Arlington (AGMR 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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The History of Naval Comniunications ■ During the oarlv history of our c-oiuitry, because ot poor eomniuiiieations. iia al warfare was lar ' eK a matter of guesswork. The coinniaiicliM ' ol a fleet often had trouble trying to figure out not oiiK what the t ' uenn was up to, but also where his own ships weri ' and what thi ' were doing. In the .American Na one of the earliest records of a signal svstem was a set of simple manenxcr and recogni- tion signs issued in 1778. An impro ed s stem was worked out b f ' aptain Thomas Tru. tun in 1779. This was l)ased on 10 numeral flags from to 9. Orders were relayed b numbers and combinations of numbers haying meanings that could be looked up in a decode book. Si ' inaphorc came into the N ' ay ' in 1S71, with a sssteni ot hand scmaphoric signals somewhat similai ' to the present ones, but with a limited nmnber of characters. In I Sfi4 two forerunners of the present day flashing light system made their appe arance. Under one s stem a lantern, ball, or similar object was e.vposed, or a flag was lowered and raised, in dit-dah patterns. In fog or mist, the same code could be used tor a trvmipet blown in long or short blasts. Under the other SNStem a canvas c lindi ' r, with a lantern insidi ' , was secured to the rigging in a manner permitting the light to be ex|)ose(l or screened b pulling or releasing a line attached to the cylinder. Electricit came into Naval Communications in 187.5, when experiments with electric lights were conducted. In . ' 3 ears the range of these lights increased from 6 miles to a distance of nearK 17 miles. It was not until the wireless came along about 1X9.5, howi ' er, that Na al Comnuuiications tould begin to approach the rapidity and long range it has toda . B 190.3 radio was operational cfpiiiiment throiighout the United States Fleet. Since then there ba c been so many improvements in radio that it now is just as easy to send a mes- sage to fleets all o er the world as it once was to pass the word to a single ship onl ' a shout ' s range awa .

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Command I Command at sea, tcith all it responsibilities and all its opportunities, is the goal of every line officer in the United States Navy aspiring to professional distinction. In time of peace, some officers tcait and prepare for many years before command comes ; in time of tear, some find them- selves thrust into command almost before they feel equal to its burdens. To all, the experience of command is unforgettable — an important chapter in their lives, shared with the past and and future generations of ship commanders in the unbroken continuity of the naval service.