How individual units and individual commanders addressed this concern varied, and the historical record does not support a single uniform policy.

The physical and psychological demands of the role were, by the accounts of the men who served in it, genuinely severe.

Transmitting under fire required absolute concentration on the code while the environment around the transmitter might be extremely dangerous.

The memorization requirements were substantial and could not lapse — a forgotten code word in the middle of a fire mission could have consequences measured in casualties.

And the responsibility of knowing that the accuracy of your transmission might determine whether friendly forces received correct targeting information or misdirected fire was a weight that the men carried throughout their service.

The Return and the Silence