A crushing silence rippled through the crowd waiting to see who would actually accept a special recognition at the 2008 Signal Conference awards dinner Dec. 4 at the Gordon Club.

Acknowledging that the recognitiion was 142 years overdue, Col. Jack Bryant, U.S. Signal Center and Fort Gordon chief of staff based his first nomination of the night for the 2008 Signal Conference's distinguished Signal Regiment membership on a letter from the President of the United States. Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Foley, U.S. Army Signal Center and Fort Gordon commanding general quickly approved the nomination.

The letter from President Ulysses Grant written July 30, 1866 said, "I would respectfully recommend the appointment of Albert J. Myer to the place of Chief of the Signal Corps as provided for by act of Congress. Col. Myer is the inventor of the system used both in the Army and Navy which would seem to give him a claim to the position of chief which he once held and which the Senate have refused to confirm any other person in."

In addition to the letter from Grant, Bryant showed a video of the many accomplishments of the father of the Signal Corps.

Photos by Larry Edmond Robert Gilbert, a re-enactor prepares his uniform and acceptance speech, as he readies to portray Brig. Gen. Albert J. Myer during the 2008 Signal Conference at the Gordon Club on Fort Gordon, Dec. 4. Then Bryant called for the recipient to accept his award.

It was a surprise to some when Brig. Gen. Albert J. Myer stepped boldly to the stage to accept his award. Of course it was not really Myer but a very reasonable facsimile in the person of Robert Gilbert a historic re-enactor.

Gilbert, a retired national guardsman, has performed the role of Myer for more than three years, mostly at National Atmospheric Oceanographic Service events.

This was the first time Gilbert had come before a group of Signal Regiment members.

Myer has labored to research and bring to life the embodiment of the man who implemented the programs that evolved into the modern Signal Corps. His work also served as the foundation of the modern world wide weather service.

Gilbert spent time with Robert Anzuoni, at the Signal Museum and poured through all of the annual reports written under Myer's administration of the Signal Corps.

"One of the things that General Myer always did was to thank all of the people with whom he worked," said Gilbert.

In his address to the 2008 Signal Conference Gilbert thanked all those who were instrumental in him being at the conference. Then he launched into an oration that he says he believes is exactly the visionary things Myer would have shared with the Corps.

Gilbert says he wants to continue his work and has written a book detailing the tremendous accomplishments of Myer both for the Signal Corps and the world.