[ARC5] Crystals in WWII

[Robert Eleazer]

Back in the early 70's an engineering professor at the Univ of South Carolina was doing research into advanced semiconductor materials.  

We noted that boxes with military markings showing up.  Turned out that the US was surplusing a lot of its crystal growing and manufacturing equipment.  Stockpiles of the gear had been built up decades before, in order to prepare for another WWII-style war.  By 1970 they came to the conclusion that synthesized radios and other modern frequency control techniques meant the stuff was no longer needed.

Wayne