[ARC5] US Army Signal Corps Museum

Wed Feb 16 15:01:46 EST 2022

Yes, as I said, that was also my understanding regarding the museums assets. I understood Gordon to be the Signals School and a lot of our requirements came from them. Every project I supported went to Aberdeen. It was indeed sad and stupid, in my opinion, to close Ft. Monmouth. 73 – Mike 

Mike B. Feher, N4FS

89 Arnold Blvd.

Howell NJ 07731

848-245-9115

From: arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net <arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of Doran Platt
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2022 2:18 PM
To: ARC-5 Mail List <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [ARC5] US Army Signal Corps Museum

It's my understanding that assets were supposed to all go to Ft.Gordon, now the home if the Signal Corps, or whatever the Army calls it now. I know personally that when Monmouth closed, some assets were stored at Aberdeen. Gordon is supposed to now have extensive assets, to include all sorts and kinds of printed commo equipment, new and old. Too bad about Monmouth but BRAC cut a wide and unthoughtful swath. 

Jeep K3HVG

On 02/16/2022 1:25 PM Mike Feher <n4fs at eozinc.com <mailto:n4fs at eozinc.com> > wrote: 

Well, initially it was the design center for all communication equipment for the Army, including pigeons and after Vietnam became the major procurement center for communications equipment. From radios to satcom. It also housed the 101st division. I supported them for the last 30 years of my career. 73 – Mike 

Mike B. Feher, N4FS

89 Arnold Blvd.

Howell NJ 07731

848-245-9115

From: MARK DORNEY <mkdorney at aol.com <mailto:mkdorney at aol.com> > 
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2022 12:53 PM
To: Mike Feher <n4fs at eozinc.com <mailto:n4fs at eozinc.com> >
Cc: releazer at earthlink.net <mailto:releazer at earthlink.net> ; arc5 at mailman.qth.net <mailto:arc5 at mailman.qth.net> 
Subject: Re: [ARC5] US Army Signal Corps Museum

Fort Monmouth, while well established, didn’t really qualify as a major post. Kind of like Fort Ord, CA. But the museum had a large donor base, so the museum there benefitted from that.  You do have to wonder what happened to that collection, though. 

Mark D. 

“In matters of style, float with the current. In matters of Principle, stand like a rock. “.   -   Thomas Jefferson 

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 16, 2022, at 12:21 PM, Mike Feher <n4fs at eozinc.com <mailto:n4fs at eozinc.com> > wrote:

Well, maybe you do not consider the closed Fort Monmouth as a used to be major Army Post. Regardless, their museum had items starting as early as the Fleming valve and up to Satcom items. Just what they had on display was amazing. What they had in storage was more so. As a collector for over 55 years, I would have loved to have some of their early wireless equipment, most of which I have never seen anywhere else. 73 – Mike  

Mike B. Feher, N4FS

89 Arnold Blvd.

Howell NJ 07731

848-245-9115

-----Original Message-----
From: arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net <mailto:arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net>  <arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net <mailto:arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net> > On Behalf Of MARK DORNEY via ARC5
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2022 11:27 AM
To: releazer at earthlink.net <mailto:releazer at earthlink.net> 
Cc: arc5 at mailman.qth.net <mailto:arc5 at mailman.qth.net> 
Subject: Re: [ARC5] US Army Signal Corps Museum

Most major Army Posts do have museums, some better than others. But budgets are minuscule or non-existent as far as acquisition in concerned. Major end items of more modern equipment that is either deemed too badly or costly to fix to being newly surplused  don’t seem to be a problem, but anything from uniforms to personal equipment has to be donated.  But the military doesn’t keep obsolete equipment around very long, for the most part.  It’s generally surplused or destroyed. Just take a look at even Vietnam vintage gear - it’s availability is getting scarce. And if the post doesn’t really host a major combat unit or isn’t a Military Academy, donations can be scarce.  For instance, before 10th Mountain was re-activated at Fort Drum, the post did have a museum ( Fort Drum was a major training post for the National Guard and Army Reserve ), but it was small and rarely open. It has expanded quite a bit since becoming a major active duty post. Fort Sill has quite a nice museum, but then again they have access to quite a bit of equipment that becomes obsolete, and can acquire it before it is surplused and destroyed. The military is getting better at preserving it’s history, but that costs money, especially to find , buy and restore equipment that has been long ago surplused from the DOD that our Government no longer owns, money that DOD would be better spending keeping our Fighting forces equipped and ready to fight.

That’s where people like us come into play. Let’s face it, we’re all going to go silent key some day, and for many of us, our families may not have the interest in the equipment that we have restored and worked on for so many years. They may even see our stuff as a burden - something they have to get rid of. Well, even estates have to pay taxes. Maybe talk to the directors of museums like Fort Gordon. If they are considered a Tax exempt organization, see if you can get a tax write off. Certainly better than it going to some landfill. And if you are are upgrading or simply getting better examples of the historic radios you have restored, provided you haven’t extensively modified them and changed their appearance, museums like Fort Gordon will be grateful for the donation. If you can afford it, you may even want to think about just going crazy and put together a cosmetically restored,  non-working radio and just donate it, no strings attached, to a worthy museum now while you’re around to see it in the museum ( I’m doing that right now with an ARB receiver with ZB adapter ).

Let’s face it, the people in this hobby are the experts that have the old communications gear.  We put them back together, we do the research to get it right and we hunt for the parts to make them right. Museums simply can’t afford to pay staff to do what we do.

I’ll get off my soapbox now.

Mark D.

WW2RDO

“In matters of style, float with the current. In matters of Principle, stand like a rock. “.   -   Thomas Jefferson

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 16, 2022, at 7:14 AM,  <mailto:releazer at earthlink.net> releazer at earthlink.net wrote:

> 

> They have a Signal Corps Museum at Ft. Gordon.  I have been through it.  It is nicely done but it is quite limited in scope and has only a relatively few radios on display.  In fact I didn't see any WWII "old friends" at all.  They also have an extensive library there, but I have not gone through it.

> 

> Wayne

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