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Records of the Board of War Communications

(Record Group 259)
1930-47
74 cu. ft.

Overview of Records Locations

Table of Contents

• 259.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY
  
• 259.2 RECORDS OF THE DEFENSE COMMUNICATIONS BOARD AND THE BOARD OF WAR COMMUNICATIONS 1940-47 51 lin. ft.
  
• 259.3 RECORDS OF THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HEMISPHERE COMMUNICATIONS 1930-45 28 lin. ft.
  

259.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY

Established: As an independent agency by EO 9183, June 15, 1942.

Predecessor Agencies:

• Defense Communications Board (1940-42)
  

Functions: Planned for the wartime use and control of U.S. radio, telephone, telegraph, and cable communications. During World War II, controlled the use of radio and wire communications, directed the closing of stations and facilities, and established national defense communication priorities.

Abolished: By EO 9831, February 24, 1947.

Successor Agencies: Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as liquidator.

Finding Aids: Leo Paschal and Robert E. Webb, comps., "Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Board of War Communications," NC 133 (Oct. 1965).

Subject Access Terms: World War II agency.

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259.2 RECORDS OF THE DEFENSE COMMUNICATIONS BOARD AND THE BOARD
OF WAR COMMUNICATIONS
1940-47
51 lin. ft.

History: Defense Communications Board established by EO 8046, September 24, 1940, with FCC Chairman James L. Fly as Board Chairman, and Chief Signal Officer (Army), Director of Naval Communications, Assistant Secretary of State in Charge of the Office of Transportation and Communications, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in Charge of Treasury Enforcement Activities, and Chief of Communications (Coast Guard) as members. Renamed Board of War Communications, 1942. SEE 259.1.

Textual Records: Subject files, 1940-47. Minutes of meetings of the board, with related summaries and agendas, 1940-46. Minutes, reports, and correspondence relating to the Coordinating Committee, 1940-46. Records of the advisory committees, including the Law Committee, 1940-46; the Cable Committee, 1941-45; and the Telegraph Committee, 1940-46. Information card file on committee members, 1941-46. Correspondence with private companies and organizations, labor unions, and government agencies ("Company Files"), 1940-46. Citizenship data on employees of international broadcasting stations, 1942-44. Correspondence on control of amateur radio stations ("Amateur Files"), 1941-42.

Subject Access Terms: Porter, Paul A.; Denny, Charles R., Jr.; Jett, Ewell K.

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259.3 RECORDS OF THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON
HEMISPHERE COMMUNICATIONS
1930-45
28 lin. ft.

History: Established under the chairmanship of FCC Chairman Fly, pursuant to letter of appointment from Vice President Henry L. Wallace, July 15, 1942, to include representatives of the State, War, Navy, Justice, and Commerce Departments; the Board of Economic Warfare; and the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs. Held first meeting August 3, 1942. Provided information, advice, and assistance in formulating and executing an inter-American communications program. Dates of last meeting and termination not known.

Textual Records: Proceedings, memorandums, and reports, 1942-45. Records on Latin American and international communications, 1930- 45. Records relating to U.S. and foreign communications companies, 1932-45. Photostatic copies, n.d., of printed histories by Victor M. Berthold of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company; and of the telephone and telegraph in Brazil (1851-1921), Chile (1851-1922), Colombia (1865-1921), Argentina (1857-1921), and Uruguay (1886-1925), published between 1922 and 1925. Staff memorandum by Allen W. Saylor, "International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation," January 13, 1943. Report, "German and Italian Interests in South American Communications," ca. February 1943. Compilations of laws, regulations, decrees, and administrative orders governing foreign operation of radios, telegraphs, and telephones, 1936-37.

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Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.

Ordering information

This Web version is updated from time to time to include records processed since 1995.

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