Paul J. Ganahl (1916-2002) was an electrical engineer who served in the United States Air Force. This item is a manuscript diary kept by Ganahal between January 2, 1953, and December 31, 1953, while working as an electrical engineer performing aerial photography tests for the United States Air Force in California and New Mexico. The daily entries are bullet lists of film rolls develped, problems found, people met with or spoken to, flight test details, and places traveled. The diary provides technical information about the develpment of reconnaissance photography, engineering challenges, and project team communication.

The Missile and Surface Radar Division (MSRD) of the Radio Corporation of America operated as a primary government and military defense contractor from 1953 to 1986, developing and implementing advanced radar systems. The photographs in the collection depict instrumentation, radar equipment, control equipment, and research facilities at both the MSRD and the Navy AEGIS Combat System Engineering Deveopment Site in Moorestown, New Jersey.