ITT in Vietnam

September 25, 2007

The Vietnam conflict is another important
factor which has created urgent requirements
during the year for specialized electronics
equipment. ITT's world-wide electronic and
telecommunication capabilities have enabled
it to respond to these needs by supplying
communication, air navigation, and other
tactical equipment for use by our land, sea
and air forces in jungle warfare.
-- ITT Annual Report, 1965
In 1972, ITT continues to play a major role
in the Vietnam war. The corporation is actively
involved in the attempted Vietnamization of the
war as well as in supplying equipment and tech-
nical skills for the eerie electronic battle-
field and the brutal air war.
In 1970, ITT received a U.S. Army contract
to operate, maintain and train South Vietnamese
troops to take over a major integrated communi-
cation system. 1 ITT technicians produced a
variety of radar systems for the military. One
such system is called a TPS-25-ground surveil-
lance radar to detect moving targets for artil-
lery. According to the Marine Corps Gazette
(March, 1970), the TPS-25 at Dong Ha can detect
Viet Cong troop movement all the way to the
North Vietnam border. When used offensively,
the surveillance radar tells the Marine infantry
commander "where to employ his troops with a
high probability of making contact." The TPS-
25 also "provides base camp security."
ITT has developed the automatic LORAN (long
range navigation) as one of its contributions
to the air war effort. An ITT ad in Air Force
magazine (February, 1971) explained it this way:
High-performance tactical aircraft require
compact, precise weapons delivery systems--
such as the Automatic LORAN...This computer-ized navigation system keeps track of air-
craft course and position despite abrupt
changes in attitude, altitude and speed.
And leads the aircraft right to target, at
tactical air speeds.
ITT ranks 23rd among companies receiving
contracts from the Department of Defense. In
fiscal year 1971, the contracts amounted to
$233 million. The following is a sampling of
ITT's war contracts:
1. Tactical all-weather radar for
Army helicopters which guides them on night
missions. ($4 million)
2. The operation and maintenance of the
Army Strategic Communication Command's Integra-
ted Command System, Area 2, Thailand. ($6.3
million)
3. Arming assemblies for general purpose
bombs used by planes on aircraft carriers.
4. Southeast Asia readiness testing for
omnidirectional mortar-locating set.
5. Infrared electronic binoculars, helmet-
mounted for Army vehicle drivers; part of
STANO (Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Night
Observation).
6. Image intensifiers used on the starlight
scope (a night vision scope mounted on individ-
ual weapons).
7. gun-fire control radar.
-4 -
In addition to these Indochina war projects,
ITT is working on integrating the U.S. military's
complete communications network, installing the
communication systems for the Atlas, Titan and
Minuteman missiles, supplying electronic equip-
ment for the Polaris ballistic missile submar-
ines and constructing'a radio communications
system for the South Korean military government.
The following is a list of ITT subsidiaries
that carry out these military projects, and their
locations:
-- ITT Electrophysics Laboratories in Columbia
and Hyattsville, Maryland
-- ITT Federal Electric Corp. in Paramas, New
Jersey and Lompoc, California (Vandenberg Air
Force Base)
-- ITT Gilfillan in Los Angeles and Van Nuys,
California
-- ITT Aerospace/Optical in Burbank, San Fer-
nando and San Francisco, Ca. and Ft. Wayne, Ind.
-- ITT Avionics in Nutley and Clifton, N.J.
-- ITT Cannon Electric in Phoenix, Arizona,
Santa Ana, Ca. and Easton, Pennsylvania
Contract information was obtained from DMS Mar-
ket Intelligence Reports, prepared by the De-
fense Marketing Service and distributed by Mc-
Graw-Hill, Inc.
ITT's Long Distance Operators
These are the individuals that run ITT. They are ITT directors and members of the
eicutive committee (which is the group that makes the big decisions). Under their
names are listed the other corporations they control through directorships or im-
ilar positions. (Source: Poor's Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives)
Eugene R. Black
Chase Manhattan Bank
New York Times
American Express
Royal Dutch Petroleum
Howmet Corp.
International Executive
Service Corp.
Cumins Engine
Harold S. Geneen
National Shavmut Bank
of Beaton
Acme Visible Records
Bankers Trust
Chase Manhattan Bank
F. G. Rohatyn
Lazard Freres & Co.
Engelhard Minerals &
Chemicals
Homet Corp.
Pechiney Enterprises
Engelhard Banovia
Owen-Illinois
Pfizer
Pomeroy Day
Connecticut Bank&Trust
Hartford Fire Insurance
Spencer Turbine
Allied Thermal
Dexter Corp.
Hartford Gas
Arrow-Hart
Society for Savings
Arthur M. Hill
Charleston Transit
Kanawha Banking & Trust
Kanawha City Co.
Greenbrier Valley Bank
Riggs National Bank of
Washington D.C.
J. Patrick Lannan
Lannan & Co.
Advance Ross
Crowell Collier &
Macmillan
Host International
Utah Shale Land
JPL Enterprises
Eacanaba, Inc.
William Elfers
Greylock & Co.
Acme Visible Records
South Shore Natl. Bank
Barden Corp.
Conrac Corp.
Damon Engineering
Cape Cod Cablevision
W.L. Pierson
U.S. Industries
Molybdenum Corp. of
America
Investors Diversified
Services
Technical Industries
Richard S. Perkins
First Natl. City Bank
FNCB-Walton's Corp.
Southern Pacific Co.
Allied Chemical
Consolidated Edison
Royal Globe Insurance
Now York Life Insur.
Alvin E. Friedman
Kuhn, Loeb & Co.
Sears Industries
Avnet, Inc.
Bunnat Oil
Northern Railway Co.
of Costa Rica
Susa Mercantile
John A. McCone
Standard Oil of Calif.
Hendy International
Pacific Mutual Life In.
United California Bank
Western Bancorporation
Pacific Car & Foundry
George R. Brown
Brown & Root, Inc.
Trans World Airlines
First City National Bank
(Houston)
Armco Steel
Southland Paper ills
Texas Eastern Transmiesion
South Africa Highland Oil

Tags: ITT, Vietnam, military aid


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