Escape: Operation Fleur De Lys (Encore) (A0052)

Summary

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Podcast Summary

The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio

Episode: Escape: Operation Fleur De Lys (Encore) (A0052)
Date: January 10, 2026
Host: Adam Graham

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Episode Overview

This episode features an “encore” presentation of the radio drama Escape: Operation Fleur de Lys, with Jack Webb in the starring role, accompanied by host Adam Graham’s expert commentary. Part of a series celebrating the Jack Webb Centennial, the episode transports listeners to Nazi-occupied France via a suspenseful WWII tale rooted in the files of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). After the drama, Adam Graham reflects on Webb’s performance, the realism of the story, and the ensemble cast.

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Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Introduction and Context [01:06–07:07]

• Adam Graham provides context for this special episode:

  • The podcast is sharing adventure-themed stories during a break before resuming with new material.
  • Sets up the “Jack Webb Centennial Series,” focusing on Webb’s early radio career and rise to prominence, noting Webb’s history as a frequent participant in radio anthologies like Suspense and Escape.
  • Explains how Escape provided significant dramatic roles for up-and-coming actors like Webb, unlike the marquee-actor-driven Suspense.

  Quote at [05:03]:

  "In Escape, Jack Webb got probably some of the best material in his acting career, certainly in his radio acting career."

• Adam teases a three-episode run featuring Jack Webb's roles in Escape and connects this episode to Webb’s trajectory towards Dragnet.

2. The Radio Play: “Operation Fleur de Lys” [07:07–35:29]

Premise and Cast

• Set during WWII, the story follows two American OSS agents, Lt. Duke (Jack Webb) and Lt. Hill, on a clandestine mission to assist the French Resistance by disrupting Nazi supply lines ahead of the Allied invasion.
• Companion characters include French resistance leader Alcine and the enigmatic Rene.

Key Scenes and Developments

• Mission Briefing ([08:13–10:00]): The agents receive assignment details—sabotage critical highways and rail lines in German-occupied France—only to learn the mission’s enormity and their limited resources.

  Quote at [09:57]:

  "Just the two of you."
  —OSS Commanding Officer

  Quote at [10:00] (Duke):

  "Just the two of us. And all we had to do was organize an underground army, disrupt the supply lines of a half a dozen Nazi divisions... Just the two of us."

• Landing in France ([11:00–13:15]): Parachuting into France, the agents link up with Alcine and discover their resistance “army” numbers only three.

  Quote at [14:05]:

  "But now that the Americans are here, we can do anything." —Alcine

• Resistance Organization ([14:31–15:48]): The Americans begin organizing a larger Marquis (resistance group), providing arms and food. Recruitment is slow but gradually grows.

• Security Compromised ([16:57–18:30]): The Americans grow wary of Alcine’s repeated trips to the village and his secret meetings with his lover, Rene—a potential security threat.

  Quote at [17:32]:

  "You're endangering the whole Marquis by disobeying my orders!" —Lt. Duke

• Personal Loss and Suspicion ([20:14–21:39]): Alcine’s family is executed by the Gestapo after a tip-off, raising suspicions about leaks in the network. Letters mailed by Rene for Marquis members become a critical clue.

  Quote at [21:48]:

  "2 and 2 make 4 in occupied France, just the same as anywhere else." —Lt. Duke

• Ambush and Retreat ([22:14–24:05]): After German troops descend, the resistance is forced to scatter; casualties result from Alcine's disobedience.

  Quote at [24:14]:

  "I got two of them! I killed two Bosch." —Alcine
  "Your orders were not to shoot." —Lt. Duke

• Crisis of Loyalty ([24:42–25:58]): Fear of reprisals against families prompts several men to consider quitting; Duke convinces them to stay a little longer, promising to fix the security leak.

• Investigation and Seduction ([26:03–33:01]): Lt. Duke arranges a meeting with Rene under an assumed name, intending to verify her loyalties. A romantic drive and candid conversation ensue.

  Quote at [29:15] (Rene):

  "Don't you think that love is bigger than war or hate or anything?"

• The Trap and Betrayal Revealed ([32:49–34:29]): With Rene incapacitated by a drugged drink, evidence reveals her as a Gestapo informant responsible for multiple resistance deaths.

  Quote at [33:45]:

  "A letter from Gestapo headquarters—confirming receipt of three addresses." —Lt. Hill

  Quote at [34:13] (Duke):

  "She's responsible for the death of six people whose only crime was being born French. She'd wrecked our Marquis, snafu'd our mission, and turned me over to the Gestapo— with her lipstick still on my collar, that gorgeous hunk of double cross."

• Justice and Aftermath ([34:14–35:29]): The Americans dispose of Rene’s body; the story closes on a bittersweet note as the mission succeeds, but at a moral cost.

  Quote at [35:24]:

  "The operation was successful, but the patient died." —Lt. Duke

3. Host’s Commentary & Analysis [36:54–38:50]

• Adam Graham praises the adaptation’s realism and tight plotting.

• He highlights the interplay between Jack Webb and Elliot Lewis, noting both actors’ future broadcasting achievements.

• Adam acknowledges the episode’s mature portrayal of ambiguous morality, especially in Duke's closing reflection.

• He briefly questions the dramatic logic of Rene’s fate (both shot and her car sent into the river), but grants that, being drawn from OSS files, it likely reflects a real historical incident.

  Quote at [37:25]:

  "Webb did bring some of his hard boiled characterization to his portrayal of Duke, but… it was just the right tone and tempo for this character. It’s a very realistic story."

  Quote at [38:00]:

  "The operation was successful, but the patient died."

• He encourages feedback and notes that a further Jack Webb episode of Escape will follow after this.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• "Just the two of us. And all we had to do was organize an underground army, disrupt the supply lines of a half a dozen Nazi divisions..." —Lt. Duke ([10:00])
• "But now that the Americans are here, we can do anything." —Alcine ([14:05])
• "You're endangering the whole Marquis by disobeying my orders!" —Lt. Duke ([17:32])
• "2 and 2 make 4 in occupied France, just the same as anywhere else." —Lt. Duke ([21:48])
• "Don't you think that love is bigger than war or hate or anything?" —Rene ([29:15])
• "She's responsible for the death of six people whose only crime was being born French..." —Lt. Duke ([34:13])
• "The operation was successful, but the patient died." —Lt. Duke ([35:24])

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Important Segments & Timestamps

• Host Context & Series Background: 01:06–07:07
• Mission Briefing and Jump: 08:13–13:15
• Organizing the Resistance: 14:31–16:35
• Security Leak and Alcine’s Loss: 16:57–21:39
• Attack, Retreat, and Dissent: 22:14–25:58
• Undercover with Rene: 26:03–33:01
• Betrayal Revealed and Showdown: 33:31–34:29
• Finale and Aftermath: 34:29–35:29
• Adam Graham's Commentary: 36:54–38:50

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Tone and Language

• Radio Play: Hard-boiled, noir sensibility with brisk, witty exchanges and deep emotional undercurrents—the classic era war drama style.
• Adam Graham: Informed, enthusiastic, and warmly nostalgic, with an appreciation for history, craft, and character nuance.

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Summary

In this gripping WWII espionage drama, the personal and political stakes collide: two American agents strive to forge a French resistance from scratch, but the cost of betrayal bites deep. Jack Webb’s brooding, understated performance grounds the tension, while the script delivers sharp dialogue, sudden violence, and a finale as haunting as it is morally ambiguous. Adam Graham’s commentary enriches the context, making this episode a standout entry for fans of both golden age radio drama and the ongoing Jack Webb retrospective.

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Transcript

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[Adam Graham]

Hello, this is your host, Adam Graham. The Great Adventurers of Old Time Radio is taking a break from posting new episodes, but we are sharing some adventure themed episodes of other podcasts I've done over the years until we return on January 11th for the premiere of Tarzan. In the meantime, please enjoy this episode which was originally released as part of the Amazing World of Radio. If you'd like to listen to more episodes of that series, please check it [e-mail] but now on with today's show. Welcome to the Amazing World of Radio from Boise, Idaho. This is your host Adam Graham. This episode is also being shared on the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio's feed and this is something I'm going to do as a go forward. I'll share one episode of any ongoing series we're doing on the Amazing World of Radio, including our summer series, so listeners who are interested can choose to go over to amazing.greatdetives.net to subscribe. We are doing a series, the Jack Webb Centennial Series. Currently this is the third episode. The first two episodes covered Webb's career in San Francisco on radio station KGO with the Jack Webb show for comedy and the news and commentary series one out of seven in the later portion of 1946, Webb's radio efforts in San Francisco had some success as he starred in Pat Novak for Hire, written by Richard Breen. The series originated in San Francisco and was broadcast over ABC west coast affiliates. Buoyed by the success, Webb headed to Hollywood, as did Breen in early 1947. Two and a half years later, Webb would begin Dragnet. But in those intervening years, Webb had to make it as an actor in Hollywood. He only had a few movie roles, though some of them were quite important, such as He Walks by Night, where a conversation with the police advisor to the program set the stage for Dragnet down the Road. Still, during these years, Webb's work ultimately was down to radio. He starred in three separate detective programs that were on the a total of about 15 months. In addition to that, Webb's hard boiled performances had given him an in with William Russo, who gave Webb regular work as the police foil to Michael Shane on the New Adventures of Michael Shane and also for a time on murdering Mr. Malone. Yet the key to being able to make a living in radio during the golden age of radio was to do radio work, and a of it, even if you had your own series that didn't write your ticket. Jack Webb's key to financial stability in this period was making a lot of radio appearances. And the vast majority of his radio appearances was as various tough guys. He'd play cops and he'd play thugs. If you listen to Webb's radiography and the list of programs, you know, you'll find several episod suspense. And on most of those episodes he's playing either policeman or thug, and he's not even playing a prominent role. I've gone through all these Jack Webb programs and you listen to episodes of suspense and you're kind of like, I think that was Jack Webb there. He just had one or two lines. Of course, suspense was a tricky proposition in the mid-1940s. It was one of radio's best. And nearly every week you had a major star as the lead character. And you didn't really have up and coming actors in lead roles. In radio's best anthology series, however, there was so much demand for a series like Suspense that CBS did another series called Escape. Much like Suspense, Escape was an exciting anthology series and the two often did the same stories. An episode of Escape would be done and later suspense would pick up the same script. Particularly as the golden age of radio went on and the need to economize became a big deal. In its early days, Escape gave bigger roles to lesser known actors. And really to me, in Escape, Jack Webb got probably some of the best material in his acting career, certainly in his radioacting career. So this is all a long winded introduction to the next three episodes of the Amazing World of Radio, where we will be bringing you episodes of Escape Starring Jack Webb. The original air date on this one is July 14th of 1947, and the title is Operation Fleur de Lis.

[Narrator]

Escape. Escape. Tonight to occupied France and the underground. The Columbia Broadcasting System and its affiliated stations presents Escape, a new series of programs of which this the second is Operation Fleur de Lis, written and directed by William N. Robeson. Today, the 14th of July, the people of a free France celebrate the anniversary of their escape from the tyranny of the kings of Versailles. 158 years ago today, the people of Paris stormed the Bastille and let loose the French Revolution. The torch of liberty set a fire that day never burned more fiercely than during the years when France was occupied by the Nazis. We escape tonight to occupied France, from which three years ago there was no escape.

[Lieutenant Duke]

You can call me Duke, but don't use my right name. I might want to go back to France someday. And there are a lot of people in the world that wouldn't understand that what I did was justified in a war. No, I don't have any regrets. Moral ones, that is. It isn't what I did to Rene that keeps me awake at nights. It's just the memory of her. There isn't much of bother in my official report on Operation Fleur de Lis. But then it isn't customary to include descriptions of slim, sunburned legs and wide, deep brown eyes in a military document. And anyway, she was only an incident in the operation, even if she became somewhat more important to me. Operation Fleur de Lis began, like all the others, in the grubby, undistinguished house in London, which was the headquarters of the oss, the Office of Strategic Services, otherwise known in various parts of the world as screwballs, cutthroat spies, cloak and dagger boys and American underground agents.

[Alcine]

Gentlemen, Operation Fleur de Lis is planned to assist the advance of our forces once they've secured a beachhead in Normandy.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Is that where we're going in, Major?

[Alcine]

That is one of the possibilities, Lieutenant.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Yes, sir.

[Alcine]

You will jump over grandma. In northern France, here on the map. You have to set up roadblocks on these three state highways here, here and here.

[Narrator]

There is an underground contact near Grandmont, sir.

[Alcine]

Yes. Alcine du Temps. He's leader of the local Marquis. Expecting him. In addition, you're to block these railroad lines entering and leaving Gramont. These operations are to coincide with the advance of our ground forces.

[Lieutenant Duke]

If they land in Normandy.

[Alcine]

If they land in Normandy, you will in plane tonight at 2100hours and we'll drop over your objective at, I should think, approximately 22:30. Any questions?

[Narrator]

No, I don't think so, sir.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Well, yes, sir. I have a question.

[Alcine]

Yes, Lieutenant?

[Lieutenant Duke]

How many of us are going on this mission?

[Alcine]

Just the two of you?

[Lieutenant Duke]

Just the two of us. And all we had to do was organize an underground army, disrupt the supply lines of a half a dozen Nazi divisions. And give support to the. The entire Allied invasion. Just the two of us. But that's the way the OSS worked. But nobody ordered Hill and me into it. We'd volunteered. I don't know why. Maybe for moments like this one. When you get a B24 assigned to you as a personal taxi. And there's lots of room to sprawl around after the Bombay.

[Narrator]

How do you feel?

[Lieutenant Duke]

Fine. Scared? Of course I'm scared. Aren't you?

[Narrator]

Me?

[Lieutenant Duke]

No.

[Narrator]

This is a walk. You forget how tough it was when we were at paratroop school at Benning.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Yeah, that was real rugged.

[Narrator]

If the wind wasn't right, you might land in the Chatu Hoochee and get all wet.

[Lieutenant Duke]

And it was always the chance that you'd sprain your ankle coming down too hard.

[Narrator]

And the sun was so bright on some of those daylight jumps.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Whereas we got none of those things to worry about here. A nice pitch black night over France. No sun to blind us. No Chattahoochee river to fall into.

[Narrator]

Hey, Lieutenant.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Yes, Sergeant? Skipper wants to talk to you on the intercom. Thanks.

[Narrator]

Here, use my cans.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Hi, Duke. Here, Lieutenant. And over your objective. Any signal from the ground? Yes, the one arranged. Four dots, two dashes, green. Very well. You and Lieutenant Hill move into the bomb bay catwalk. I'll open bomb bay doors in 30 seconds. Roger. Good luck. Thanks, Sergeant. Stand by to dump those supplies as soon as we're clear. Yes, sir. Come on, Ed. This, as someone has said, is it so soon?

[Narrator]

Just as I was settling down to a good book.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Bomb bay dodger opening, sir. Okay, Sergeant. All right, Ed, let's check your harness.

[Narrator]

It's a frightful mess. I just can't seem to do a thing with it.

[Lieutenant Duke]

I know, but this is the last party. You'll have to wear it on. Okay. How am I?

[Narrator]

Well, don't look now, but your shoot's showing.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Tuck it in. Let's get out on that catwalk.

[Narrator]

Wow, what a refreshing breeze.

[Lieutenant Duke]

And all of France on our feet.

[Alcine]

You see the signal?

[Lieutenant Duke]

That's what I'm looking for.

[Narrator]

There it is.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Over to the left.

[Narrator]

You got it?

[Lieutenant Duke]

Got it. Let's go. You kid sure, you kid. It helps. But for those 10 seconds while you fall free, nothing helps. You hang on to the rip cord, and you count off the seconds. And you try not to count too fast. Your hand on that rip cord is the only certain thing in the world as you tumble head over teacup with a wind tearing sound from your ears. And there's only one thought, always the same thought, whether it's your first or your 50th jump. Will the chute open? It does, yanking at your armpits, knocking the breath out of you, slowing you down. And you swing there like a rag doll, trying to get your bearings. First, you make out the horizon. That's where the black becomes darker black, where the stars stop. And you wonder about Ed, but you can't risk calling out. And now that you're located where the stars aren't, you look for the signal light. And there it is, slightly to the left. So you tug at your shroud lines, spilling a little air to guide you toward it. And it's coming toward you awfully fast. And you hope this particular French patriot has picked out a field free of trees and church steeples. And then you try to remember all the things they taught you about hitting the ground and rolling with the wind and collapsing your chute. Because it's always like this. You always feel like you've never hit the silk before. And then you're down, and you roll just right and you collapse your chute. And it's second nature to you after all. And then you hear footsteps running towards you, and you remember another important instruction. You whip out your automatic and you hope your French is good enough to get you. Who is it?

[Alcine]

Alcine.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Here, Fleur.

[Adam Graham]

Delete.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Okay, Alcine, come on.

[Alcine]

At last you've arrived, Lieutenant.

[Lieutenant Duke]

So it seems.

[Alcine]

You have no idea how long we've wished for this moment.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Hold it. That's my partner. Come on. Hey, Ed. Ed.

[Narrator]

Over here, Duke.

[Lieutenant Duke]

You okay?

[Narrator]

My empennage is slightly damaged, otherwise okay.

[Lieutenant Duke]

This is Alcine, our contact. Alcine, Lieutenant Hill. Hello, Alcine.

[Alcine]

Lieutenant, it is a great pleasure to make your acquaintance. And on behalf of my countrymen, let's.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Get these chutes buried and blow this place. Where's your transportation, Alcine?

[Alcine]

We haven't any.

[Narrator/Announcer]

What?

[Lieutenant Duke]

Where's the safe house?

[Alcine]

You might be able to stay at my aunt's. I don't think she'd talk.

[Narrator]

You don't think? Aren't you sure?

[Alcine]

Oh, yes. I'm supremely confident that.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Where are the Germans?

[Alcine]

They're everywhere. That is why I'm So glad you're here. Now we can fight again. With your help, we will kill many Bosch.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Wait a minute. How many are there in your Maquis?

[Alcine]

Myself and two others.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Just three of you?

[Narrator]

Oh, my aching back.

[Alcine]

But now that the Americans are here, we can do anything.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Oh, why don't they get these things straight in London? How can we block roads with a three man marquee?

[Narrator]

Three men and an aunt who perhaps will not talk.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Well, let's get cracking.

[Narrator]

Duke, you're not going through with this mad venture, are you?

[Lieutenant Duke]

What would you suggest?

[Narrator]

Well, as for me, I'm all for taking the next plane back to London.

[Rene]

Another piece of bread, Lieutenant?

[Lieutenant Duke]

No, thank you, ma'. Am.

[Rene]

This bone chicken is delicious. How do you call it?

[Lieutenant Duke]

K Ration supreme.

[Rene]

We've had nothing like it since the Bosch came.

[Narrator]

You get used to it.

[Alcine]

And cigarettes. Tant Marie. Cigarettes made of real tobacco. You Americans have everything.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Madame Alcine, you are kind. You are hospitable. But the comforts of K ration will not block roads. We need men. We must form a marquis.

[Alcine]

But we have a Marquis.

[Narrator]

I have my Alcine. There are three of you and two of us. Sure, we've got guns and we've got ammunition and supply chutes. Somewhere out in that field where we landed, we've got arms for 50 men. But if we had those men, we still couldn't go to war against German division.

[Lieutenant Duke]

And you said yourself there's at least a division garrisoned in Gramo.

[Alcine]

What must we do?

[Lieutenant Duke]

First, we must organize a marquee. We need men. Can you get them?

[Alcine]

I can go into the village and talk to my friends.

[Narrator]

Should have done that a long time ago.

[Rene]

F that would be most unwise.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Why?

[Rene]

Didn't you know? Alen is a patriot. He's a deserter from the Vichy army. So he's wanted by the Gestapo.

[Narrator]

Oh, great. And there's a Gestapo headquarters. In grammar, of course.

[Rene]

Of course. Alcine is not one to run from danger.

[Narrator]

Quite the contrary.

[Alcine]

I can get Rene to help.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Who's Rene?

[Rene]

Alcine's sweetheart. A lovely girl from Paris. Poor thing. She had to come down to the country because her house was bombed up.

[Narrator]

Let's leave her out of this.

[Alcine]

But Lieutenant, she would be most happy to help.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Alcine, you got a lot to learn about guerrilla warfare. You might as well study your first lesson right now. It's short and to the point. No dam. Well, the next day we collected the supplies which had been dropped with us. And we set up a camp deep in the woods. Hill and I were loaded with French money. So we were able to buy food from the friendly farmers. Maybe it was the food as much as patriotism that brought us recruits. Anyway, after a week, we had nearly 30 men. Our Marquis wasn't big enough for the job we had to do, but it was growing in the right direction. And then one night, as I was winding up a report to London. Huh?

[Narrator]

What do they say?

[Lieutenant Duke]

What do they ever say? Message acknowledged. Carry on.

[Narrator]

What about new batteries for the radio? What about extra ammunition for the Buck Rogers guns? When are they gonna get another drop to us?

[Lieutenant Duke]

Why don't you ask them?

[Narrator]

Yeah, I know.

[Lieutenant Duke]

They do the best they can, I guess. After all, we're not the only Boy Scouts in this jamboree. Mm.

[Narrator]

Hey, Duke.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Yeah?

[Narrator]

There goes Al Scene again, off toward the road.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Hey, Al Scene.

[Rene]

Yes?

[Lieutenant Duke]

Come here a minute.

[Alcine]

Yes, Lieutenant.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Where are you going?

[Alcine]

I was just taking a stroll.

[Lieutenant Duke]

You on night guard?

[Alcine]

Not tonight.

[Lieutenant Duke]

You weren't on night guard last night, were you?

[Alcine]

No, Lieutenant.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Or the night before?

[Alcine]

No, sir.

[Lieutenant Duke]

But you weren't in camp all night, were you?

[Alcine]

No, sir.

[Lieutenant Duke]

What's the matter? Don't you like to camp? Rather sleep at your aunt's. Is it too rugged out here for you?

[Alcine]

No, sir.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Then where were you?

[Alcine]

In the village.

[Lieutenant Duke]

You know the orders. No one is to go into the village.

[Alcine]

Yes, Lieutenant, But I only go in at night.

[Lieutenant Duke]

That makes no difference.

[Alcine]

But it does. You see, Lieutenant, I'm so in love.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Oh, great. The girl from Paris.

[Alcine]

Yes. You should see her, Lieutenant. She's the most beautiful, the most charming.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Don't you know you're endangering the whole marquee by disobeying my orders?

[Alcine]

Oh, no, sir. There's no danger with Rene. She hates the bush. Why? Why? She wants to join us.

[Lieutenant Duke]

You told her about us?

[Alcine]

Oh, yes, sir.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Are you out of your mind? How do you know she's all right?

[Alcine]

I just know, that's all. She's the most wonderful person in the world. She's a real patriot.

[Lieutenant Duke]

I told you, rule number one is no dames.

[Alcine]

Yes, but Rene is different.

[Narrator]

Yeah? Well, you better marry her before you bring her around here. Or you'll have to share her with the rest of these wolves.

[Alcine]

Lieutenant, do I understand your speech?

[Lieutenant Duke]

I get it, Al. Sing. It's just an American figure's speech.

[Alcine]

May I tell Rene she can join us?

[Lieutenant Duke]

Well, not quite yet. Later, maybe.

[Alcine]

Yes, Lieutenant. Is that all?

[Lieutenant Duke]

Yeah, that's all.

[Narrator]

If you gotta take it, Alcine, take it easy.

[Alcine]

I do not understand.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Just another American idiom, Alcine.

[Alcine]

Good night, Good night, sir.

[Narrator]

Hey, Duke, you gonna let him get away with that?

[Lieutenant Duke]

What are we gonna do, slap him.

[Narrator]

Into the guardhouse for 30 days only?

[Lieutenant Duke]

This isn't the American army. We haven't any guardhouse.

[Narrator]

Yeah. Stinks from a security standpoint.

[Lieutenant Duke]

I know. If we try to keep these boys from sneaking off home every now and then, we're not gonna have any. Maki, he's French.

[Narrator]

An immoral race.

[Lieutenant Duke]

I don't know about that. Remember Phoenix City, Alabama? Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[Narrator]

I see what you mean.

[Lieutenant Duke]

There wasn't anything we could do. If we'd ordered Al Scene to stay in camp, he'd have sneaked off anyway. He had that dreamy, far away look that's baffled parents, teachers and first lieutenants since the beginning of time. I didn't worry too much about it because our marquee was growing. And Ed Hill and I were breaking our backs pushing those French kids through an Airsatz. Basic in three weeks. Headquarters in London didn't tell us much, but we did know from the BBC that the boys had landed at Omaha beach. And it wouldn't be long before they'd be needing our roadblocks. And then one morning, About D +4, I think it was, I was out in the woods running a squad through concealment drill. Oh, no, no. Hit the dirt. Don't wait, or you're dead. When you see the signal, hit the dirt right now.

[Alcine]

Pardon me, Lieutenant.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Huh? Oh, Alcine. Where have you been all night? As though I didn't know.

[Alcine]

Lieutenant, I've got to talk to you.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Okay. I'll be through here in a half hour. Soon.

[Alcine]

I've got to talk to you now.

[Lieutenant Duke]

All right, Alcine. Okay, boys, take five. Come along, Alcine. What's on your mind, Lieutenant?

[Alcine]

My family's been killed.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Oh, no.

[Alcine]

Yes, by the Gestapo. He set fire to the house. My mother, my father, my two sisters. They ran out. The Gestapo shot them.

[Lieutenant Duke]

You sure of this?

[Alcine]

Yes. I heard it this morning from a neighbor who saw it happen.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Poor kid.

[Alcine]

When can we attack, Lieutenant? When can we stop this endless training and fight the bush? No. I want only to kill and kill and kill until I pay them back. For my father, my mother, my two sisters.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Yeah, I know. You'll get your chance, Alcine, but not yet. We gotta wait. We're not ready yet.

[Alcine]

I'm ready. Before, I wanted to fight the Bosch for my country. Now I want to kill him again and again for them.

[Lieutenant Duke]

I know. But you gotta be patient.

[Alcine]

This should happen to me now. Only last night, Renee said she'd marry Me? Come to live here with me in the camp, I was so happy. And this morning I learned this news.

[Lieutenant Duke]

When did you hear from your mother last?

[Alcine]

Not for a month since we began to work. But I've written her every week.

[Lieutenant Duke]

You have? Who mailed the letters?

[Alcine]

Rene mailed them for me. She's so kind and thoughtful. She offered to mail letters home for the other boys, too.

[Lieutenant Duke]

That was nice of her. Did they take advantage of her offer?

[Alcine]

A couple of them.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Who?

[Alcine]

Paul and Sean. I told them about it. They wrote their families.

[Lieutenant Duke]

And Rene mailed the letters, huh?

[Alcine]

She's a wonderful person, Lieutenant. You're going to love her.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Yeah, I think I am.

[Alcine]

She's all I've got in the world now.

[Lieutenant Duke]

2 and 2 make 4 in occupied France, just the same as anywhere else. And sometimes it's just as hard to prove. But one thing was sure now, I wanted to meet Rene in the worst way. But I had to postpone the pleasure. Because early that afternoon, one of the outposts broke into camp. Out of breath? Yes, Paul? The Boche. They're coming down the road through the forest. How many? I did not stop to count them. Several truckloads, to be sure. Pass the word to Lieutenant Hill. Ask him to bring his detail into camp on the double. Yes, Lieutenant. Alcine.

[Alcine]

Yes, sir?

[Lieutenant Duke]

Take two men and go down by the road and see what they're up to.

[Alcine]

Yes, sir.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Just reconnoiter. Don't fire at them.

[Alcine]

But this is my chance for revenge.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Listen me. Don't fire on them. That's a command.

[Alcine]

Yes, sir.

[Lieutenant Duke]

They may not be after us at all.

[Alcine]

I get going immediately.

[Narrator]

Lieutenant, what's the order of the day? Duke, Plants, Graham.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Yeah, it looks like it. All your men here, President accounted for. All right, boys, now gather around, will you? And get this. There's a convoy of Germans coming down the forest road. Now, wait a minute. We're not going to fight them. You know what our job is. Roadblocks. We got tanks, artillery and airplanes. It'll be long soon to do the killing. Now, look, our security's been pretty good. And those Krauts may be on a routine patrol. Chances are they don't even know we're here. They do now.

[Narrator]

Listen.

[Adam Graham]

Yeah.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Well, that does it. All right. You men got your weapons?

[Alcine]

Yes, we're ready.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Good.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Now, you know the procedure. Get lost before you leave the forest. Bury your weapons, ammunition and equipment. Rendezvous at the home of Alcine's aunt at 2200hours tonight. Good luck. Come on, Ed, let's scream.

[Narrator]

Well, he who doesn't fight and runs away. Lives to fight another day.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Or something like that.

[Narrator]

Who tipped them off?

[Lieutenant Duke]

I'm not sure. But I got a pretty good idea.

[Narrator]

Who'S down there at the road.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Al scene. He's fighting a private war, the poor jerk. The basic rule of three in guerrilla warfare is surprise, kill, vanish. However, when you're surprised, the only rule is vanish. And we did. There were about 50 Germans and a half a dozen dogs to track our scent. They spent the day thrashing through the woods, firing into the underbrush and finding nothing. It was a classic withdrawal. And Hill and I were proud of our little army. With the exception of Alcine, its self appointed hero. When we arrived at his aunt's house that night for the rendezvous, a half a dozen of the boys were already there.

[Rene]

Who is it?

[Lieutenant Duke]

Fleur.

[Rene]

Duly our lieutenant.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Come in. Good evening, Madame.

[Rene]

Alcine is already here. I'm so proud of him.

[Alcine]

Ah, Lieutenant. I was just telling Tante Marie and the boys. It was magnificent. I got two of them. I killed two. Bush.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Your orders were not to shoot.

[Alcine]

But Lieutenant, what would you.

[Lieutenant Duke]

What happened to the other boys who were with you?

[Alcine]

Jean was wounded and captured. Antoine became frightened and ran away.

[Narrator]

That blows the Marquis. They'll get the full particulars from Jean.

[Lieutenant Duke]

They haven't got him already?

[Alcine]

I'm sorry, Lieutenant, but.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Quiet. Answer it. Madame.

[Rene]

Who is it?

[Lieutenant Duke]

Billy. Open it. Good evening, Madam. Come in, boys.

[Narrator]

Run into any trouble, boys?

[Lieutenant Duke]

As you see, we are here. Yeah, not for long, Lieutenant. Yes, sir. Rahul and I wish to withdraw from the Marquis. Quit?

[Narrator]

Why?

[Lieutenant Duke]

The risk is too great. You afraid? For myself, no. But after what happened to John, he was wounded and captured. We all take that risk. Yes, but last night the Gestapo got John's family like they did Alcines. Stood them up in front of their house and shot them. Who knows will be next? My mother, Raul's sister, Alcine's aunt. I wish to withdraw. Now, wait a minute. I don't blame you for being worried about your families, but whose families do you think the British and American armies up in Normandy are fighting to liberate Their own? No, Yours. Now, this thing isn't as bad as it looks. There's been a leak in our security. Somebody's been putting a finger on us. So we lay low until the leaks plot. But the Germans are everywhere. Spies, perhaps too are everywhere. I think I know who's responsible for these murders. I'll make a deal with you. Give me a couple of days to work it out. We'll issue you boys some money. And all you've got to do is to get lost until Saturday night and then meet me back here. If I haven't patched up our security by then, you can all quit the marquee and become collaborators. Oh, it is not that, Lieutenant.

[Alcine]

No one wishes to collaborate, but one.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Must think of one's family. Okay, Ed.

[Narrator]

Yeah, Duke?

[Lieutenant Duke]

Give the boys a thousand francs apiece.

[Narrator]

Right. Come and get it, boy. Come on.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Alcine.

[Alcine]

Yes, my Lieutenant?

[Lieutenant Duke]

I'm gonna have a little time on my hands for the next couple of days. Do you think you could arrange to introduce me to your girlfriend?

[Alcine]

Oh, but of course, Lieutenant.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Maybe if she's okay like you say, we can let her sign up.

[Alcine]

I am desolated with happiness, Lieutenant.

[Lieutenant Duke]

One thing. None of that lieutenant business around her until I make sure she's all right.

[Narrator]

Very well.

[Lieutenant Duke]

You think my French is good enough to pass as a native?

[Alcine]

But of course, Lieutenant.

[Lieutenant Duke]

All right, then. Pass me off as a friend of yours. Let's see. I'll need a name. Call me Jacques Dufresne.

[Alcine]

Jacques Dufresne.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Good.

[Alcine]

I will make the arrangements immediately.

[Lieutenant Duke]

I thought you'd like an excuse to get into town tonight. The next afternoon, Alcine brought the girl out to the woods near his aunt's house. I stood behind a tree to watch and make sure they weren't being followed. She was all right. Tall, long, sunburned legs. Her hair caught in a blue ribbon like a little girl's. I let them walk by, and then I step from behind my tree.

[Narrator]

Oh, there you are, Jacques.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Hello, Alcine.

[Alcine]

Rene, this is my good friend, Jacques Dufresne. He's from Paris too. Jacques, this is Rene de Cibour.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Glad to meet you, mamzel.

[Rene]

And I'm honored to meet you, monsieur. Where do you live?

[Lieutenant Duke]

In Paris, near the Port du Lilard. But my home is no longer there. It was bombed out.

[Rene]

Alas, so was mine.

[Lieutenant Duke]

My family remain with friends, but I've come out into the country to fight with the Resistance.

[Alcine]

Jacques has much influence with the commander of our Marquis.

[Rene]

I hope you will be able to persuade him to let me join you.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Monsieur, I shall do what I can.

[Rene]

It would be a privilege and an honor to work with a patriot like you.

[Alcine]

See, Jacques? I told you Rene was all right.

[Lieutenant Duke]

You didn't tell me the half of it. Mademoiselle, you understand that we must be cautious. There are questions I must ask of a confidential nature.

[Rene]

Why don't we meet again? Alone?

[Lieutenant Duke]

Why not?

[Rene]

Say, tonight? I have a little car. We. We might take a drive.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Fine.

[Alcine]

But, Rene, you promised me that.

[Rene]

See you some other time. I share, remember? France comes fast.

[Lieutenant Duke]

We just drove that night. She was wearing a white ribbon in her hair and a loose white dress and no stockings. We just drove around in her little citron with the top down and the wind blowing her hair like a girl in a magazine ad. Then we came back about midnight and parked with the bridge. I felt like I was back in high school in Illinois.

[Rene]

Look at those stars.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Yeah.

[Rene]

So many of them. So close you can almost reach out and touch them.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Yeah.

[Rene]

I had them all once, Jacques. I reached out and gathered them all in my arms once.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Yeah.

[Rene]

I want you to know all about me, Jacques.

[Lieutenant Duke]

I want to.

[Rene]

Don't think it's wrong of me, but I've been in love.

[Lieutenant Duke]

There's nothing wrong in being in love.

[Rene]

He was a soldier.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Most everybody is these days.

[Rene]

A German soldier.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Oh.

[Rene]

Don't you think that love is bigger than war or hate or anything?

[Lieutenant Duke]

Yeah, I guess so.

[Rene]

He's dead now.

[Lieutenant Duke]

That's good. I'm sorry. I mean, I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm not sorry. He's dead.

[Rene]

Shuck. I'm so confused. I want to understand things. I want to be intelligent about things. Then everything gets so mixed up.

[Grainger HVAC Technician]

Like now.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Like now?

[Rene]

Yes, Jacques. I've never been so happy as I am tonight.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Not even with a German.

[Rene]

Not even with him. Why does it have to end? Why do those blessed stars have to go out one by one to make way for another day of war? Why can't we stop time, you and I, and gather all the stars together just for us?

[Lieutenant Duke]

I don't know, baby. It's never been done before. But we can try. Yeah? Yeah. Tomorrow night, Same time, same place. Forever. If you say the word forever. Sure. Why not? Who knows how long forever is in this crazy world? Why not have it together? Why not get married?

[Rene]

Why not? My most beloved.

[Lieutenant Duke]

See you tomorrow night.

[Rene]

I'll only be half alive until then. Sherry. If you want to write to your family in Paris, give me the letter tomorrow night and I'll mail it for you.

[Narrator]

All right. Drop that rock and grab a sock. Rise and shine, lover boy. I brought you a cup of chocolate. Figured you want breakfast.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Oh, thanks.

[Narrator]

How'd you make out last night? Okay, details. Let's have the details.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Nothing much to report. We drove and then we parked for a while and talked.

[Narrator]

Did she give anything away?

[Lieutenant Duke]

No information. She's a funny kid. Her dialogue's as corny as a bobby socks. She knows she's pretty, so she Wants to be admired for her mind. But I'm sure she's our Mata Hari. How come? She offered to mail a letter to my family.

[Narrator]

Well, that's consistent.

[Lieutenant Duke]

I asked her to marry me.

[Narrator]

What?

[Lieutenant Duke]

She didn't believe me, but she pretended like she did. I don't know why she's doing what she's doing. Thrills, maybe.

[Narrator]

French juvenile delinquent.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Maybe tonight's the night.

[Narrator]

The night you get married?

[Lieutenant Duke]

No, the night we get her. The boys are meeting us here at midnight, you know. What's the plan? Well, I'll take another ride with her. And about midnight we'll be back and parked by the bridge. You'll be there out of sight. I'll have some brandy along and I'll slug her drink with a capture pill. When she's passed out, I'll give you the. Come on. And you join me. Here, baby, have another drink, huh?

[Rene]

I shouldn't, Jack. Brandy always makes me sleepy.

[Lieutenant Duke]

What of it? This is a celebration of our engagement.

[Rene]

Oh, kiss me. Shout again and again.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Sure.

[Rene]

Shaq. The stars are nearer. Nearer than they've ever been.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Nearer than you think, baby.

[Rene]

I love you, Shark. I do love you. Kiss me again. Do it again and again.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Renee, baby, are you asleep? You collaborationist pig. Can you hear me okay, Ed?

[Narrator]

Is she out?

[Lieutenant Duke]

Like a red light in an air raid. Here's her purse. Start through it while I untangle myself with you.

[Narrator]

Now, take a look at this.

[Lieutenant Duke]

What is it?

[Narrator]

A letter from Gestapo headquarters. Confirming receipt of three addresses.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Let me see that. Well, that one's Alcine's family, and that one's Jeanne's.

[Narrator]

And here's a Gestapo identification card.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Flash your light over there. Look at her. What a dish. Look at that kisser. She's responsible for the death of six people whose only crime was being born French. She'd erect our Marquis, snafu'd our mission and turned me over to the Gestapo. With her lipstick still in my collar, that gorgeous hunk of double cross. Now we got the proof. Let's get on with it.

[Narrator]

Okay.

[Lieutenant Duke]

I guess you'd rather I. No, this is my job. Geez, she's gorgeous. Yeah. So long, honey. Thanks. She ain't so gorgeous. Now. Release that handbrake.

[Alcine]

Got it.

[Lieutenant Duke]

Come on, shove. Not yet. Keep that steering wheel straight. The river's deepest. Right at the center of the bridge. Now hard right on the wheel. You know something, Ed? I think she finally did gather that armful of stars. Sure the operation was successful. When the time came, our roadblocks tied up three German divisions While Patton rolled on to the east But I still lie awake at night Thinking I should have married that dame yeah. The operation was successful, but the patient died.

[Narrator]

Operation Fleur de Lis was written, directed and produced by William N. Robeson with Jack Webb as Duke, Elliot Lewis as Hill, Peggy Weber as Renee and Harry Bartel as Alcine. Operation Fleur de Lis was based on an incident from the files of the OSS recorded in sub rosa by Stuart Alsop and Thomas Braden. The special musical score was conceived and conducted by Cy Fuhrer. Escape is presented by CBS and its affiliated stations. Each week at this time next week we invite you to escape with F. Scott Fitzgerald in his unforgettable story the diamond as Big as the Ritz. And so good night until next week when again it will be time to escape. This is cbs, the Columbia Broadcasting System.

[Narrator/Announcer]

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[Adam Graham]

Welcome back. A superb story. I think that this was a very well adapted tale and you not only get Jack Webb in this, you also get Elliot Lewis. Elliot Lewis was another up and coming actor who on Mutual was starring in Voyage of the Scarlet Queen and would later go on to really work behind the microphone on so many series and like Webb, that was really where his true ambitions lie. But they really did play off each other really well. Webb did bring some of his hard boiled characterization to his portrayal of Duke, but I it didn't go over the top at all. I think it was just the right tone and tempo for this character. It's a very realistic story and it was actually only the second broadcast episode of Escape. The one thing I did question in this was the combination of shooting and then sending the car over. It did seem like it'd make more sense for it to be one or the other, but as this was adapted from the OSS files, it's safe to assume that that's just probably how it happened in real life. So it doesn't really need dramatically explained. I should note that I have played this episode before on the war about five years ago, but I think this one definitely is worth hearing again. So I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you'll join us back here on Monday when we will have another Jack Webb led episode of Escape. In the meantime, do Send your comments to box Thirteenreatetectives.net From Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.

[Narrator/Announcer]

This episode is brought to you by Peloton. The new Cross Training series balances your workouts with 15 plus workout types for endless movements on and off your equipment. Stay motivated with weekly personalized plans that guide you from beginner to expert and push past your goals with routines tailored to you. Get the new Cross Training Series Term.

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