World War II Symposium at InfoAge

The held its 2nd Annual World War II Symposium at Camp Evans on Sunday.

The three-hour event featured a series of presentations about the many technical achievements of Camp Evans and Fort Monmouth during World War II.

Kicking off the event was a talk given by John Cervini, chairman of InfoAge, introducing new WWII dioramas, which will be a part of a permanent exhibit at Camp Evans.

Guests also were taken outside where Luke Janquitto, cofounder of the Military Technology Museum of New Jersey, spoke about WWII vehicles, many of which were on display.

“The WWII Jeep which was invented in 1941 replaced the horse,” said Janquitto. “This was a huge modernization for modern warfare.”

Sean Kenney, a 12-year-old Rumson boy and avid history buff, said he most enjoyed this part of the symposium.

“The cars are my favorite part. It’s really cool -- especially the German truck that was captured,” Kenney said.

Dan Lieb, scuba diver and president of the New Jersey Historical Divers Association, led a disussion on German U-boat -- submarine -- activity off the coast of New Jersey.

“Ninety thousand tons of shipping were lost directly and indirectly related to U-boat activity caused by war,” Lieb said. “The Germans wanted to bring the war to the U.S. Because of our determination and industrial might, we were able to out-produce what they were trying to sink.”

Township resident Robert Shanklian, of Valley Dr., said he was now able to understand what he saw when he went fishing off the New Jersey Coast -- the wrecks from the war.

“It’s very enlightening,” Shanklian, a retired manager for a school photograph company, said. “It’s great to know that this wealth of knowledge is right in our backyards.”

The day continued with three more presentations on origins of radar, the Army's Signal Corps strategic communications and the "hidden'' story of electronic warfare during WWII.

Cervini explained that most people don’t appreciate or have not heard of the technology that was developed during World War II.

“The technology that was developed during World War II affected the outcome of electronic warfare,” Cervini said.

He also said intercepters and jammers helped to protect airmen and troops from enemy weapons.

“Boxes of electronics that were attached to special antennas which allowed them to be mounted on B17 and B24 aircraft that turned on as they entered German territory prevented Germans from getting into what they needed,” he said.

Guests were able to tour the museum, viewing videos of the Norden and Sperry bombsights and how they worked and to view items on display from the war including computers, sea equipment and more.

Fred Carl, director of InfoAge, said the Camp Evans site was originally going to be turned over to the Army for reuse. Due to the poor condition it was left in by former management, InfoAge took it over in 1994 and .