CONTRIBUTIONS OF BLACK AMERICANS TO ELECTRONIC RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION DISTRIBUTION, AND TRAINING AT FORT MONMOUTH 1940-1982 BY THOMAS E. DANIELS ELECTRONIC RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMMAND COMBAT SURVEILLANCE AND TARGET ACQUISITION LABORATORY FEBRUARY    1983

The intent or purpose of this booklet is as follows: 1. To promote an awareness of technological contributions      by blacks collectively at Fort Monmouth. 2. To promote an awareness of blacks in many nontraditional      areas of technology, science, and engineering. 3. To promote an awareness of many high level black men and      women, including military who served at Fort Monmouth. 4. To inspire youths, particularly blacks and minorities,     to consider science and engineering careers by providing role models. 5. To dispel the myths that blacks can only achieve in      sports and entertainment.

Reprinted from Monmouth Message 7 Nov 79

TWO STARS IN HIS EYES - PAIGE PROMOTED TO MAJOR GENERAL

    Major General Paige entered the Army in August 1947, completed basic training with the 9th Infantry Division at Fort Dix, and was assigned to the 159th Field Artillery Battalion in Nara, Japan.
    His following assignment was with the 2d Armored Division at Fort Hood, Texas as communications chief. It was from here that he departed for entrance
into Officer Candidate School via the Signal Leaders Course at Fort Gordon, Georgia. He completed the Signal Officers' Candidate School at Fort Monmouth, and served as a platoon leader, Fort Bliss, Texas.
    In July 1960, he was assigned to the Office of the G-3, US Army Signal Training Command at Fort Monmouth. Completing the Associate Signal Officers' Advanced Course in June 1962, he was assigned as the Secretary of the General Staff of the US Army Electronics Command.
    In October 1962, he served as a communications system staff officer with the Defense Communications Agency, Southeast Asia. In this assignment, he became involved in the initial planning for the Integrated Wideband Communications System (IWCS) which evolved to be the largest communications system ever built for US Forces in a combat theater.
    Upon returning to Fort Monmouth in June 1965, General Paige was assigned as the Deputy Project Manager for the procurement engineering and installation of that system at a cost of over $400 million. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in July 1967 and in September 1968 was assigned to the First Signal Brigade in Vietnam. While there, he commanded the 361st Signal Battalion which operated and maintained a portion of the IWCS which has been installed under his management.
    In January 1970, he was assigned to the Defense Communications Agency, Arlington, Virginia, where he was a communications staff officer on the world-wide Automatic Voice Network and the Automatic Secure Voice Network.
    He attained a Bachelor's Degree in general studies from the University of Maryland and in 1973 was selected for attendance at the Army War College and promoted to the grade of Colonel. While attending the Army War College, he obtained a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Pennsylvania State University.
    Upon graduation from the War College, he commanded the 11th Signal Group, US Army Communications Comand, Fort Huachuca, Arizona. He assumed that command in January 1975, and was promoted to Brigadier General in March 1975.
    General Paige concurrently assumed command of the US Army Communications Systems Agency, the role of Project Manager, Defense Communications Systems (Army) at Fort Monmouth and the US Army Communications-Electronics Engineering Installation Agency at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.
    General Paige was selected for promotion to Major General in April, 1979 and assumed command of CORADCOM on June 18, 1979.
He holds the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal.
    Major General Paige is now the Commander of the Electronics Research and Development Command (ERADCOM) in Adelphi, Maryland.
    It should further be noted that as Commander of the 11th Signal Group, he was selected to become the first black general officer in the US Army Signal Corps in its 116 years of history. Also, his attendance at the War College was as the first black Signal Corps Officer in residence. He began his career as a high school drop out.
    The son of Mr. & Mrs. Emmett Paige, Sr., of Jacksonville, Florida, General Paige is married to the former Gloria McClary of New York. They have two children, Sandra and Anthony.