By Dennis McCaslin - Today in Fort Smith
A man born into a cattle ranching family in Haskell County in 1909, Loyd C. Sigmon made an indelible mark on the world of broadcast radio and the way traffic is managed not only in his adopted southern California but across much of the country as well.
Loyd was the only child of James and Allie (Claunts) Sigmon, who moved to Oklahoma from Boone County after their marriage in 1907. The Sigmon line traces all the way back to Polsar Sigmon, who was a Patriot in the American Revolution from North Carolina, and whose brother, Captain John Sigmon, was one of the Heroes who fought at the Battle of King's Mountain.
Allie's Grandfather was Samuel Claunts, who was brother to James Harvey Claunts. He and his brother joined the Confederate Army during the Civil War, in Arkansas. Samuel was said to have stayed in North Carolina when his children went to Tennessee, then Missouri, where they met their wives and then moved to Sebastian County.
Loyd Sigmon was born May 6, 1909 and his passion for radio began early, earning his amateur ("ham") radio license at just 14 years old. This passion set the stage for a groundbreaking career in broadcasting and public service.
Sigmon's broadcasting journey began in 1932 at the Boston Short Wave and Television Laboratories. By 1941, he had secured a position as an engineer at KMPC, the flagship radio station of MacMillan Petroleum Company in Los Angeles, California. However, World War II interrupted his burgeoning career.
Sigmon served in the United States Army Signal Corps on General Dwight D. Eisenhower's staff, contributing to the war effort with his technical expertise.
His role in WWII was crucial as he was in charge of non-combat radio communications in the European theater. This meant he was responsible for ensuring reliable communication lines for military operations, which was vital for the coordination and success of Allied forces.
Sigmon's expertise in radio technology and his innovative mindset were highly valued during his service. He even came up with the idea for the SigCircus, a mobile radio broadcasting unit on a fleet of 17 trucks that could send and receive messages simultaneously from Europe and the United States
Returning to Los Angeles after the war, Sigmon resumed his work at KMPC and quickly rose through the ranks. He became the Executive Vice President of Gene Autry's Golden West Broadcasters, overseeing eight radio and two television stations on the west coast.
In 1955, Sigmon made a significant impact on public safety and broadcasting with his invention of a specialized radio and tape recorder for the Los Angeles Police Department.
This device allowed police to alert radio stations citywide about traffic conditions and emergencies. These messages, known as "Sigmon traffic alerts," were eventually shortened to "Sig Alerts." The system revolutionized traffic reporting in California and was emulated in numerous other areas.
Bill Keene, a renowned traffic reporter, aptly dubbed Sigmon the "father of L.A. traffic reporting."
In 1993, the Oxford English Dictionary included "SigAlert," marking its entry into the lexicon of everyday language alongside terms like "couch potato." Originally specific to Los Angeles and traffic conditions, the term has since spread across the USA and is now commonly used to denote any type of warning or severe situation in a number of states
Thankfully, Los Angeles rarely encounters inclement weather, but local wisdom suggests that a rainy day nearly always results in multiple SigAlerts.
Sigmon's contributions did not go unnoticed. He received numerous accolades from local and state government agencies, the National Safety Council, and broadcasting organizations.
In 1998, he was the special Guest of Honor at the opening of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the California Highway Patrol's Freeway Traffic Center in Los Angeles. Reflecting on his legacy, Sigmon remarked to the Los Angeles Times, "I ran a multimillion-dollar corporation, but it's the Sig Alert that people remember me for."
Despite his retirement, Sigmon maintained his amateur radio license, W6LQ, and continued to engage with the radio community. He and his wife, Pat (stage name: Patricia Lee), enjoyed their home in Palm Springs, California, during the late 1950s.
Loyd Sigmon passed away on June 2, 2004, in an assisted living facility in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, after battling Parkinson's disease. The ashes of Loyd and Patricia Sigmon were placed in the Chapel of Memories Columbarium and Mausoleum in Oakland, California.
