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Signal Corps
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Signal Corps

United States Army
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Signal Corps, branch of the U.S. Army whose mission is to manage all aspects of communications and information systems support.

The Signal Corps was officially established as a branch of the U.S. Army in March 1863. At the beginning of its involvement in the American Civil War, the Signal Corps primarily used semaphore, a flag signaling system. However, by the end of the war, it had developed a telegraph network to communicate from coast to coast.

By the late 19th century, the Signal Corps was employing the telephone, the heliograph, and observation balloons in wartime. Because of its expertise in ballooning, the Signal Corps was placed in charge of military aviation and the development of military aircraft, including the first procurement of an army aircraft, which was purchased from the Wright brothers in 1908. The Signal Corps relinquished control of aviation in 1914 when the Air Corps was established as a separate branch of the Army.

During World War I and World War II, the Signal Corps was responsible for implementing and designing radio technology. In subsequent years, the Signal Corps continued to develop radio, radar, and sonar technology. The contemporary mission of the Signal Corps includes the management of all modern telecommunications and information systems, including computer systems, Internet and local area networks, and voice and data communications.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.