Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Dead Page: Developed Radar in World War II

LEE DAVENPORT, 95

Physicist who developed radar that helped the United States and Allies win key battles during World War II.

Mr. Davenport was among hundreds of scientists working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Radiation Laboratory, even before the entrance of the country into the war.

developed the SCR-584 system, letters standing for Signal Corps Radio, a microwave radar built into a semitrailer with a parabola on top that tracked enemy planes and helped direct anti-aircraft batteries.

Used with great effectiveness against the German Air Force and at Anzio, Italy in 1944.

In 1944, Mr. Davenport went to England to waterproof the trailers which were floated ashore at Normandy during the June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion. Later, he was sent to France to continue developing applications for the radar. He was classified as a captain in the Signal Corps, otherwise, had he been captured by the Germans as a civilian, he would have been considered a spy.

Born in 1915.

One of the Greatest Generation.

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