What invention or patent did Marlene Dietrich [ and/or husband] provide to the US Navy ?
Hedy Lamarr and her friend (not husband) George Antheil invented frequency-hopped spread-spectrum radio transmission, and got patent 2,292,387 for it. It was a way to make torpedo signals harder to jam. They never made any money off the patent. (The link goes to the patent itself. She’s using her married name, H.K. Markey). The patent is expired now, but the idea of frequency hopping is still used in cell phones, satellite communications, and controlling cruise missiles. Dietrich was awarded a Medal of Freedom for entertaining troops close to the front line and producing propaganda in German during World War II,