Edwin Howard Armstrong

Edwin Howard Armstrong (December 18, 1890 – February 1, 1954) was an American radio-frequency engineer and inventor who developed FM (frequency modulation) radio and the superheterodyne receiver system. He held 42 patents and received numerous awards, including the first Medal of Honor awarded by the Institute of Radio Engineers (now IEEE), the French Legion of Honor, the 1941 Franklin Medal and the 1942 Edison Medal. He achieved the rank of major in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War I and was often referred to as "Major Armstrong" during his career. He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame and included in the International Telecommunication Union's roster of great inventors. He was inducted into the Wireless Hall of Fame posthumously in 2001. Armstrong attended Columbia University, and served as a professor there for most of his life. Armstrong is also noted for his legal battles with Lee de Forest and David Sarnoff, two other key figures in developing the early radio industry in the United States. The prolonged litigation took a toll on Armstrong's health and finances, which led to a breakdown in his marriage, followed by his suicide in 1954. Thereafter, his estate's legal cases were pursued by his widow, Marion, who won several successful suits and settlements.