(Music: theme.)

 

ANNCR.:

Today we bring you the story of "Trooper, U.S. Army Dog," by Helen Orr Watson.

(Music: Up a beat; down behind.)

 

ANNCR.:

Mrs. Watson is the wife of an army colonel, and has had an unusual opportunity to study the part that animals are playing in this war. Trooper, she writes, is a member of the Army's K-9 Corps, who fought with our soldiers on Guadalcanal. As our story opens, the Japs still hold a part of the island. Their planes are still able to sweep over our jungle beachhead, and we find two soldiers, each with a war dog, taking shelter in a bomb crater.

(Sound: approaching planes.)

 

DOG:

(barks.)

HAP:

(young soldier with rural accent) Down, Trooper! That's it, girl. Stay down here in the hole.

(Sound: off antiaircraft fire.)

 

HAP:

What are the planes, Sergeant?

CURLY:

Mitsubishi 96's. They're after Henderson Field. Only they're apt to drop their bombs anywhere, and our hospital here makes a nice target, in spite of the camouflage.

DOG:

(bark.)

HAP:

Quiet, Trooper.

CURLY:

Your dog ever hear any ack-ack before, Corporal?

HAP:

We just got here the other day. But she's heard plenty of gunfire in training.

CURLY:

Oh.

(Sound: more planes approaching.)

 

CURLY:

Look, our planes are coming in.

HAP:

One of the Japs is trailing smoke.

CURLY:

Yeah, ack-ack got him.

(Sound: start fading planes.)

 

HAP:

Aren't we going to see the fight?

CURLY:

Not this time, I guess. But our planes'll make it hot for them farther down the beach.

HAP:

There's our first taste of the war, Trooper. That's what we've come halfway round the world for.

CURLY:

Looks like a good dog. She won't stay white very long out here in the jungle, though.

HAP:

I'll keep her brushed.

CURLY:

Maybe. . . . I've got a Doberman, myself. Patrol dog. Name of Jiggs. What's yours, Corporal?

HAP:

What do you mean, what's my dog or what's my name?

CURLY:

(laughs) Both.

HAP:

Trooper was trained to be a messenger. And my name is McGinty. Hap McGinty.

CURLY:

Hap, eh?

HAP:

Yeah, short for Happy -- Slap-happy.

CURLY:

Welcome to Guadalcanal, Hap. My name's Curly -- Curly Jones.

HAP:

Glad to meet you.

CURLY:

Come on, let's get out of this hole.

HAP:

Come, Trooper.

(Biz: sound of men and dogs getting out.)

 

CURLY:

Strong-looking dog. She obey you?

HAP:

Faster than any other dog at the Basic Training Camp, if I do say so. Watch her. Trooper, heel! . . . Now sit! . . . Down! Stay down! . . . Now watch me walk away from her. . . .

(Sound: footsteps—fading.)

 

HAP:

(off) Come, Trooper! . . . Now drop!

CURLY:

(projecting on Mike) Gee, that's great. Down flat. And right on the command.

HAP:

Come, Trooper!

DOG:

(half off: whimpers -- barks.)

CURLY:

(low voice) Say -- she seems to be worried about that G. I. coming toward us.

HAP:

(off -- very sharply) Trooper, come! Trooper!

DOG:

(whimpers -- barks.)

HAP:

What the deuce!

CURLY:

Hmp! I thought army dogs were trained to be one-man dogs. But your Trooper seems to be making up with another soldier.

HAP:

What's that guy staring at her for?

CURLY:

I don't know. What's she staring at him for?

HAP:

(off) Hey, soldier, get away from that dog!

(Sound: running, fade on.)

 

HAP:

(fade on) Stay back, you crazy galoot! That's a war dog! Trooper, come here!

DOG:

(whimpers.)

ROBERT:

(slow, thick speech, as though shell-shocked) Trooper! Trooper!

HAP:

You know this dog?

ROBERT:

Trooper!

HAP:

What's the matter with him, Curly?

CURLY:

(sotto) I remember. He's a shock case, from the hospital. Here comes one of the doctors, looking for him.

LT.:

(coming on. Kindly tone) Come on, soldier. Better get back to the hospital. This is out of bounds.

ROBERT:

Trooper. The dog, sir, Trooper.

LT.:

(alert) What about the dog?

ROBERT:

I -- don't know. Just -- a white dog.

LT.:

You know the dog's name?

ROBERT:

Trooper.

HAP:

He heard me call her name, Lieutenant. But he does seem to know the dog. And she acted very strangely when she saw him.

ROBERT:

I want -- the dog.

LT.:

Will you let the dog go to him, Corporal?

HAP:

It's against regulations, sir.

LT.:

I know. I'll take the responsibility.

HAP:

Yes, sir. Trooper, go to the soldier.

DOG:

(bark.)

ROBERT:

Trooper! Trooper!

LT.:

Soldier, did you ever see this dog before? Think hard, now.

ROBERT:

It's Trooper.

LT.:

Yes, but where did she come from?

ROBERT:

I -- don't know.

HAP:

Doesn't he know who he is, Lieutenant?

LT.:

No, and we don't either. I'll explain in a minute. Soldier, you'd better go back to the hospital now.

ROBERT:

Yes, sir.

(Sound: steps fade.)

 

HAP:

Drop, Trooper! Stay down!

DOG:

(whimpers.)

HAP:

The dog seems to know him, sir.

LT.:

It seems impossible that this man and this dog could meet in this far-off corner of the earth. And yet-- Do you know where this dog came from, Corporal?

HAP:

Yes, sir. She belonged to a family named Tomlinson, in Ohio. I had several letters from Mrs. Tomlinson while we were still in basic training.

LT.:

Do you happen to have those letters here?

HAP:

I think they're back in my barracks bag, sir.

LT.:

Bring them out here tomorrow, if you can. You see, this soldier was found by the Marines, some weeks ago, wandering in the jungle. He was nothing but skin and bones. His uniform was in ribbons, his identification tags were gone. There was no way we could tell who he was. And he didn't know. He didn't remember who he was or how he got here. He was sunburned so badly that my guess is that his ship was sunk, and that he drifted ashore on a raft.

CURLY:

How did he lose his memory?

LT.:

It's hard to tell. Maybe just the exposure. The chaplain's tried by the hour to bring back some memory of home by talking about school and about his own boyhood and about life in the States in hope of finding something to remind him of his people. If he could remember just one little thing!

HAP:

Yes!

LT.:

One thing like this dog. Then it's possible that he might bridge that gap between the present and the past, and snap back to normal again. So you see why I want your letters, Corporal.

(Music: bridge.)

 

HAP:

Hello, Curly. Giving your dog a work-out?

CURLY:

Yes. You can never tell when Jiggs and I are going to tangle with a Jap. Don't want him to forget how to handle one.

HAP:

That's right. Jiggs is a fighter, isn't he? I never did get to see them train the fighters, back in Basic.

CURLY:

You can watch it right now.

HAP:

(aside) Down, Trooper.

CURLY:

See that guy in the padded suit and a wire mask over his face?

HAP:

Yes, but what are the splints on his arm for?

CURLY:

Wait. You'll see. (Calls.) O. K., Fred, come on. Hold the pistol down till I say, "Attack."

HAP:

What's that piece of cloth he's carrying?

CURLY:

Burlap bag. He'll try to throw it over Jiggs' head, get the dog good and worried.

JIGGS:

(growl.)

(Sound: scuffle in brush.)

 

HAP:

Well, Jiggs is dodging the burlap bag, all right. But why doesn't he fight back? I don't understand.

CURLY:

Jiggs won't attack until Fred makes a move against me. But when he sees that I'm in danger--well, whoever's after me better start praying. You see, if we didn't train the dogs that way they might sometime attack one of our own soldiers. So this little exercise with the burlap bag is just to make sure Jiggs has learned his lesson -- not to attack until I'm in trouble.

HAP:

Pretty smart, Trooper, old girl.

CURLY:

(calls) O. K., Fred. Attack!

(Sound: steps in brush.)

 

DOG:

(short pause; growls.)

CURLY:

Closer, Fred. Aim the gun right at me.

DOG:

(snarls.)

(Sound: scuffle: pistol falling to ground.)

 

CURLY:

Good dog! Come back, Jiggs. Down, boy.

HAP:

Jiggs sure made him drop the gun in a hurry!

CURLY:

See the hold he got on his wrist? Very first leap, too. They say a dog like that has about five hundred pounds pressure in his jaws.

HAP:

Now I see what the splints are for.

CURLY:

Look -- here comes the lieutenant, with the man that can't remember who he is. . . .

LT.:

(coming on) Good morning.

HAP AND CURLY:

Good morning, sir.

LT.:

I saw you work with your dog, Sergeant -- good job of training.

CURLY:

Thank you, sir.

HAP:

I found the letters, Lieutenant. Two of them.

LT.:

Good. Would you mind reading them?

HAP:

Glad to, sir.

LT.:

Let's get comfortable, here in the shade. Sit down, soldier.

HAP:

The first letter was written about eight months ago, when I first started training with Trooper. It's from a Mrs. Tomlinson, whose son owned the dog and enlisted her in the army.

LT.:

Tomlinson. Does that name mean anything to you, soldier?

ROBERT:

Tomlinson? I -- don't know, sir. I'm sorry.

LT.:

That's all right, soldier. Read the letter, Corporal.

(Sound: rattling of letter.)

 

HAP:

"Dear Corporal McGinty," she says. "Since you are in training with Trooper, I thought you might like to know something about her. She's like one of the family to us. . . ."

(Crossfade to Mrs. Tomlinson reading the rest of the letter.)

 

MRS. TOM:

(overlap; filter) . . . She's like one of the family to us, and it was almost as hard to have her go into the Army as it was when my eldest boy enlisted. I remember the first day I ever saw her. She was just a puppy, in Mr. Matt's kennels, down the road. And my young son, Buzz, had dragged me away from my housework to see the new litter.

(Sound: fade in barking of puppies.)

 

MATT:

Good day to you, Mrs. Tomlinson.

MRS. T.:

Hello, Mr. Matt.

MATT:

You and Buzz come to see the pups?

MRS. T.:

Yes, Buzz is so excited!

BUZZ:

(excitedly) How many are there? Are they all right?

MATT:

Nine of them -- eight males and a female -- all as right as rain, and as grand a sight as you'll ever see.

MRS. T.:

How tiny they are! They can't even stand up!

BUZZ:

And their eyes are still closed. See, Mother?

MRS. T.:

They're really beauties.

BUZZ:

They certainly are.

MATT:

Are you going to buy one of this litter, Buzz?

BUZZ:

Oh, I want one so! But Mother says I should spend my paper-route money on war stamps. And of course she's right.

MRS. T.:

I'm sorry, Buzz, but we haven't any extra money for a dog, especially with Robert going off to war.

BUZZ:

I suppose they'll all be sold and gone soon, too.

MATT:

Oh, they're too little for that now, Buzz. There'll be two or three months yet to watch them grow; so you can come and see them whenever you want.

BUZZ:

Thank you, Mr. Matt. That'll help a lot. Maybe later on . . .

MRS. T.:

(filter) You see, Corporal McGinty, we raise and sell chickens. We get along, but we don't have much left over, and at the time I didn't see how we could manage a dog, especially a shepherd dog that grows so big. But Buzz wanted one of those pups; so I finally gave in. It was his paper route and his money. Well, finally, one morning we went to Mr. Matt's kennels again, to pick out a shepherd puppy.

(Sound: fade in barking of pups.)

 

MATT:

Well, Buzz, which one do you like the best?

BUZZ:

There are so many, Mr. Matt, it's hard to tell.

MATT:

Watch them for a minute.

(Sound: fade barking up.)

 

BUZZ:

Look at that dark brown one. He seems to boss the whole litter. He isn't afraid of anything.

MRS. T.:

Yes, but what a show-off! I don't like him at all.

MATT:

Sometimes what looks like showin' off in puppies turns out to be real bravery in older dogs.

BUZZ:

Maybe so, but I think Mom is right. Anyway, the white one over there has a lot more sense than the show-off.

MRS. T.:

Yes. It stands back and waits till it has the advantage before it gets into the fight.

MATT:

That's the female of the litter, the white one. She outwits the whole pack of them. Smart as a whip, that little lady.

BUZZ:

See the way she holds her head and shoulders -- and her ears are straight up.

MRS. T.:

She's a bright puppy, son.

BUZZ:

Mr. Matt, would she -- would she be just as good as the others?

MATT:

I think so, Buzz. She's smart, and she'll be loyal.

BUZZ:

Would she be cheaper than the others?

MATT:

Yes, she would. Quite a bit less.

BUZZ:

Suppose we picked her -- what could we call her?

MRS. T.:

(laughs) Well, son, that's certainly putting the cart before the horse!

BUZZ:

I know -- but if we should have a female dog, well-- I'd want to be sure we had a good name for her, not something silly--

MRS. T. AND MATT:

(laugh.)

BUZZ:

See the way she handles herself in a fight, just like a soldier, a regular trooper. Say -- why don't we call our puppy Trooper?

MRS. T.:

Why, Buzz! Who ever heard of a girl soldier?

BUZZ:

Ever hear of the WACS, Mother? They're just as much soldiers as the men are.

MATT:

You're right there, Buzz. And in many cases they're doing the same work as the men.

MRS. T.:

Well, son, when you look at it that way, Trooper isn't such a bad name.

BUZZ:

Let's try it. Here, Trooper! Here, Trooper! (Whistles.) Here, Trooper!

MRS. T.:

Why, look at her! She seems to know.

BUZZ:

Here, Trooper!

DOG:

(bark.)

BUZZ:

(triumphantly) See, she knows her name! Mr. Matt, I'm going to work hard, and Trooper's going to be our dog!

MRS. T.:

(filter) And Buzz did work hard, Corporal. But before he'd earned enough to buy the dog, something quite terrible happened. I'll have to tell you about that in another letter, for it's time to go out now and gather the eggs. (Fade.) I'll write again soon. Sincerely yours, Mrs. Bessie Tomlinson.

HAP:

(reading: fade in) I'll write again soon. Sincerely yours, Mrs. Bessie Tomlinson.

(Sound: paper rattle.)

 

HAP:

Well, that's the first letter, Lieutenant.

LT.:

(thoughtfully) Umhm. She mentions an older boy, doesn't she, who's in the Army.

HAP:

There's more about him in the second letter.

LT.:

Soldier.

ROBERT:

Yes, sir?

LT.:

What did you think of the letter? Did it make you remember anything -- about home?

ROBERT:

I -- don't know. Sometimes I thought--

LT.:

Thought what?

ROBERT:

--that I might have known those people. But-- I'm not sure.

LT.:

(sharply) Tomlinson!

ROBERT:

Yes, sir? What is it, sir?

LT.:

Why did you answer when I called you Tomlinson?

ROBERT:

(slowly) Perhaps -- that is my name, sir. But-- I don't remember it.

LT.:

Read the other letter, Corporal.

(Sound: rattle of paper.)

 

HAP:

"Dear Corporal McGinty, As I wrote you before, Buzz was working very hard to earn enough money to buy Trooper. Besides his morning paper route, he took a job delivering groceries, on his bicycle, after school."

(Crossfade to MRS. TOMLINSON reading the rest of the letter.)

 

MRS. T.:

(filter; overlap) Besides his morning paper route, he took a job delivering groceries, on his bicycle, after school. One night he didn't come home for dinner, and Robert -- that's my eldest boy -- Robert and I became very worried. Finally the telephone rang.

(Sound: phone rings.)

 

(Sound: steps.)

 

MRS. T.:

Hello? . . . This is Mrs. Tomlinson. . . The General Hospital! . . . That's right. Buzz is my son. . . . Struck by an automo--? Is he -- is he -- badly hurt? . . . I'll be right over!

(Sound: click of receiver.)

 

ROBERT:

Mother! What is it?

MRS. T.:

(dazed) Buzz is hurt. On his bicycle. A car hit him.

ROBERT:

General Hospital?

MRS. T.:

Yes.

ROBERT:

Come, Mother. Here, slip into your coat. . .

(Fade.)

 

MRS. T.:

(filter) Well, Corporal, when Robert and I got to the hospital, poor Buzz was still under the ether. They'd had to operate on him. You know, it's strange what one thinks of in a crisis like that. The one thing that came to my mind was how we could ever afford to buy the dog now. I knew that all the money Buzz had saved would have to be used to pay the hospital bill. Well, Buzz began to recover slowly, but he was very fretful in the days that followed, and he kept asking for Trooper. One night, Robert told me of a plan he had. (Fade.) It was about a week after the accident and we were talking in the kitchen. . .

ROBERT:

Mother, I don't report to the induction center for two weeks yet; so today I went over to see Mr. Matt at the kennels. I asked him if he'd let me work there until I leave for camp, and take Trooper as my pay.

MRS. T.:

Oh, Robert, what a generous thing for you to do! But you'll be so busy with your own affairs, son, these last two weeks.

ROBERT:

I'll squeeze it all in somehow. And I'll feel a lot better about going when Buzz has Trooper. I think it's going to help him to get well faster.

MRS. T.:

(filter) So Robert started working at the kennels the next morning. And Mr. Matt gave Trooper to us right away, for Buzz's sake. Robert and I took the dog to the hospital. That next evening . . .(Fade.)

ROBERT:

Buzz . . . Buzz . . . It's Robert and Mother. How do you feel tonight, Buzz?

BUZZ:

I don't know. Hello, Mother. I keep dreaming about things. I seem to see Trooper all the time. Sometimes I think she's here in the room with me.

MRS. T.:

Can you raise your head a little, son? Here, let me help you. Now let's put a pillow under your head. There. Now what do you see?

BUZZ:

Mother! It is Trooper! I knew I'd see her again. Thank you for bringing her to the hospital. Hello there, Trooper, old girl. I'll have to hurry and get well so I can get out and make some money to buy you.

ROBERT:

You hurry up and get well, Buzz, but don't you worry about buying Trooper.

BUZZ:

What do you mean?

MRS. T.:

Robert's working at the kennels, Buzz. And Trooper belongs to you now.

BUZZ:

Robert! Gee! Thank you, thank you!

MRS. T.:

(filter) And, Corporal -- once Buzz had that dog he seemed to get well immediately. They let him come home just a few days later. Shortly after that Robert went off to camp, and then Buzz began to worry about something else. He wanted to be a soldier, too -- but of course he's only twelve. Several months went by, and Buzz got entirely well, and Trooper grew up big and strong. Meanwhile, Buzz had been reading a lot about war dogs, and since he was too young to go to war himself, he believed that the least he could do would be to enlist his dog. It was a hard decision for him to make, for he loves that dog, but he finally sent for application papers. And one morning the army examiner arrived, (fade) just as I was going . . .

EXAMINER:

She's a beautiful dog, son.

BUZZ:

It won't matter that she's white, and easy for the enemy to see?

EXAMINER:

No, when she's in action she can have a camouflaged uniform, just like the soldiers.

BUZZ:

Really? Does she pass, then?

EXAMINER:

She certainly does. I wish all the dogs I examine were as desirable as this one. When she's trained, she'll be able to relieve at least one soldier, maybe more.

BUZZ:

Hear that, Trooper?

EXAMINER:

This is a fine thing you're doing, son -- letting the army borrow your dog.

MRS. T.:

(filter) And it was, Corporal. When Trooper left, poor Buzz had to fight hard to keep back the tears. But he's very proud now that his dog is serving his country. And your last letter, Corporal, telling how Trooper is being trained, he shows to everyone. (Fade.) I hope you can write to Buzz again soon. Sincerely yours, Mrs. Bessie Tomlinson.

HAP:

(reading; fade in) I hope you can write to Buzz again soon. Sincerely yours, Mrs. Bessie Tomlinson.

(Sound: paper.)

 

HAP:

And that's the end of the second letter, Lieutenant.

LT.:

Thank you, Corporal . . . Soldier, did you work at the kennels so that you could give this dog to your brother and help him to get well?

ROBERT:

Sir, I'm sorry. I'm still -- all mixed up. I -- I want to think about it.

LT.:

And I want you to think about it. You'd better go back to the hospital.

ROBERT:

Yes, sir.

(Sound: steps.)

 

LT.:

Corporal McGinty, I know it's against regulations, but I'd like to take Trooper back to the hospital for a few hours. It might help this boy remember. I think he is Robert Tomlinson.

HAP:

So do I, sir. And I guess there's nothing in the rules against helping a buddy who's sick.

(Sound: whistle.)

 

CURLY:

Hey! The whistle!

HAP:

Oh, I'm sorry, sir. The Captain's calling a formation. I'll have to take the dog.

LT.:

Well -- see me when you can, Corporal.

HAP:

Yes, sir. I'll have to run. . .

(Sound: running feet.)

 

HAP:

I wonder what's up, Curly.

CURLY:

Maybe we're going out on a mission. The rest of the squad's here, anyway. . . Fall in! 'Ten-shun!

CAPTAIN:

At ease. Men, we've lost contact with the Japs. They're out there in the jungle, all right, but we don't know where. And I want this patrol to find out. I want you all to look at this map. Fall out around me.

(Sound: steps; paper rattle.)

 

CAPTAIN:

Now go to the river junction here -- and report back at once if you locate any Jap forces. You have a radio. Send back word that way if you can. Otherwise by messenger. Is that clear?

CURLY:

Yes, Captain Peters.

CAPTAIN:

You know the rules for patrol action. Try not to be seen. Avoid a fight if you can. Take over your squad, Sergeant. Move out, and good luck.

CURLY:

Well, boys, you know what we've got to do. We'll move out in regular formation. Let's get going. When we get in dangerous territory we'll go into diamond formation -- watch for my signal. Hap, we want our dogs at the head of the line. Come up with me.

VOICE 1:

(Brooklyn accent) Those pooches goin' along?

VOICE 2:

(Southern accent) Much chance we've got of comin' back alive with them along! They'll bark. They'll give us away.

CURLY:

At ease, soldier. You may be glad we've got these dogs, before we get back.

VOICE 1:

Show me.

VOICE 2:

Luggin' a couple of mutts along. Some war!

CURLY:

Route step --- march!

(Music: short bridge.)

 

(Sound: jungle bird cries at intervals through scene.)

 

(Sound: slap.)

 

HAP:

These mosquitoes. Back home we don't grow crows any bigger'n this.

VOICE 1:

Pipe down there, Corporal.

CURLY:

That's right, Hap. Just because you can't see a Jap patrol, or a sniper, it doesn't mean they aren't around. Remember, they're wearing the same kind of camouflaged suits we are.

HAP:

I'll be careful.

CURLY:

(sudden hoarse whisper) Wait a second. Look! The dogs! What are they pointing at?

HAP:

That clearing up ahead.

CURLY:

It's a Jap patrol! Down, Jiggs!

HAP:

Down, Trooper!

(Sound: footsteps in underbrush, growing louder as Jap voices approach, then fade.)

 

VOICES:

(Jap voices, subdued, but coming closer, then moving off.)

VOICE 2:

That was close.

CURLY:

They've gone toward the river. Didn't see us, though.

VOICE 1:

(admiring) Dogs never made a sound!

CURLY:

(voice still low) It was the dogs who knew they were coming.

VOICE 2:

They're all right!

HAP:

All right! They probably saved your life!

VOICE 2:

OK, OK, I take back what I said at camp.

CURLY:

We better radio back to headquarters about this patrol.

HAP:

(suddenly) Curly! The dogs! There's something else. Look -- up in that palm tree!

CURLY:

Sniper. Doesn't see us yet, though.

VOICE 2:

I can pick him off.

CURLY:

Put down that rifle! You want that Jap patrol back here on our necks?

HAP:

Stay down, Trooper.

CURLY:

Hap, look at the trail -- where the patrol came out. It goes to the river. Looks like it's used a lot. That's how they get their water. Those Japs are camped just ahead.

HAP:

Looks that way.

CURLY:

We've got to get out of here.

HAP:

That sniper'll see us if we move now.

CURLY:

I know. If he fires, we're done for. Japs'll come running from all directions. I'll signal the patrol to go back. Keep watchin' that sniper, Hap. If he looks this way, freeze.

(Sound: slight noise of movement through underbrush.)

 

HAP:

Watch out, Curly -- I think he sees us.

(Sound: rifle shot, off.)

 

CURLY:

(cry of pain.)

HAP:

Curly! You're hurt!

CURLY:

Go on! Break! Run for it!

HAP:

We'll get you back! Can you crawl?

(Sound: crashing through underbrush.)

 

CURLY:

I -- I can't make it. You guys go ahead. Radio the post. Tell headquarters.

(Sound: two more rifle shots, and sound of radio being shattered.)

 

VOICE 1:

Corporal!

HAP:

Got me this time. It's my leg.

VOICE 1:

Get back here -- under cover.

(Sound: moving in underbrush.)

 

CURLY:

The radio -- signal headquarters. . . (CURLY passes out.)

VOICE 1:

Radio's busted, Curly. Bullet went through it.

HAP:

What should we do now, Curly? Curly! He's passed out!

VOICE 2:

You're in command, Hap. What next?

HAP:

Send Trooper. She'll get back faster than you. In my pocket there's a pencil and paper.

VOICE 1:

I got them.

HAP:

Write: "River junction. Jap encampment. Jones, McGinty wounded. Rest trying to get back. . ."

VOICE 2:

(shouts) Corporal, duck! Behind you! A Jap!

DOG:

(snarls.)

VOICE 1:

Get him, Jiggs!

(Jap voice screams.)

 

VOICE 1:

Attaboy, Jiggs! Look at that dog! The Jap's down, Corporal!

(Sound: two rifle shots, off.)

 

VOICE 2:

Jiggs!

HAP:

Is Jiggs hit?

VOICE 2:

He's dead. So is the Jap. Sniper hit 'em both.

HAP:

Message written?

VOICE 1:

Yes.

HAP:

Put it in the capsule, on -- Trooper's collar. Trooper! Go! Go back! And make it fast, old girl. Go! . . .

VOICE 1:

We'll have to get some help for you and Curly. As soon as we get a chance, we'll make a break for it.

(Sound: machine gun off.)

 

HAP:

What are they shooting at now?

VOICE 2:

Trooper! They've spotted the dog!

(Sound: machine-gun fire.)

 

VOICE 1:

(cries) They're shooting at her.

HAP:

They haven't -- hit her?

VOICE 1:

It -- looks that way. Wait a minute. . . She's climbing to her feet. She's hurt, but -- she's moving again.

HAP:

Can she make it?

VOICE 1:

She's limping, but she's going on anyway.

HAP:

She'll get through. Trooper'll get through.

(Sound: machine-gun fire, drowned by)

 

(Music: bridge.)

 

LT.:

(fade in) Try to remember, soldier. Try again. One night your brother Buzz didn't come home, and there was a phone call from the hospital that he'd been struck by a car. Then you and your mother went to see him. Can you remember that?

ROBERT:

Well-- I can sort of -- half remember it, sir. But it's still -- all cloudy in my mind.

DOG:

(whimpers.)

ROBERT:

Look! There's Trooper, outside the screen door! Let her in! She's hurt.

(Sound: footsteps, screen door.)

 

ROBERT:

Trooper, Trooper, what's happened to you, girl? You're all wet and bloody!

DOG:

(whimpers.)

LT.:

Hand me the sulfa! And that roll of bandages! There, girl, we'll get you fixed up! A bullet went through her leg. Say! She went out with a squad a little while ago! Tomlinson -- what happened to the men on that patrol?

DOG:

(whimpers.)

ROBERT:

I don't know, sir. But there might be a message in the capsule on her collar. I remember now -- in one of Buzz's letters he said that Trooper was a messenger dog and that's how she carried information.

LT.:

You're right. Here it is. . . .

(Sound: crackling paper.)

 

LT.:

(reads) "River junction -- Jap encampment -- Jones, McGinty wounded . . ." I'll call Captain Peters!

(Sound: crank of signal corps portable phone. Pick up.)

 

VOICE:

(filter) Signal Center.

LT.:

Give me Captain Peters.

VOICE:

Yes, sir.

CAPTAIN:

(filter) Captain Peters.

LT.:

This is Lt. Allen. One of the dogs on that scouting patrol just came back alone with this message: "River junction ... Jap encampment ... Jones, McGinty wounded. ... Rest trying to get back"

CAPTAIN:

(filter) I've got it.

(Sound: click of phone.)

 

ROBERT:

(off mike a bit) Trooper! Trooper! You're going to be all right. They're going to fix your leg. And, Trooper, you're my dog. I know that now. And some day, when this is all over, we'll go back home together. . . .

LT.:

Tomlinson!

ROBERT:

Yes, sir?

LT.:

In the excitement just now you mentioned a letter from your brother Buzz. You are Robert Tomlinson, aren't you?

ROBERT:

I'm sure I am, sir. It's all coming back to me. I remember how I worked at the kennels to buy Trooper, so she could help Buzz to get well. And now she's helping me to get well. Aren't you, Trooper? And maybe saving those fellows out on patrol.

LT.:

Trooper, you're a soldier. Down, girl. I'll bandage your leg.

(Music: bridge.)

 

CAPTAIN:

All right to talk to these two men, Lt. Allen?

LT.:

Yes, Captain. They're pretty badly hurt, but it'll do 'em good.

CAPTAIN:

Well, Sergeant, how do you feel this morning?

CURLY:

I think I'm going to be all right, sir.

CAPTAIN:

That's the spirit. And how are you, Corporal?

HAP:

I'm better, too, sir. Curly and I both want to get out of the hospital and back into action as soon as we can. Only -- Jiggs is gone and Curly hasn't any dog.

CAPTAIN:

I know.

CURLY:

We owe our lives to Jiggs, sir. He gave his life to save ours.

CAPTAIN:

There's no soldier at the front any braver than the dogs. Neither of you would be here today if it hadn't been for Trooper. The doctor says that nothing but sheer nerve and will power and devotion to duty brought her back here through the jungle.

HAP:

She ought to have a medal.

CAPTAIN:

I'm afraid I've got to disappoint you men about going right back into action.

CURLY:

You're shipping us out, sir?

CAPTAIN:

Yes. Back to a base hospital, until you're completely well.

HAP:

What about Trooper, Captain?

CAPTAIN:

You needn't worry. Here's Trooper now, with her new master -- or perhaps I should say her old one.

ROBERT:

Corporal Robert Tomlinson, sir, and Trooper, reporting for duty.

DOG:

(bark.)

(Music: up big to close.)