THE WHITE HOUSE
                              WASHINGTON
 
                                        January 17, 1942.
 
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
 
     Last night you "wondered" about two items.  Here is what information 
I have been able to get today.
 
     RADAR for Small Craft.  You specifically mentioned the possibility of 
using aircraft RADAR on small surface craft.  The Bureau of Ships tells me that 
to be effective for as much as two miles on a periscope three feet in height 
above the water, the radar antenna (wieght slightly above 100 pounds) must be 
at least thirty feet above the water.  Most small craft, of course, will not 
have masts which can carry that weight, nor are they susceptible of alteration 
to permit carrying such top side weight.  BuShips states that they are developing 
radar equipment for all types of vessels in excess of 75' in length, and hope to 
be in production with same about July 1942.
 
     The nub of that problem seems to be that when the antenna is placed 
but slightly above the water's surface, the more difficult the problem becomes.  
Aircraft, medium and large surface craft, use comparitively low frequencies, 
whereas in small surface ships very high frequencies are necessary.
 
     Cedar Point, Maryland. As I recall it, you said "Piney Point"- and 
that the activity there was being undertaken by the Bureau of Aeronautics.  
Aeronautics disclaims knowledge of any activity at Piney Point and the Budget 
Office (Navy Department) states that there is nothing in the estimates having 
to do with that place.  Aeronautics and the Navy Budget Office think you had in
mind Cedar Point. The story of that place follows: Aeronautics wants to 
establish at Cedar Point (mouth of the Patuxent River) a Flight Test Center.  
It is intended to concentrate at this station all testing work for Naval sea 
and land aircraft, which is now done unsatisfactorily at widely scattered points, 
i.e., Philadelphia, Anacostia, Dahlgren and Norfolk.  The advantages of having
such a place, according to Aeronautics, are:
 
               (A) That there will be concentration and better control 
     of testing efforts.
 
               (B) That test flights will be removed from the densely 
     populated areas where they now take place.
 
               (C)That there will be better security of tests involving 
     confidential matters.
 
     The initial increment involves some $3,000,000.  The whole project, according to the
Plans Division of Aeronautics, will cost about $8,000,000.
 
                                                                           Very respectfully,
 
                                                                      JOHN L. McCREA