Show released by western newspaper U union nio n first signal officer TN THE post library at fort mon JN I 1 mouth N J is a simple velvet covered box with an engraved plate which ach reads compass and chain worn by brigadier general albert J myer first signal officer U S army presented by his daughter aiss gertrude myer through major general cam campbell P bell B hodges by the chief signal officer to the corn com general fort monmouth march 3 1942 this latest addition tion to the collection of early signal arps equipment at fort monmouth is s a memorial to the man whose dore foresight sight and pioneering with flags and torches during and after the civil war blazed the way for the larrys streamlined signal communication systems when 20 year old albert J myer iwas graduated from hobart college in his native state of new york in 1847 his graduation thesis was titled A sign language for deaf mutes and it contained the germ of the visual signaling system which he was to devise later after his graduation from buffalo medical college he be practiced for three years then lin 1854 he was commissioned assistant si stant surgeon in the army and ordered to new mexico in the dry climate of the southwest where the clearness of the air anade it possible to see objects at a great Oi distance stance myer became enthusiastic over the possibilities of visual signaling and devoted his leisure hours to developing a 0 simple system in 1858 the war department recognized the work of the young doctor by appointing a board to examine the principles and plans of the signaling mode of use in the field and course to be purs pursued aed in introducing to the army the next year rear john ft 3 floyd president buchanann Bucha nans secretary of war commended his system to congress which appropriated 2000 for the 16 manufacture or purchase of apparatus and equipment for field signaling it also authorized the appointment of one signal officer on the staff of the army with the rank and pay of a m major ajor of cavalry and on june 27 1800 assistant surgeon myer became major myer the ardys first signal officer soon had an opportunity to demonstrate the value of his system he was detailed to duty with gen E R S candys expedition against the hostile navajos cavajos in the southwest where an extensive test of his new system using both flag and torch proved a distinct success the result was the opening of a signal school at fortress monroe va under his direction and at the outbreak of the war between the states myer was called upon to organize signal communications in the army of the potomac immediately after the battle of bull run he submitted a plan for a separate signal corps but etwas it was not until march 3 1863 that this was done within a year he was no longer major myer but colonel myer having been brevet ted lieutenant colonel for gallantry at the battle of hanover court house and colonel for similar services sen vices at malvern mallem hill by the time the war ended he had been brevet ted brigadier general after the war colonel myer who had been relieved of duty as chief signal of officer fleer following a disagreement with secretary stanton of the war department was re appointed to that post by president johnson he succeeded in having west point include signaling as a permanent part of the cadet course and the naval academy at annapolis also adopted his methods myer was promoted brigadier general on june 16 1880 and died in buffalo N Y two months later on august 24 while still on active d uty duty in the service lie had organized myer has another distinction which entitles him to the grateful remembrance of his fellow ameri cans that of father of the weather bureau in 1869 he proposed that the peacetime activities of the signal corps be extended to include sending out storm warnings lie he influenced congress to establish the united states weather bureau under the direction of the signal corps and during its first 10 years it was supervised by old probabilities as myer be came familiarly known au all over the united states |