A Summary of Military Communication in the United States - 1860 to 1962

Military progress in communications in the United States really started back in 1860, and both before and since the birth of the IRE, it has been inextricably a part of the development of the communications industry, national communications policy, the IRE and scientific research and development in this art. The U. S. Navy played a particularly important part in the development of maritime and coastal radio systems and in the development of early radio wireless policy. In both major wars and increasing rapidly since World War II, the requirements of the military services for communications to keep pace with successive revolutions in speed, scope, range and nuclear power have increased exponentially, and beyond the capabilities of conventional or commercial systems. The vital significance of adequate communications and the part they play in the success of military operations and weapons systems has been consistently undervalued in the past. The cost of undervaluation and unreadiness in communications has been mounting rapidly in step with orders of magnitude increases in nuclear power and speed of delivery.