The Geronimo Trap

Dating to ancient times, commanders have wrestled with communications over distances and under combat conditions. The flashing shield, drums or other instruments, semaphores and other devices offered basic and, all too often, unsatisfactory results. In an attempt to resolve this quagmire, Albert James Myer, of the U.S. Army Medical Department, devised a line-of-sight system that utilized waving flags and torches, which were simple and relatively reliable. This led to the creation of the Army�