Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-07-11
Signal Corps
Fine Branch
Of Service
Its Unsunq Heroes Res
All Over the World
BY DAMON RUNYON

colonel of the signal corps.
believe that until the fall OF Ba'
taan he was the highest commits
stoned officer killed in action in
the American army in Worlc
War III.
This calls to my mind the fac
that in all our wars since 81
the men of the signal corps have
left a record of imperishabl'
glory. 1t is one of the most haz
ardous of all branches OF the
service, yet little exploited or
glamorized.
For so years the red anc
white banner of the signal
corps has moved with the van
guards of our fighting columns.
From York River 10 San Juan
Hill, from the Calumpit to the
Rhine the tiny guidon was flut.
tered in the winds Of battle and
unsung heroes of the corps rest
in lonely graves in jungle and
forest all over the globe.
1T IS now the most highly spe-
cialized of all form OF mill
tarY service. | can remember
when almost any guy who could
learn TO wave a signal flag could
join the signal corps.
Now il requires electrical en-
gineers. radio technicians and
skilled communications men OF
keen intellect and 10 develop this
type for its purposes has set up
a training school at Monmouth.
n. j.. that is said 10 be minia-
ture West Point.
offers astonishing educa-
tionai advantages for young
man and / think if had the
youth and the necessary l. @
that is the branch / would seek
The signal corps has always
been classy sort of outfit and
! used 10 envy the dapper APP
pearance OF its members. though
l must say my feeling did not
extend TO the risks they had 10
run.
A NON-COMBATANT. Sur.
"A geon Major A. J. Myer. was
the daddy of the signal corps
He is said 10 have invented port
able signaling for military pur-
poses. the idea being first tried
out against the Navajo Indians
during one OF our border wars.
Perhaps the theory originated
from the practices of the In
dams themselves. They were
great hands for signaling with
smoke fires and drums and with
other devices.
Myer, who was afterward p
colonel. met with indifference
and hostility when he tried 10
put his signaling into general
use in the service. Many gov
eminent officials were just as
dumb then as some are now.
Even after the outbreak OF the
Civil War. there was opposition
and pickering and il was not I'M
til the war was almost over that
the signal men were given
separate organization.
MYER and his successor, Colo
WI mel Nicodemus. were both
fired and the command went 10
Col 3. r. Fisher, who was never
confirmed by the Senate. But
in spite Of all manner of harass-
ment. the corps survived 10 rem
der valuable service 10 the fed
eral armies.
Meantime. tho Confederate
army had also developed its sys-
tenn of portable signaling 10 a
high degree.
Gen. A. w. Greeley. In writing
Of the signal corps years ago, re-
ported that the killed OF the
corps in the Civil War were 80
per cent of the wounded, as
against the usual ratio of 20 per
cent.
II suffered heavily in the Span
iSh-American War and in the
Philippines Insurrection, and in
the first World War its casualty
rate Of the signal corps was sec
ond only 10 that of the flying
forces.
IN THE SOS. the signalmen OF
Il both armies sent their mes
sages from high towers specially
reared for that purpose, from
mountain tops and with torches
and winking lights at night.
Farragut and Porter were
able to keep the Mississippi open
through signal men posted at
the peaks of the highest masts
sending messages DER the high
lands occupied by the foe be-
tween the fleets of the central
and lower river.
Lieutenant Miner of the Fed b
eral Signal Corps. watching the
more important fords of the
Potomac from Sugar Loaf, the
highest point in Maryland. de-
tected the Confederate advance
guard of Lees army invading
Maryland and his warning pre-
vented the invasion from being a