The Coast Star
  June 7, 2007

InfoAge honors scientific ‘Giants’ of Camp Evans

By Larry Tormey

The elegantly restored dining room in the Marconi Hotel at Camp Evans was the venue for the second annual InfoAge Science and History Center Learning Center Wall of Honor cocktail reception this past Saturday evening.

The Wall of Honor Committee of Barbara Ruane, Linda Lifrieri and Pat Thecker, did an exceptional job of creating the perfect atmosphere to honor Army communications legends.

In the very room where, in the early nineteenth century, Guglielmo Marconi, the father of wireless radio, took his meals with his staff of pioneering engineers, over 150 guests gathered to pay honor to four scientific “Giants” of Camp Evans.

InfoAge was founded in 1998 by Wall Township resident Fred Carl. The organization’s purpose is to develop an interactive learning center focused on the information age technologies which had their beginnings at historic Camp Evans.

InfoAge is currently housed in the Marconi Hotel, the continuous rehabilitation of which, along with a number of other buildings in the historic area, has been made possible by the generosity and “sweat equity” of hundreds of volunteers and dozens of organizations.

At the Wall of Honor reception, InfoAge Board Chairman Michael Ruane welcomed civic leaders, guests from the community and the region, representatives from Fort Monmouth, from several communications and electronic warfare contracting companies and from several member organizations. He indicated that the Wall of Honor was founded as a lasting monument to those men and women who, in a truly outstanding manner, served at Camp Evans in defense of the country.

The 2007 inductees and their presenters, were:

Dr. Max Adler was awarded posthumously, who, having escaped from the Nazi horrors of WWII, played a leading role in the development of electronic warfare countermeasure systems. Dr. Adler was honored by Robert F. Giordano, president, RFG, and a past director of Camp Evans.

The award plaque was accepted by Dr. Adler’s wife of many years, Greta, and his son, Gary.

Harold N. Tate and Mary A. Tate were both recognized for their work at the ceremony. Mr. Tate is fabled as the “go to” person in the development of Army Radar Systems, which played a major role in the Vietnam conflict, as their descendants continue to do today in Iraq. Mary A. Tate, Mr. Tate’s wife, was a key mathematician Team Chief who played a vital role in measuring and interpreting seismic events [underground nuclear tests] in Russia during the Cold War. Mr. Joseph L. Pisano, Sr. Program Manager, CACI, honored the Tates and presented the plaque. Married for 64 years, the Tates were accompanied by their son, Harold A. Tate, MD and their grandson, Reed Hubbard.

The former Camp Evans scientists delighted the audience with their recollections of their service to the country during those love filled years.

Dr. Harold Zahl, posthumously, an acclaimed scientist and inventor, was also honored. With the onset of WWII, it was vital that an early method of detecting the approach of enemy aircraft be devised. Dr. Zahl designed and built a high power electron tube that was the heart of the first radar system in America. Dr. Zahl was honored by InfoAge founder and President, Fred Carl.

The plaques were mounted on the Wall of Honor in the lobby of the Marconi Hotel.

InfoAge seeks to become one of the premier science and learning centers in the country. It also seeks to make the residents of Monmouth and Ocean Counties most proud to have this unique, historic site located in this area, on the shore of the Shark River, in one of Wall Township’s most scenic locales.

Volunteers, visitors and supporters are always warmly welcomed. Those interested may contact InfoAge at www.infoage.org.

[Larry Tormey is a founding Trustee of the InfoAge Science History Center.]