George Owen Squier

George Owen Squier (March 21, 1865 – March 24, 1934) was an American general, scientist, and inventor best known for inventing and popularizing what today is called Muzak.

Life and military career

Squier was born in Dryden, Michigan. Among his classmates who also became general officers were Frank Herman Albright, Marcus Daniel Cronin, Alexander Lucian Dade, James Theodore Dean, Charles S. Farnsworth, George Washington Gatchell, Charles Gerhardt, Herman Hall, Thomas Grafton Hanson, Mark L. Hersey, Ernest Hinds, Michael Joseph Lenihan, Ulysses G. McAlexander, Nathaniel Fish McClure, William C. Rivers, Charles Brewster Wheeler, and Edmund Wittenmyer.

In 1893, Squier received a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University. He wrote and edited many books and articles on the subject of radio and electricity. An inventor, he and Dartmouth professor Albert Cushing Crehore developed a magneto-optical streak camera "The Polarizing Photo-chronograph" in 1896 to measure the speed of projectiles both inside a cannon and directly after they left the cannon barrel. This was one of the earliest photonic programs. They also worked to develop synchronous AC telegraphic systems. His biggest contribution was that of telephone carrier multiplexing in 1910 for which he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1919. He was also an elected member of the American Philosophical Society.

In 1897, Squier, "...made a huge Marconi transmitter operated by a Tesla coil, which is a powerful one. There is no trouble in ringing bells, lighting lamps, firing cannon or explosives or starting machinery at considerable distances through the air by Hertzian waves."

In September 1900 Squier sailed from New York for Manila on the cable ship USAT Burnside. He was in command of a 25-man Signal Corps detachment that laid the first American telegraph cables in the Philippines.

As executive officer to the Chief Signal Officer, U.S. Signal Corps in 1907, Squier was instrumental in the establishment of the Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps, the first organizational ancestor of the U.S. Air Force. He also was the first military passenger in an airplane on September 12, 1908, and, working with the Wright Brothers, was responsible for the purchase of the first airplanes by the US Army in 1909.

From May 1916 to February 1917, he was Chief of the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps, the first successor of the Aeronautical Division, before being promoted to major general and appointed Chief Signal Officer during World War I.

In 1922, he created Wired Radio, a service which piped music to businesses and subscribers over wires.

He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Death He died in Washington, D.C., at George Washington Hospital on March 24, 1934 of pneumonia, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Awards Distinguished Service Medal Spanish War Service Medal Philippine Campaign Medal World War I Victory Medal Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Commander of the Legion of Honor (France) Commander of the Order of the Crown of Italy

Dates of rank

Legacy

In 1943, the U.S. Navy named troopship in his honor. It was the lead ship of its class, which was known as of transport ships.

General Squier Park, a historic district and waterpark in his hometown of Dryden, Michigan, is named in his honor.

Publications