nomination the following day. At the time, investigations of the FCC were going on in both the House and the Senate, and there was strong sentiment in both bodies to restructure the FCC in some way. Roosevelt eventually nominated Jett to replace Payne on January 12, 1944. There was immediate controversy, however, as some Republican senators felt that Jett was too closely associated with the FCC's Democratic chairman, James Lawrence Fly. Payne was a Republican, and under the Communications Act of 1934, not more than four of the then seven-member commission may be affiliated with the same political party; Jett had never voted, and testified before the Senate Interstate Commerce Committee that he had never supported any political party. Jett was confirmed unanimously on February 11, 1944, and sworn in four days later; George P. Adair was promoted to take Jett's place as the FCC's chief engineer. Jett briefly served as interim chairman of the Commission from November 16 to December 20, 1944, between Fly's resignation and the confirmation of Fly's successor, Paul A. Porter. (The chairmanship of the FCC is determined by direct appointment of the President from among the sitting Commissioners.) According to Broadcasting, he was known as the technical expert on the Commission at this time, and also as the "father of two-way radios in police cars." Jett did not serve out his full seven-year term, leaving the Commission three and a half years later, on December 31, 1947; he was replaced by George E. Sterling. Later life and death Jett resigned from the FCC to become vice-president of A. S. Abell Company, publisher of The Baltimore Sun and then licensee of WMAR radio and television. He remained with WMAR until his death in 1965, at age 70. He died at Bethesda Naval Hospital after a long illness, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. He was survived by his wife Viola and their two daughters. References Early life, work as chief engineer Military service Official military personnel record of E.K. Jett, U.S. Navy. National Personnel Records Center, St. Louis, Mo. Politics and confirmation process Interim chairmanship FCC service Additional career details, obituary 1893 births 1965 deaths United States Navy personnel of World War I American radio executives American television executives Chairmen of the Federal Communications Commission Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Franklin D. Roosevelt administration personnel Truman administration personnel