World War II Honoree

Lee Davenport

Hometown

Greenwich, Connecticut

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

HE WORKED AT A SECRET MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY RADIATION LAB IN 1941. DEVELOPED A RADAR DEVICE THAT HELPED U.S. AND ALLIED TROOPS WIN KEY BATTLES IN WWII. HE WAS CREDITED WITH DEVELOPING THE SCR-584 (SIGNAL CORPS RADIO), A MICROWAVE RADAR BUILT INTO A SEMI-TRAILER WITH A PARABOLA ON TOP THAT TRACKED ENEMY PLANES AND HELPED TO DIRECT ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERIES. AFTER THE D-DAY LANDING, HE WAS SENT TO FRANCE TO CONTINUE DEVELOPING APPLICATIONS FOR THE RADAR. A TARGETING SYSTEM DEVELOPED FOR THE SCR-584 WOULD LATER HELP ALLIED PILOTS TARGET ENEMY VEHICLES IN SNOWY CONDITIONS AT THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. HE WAS ISSUED PAPERWORK STATING THAT HE WAS A CAPTAIN IN THE ARMY SIGNAL CORPS TO PROTECT HIM. IF CAPTURED AS A CIVILIAN HE COULD HAVE BEEN SHOT AS A SPY.