MARCONI/RCA WIRELESS MUSEUM FEATURED EXHIBITS
Can You Keep a Really Big Secret?
Chatham Navy Radio’s strategic role during WWII.
Cape Cod and Chatham have long been shaped by their unique coastal geography, attracting settlers and tourists.
This drew Guglielmo Marconi to Wellfleet in 1901, then Chatham in 1914, leading to the establishment of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) providing global maritime radio communications for over 75 years.
Chatham's strategic importance made it a key military site during both World Wars. During WWI, in 1917, Naval Air Station Chatham was established on Nickerson Neck, deploying Curtiss flying boats and Navy blimps to patrol for German U-boats. Though decommissioned in 1922, remnants of the base were lost in the 1938 hurricane.
Navy Personnel At Chatham Navy Radio
During World War Il, military operations on Cape Cod expanded, with Camp Edwards (now Joint Base Cape Cod) training troops for amphibious landings in Europe.
Chatham played a vital role, hosting multiple military units monitoring enemy activity.
Of the utmost importance were the top secret activities that occurred inside Chatham Navy Radio. It was from here that the U.S. Navy took over operation of Station C enabling military operatives to intercept enemy transmissions, listening to messages from far-flung corners of the Atlantic and helping secure victory in the Battle of the Atlantic.
These stories highlight Chatham's lasting impact on maritime communication and military history.
The Golden Age of Trans-Atlantic Ocean Liners
Beginning in 1921, Chatham Radio/WCC provided a reliable communication link with ships at sea. “The Golden Age of Trans-Atlantic Ocean Liners” exhibit highlights the station’s role through profiles of famous ships, their passengers and their crews. Chatham Radio, known worldwide by call sign WCC, was a vital link keeping ships of all kinds in touch with the shore via Morse Code. Chatham Radio was the largest US coastal station in the marine service, renowned among seafarers around the world for most of the 20th century. The Radiomarine Corporation of America, owner of Chatham Radio, had service contracts with many passenger lines and provided a way to keep voyagers connected while at sea and a lifeline in case of disaster. It was a point of differentiation that the great ships plying the North Atlantic could provide passengers the ability to communicate across the ocean during their entire voyage. Additionally, Chatham Radio's nightly press service delivered news of the world, keeping passengers up
to date during their trip. The ship line companies, such as Cunard White Star, promoted the growing availability of wireless ship-to-shore communication.
The great ocean liners of the 20th century provided a vital link between the United States and Europe. Countries vied with each other to create the fastest, most luxurious and safest ships afloat. Famous passenger ships such as the United States, the Queen Mary, among many others, carried high society, royalty, well-known dignitaries, radio and movie stars, and travelers from all walks of life.
