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Story of the U.S. Army Signal Corps (1976)

1976 · Short film · 22 min

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Synopsis

This 1976 Army film "The Story of the U.S. Army Signal Corps" is about the history and evolution of military communication, specifically focusing on the pivotal role of the U.S. Army Signal Corps. 00:00 Importance of communication, stating "get the message through, this is how it began." 3:44 Dr. Albert J. Myer, a military surgeon, and his semaphore system. This led to him being commissioned General Myer and commanding the Signal Corps during the Civil War. 4:24 Colonel Anson Stager of the US Signal Corps deployed a vast telegraph network, allowing generals like Sherman and Grant to communicate efficiently, as exemplified by their rapid exchange regarding troop movements. 5:03 Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone provided the Signal Corps with a "far-reaching weapon," used in the Spanish-American War. 5:36 Washington-Alaska Military Cable and Telegraph System. 5:56 The Wright brothers built a machine capable of carrying a pilot and passenger at 40 mph, which was later equipped with a radio. 6:30 In World War I (1917), electrical communications enabled centralized control of tactical activities, though infantry still relied on traditional methods. Miles of telephone lines were strung in trenches, with 2,500 miles used weekly during the Meuse-Argonne offensive, making signal contact a "lifeline" for soldiers. 7:50 The aviation section, part of the Signal Corps, grew from 55 planes to a force of 11,500 Signal Corps Flyers by the war's end. The army concluded the…

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Details

Running time
22 minutes
Collection
Ephemeral Films

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