by Jim DeBrosse
By March 1944 NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Boxes 111–13, 5750/176, War Diaries.
Admiral Dönitz had decided Morison, Atlantic Battle Won, pp. 152, 248.
Even so, the Americans RG 457, HCC, Box 621, ACC7465 CBKJ18, “German Cipher Key Logs”; NARA RG 457, Box 621, Transmissions re various U-boats, and October 2, 1944, ‘Key Situation.’
With the faster The estimates of the role of decryptions compiled from NARA RG 38 (Crane-Orange Intercepts), Translations of Intercepted Enemy Radio Traffic and Misc. World War II Documents, 1940–1946. Lists of U-boats sunk are from Roskill, The War at Sea, 1939–1945; NARA RG 457, Box 43, SRH 142, Commander Jerry C. Russell, USN, “Ultra and the Campaign Against the U-boats in World War II”; and Bray, Ultra in the Atlantic, vols. 1 and 2.
Over the next three months Morison, Atlantic Battle Won, p. 366.
More important Ibid., p. 365; Bray, Ultra in the Atlantic, vols. 1 and 2.
According to a jubilant NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 117, “OP-20-GYA Brief Rescue of OP-20-G and British Activities vis-a-vis German Cipher Machines, July 15, 1944”; see also NARA RG 457, Box 117, 5570/205, SRH 403, “Selections from the Cryptologic Papers Collection of Rear Admiral J. N. Wenger, USN,” p. 71.
Wenger, Engstrom, Desch “Report on Interrogation of Lt. Frowein,” June 21, 1945, supplied by Ralph Erskine; Davies, “ ‘The Bombe,’ ” pp. 108ff.
While the Germans Ratcliff, “Searching for Security,” pp. 146ff.
With the British decoding NARA RG 457, HCC, Box 1283, 29871, “Project 68003” (Madame X); Crawford, “Autoscritcher and the Superscritcher,” pp. 9ff.; NARA RG 457, HCC, Box 705, NR1736/7 35701, CBLH17 35701, Enigma Conferences, Bombe History Folder, “U.S. Navy and U.S. Army Bombe Equipment,” February 16, 1945.
The machine’s balance NSA FOIA, RAM File, CNO, Communications Intelligence Technical Paper -TS-5, “Comparison of the N1530 to N5300 Bombe,” Washington, D.C., n.d.; NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 39 3238/2–, Watch Officers’ Log 1943–; NSA FOIA, RAM File, “History of OP20G-4e.”
The American Bombes were Calculated from data supplied by Ralph Erskine and Philip Marks.
Some of the limitations NSA FOIA, RIP 425, OP-20-G, “American Attack on German Naval Ciphers”; NARA RG 38, RIP, RIP 603.
During the last two years NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 117, 5570/205, “Brief Resume of OP-20-G and British Activities vis-a-vis German Cipher Machines,” July 15, 1944; NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 66, 5750/774, “Summary of Attack on Enigma”; NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Boxes 111–13, OP-20-G, War Diaries, “Op-20-Gy-A-1, Synopsis of War Diaries.”
Too embarrassed to NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Boxes 102–4, 111–13, OP-20-G War Diaries, passim; NSA FOIA, RIP 425, OP-20-G, “American Attack on German Naval Ciphers”; NSA FOIA, RAM File, CNO, Communications Intelligence Technical Paper, “N-800 Bombe.”
OP20G had been working NARA RG 457, Box 98, SRH 306, ‘Exploits and Commendations, Memoranda to and from GCCS, etc.’; NSA FOIA, RIP 425, OP-20-G, “American Attack on German Naval Ciphers.”
Although the British National Cryptologic Museum, Ft. Meade, Md., Museum Library Vertical File 34-3, “GCCS Naval SIGINT vol. XIV, W/T Intelligence.”
The Navy’s Pacific NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Boxes 138–39, 5750/325, “Japanese Weather Systems,” chap. 22, “Application of Rapid Analytical Machinery to the Cryptanalysis of Japanese Weather Systems.”
Much more limited NSA FOIA, RAM File, CNO, Communications Intelligence Technical Paper -TS-14, “The Inverted Bombe,” Washington, D.C., n.d.; NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 111, OP-20-G, War Diaries, “Op-20-Gy-A-1, Synopsis of War Diaries August 1–31, 1944”; NARA RG 38, Crane, RIP, Box 169, RIP 601, “Statistical Bombe.”
A related method Budiansky, Battle of Wits, p. 243; NSA FOIA, CNO, Communications Technical Paper, T2-24, Copperhead II, Final Report, Washington D.C., n.d.; NARA RG 38 Crane, CNSG Library, Box 138, 5750/325, Japanese Weather Systems (NC 6).
An ex-MIT student “Steinhardt, Lawrence S.,” Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, Del., ACC2015, ERA collection; Steinhardt vita, Vannevar Bush Papers, Library of Congress.
All five designs NSA FOIA, RAM File, CNO, Communications Intelligence Technical Paper-TS-42, “Copperhead I Theory and Equipment,” Washington, D.C., June 1945; NSA FOIA, CNO, Communications Intelligence Technical Paper TS-24, “Copperhead II, Final Report, Washington,” n.d.
Raven suspected Deavours and Kruh, Machine Cryptography and Modern Cryptanalysis, p. 249; NARA RG 457, HCC, Box 1368, “History of JNA20-Coral”; Descriptive Dictionary of Cryptologic Terms, Including Foreign Terms.
By the end of October NSA FOIA, RAM File, “N 950 Drawing List, Python, Mamba, Viper, Ricky and Class Numbers Used on Navy Projects”; NSA FOIA, RAM File, CNO, Communications Intelligence Technical Paper -TS-33, “Final Report on Rattler #2, N-2200,” Washington, D.C., March 1945; NSA FOIA, RAM File, CNO, Communications Intelligence Technical Paper -TS-23, “Rattler Modification,” Washington, D.C., n.d.; NSA FOIA, July 12, 1983, ‘Compilation of Information on Rattler Considered Top Secret.’
With Japanese attachés NARA RG 457, HCC, Box 1368, ‘Coral’; Prados, Combined Fleet Decoded, p. 438.
Awed by the Nazis’ Meigs, Slide Rules and Submarines; NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 20, 3222/77, ‘JNA20, Japanese Naval Attache in Berlin, reports’; NARA RG 457, Box 10, SRMN 032, “COMINCH File of Memoranda Concerning U-Boat Tracking Room Operations, 2 January 1943–6 June 1945”; NARA RG 457, Box 18, SRMN 040, “COMINCH File: Assessment of U-boat Fleet at the End of World War II, June–October 1945.”
In 1944, OP20G’s NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 113, “GY-a1A War Diaries Summaries”; NSA FOIA, RAM File, CNO, Communications Intelligence Technical Paper -TS-20, “Bulldozer Operating Manual,” Washington, D.C., July 1945; NARA RG 38, Crane, RIP, Box 169, RIP 601, “Statistical Bombe”; NSA FOIA, RAM File, OP20G, September 9, 1944, ‘Need for Statistical Bombe’; NARA RG 457, HCC, Box 600, NR4815 ZEMA57, “The Bulldozer,” March 26, 1945.
Although faced with Coombs, “Making of Colossus,” pp. 253ff.; Flowers, “Design of Colossus,” pp. 239ff.
13. New Challenges . . . and Breakdown
Edward Travis’s telegraphed NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 117, 5750/205, various on history of Bombe project and British-OP20G relations.
OP20G’s researchers NSA FOIA, RAM File, CNO, Communications Intelligence Technical Paper -TS-5, “Comparison of the N1530 to N5300 Bombe,” Washington, D.C., n.d.; NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 111, “OP-20-G, War Diaries, Op-20-Gy-A-1, Synopsis of War Diaries August 1–31, 1944”; NSA FOIA, RIP 425, OP-20-G, “American Attack on German Naval Ciphers.”
Work on Duenna Marks, “Umkehrwalze D,” part 1, pp. 101ff.; NARA RG 457, HCC, Box 705, NR1736, Enigma Conferences, Bombe History Folder.
For a backup NSA FOIA, RAM File, Enciphered Telegraphic Link (incoming/outgoing), Washington-Dayton, OP20G to NCML, ‘More Complex Machine Needed,’ July 5, 1944.
The problem was so NARA RG 457, HCC, Box 1126, NR3620, various items concerning U.S. SSA and GCCS including Freidman Report; PRO HW 3/164 7989, “Squadron Leader Jones’ Section”; Crawford, “Autoscritcher and the Superscritcher,” pp. 9ff.
By early March 1944 NSA FOIA, RAM File, Enciphered Telegraphic Link (incoming/outgoing), Washington-Dayton, Engstrom to NCML, ‘Duenna Needed,’ March 4, 1944.
By May, Engstrom NARA RG 457, HCC, Box 705, NR4384 and NR5484, April 24, 1944, “History of the Bombe Project”; NARA RG 457, Box 1124, NR1736 CBTD76, ACC17640, OP20G, “History of the Bombe Project,” May 30, 1944.
The British concluded PRO HW 14/125, April 19, 1944, ‘politics in America make it unlikely U.S. will cooperate on history.’
Indeed, in a May 13 J. N. Wenger, memorandum for OP-20-G, May 13, 1944, ‘British had supplied us with needed information on Enigma in 1941,’ provided by Ralph Erskine.
At the same time, they PRO HW 3/93, “History o
f the Bombe as Taken from Mr. Fletcher’s Files.”
As the latest version NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 117, 5750/205, various on history of Bombe project and British-OP20G relations, including September 7, 1944, ‘limit to 25 new Bombes.’
The new Bombe contract NSA FOIA, RAM File, CNO, Communications Intelligence Technical Paper -TS-5, “Comparison of the N1530 to N5300 Bombe,” Washington, D.C., n.d.; NARA RG 38, RIP, Box 171, RIP 607 #7, “Double Input Bombes.”
GCCS commissioned PRO HW 3/64, “Squadron Leader Jones’ Section.”
A Duenna machine Marks, “Umkehrwalze D,” part 1, pp. 101ff.
“It is not easy Ibid., part 3, pp. 307ff.
Designing and building Carmelita Bruce interview.
“I remember my Carmelita Bruce interview.
Launching planes Gallery, U-505; NARA RG 457, Box 43, SRH 142, Commander Jerry C. Russell, USN, “Ultra and the Campaign Against the U-boats in World War II”; NSA FOIA, RIP 425, OP-20-G, “American Attack on German Naval Ciphers.”
The German systems NARA RG 457, HCC, Box 621, ACC7465 CBKJ18, “German Cipher Key Logs.”
According to an OP20G report NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 117, 5570/205, “Brief Resume of OP-20-G and British Activities vis-a-vis German Cipher Machines,” p. 4.
In August 1944 RG 457, HCC, Box 1004, NR 3126, “OP20G, Memoranda on future research and policies, circa 1944–1947,” Howard Engstrom, “Electronic Research Computer, August 7, 1944”; NARA RG 457, HCC, Box 1008, Lieutenant J. V. Connorton, “The Status of U.S. Naval Communication Intelligence After World War II,” December 17, 1943; see also Box 1008, NR3169 CBNM77 11241A, ‘Connorton History of OP20G and Policies for the Future of U.S. Codebreaking’; NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Boxes 102–4, 111–13, “OP-20-G, War Diaries, August 1945, ‘Serpent.’ ”
Wenger asked Engstrom NSA FOIA, RAM File, OP20G Memorandum, September 4, 1944, ‘Statistical Bombes needed’; NARA RG 457, HCC, Box 600, NR4815 ZEMA57, “The Bulldozer,” March 26, 1945.
October’s keys NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 66, 5750/774–, “Summaries of the Attacks on Enigma Traffic”; NSA FOIA, RIP 425, “American Attack on German Naval Ciphers.”
Eliminating reciprocal PRO HW 14/108, July 17, 1944, ‘Uhr introduced’; Davies, “ ‘The Bombe,’ ” pp. 108ff.
It was a limited NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 64, 5750/760, February 15, 1945, “Sonder, Position Report on.”
“In spite of NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 64, 5750/760, February 15, 1945, “Sonder, Position Report on.”
A few Sonder keys NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 111, OP20G War Diaries, April 4, 1945.
If they had used Erskine, “Kriegsmarine Short Signal Systems,” pp. 65ff.
While Allied codebreakers Morison, Atlantic Battle Won, p. 366.
The Kriegsmarine was Ibid., p. 365.
Sitting alone Debbie Desch Anderson interviews, August 2002.
The decrypt gave Winton, Ultra in the Pacific, p. 186.
“that damned, dirty Debbie Desch Anderson interviews, June 2002.
Howard Engstrom, head Kristina Engstrom self-interview.
On April 14, 1943 Budiansky, Battle of Wits, p. 319.
During a self-interview Kristina Engstrom self-interview.
Added to these Robert Hogan interview.
Even before the start NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 175, 1200/2, “Civilian Personnel,” ‘To Granat, Safford recommends ex-employee,’ September 5, 1940.
Wenger told Desch Debbie Desch Anderson interviews, January 2001.
In April 1945 NSA FOIA, RIP 425, “American Attack on German Naval Ciphers.”
Allied forces sank Ibid., p. 181.
On April 15, a month NARA RG 457, Box 81, SRH 208, “U.S. Navy Submarine Warfare Message Reports, COMINCH to Admiralty.”
They had designs NSA FOIA, “European Axis Signals Intelligence in World War II as Revealed by ‘Ticom’ Investigations, Other Prisoner of War Interrogations and Captured Material, Principally German, in Nine Volumes; Notes on German High Level Cryptography and Cryptanalysis,” Chief Army Security Agency, May 1, 1946.
A significant intelligence NARA RG 457, HCC, Box 117, SRH 403, “Selections from the Cryptologic Papers Collection of Rear Admiral J. N. Wenger, USN.”
Britain and the United States NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Boxes 138–39, 5750/325, “Japanese Weather Systems,” chap. 22, “Application of Rapid Analytical Machinery to the Cryptanalysis of Japanese Weather Systems”; National Cryptologic Museum, Ft. Meade, Md., Museum Library Vertical File 34-3, “GCCS Naval SIGINT vol. XIV, W/T Intelligence.”
In November, OP20G NSA FOIA, RAM File, “Full Selector,” and Enciphered Telegraphic Link (incoming/outgoing), Washington-Dayton, OP20G to NCML, October 14, 1943, ‘Additive Machine,’ and Washington-Dayton, OP20G to NCML, May 12, 1945, ‘Test Full Selector.’
Before the million-dollar NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 138, 5750/325, “History of Japanese Weather Decryption.”
“Commander Meader said Evelyn Vogel interview, January 2001.
In the letter, Joseph Desch, letter to Officer in Charge, October 14, 1940; supplied by Debbie Desch Anderson.
Meader left his Desch to Navy, January 13, 1947, ‘Please have Meader car removed,’ letter supplied by Debbie Desch Anderson.
Epilogue: Burying the Past
But Phil Bochicchio Phil Bochicchio interview, January 2001.
The British have let PRO HW 3/164 7989, “Squadron Leader Jones’ Section.”
At least one Mary Lorraine Johnson interview; conversations and correspondence with F. T. Johnson, her widower, 2002–2003.
If so, the Soviets West and Tsarev, Crown Jewels, p. 217.
Parts of the NCR Alvarez, “Beyond Venona,” pp. 178ff.
“The Cash” had Harold Ditmer interview.
As early as September 1944 NARA RG 38 Crane, CNSG Library, Box 114, 5750/220, Memoranda on Various Subjects, for OP-20-G, typed June 15, 1945, “Recent Developments in Communications Intelligence Research—U.S. Naval Computing Machine Laboratory.”
Negotiations and calls NSA FOIA, RAM File, Ralph Meader, Report to J. N. Wenger, Part 2, “Resume of the Dayton, Ohio, Activity During World War II.”
Even so, NCR continued NSA FOIA, RAM File, Ralph Meader, Report to J. N. Wenger, Part 2, “Resume of the Dayton, Ohio, Activity During World War II”; Joseph Desch papers, from Debbie Desch Anderson.
He told Howard Debbie Desch Anderson interviews, June 2003; NARA RG 457, Box 92, SRH 267, “History of Engineering [Research] Associates.”
He likewise declined Joseph Desch papers, from Debbie Desch Anderson; Carl Rench interview, September 1995.
As early as 1943 NARA RG 457, HCC, Box 1008, Lieutenant J. V. Connorton, “The Status of U.S. Naval Communication Intelligence After World War II,” December 17, 1943; see also Box 1008, NR3169 CBNM77 11241A, ‘Connorton History of OP20G and Policies for the Future of U.S. Codebreaking’; and Box 1004, NR3126 CBNM72 10101A, OP20G, memoranda on future research and policies, ca. 1944–1947.
He knew that most NSA FOIA, RAM File, “The Continuation and Development of Communication Intelligence,” August 21, 1945.
The Army, in alliance NSA FOIA, RAM File, “The Continuation and Development of Communication Intelligence,” August 21, 1945; NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 83, 5400/27, memorandum to Wenger, October 20, 1945, ‘Organization Function, Status’; and memorandum for General Marshall and Admiral King, August 22, 1945, ‘Signals Intelligence.’
Despite the success NARA RG 38, Crane, CNSG Library, Box 114, 5750/220, OP-20-G, “Diplomatic Ultra Intelligence, Priority of Countries to Intercept,” December 18, 1945; and “Memorandum for the President, Collaboration with the British Foreign Office”; and “Memorandum for the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy, 25 August 1945, Cryptanalytic Effort”; and June 15, 1945, ‘Rattan, all of Gy-A GI-A assigned to it.’
Despite frictions NARA, RG 457, HCC, Zema 173
, Box 1364, NR4244 ACC17542 Loc CBTD12, “U.S. Communications Intelligence Board.”
By February 1945 NARA RG 457, HCC, Box 1004, NR3126 CBNM72 10101A, SSA Policies, ‘OP20G, Memoranda on future research and policies, circa 1944–1947.’
Wenger had valued Joseph Desch papers, from Debbie Desch Anderson, ‘Letters re awards and commendations.’
Two years later Debbie Desch Anderson interviews, December 2000.
In the color home movie Debbie Desch Anderson interviews, May 2002.
Often in those days Carl Rench interview, November 2000.
“We worked hard Lou Sandor interview.
“He went into Debbie Desch Anderson interview, May 2002.
“I could sense Ibid., November 2000.
Debbie Anderson was Ibid.
The Andersons’ Astro van Ibid.
Hottenstein had worked NSA FOIA, RAM File, Enciphered Telegraph Link (incoming/outgoing), Washington-Dayton, ‘Biographical sketches, re Executive Officer Hottenstein,’ ca. 1943.
NCR says John Hourigan interview.
Bibliography
Archives, Libraries, and Other Sources of Primary Data
Charles Babbage Institute, Minneapolis, Minn.
Dartmouth College Library, Hanover, N.H.
Eastman Kodak Company Archive, Rochester, N.Y.
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, D.C.
Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, Del.
International Business Machines Archive, White Plains, N.Y.
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.
National Cash Register Company Archives, Dayton, Ohio
National Cryptologic Museum, Fort Meade, Md.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Data Center, Washington, D.C.
National Security Agency, Center for Cryptologic History, Fort Meade, Md.
Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association, Naval Security Group (Wenger) Command Display, Pensacola, Fla.
Naval Historical Center, Biographies Branch, Washington, D.C.
Naval Historical Center, Operational Archives, Washington, D.C.
