Next exciting high adventure, then the big guy on NBC. @ Energy Trust of Oregon, we understand that energy isn't just what happens when you flip a switch, it's what happens afterwards. It's a home that can provide both shelter and peace of mind. It's a business that can run more efficiently and keep their dream alive. And it's communities that can thrive today and flourish tomorrow. That's energy. And that's why we partner with local utility companies to help you save energy and lower costs. For cash incentives and resources that can help power your life, visit energytrust.org welcome back. A really good tale. A lot of excitement, a lot of food. Now out of curiosity, I went ahead and picked up my copy of the book Cloak and Dagger. Now I intend to read through this book before we finish the series, but I've been engaged in another project so I haven't got around to reading the whole book because yeah, just haven't had the time. But I recalled when I was flipping through it that I still saw this chapter title and I decided to read that chapter because each chapter self contained. This specific adventure didn't happen exactly as told on the radio, at least not in that chapter. The chapter in the book Cloaken Dagger gave a general overview of OSS activity in Thailand, which is what Siam is now called, and the ways that the OSS and the Thai resistance coordinated together. There are some incidents that are drawn directly from the book. For example, the incident with the horn is something that came right out of the book. The description of the dinner is lifted word for word. And then you also had the story of a crash pilot whose return was requested by shot. However, the rescue was actually affected by members of the underground without a US operative involved who bribed Japanese guards. And in a less interesting turn than in the radio play, they took him from a wood cutting detail to a secret clearing where he was flown away. So this story is a bit of a composite of several events that happened in Thailand. There's an element of fiction about it, but an even bigger element of truth as the episode highlights the cooperation between the OSS and the underground in Thailand, which definitely was true, and the vital role that Thailand played in helping win the war and being that key intelligence post while pretending to be subservient to the Japanese. One thing I appreciate about this series is that so far they don't make the American agents look like some superheroes helping out hapless local populations. This series gives respect to our allies, whether you were talking with about Malaysian tribes or the French underground or this sort of Thai government that was pretending submission to the Japanese while doing some of the most vital intelligence work of the war. You even had this point where the lieutenants just expressed his confidence that these people knew what they were doing and were going to help them escape and that they would trust them with their lives. And it's important to honor that, that they were these great partners with us in this great battle for liberty. Well, now we turn to listener comments and feedback. And we have a comment from Ronser, who writes great show. Thanks for the new podcast. It is great. Well, thanks so much, Ronser. And then just a simple thank you from Zach. Well, I appreciate your support. Glad you're enjoying the new podcast. Now it's time to thank our Patreon Supporters of the Day. Now for those listening on the Great Detective Podcast for Great Adventurers, we've essentially created parallel podcast Patreon tiers. So there's adventurer names for your familiar great detective tiers. So I want to go ahead and thank our Patreon Supporter of the Day, Bernie Patreon supporters Since June of 2024, currently supporting the podcast at the secret agent level of $4 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support, Bernie. That'll do it for today. We will be back next Saturday with another episode of Cloak and Dagger. The Great Adventures of Old Time Radio will return on Tuesday with an episode of Flash Gordon. And the Great Detectives will be back tomorrow with our first Listener Support Appreciation special. In the meantime, do send your comments to Box 13@GreatDetectives.net follow us on Twitter at radiodetectives and check us out on Instagram. Instagram.com greatdetectives from Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.
Host: Adam Graham
This episode features the wartime espionage radio drama "Cloak and Dagger"—specifically, the story "The Eyes of Buddha." The adventure follows an American OSS agent, Lieutenant Berman, as he undertakes a mission in occupied Siam (now Thailand) to rescue a downed American pilot with the covert assistance of the Siamese resistance, all while evading Japanese forces. The dramatization draws from true events in the OSS files (with some embellishments), highlighting the fraught, covert cooperation between the OSS and local allies fighting against Japanese oppression during World War II.
Notable Quote:
"Are you willing to undertake a dangerous mission behind enemy lines knowing you may never return alive?" — Narrator (03:20)
Memorable Moment:
Lum, whispering to the horn: "Quiet. Nice little horn. Pretty little horn." (13:18)
Notable Exchange:
"Siam sits in the heart of Southeast Asia… But the eyes of Buddha wink."
— Regent Manodarm (22:47)
Notable Quote:
"Married two months. What a lousy shame."
— Lt. Berman, on Tara's loss (35:22)
Notable Quote:
"Right now, Siam is the best listening post the Allies have in the East. Believe me, Washington knows what it’s doing."
— Lt. Berman (37:18)
Memorable Moment:
"If the Siamese say it'll work, give them a chance."
— Berman, convincing the flyer to trust the plan (48:39)
"This series gives respect to our allies… honoring that they were these great partners with us in this great battle for liberty." (56:32)
This episode is both a high-tension spy adventure and a tribute to international resistance. Adam Graham’s insightful commentary underscores the blend of legend and history in old-time radio, inviting respect and reflection on the true stories beneath the drama.
For full episodes, commentary, and upcoming features, visit GreatDetectives.net.