Army Buys Marconi Site For Signal Laboratory - The Asbury Park Press, September 11, 1941

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The Asbury Park Press
September 11, 1941

By Staff
Page 1

Web editor note: The reporter describes the basic priciple behind radar prior to the war.

Army Buys Marconi Site
For Signal Laboratory

     The Guglielmo Marconi property in West Belmar, site of the first transatlantic wireless communication experiments more than two decades ago, today took on new importance in the modern communications field with the announcement in New York that the tract has been purchased by the war department.

   Col. M. A. McFadden, constructing quartermaster for zone 2 announced in New York that 93 acres of land and six permanent brick buildings recently the property of The King’s College, will be turned over to the signal corps at Fort Monmouth and that “experimental signal corps laboratories would be built.”

   Altho officers at the naval signal laboratory at Fort Monmouth would not comment on the activity that will be carried out on the old Marconi property, it was learned from a reliable source that an aircraft detection laboratory will be constructed. At least a dozen new buildings will be erected on the property.

Contract Awarded

Recently the war department awarded a contract for $1,275,000 to

Ehret-Day corporation, Asbury Park for extension of training film laboratories facilities at Fort Monmouth and establishment of three aircraft detection areas. Land recently was purchased in West Eatontown where Ehret-Day work is progressing. Ehret-Day is understood to be ready to start work at West Belmar. The third site has not been acquired.

The training film construction is progressing at Fort Monmouth.

The army’s new aircraft detection device is designed to protect the coast from invasion by enemy aircraft. It works on radio principle with impulses being sent out from a land station and rebounding from airplanes back to the station, allowing troops manning the unit to determine the exact location of the plane. All details of the device are wrapped in the utmost secrecy.

The new vital defense area, besides being the former site of early wireless development, was at one time the headquarters of the Ku Klux Klan at the Shore. The King’s college was a religious institution which moved to Delaware in June.

Page updated August 24, 2007 page created August 24, 2007

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The Asbury Park Press September 11, 1941

The Asbury Park Press
September 11, 1941