U.S. Army Signal Corps

The U.S. Army Signal Corps was founded in 1861 by United States Army Major Albert J. Myer, a physician by training. The Signal Corps develops and tests communication equipment for the battlefield

World War II

The term, RADAR, was first coined by the Navy in 1941 and agreed to by the Army in 1942. The definition given in the first Signal Corps Field Manual on Aircraft Warning Service stated, "RADAR is a term used to designate radio sets SCR (Signal Corps Radio)-268 and SCR-270 and similar equipment".

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The facts were that the SCR-268 and 270 were not radios at all, but for top security reasons were designated as such. Although important offensive applications have since been developed, radar emerged historically from the defensive need to counter the possibility of massive aerial bombardment.

Related Topics:
Top security - Aerial bombardment

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In 1941 the laboratories at Fort Monmouth developed the SCR-510. This was the first FM backpack radio. This development was an early pioneer in frequency modulation circuits, providing front line troops with reliable, static free communications. They also fielded multichannel FM radio relay sets (e.g., AN/TRC-1) in the European Theater of Operations as early as 1943. FM radio relay and RADAR?both products of the Labs at Fort Monmouth, are typically rated among the four of five ?weaponsystems? that made a difference in World War II.

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In December 1942, the laboratories had personnel strength of 14,518 military and civilian personnel.The Signal Corps Ground Service was directed by the War Department, however, to cut the total military and civilian personnel to 8,879 by August 1943. In June 1944, ?Signees?, former Italian prisoners of war, arrived at Fort Monmouth to perform housekeeping duties. A Lieutenant Colonel and 500 enlisted men became hospital, mess, and repair shop attendants, relieving American soldiers from these duties. Also in December 1942, the War Department directed the Signal Corps General Development Laboratories and the Camp Evans Signal Lab to combine into the Signal Corps Ground Service (SCGS) with head-quarters at Bradley Beach, New Jersey (Hotel Grossman).

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Julius Rosenberg worked for the Signal Corps Labs from 1940 to 1945. He was dismissed early in 1945 when it was learned he had been a member of the CPUSA secret appartus, and had passed to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics the secret of the proximity fuse.

Related Topics:
Julius Rosenberg - CPUSA secret appartus - Union of Soviet Socialist Republics - Proximity fuse

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