[Milsurplus] Bridge too far comm

[CL in NC]

They had their comm issues for sure, but if you have the Signal Corp book, 'The Test', you will read about the nightmare that was radio comm in the Army that was not solved until 1944.  Radio comm procedures established by commercial and Amateur users in the 1930's were totally ignored.  The simplest of things like having a sure fire and simple method to communicate between entities that had different radios, modes or frequencies were sadly lacking.  Calling in an air strike in pre '44 days, was not an easy thing to do that might require 4 to 5 relays from AM HF, to FM VHF and land line telegraph in between.  The soldier on the ground with his AM or later, FM walkie talkie, had no way to talk to a tank, mode or freq were not compatible,  thus the quickest solution, put a phone handset in a box on the back of the tank.  'They' woke up to this issue by the time they got to St. Lo, and made efforts to rectify issues quickly.  The Germans on the other hand, had established Panzer/Stuka groups using the same mode and frequencies before they entered Poland.  We won anyway.

Charlie, W4MEC in NC