Land and Live in the Jungle

[Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] the jungle looked so soft and easy from a b25 upstairs but now downstairs the jungle looks very different and there's a five-man crew in it somewhere this is sergeant Mel Ford the gunner just a kid he used to work in a flour mill in Spokane Washington and never spent a day in the woods in his life since all of them but the pilot bailed out together there's a good chance of being heard if he yells no answer not at first but a little later he hears somebody else yelling and then he sees him the navigator lieutenant Pat McVeigh a steady dependable guy who'd been a high school football coach before the war a good man to have around in an emergency hello there hi yeah how are you all right okay fine Sargent Ford is worried about leaving his chute in the treetops but that's okay since McVeigh has his chute Ford's will be a good marker for any searching plane to spot two more crew members four out of five accounted for they're pretty lucky to have landed close by if they hadn't it would have taken a lot longer to get together they have that much to be thankful for and the nearest enemy positions are hundreds of miles away McVeigh knows they're in a tough spot but he also knows they stand a good chance of getting out if they keep their heads and if they tackle the jungle is a problem to be solved not something to be afraid of the copilot lieutenant Pat Abbott from Pittsfield Massachusetts who'd been a little shaky starts to relax a good flyer and one of the leading amateur golfers in the country but that seems a long time ago and Charley Tannen radio operator and gunner oldest man in the crew with a wife and a baby he's never seen back home in Amarillo Texas before they jumped they'd agreed to meet their pilot at the plane if possible they aren't too worried about him they figure Harrison has landed closer to the ship and he'll be there waiting when they reach it but Harrison isn't doing too well he'd come down pretty hard and he's suffering from a mild form of shock so it doesn't take much to rattle him it starts with a mosquito bite and then he steps into a termites nest it hits him suddenly this is jungle he's miles from his crew doesn't know where his plane crashed and he knows next to nothing about jungle survival ignorance leads to fear fear and ignorance add up to panic as soon as he protects himself from the swarms of insects he takes stock of what he has inspects his jungle kit for the first time in months a little late his mosquito gloves and head net are there but his signal flares and worst of all his compass are missing his fire starter is gone - no signal mirror but he does have a machete sunglasses D rations pocket knife fishing kit and first-aid kit because he hadn't been wearing a shoulder holster he lost his 45 on the way down his sleeping bag is there but he has no map no canteen and no jungle survival manual not what he should have had if he'd checked his equipment before takeoff but enough if he keeps his head shoes are a problem he hadn't worn GI shoes and his low-cut Oxford snapped off when his chute open he's intelligent enough to improvise a pair from his seat pad cover in Jungle travel feet are the most important means of transportation and need all the protection they can get but panic makes him work too quickly and his shoes aren't as good as they might have been [Applause] an hour later he's gone less than a quarter of a mile and he has a serious transportation problem since he didn't watch where he put his feet there pierced by thorns and covered with stone bruises his thirst is like burning pain and panic makes him yell for Pat yell when he knows he's miles from his crew in desperation and anger he fights the gentle futile battle which only exhausts him and makes him thirst here and then he throws away his water he doesn't know the rough bark vine he cut like many other jungle vine stores water pure water absorbed by the plants roots but his crew knows you can drink from any vine that flows clear sweet SAP and that you must not drink from vines with only milky sap ten'll also lost his shoes when his chute opened he too improvises a pair from his seat pad cover but for greater protection he makes an inner soul out of the padding and binds his feet with strips of parachute silk these shoes won't stand up under rough jungle wear so he'll carry extra canvas for new ones McVeigh knows it's a good idea to keep the men busy keep them from thinking and worrying so he begins to take inventory the jungle kit is their most valuable piece of equipment among other things it contains a frying pan insert medical supplies needle and thread tea tablets and water purifier signal flares a compass plastic water bottle and so forth basic equipment which experience and testing have proven to be most helpful there are several types of these kits and later models may vary slightly besides this kit they have pistol belt first aid kits and parachute first aid kits and their parachutes as much of the parachute silk as possible should be kept it has unlimited uses once you land in the jungle it's not so much what you have as how well you use it materials should be conserved wherever possible jungle substitutes should be used such as vines instead of parachute cord bark instead of cloth or taking your food from the jungle instead of using up your emergency rations they have the necessities and thanks to McVeigh's thoroughness an additional emergency personnel kit he'd had the foresight to put in his pocket before takeoff the emergency kit is sealed for protection it's a handy thing to have for it contains some valuable extras D rations adhesive matches bouillon powder Benzedrine and a waterproof utility bags you share alike in the jungle and divide your equipment into carrying packs suitable to each man's strength and condition so that every man is supplied if by accident he should be separated from the group under ordinary circumstances keep together although a man alone can get out of the jungle it's safer easier and a lot pleasanter if you work in a group there's a deep scratch in habits back the co-pilot doesn't think it's important enough to dress but in the jungle the danger of infection is magnified it's hard to believe how quickly it can take hold it's one of your most serious problems to compensate for the loss of body salt through sweating the kits contain a supply of salt tablets they'll prevent heat exhaustion and cramps sulfanilamide powder contained in the pistol belt first-aid packet and the parachute first-aid kit is a lifesaver pouring it into an open wound will help control external infection and help prevent blood poisoning the wounds should be carefully bandaged for relief from insect bites rashes burns or skin irritations the boric acid ointment is very helpful it should be applied freely as soon as possible for smaller scratches use iodine it comes in handy stick applicators which are thrown away after using you've got to keep your health but you also need a plan studying the map they work out their campaign against the jungle they'll follow a stream in a river to their plane where they should meet their pilot then if rescue planes don't spot them down the river to the coast where chances of rescue are greater but for a short time they'll stay in the vicinity natives might come looking for them if they'd seen the parachutes coming down from flight data and time of crash you have a pretty good general idea of where you are especially if you have a reliable map the compass will help when you travel even though it's still early it's necessary to find a spot to camp for the night come swiftly in the tropics so they split up temporarily into two reconnaissance parties and agree to go only about a mile searching for a stream signs of native trails or a native village they blazed that trail as they go in dense vegetation and tangled undergrowth is easy to travel in circles even if your jungle wise hey what's the idea of lugging along that very pistol well animals and snakes and things a very pistol swell for signaling but it's not much good against animals and snakes and things that part of the jungle is highly overrated anyway you might see a few occasionally but they won't bother you unless you start something as for snakes well I'll just watch where you put your hands and feet don't walk around barefooted however a fourth stick is nice to have if you're unarmed and nervous more important it might be useful for catching small animals to eat yeah that couldn't be a snake could it yes but it's not dangerous it's just a boa constrictor a boa constrictor you didn't have to do that his main interest is in getting away from you there are a few poisonous snakes this is a coral species vary in different jungles so it swells and other kinds in your theater this is a Bushmaster even though he's the deadliest snake in the world the odds that he or any other snake will bite you are about the same as your being struck by lightning so relax [Applause] an hour so later Tannen Abbott come back without having found anything a jungle although it's hot and uncomfortable and they're bothered by the strange jungle noises they know now that jungle isn't as bad as it's been painted nothing like the exaggerated idea you get from too many Tarzan books Tannen knows if you've got time on your hands you want to keep busy so he decides to lighten his pack every extra pound should be discarded it's no reason for instance to lug around the padding in the jungle kit so cut it out Abbott bones up on the jungle emergency manual in the kit and learns a few useful tricks how to convert his parachute pack into a knapsack for instance the pack itself forms the carrying pouch and the web straps form the shoulder straps just a simple operation it isn't long before McVeigh and Ford return with good news they found a campsite not far from a jungle stream so they get their packs together make sure they haven't left anything they can use behind and snake off single-file into the jungle they mark their trail well in case natives or their pilots should cross it pitching camp near a stream puts fresh running water at their doorstep and gives them a front yard full of fresh water food but to get away from mosquitoes and malaria they pick a high spot a short distance back in the jungle in making beds the idea is to get a platform off the ground above the jungle dampness and the insects they make their beds by planting for start-up right poles in the ground supports and crossbars are tied down with strong jungle vines for a mattress palm leaves or any large leaves at hand and four sheets and blankets the parachute silk sheets in the jungle not bad with a whole jungle full of branches wouldn't you know Mel Ford would pick one with forms not only do the thorns prick but they may be Hollow Queen ants sometimes lay their eggs inside them and these branches are crawling mcveigh also warns him about a plant with short detachable hairs on the pods hairs which will stick to your skin and cause violent itching there are other plans to stay away from plants with thorns Barb's and stickers but the little gun is the kind of guy who'd sit in the only patch of poison ivy in five counties and he did it to back home in Spokane it's a good idea to have a fire every night Whittle some dry shavings they'll burn easily no point in using the fire starter unless it's really necessary save it for a rainy day there'll be plenty of them a dried termites nests a good base for the fire burn something like charcoal small twigs and bamboo husks make good kindling matches are scarce take precautions to keep them dry and try to light your fire with only one a fire has to be nursed along it takes plenty of patience but it's worth it for jungle nights can get awfully cold besides giving you heat a fire will keep away any kibbutzim animals of course fire is necessary for cooking and its smoke will discourage mosquitoes and other pests finding dry wood is often a problem wood hanging from vines or standing dead trees may be dry wet wood can be split open and the dry heartwood used certain resonance and oily wood and palms which are highly inflammable will burn even if they're green when the fire is well started largest sticks should be laid on in a your pattern burns better that way pretty isn't it but to Abbott it's just a bathroom deluxe with built-in stall shower keeping clean is one of the best ways to prevent tropical skin irritations makes you feel better too it's still early enough so the mosquitoes aren't out in full force but in an hour so toward dusk it'll be too dangerous for habit to go around unprotected without all his clothes a good thing for habit that mcveigh happens by there are a couple of ticks on his back McVeigh has to be careful removing them a lighted cigarette held near a tick not against him or make him drop off if you haven't a cigarette put iodine on the Beast or pry him out carefully with a knife tick should never be squashed against the skin get the head out otherwise it may cause serious infection it's always a good idea to inspect each other at least twice a day for insects he may look like a couple of baboons but baboons do alright in the jungle iodine's applied to tick bites at once to avoid infection since clothing gets damp quickly due to the high humidity let it dry in the Sun when you can or by a fire before dusk before putting on his claws a bird inspects them particularly his socks and shoes and liquidates any uninvited guests McVeigh uses the waterproof cover of his sleeping bag as a water container while he works his legs are protected against ticks ants termites chiggers and other jungle pests for he's tied his socks outside his trousers he's doing a good job unfortunately you can't say that about Harrison although it's almost 4 o'clock late in the jungle and he should have been getting set for the night his only thought is to keep moving moving in spite of the fact he doesn't know where he's going he tries to orient himself using his watch the method is unreliable even in the temperate zone and Harrison doesn't know it's useless near the equator after a while he learns from painful experience to go around obstacles instead of through them he thinks he's getting smarter until he realizes with a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach that he's passed the same spot twice that's when he makes his first blaze [Applause] he might keep moving until nightfall but by pure chance he stumbles into a clearing which looks like a good place to camp the ground is covered with insects so he uses his head for a change he's learning slowly getting over his panic but he's hot tired and thirsty he hasn't had any water all day he's dying for a drink yet he thinks this jungle pool is so brackish and polluted that his haleh's on can't purify it he's wrong again his crew knows haleh's own works oneness if it's used properly to haleh's own tablets should be crushed and added to each quart of water shake the container thoroughly and let it stand for half an hour if you don't smell chlorine add more hallow zone until you do the water is then safe to drink water can be purified without haleh's owned by boiling for at least five minutes mel has been left to guard the camp while the rest of the crew is out hunting for food to make a baking oven he scoops a hole by the fire and rakes some coals into it he's caught a tortoise poor helpless little creature he feels sorry for it tortoise should be baked hole in the shell to preserve the natural juices Birds too can be baked whole feathers in law and then cleaned before eating but they should be packed in mud instead of leaves after the tortoise is placed in the scooped out oven it's covered with a layer of dirt which acts as insulation from the coals you rake over it in two hours a dish that would cost five bucks at the Waldorf Tannen is searching for the vegetable course plants aren't as nutritious as animal food but there are a lot easier to catch fern tips good eating the young tender shoots have the most nourishment like most plants they can be eaten raw or cooked bamboo oven where a section of green stem cut below two successive joints is a good kettle closed at the bottom and open at the top it's so durable you can boil water in it for flavoring some bouillon powder at the same time Abbott is busy gathering nuts high in protein value they're a good substitute for meat roast them or boil them in gathering food don't be afraid to experiment most plants are good only a very few or poisonous a general rule to follow is if a plant tastes bitter it's not edible try some but taste won't kill you even if it's poisonous and you can always spit it out not bad sprouted nuts a solid course added to the menu these nuts are a symbol of the variety of food all around them they're learning a valuable lesson no man needs starve in the jungle look funny well if you tempted to laugh ask yourself a question would I do any better in the same spot Harrisons big mistake was made before he got in the jungle he didn't learn how to lick it and he wasn't prepared he's smart enough to build his bed in a low tree and he's well protected against mosquitos but hungry as he is all he has to eat her is dried deer ashes and what's more he's worried about his cruel worried about his crew [Music] yes it's a peaceful scene a good fire good food good companions but there are enemies present they're our worst enemies in the jungle the female and lawful ease mosquitoes which fly from early dusk to late dawn and carry malaria malaria which has caused more casualties to American forces in the Pacific area than the Japanese malaria discipline must be maintained at all times especially at dawn and dusk mcveigh makes sure that after dinner each man takes an arab red pill while a tebron acquire and won't prevent malaria it will suppress it until you can get medical attention there are directions for use on each package be sure to follow them religiously the other rules of malaria discipline of practice - insect repellents should be used and renewed every couple of hours the Anopheles doesn't like it and she isn't the only one the repellent also keeps them from being bothered by other annoying insect pests mosquito head nets and gloves should be worn from early dusk too late dawn the crew removed there's only long enough to eat since they're well smeared with repellent and near the fire it's alright they're doing pretty well I'm not too worried about their pilot because they figure that by now Harrison's probably at the wrecked plane waiting Harrison's waiting alright from morning he can't sleep and he's still hungry while a good dinner crawls through his tree as you can see he'd be hard to catch he move so fast and this lizard looks like a bad dream but it's a tasty dish wild fruit hanging over his head good to eat as enough food right near him but he doesn't know enough to go after it so he stays hungry the crew have eaten well and want to provide for the next day so Mel Ford decides to make a trap just lengths of split bamboo arranged log cabin style and tied with parachute cord a simple trigger stick will spring the trap small animals are more likely to be attracted by food unfamiliar to them a sacrifice of a small piece of chocolate D ration for bait may pay big dividends he knows that the best place to set a trap is along an animal run leading down to a stream he camouflages it and just to help things along builds a fence to force possible victims in the right direction if you're interested in birds or small animals try snares use a strong supple branch as a spring and make your cord from the inner core of your parachute shroud line all animals and birds are edible except for carrion birds like the vulture so almost anything you catch will be good to eat Talon sets his snares on a wild berry bush in a cluster that berries makes a good bait he could use any other fruit he's seen birds eat like Ford he camouflages his snares and builds guides to force the birds or animals in bird enters snare branch springs back meat on the table he hopes jungle streams are usually well stocked loaded with fish there are other ways to catch them besides using the tackle in the kit a blazing torch a flashlight attracts them brings them within range a dip net is improvised from the pilot chute fastened around a bent branch any fish living in freshwater streams are good to eat that goes for heals and frogs to shellfish are good like this crayfish which boiled is as good as shrimp there are a few poisonous fish but they occur only in brackish or saltwater the back side of the machete can also be used to kill fish by 9 o'clock which is very late for the jungle they are ready for sleep well protected against mosquitoes and with their equipment under cover [Music] they plan to rotate guards during the night to tend to fire and if a plane happens over to signal with the very pistol sleep is important you need more of it in the tropics you've got to conserve your energy and keep up just strengthen as a resistance against disease and while they sleep the jungle is working for them shortly before dawn a tropical rabbit on his way to the stream for a drink he can't make up his mind that chocolate might be good no it might be bad might be good too bad the next morning Ford and tannin get up early to inspect the traps Mel's got something but he doesn't know what it is or how to get it on he should make a pointed spear and kill the animal in the trap but he's too excited to think [Music] oh it is unlucky eager-beaver if there ever was one tan ensnares have been busy to call a fruit pigeon which tastes like squad and a larger ugly looking bird but ugliness like beauty is only skin-deep and once you get past the skin as good meat on those bones Harrison is also doing some big-game hunting a porcupine contrary to popular opinion doesn't throw its quills so Harrison could be a lot braver [Applause] that repulsive creature happens to be good to eat but he's too squeamish something you can't afford to be in the jungle the crew ought to be well provisioned for the day's march a parachutes stretched across the stream and weighted down with stones makes a good net into which you can drive the fish there's not much technique just a lot of noise splashing and beating spearing fish with a sharpened bamboo pole takes practice and patience you've got a deflection shot because water bends light so timing and lead are important not even a good gunner can hope to do this the first time but it's not too difficult with practice before cooking they skin and clean what they're caught in the stream to get rid of the parasites as for the rabbits well he never thought he'd get into the air force this way they're well protected against early morning mosquitos breakfast isn't elegant the plates are wild banana leaves but they serve the purpose very well food spoils quickly in the jungle to preserve it they cook all their fish and meat cut it in strips and hang it in the Sun to dry drying strips over a smoking fire is another good way to keep food edible for several days but they'll have to boil it before eating they're looking ahead playing it smart and while they're eating 10 miles away Harrison is standing and drooling he drools from minutes before the light Dawn's anything a monkey will eat is good for a man a simple jungle rule it took him two days to get he's so busy stuffing himself he doesn't see trouble coming storm clouds the crew sees them though as they're picking their way down the shallow stream one of the fastest and easiest ways to travel in the jungle if you can't find a trail they don't waste any time getting to high ground in the tropics rain comes swiftly and heavily and streams may flood in a flash if it looks like rain no time should be lost in providing shelter you can build a lean-to in a hurry it should be set up with the wind at the rear and the slanting poles should be fixed against a firm base a heavy log will do for a floor branches covered with sleeping bags you can cover your lean-to with a parachute but since it isn't completely waterproof you should cover the parachute with leaves banana leaves are best if you can find them start at the bottom and work up the way a house is shingle so the rain will run off easily [Music] Harrison is caught short again with no time to rig up adequate protection he could cover his shelter with the large leaves around him but that might be using his head a fire would be a big help you'd think he's know enough to strip the wet bark from his wood or to riddle some dry shavings naturally his fire is a great success and so he sits and shivers and soaks although with a little common sense he too could have had a fire under cover and he too could have been warm and dry [Music] the crew finds the food they preserve comes in handy for dessert wild pineapple picked up along the way tannin feels a little sorry for the folks back home with pineapple 26 points a can even the rain works for them filling open containers with good drinking water the next morning they reach the large river indicated on their map the first leg is over but they still have a long way to go to get bamboo for a raft tannin crossed the river as he tours the wood back the crew throws rocks and makes more than enough noise to scare off what few crocodiles there are he also keeps his clothes on further protection and where's his Mae West it makes swimming a lot easier Tannen doesn't know it but he's brought back a friend a friend who's gotten quite attached to him a blood sucking leech he hasn't had time to dig in so McVeigh is able to pull him off when the leech is firmly fastened you have to apply salt iodine or tobacco juice then he'll be glad to leave naturally iodine should be applied at once to the wound a raft should be built steadily with light wood or lengths of bamboo tied with parachute cord and vines fibrous wood like the palm gets waterlogged easily and will sink it looks like a big job but it takes four men only two hours to build it would take a man alone half a day to build one in a smaller size but even then the time saved in travel would be worth it you can cut ores with a machete but you must remove the bark or your hand will blister they balance the Lord so the raft won't tip but just in case it does they tie everything down tight and store their most valuable things in their pockets they're ready to travel the most efficient way for the river is the Express Highway of the jungle the science leading down to the coast Native villages are found along the banks and you're in the open where rescue planes can see you their next objective is their wrecked b25 which they hope searching planes will spot Tannen is assigned the look-outs job here watch for snags and the submerged logs which might upset him and he listened for rapids or waterfalls ahead [Music] they're on their way and they know where they're going just like Harrison [Applause] [Music] he's getting nowhere fast he realizes it's impossible to go through a mangrove swamp so you'll have to go around it even though it's a much longer route it takes him hours and plenty of luck to make the river at last [Music] one look at that open mouth and the river doesn't look so hot he doesn't know a rocket to would have sent the crux on their way and he thinks a raft is a job for a battalion of Engineers so back he goes into the jungle and doesn't even mark the rock in case natives or his own crew pass by [Music] later in the day is crew floating by that same rock Never Knows Harrison has been there they take advantage of this Cook's Tour to study the flora and fauna on the banks with the help of the jungle manual bread nut is a valuable addition to your menu breadfruit common in the tropics and usually in season baked it tastes something like potato and has as many uses these rare and exotic tropical fruits which look like bananas or bananas yes they do grow upside down the fruit may be eaten raw fried boiled or roasted soursop is another common fruit which is good to eat raw or cooked Hey look it monkeys it sounded like cannibalism when McVeigh red monkeys were good to eat but Ford felt better when they told him monkeys are almost impossible to catch without a rifle the tale of a young crocodile well cooked is as tasty as beef steak it says here that's when Ford really loses his appetite and almost loses his breakfast but if you were hungry he need a crocodile tail and like it.why almost everything in the jungle is edible some plants must be cooked like the elephant's ear who is nourishing meat must be boiled in several changes of water plants and trees with a milky sap must be avoided or they will cause a skin irritation worse than poison ivy in the jungle one of man's best friends is the bamboo not only does it make good cooking pots rafts and fishing Spears but the young shoots growing from the base of the tree are edible raw or better still cooked and as if that weren't enough the older cracked bamboo stems sometimes contain water the sun's heat is intense but that shouldn't stop you from absorbing some sunshine vitamins if you're careful not to overdo it even on cloudy days [Music] ten miles later the sound of Rapids ahead makes them decide to put ashore [Music] if I'd wanted to they could have floated the raft down the rough and rocky waters ahead by tying vines to it and guiding it along from the bank but they plan to leave the river anyway for according to their calculations their plan is due west in the jungle not more than a few hours march and they're anxious to get to it as soon as possible [Music] when they finally reach the plane what's left of it they get their first real shock that expected to find Harrison there's no sign of him they yell themselves hoarse [Music] but Harrison is miles away in the jungle in serious trouble he's lost his a tebron and he's afraid he's coming down with malaria [Music] after a night's rest in hammocks the best overnight beds you can make in the jungle they start getting ready for the reconnaissance planes they know we'll be searching for them oil left in an oil line to saturate the firewood and make it send up a heavy smoke contrasting colors are more easily distinguished from the air so everything white or yellow that will stand out against the dark jungle background is spread in the clearing they destroyed all classified papers and tech orders they smashed what secret instruments were left and buried the parts if their plan had been intact and in enemy territory they would have burned it while they wait they keep busy McVeigh practices with the signal mirror he knows it has to be aimed accurately for the reflection of the Sun in the mirror to be seen by a passing plane a pattern is thrown on his shirt through the clear cross in the center of the mirror when this pattern is superimposed over or coincides with the Cross in the mirror the signal beam is aimed at whatever object is seen through the cross if he hadn't a mirror any shiny piece of metal would do almost as well the emergency radio is beyond repair but Tannen inflates the antenna balloon floating over the treetops it can easily be spotted from the air they do what they can and wait and hope during the succeeding days Harrison grows weaker panic is setting in again [Music] he knows he's lost and at the end of his rope [Music] and then the next morning his hope flares up again when he hears what he's been praying for he starts a fire quickly but at best it's hard to make the smoke seen above the trees he should have stayed on the river in the clear he should have prepared his fire in advance he should have added more leaves to make more smoke [Music] [Applause] [Music] yes there are a lot of things he should have done and now the possibility that he will die in the jungle alone seems very real [Music] it isn't long before the crew hears the same plane their long hours of preparation help them do things quickly and efficiently Ford gets the fire started Abbott crushes the Mae West sea marker die it spreads across the stream already marked by a suspended parachute Tannen adds plenty of leaves to build the smoke blacker and higher and it spirals upward into the sky McVeigh uses his signal mirror practice makes perfect they know they're spotted now they clear space for the signal panel the jungle manual gives them the patterns for an even dozen messages indicate direction of nearest civilization they watch the plane Bank and fly to south meet quinine or out of print they get more than they asked for two full boxes of food arms and supplies if they needed one they could ask for a doctor and the plane would bring one back he'd bail out to join them the note tells them about a native village ten miles due south where the natives are believed to be friendly they collect their stuff and sling it over a pole for easier carrying they leave a note for Harrison in case he makes the plain it's in a box hanging high in the center of the clearing plenty of food and supplies too well out of reach of insects and prowling animals the signal panels left in full view have abandoned plain walking in this direction they leave a trail a two-year-old could follow every direction marker recommended by the survival manual they might have saved themselves the trouble it's a trail Harrison will never see he has malaria and there's nothing he can do about it his legs and arms are heavy he can barely drag himself along [Music] that night he just has strength enough to crawl into his shelter he's shivering his body turned to ice the jungle a gigantic refrigerator in which he's locked and then the next morning the jungle is an oven baking him alive he sweats and burns with fever for hours he lies there and suffers and drinks water he hasn't been able to purify not even that makes any difference anymore [Music] the third day after leaving their wrecked plane the crew reaches a native Garden on the outskirts of the village they've been searching for they don't know how they'll be received the village might throw a feast for them or the village might make a feast of them they decide to pool all the odds and ends and trinkets they're carrying presents for the head man they know that junk and a friendly smile will work wonders McVeigh also gives them a few tips most native peoples although they may seem inferior to you have traditions and a culture which they value highly in which you must respect if they want to they can save your life if not well the Japs are in the market and there are no ceiling prices besides your good behavior may make it a lot easier for some other crew in a tough spot the water around native villages is usually polluted don't drink it don't enter native Hut's don't eat native prepared foods unless a refusal will antagonize your hosts in which case you've got to take a chance and when you enter a village let the people come and find you they know you're there even though you can't see them [Music] [Applause] you [Music] a gift a smile and everything's fine but Ford seems to be bothered oh she's not for you soldier she's one of three things than a taboo the others are Gardens and pigs you're in enough trouble so don't even look mcveigh in sign language gets the chief to send a searching party for their pilot it costs all of 75 cents a lot more than Harrison is worth at the moment [Music] that night they took care to pitch their camp outside the village and they waited for some news from the native boys searching for Harrison he's able to walk for he has a benign tertian malaria which hits every other day benign that's a laugh [Music] between malaria attacks he wanders on but never very far he's so hungry he eats grubs and termites which keep him alive or a reasonable facsimile thereof [Music] that's the way things stand at the 15th Dame in the private war between the jungle and first lieutenant Lynn Harrison Air Corps the decision goes to the jungles face down he's dying and it wouldn't have taken long if luck hadn't bailed herself a hand in the game that's about all you can say for him he was lucky his crew cleaned him fed him dosed him with a debryn nursed him like a baby and they pulled him through during the day as Harrison is recuperating they keep diplomatic relations on an even keel [Music] Ford's routine brings down the house [Music] and then when Harrison is able to sit up the village throws a party for him in a few days Harrison would be well enough to travel and they'd head for the coast where they'd be picked up [Music] well that's it that's the works you've seen the jungle both ways it can be tough or it can be easy tough if you don't know what you're doing and you haven't got your equipment and a lot easier if you follow the book now you can live in the jungle even alone and like it but you've got to be prepared for it you can't be afraid there's only one answer to fear knowledge so if you do land in the jungle then land and live [Music] you

Channel: US National Archives

Views: 183,399

Rating: 4.6726127 out of 5

Keywords: US National Archives, NARA

Id: UX8NUizKeJs

Length: 60min 12sec (3612 seconds)

Published: Mon Sep 18 2017