Reference / Paper · 1943
Friedman's credit list for PURPLE (Rowlett, Ferner, Feinstein, Small, Snyder, Prather, Rosen, Dunning, Marston), JMA, J-18/J-19, Floradora, Japanese Army systems (11 pp)
REF ID:A41411f94 ..... SPSIS-3 27 September 1943 MEMORANDUM For: Colonel Corderman SUBJECT Recommendations for Legion of Merit and Medal for Merit Awards •• 1. After much thought and careful studf of the memoranda sent me by Branch Chiets on the subject, the achievements deemed by me to be sufficiently noteworthy to warrant making reconnnendat1ons tor award are set forth in the following paragraphs. 2. A Branch Achievements.-Major Sheetz has drawn up a rather detailed memo outlining what bis branch has accomplished. I am, however~ not sufficiently acquainted with his activities to pass any judgement and will therefore leav• his memo tor your consideration. 3. B Branch Achievements. -a. Lieut. Colonel Cook bas drawn up a brief memo ind1.catlng certain noteworthy achievements and the names of those to whom most credit is due. However, since h~ has been chief of that branch for such a short time, C~lonel Cook indicated to me that he knows too little about the various pa.st achievements to be certain that he has treated them adequately, and that I was to feel free to make any changes or additions I dee~ed desirable. This I have done, in connection vith his memo and I therefore submit the following items for your consideration. b.(1) I regard the Japanese "Purple" ma.chine a.nd the underlying system to have been bJ tar the most difficult cryptanalytic problem suocessful.ly handled and solved by any signal intelligence orgaiµzation 1n the world and, so far as AB is concerned, this has been and still ia the most important source of strategically valuable, long-term intelligence. The.accompliebment was by no means the work of one or two people eclassified and approved for release by NSA on 11-05-2014 pursuant to E.O. ~~>-~-3~5~2~6-----------------------------------------------------------------' ' ~· ~\ REF ID:A414i1194 -•rmf&f - "'9" but the result ot the cooperative labors of a competent team working under my direction tor a period of over 18 months. (A paper entitled "Preliminary Hietorical Report on the Solution of the 'B' Machine" is on tile and available for four perusal.) My principal assistants vere Mr. (now Major) Frank B. Rowlett, Mr. Robert E. Ferner, Mrs. Genevieve Grotjan Fein-· stein_, Mr. Albert w. Small, and Mr. Samuel s. SBJder. To Mies Mary Louise Prather credit should be given for the careful keeping or the records and the index ot all messages and it was as a result of her painstaking attention to detail that a paraphl'ased message vas found which formed a very important link in the solution. (2) An immediate result of the solution was the possibility of oonstruet1ng a machine to duplicate what the Japanese machine was doing. Th1s vas accomplished without the benefit ot any 1ntoFmation whatsoever in the way ot captured or pilfered drawings, blueprints! etc., but solely from an understanding of the crJ"Ptographic pr neiples underlying the system, so that a machine could be constructed. For the construction of the first and later models the major share of credit is due Mr. (now Major) Leo Rosen and Mr. (now Major) Frank B. Rowlett. (3) The Purple Srstem bas undergone some changes since its inception. For keeping abreast ot those changes and following them cryptanalyti~all7 step by step, so that we have never bee~ without the ability to read Purple messages for more than a very rev days at any time, the major share of credit belongs to Mies Mary Jo Dunning, and to Mrs. Feinstein, as well as to Major Rowlett, and Messrs. Ferner and Small. Since December 1941 the major responsib:ility tor the continuity or cryptanalytic operations in connection with the Purple s7stem bas been very abl7 discharged by Captain E. Dale Marston. c. I regard the solution ot the Japanese Military Attache System of 1941-43 as being next in importance to the Purple, from the point or view of the amount and value of the intelligence it has yielded and the difficulties involved in the solution. For this-achievement the largeet share or credit is due Colonel J. H. Tiltma.n of GO & CS, who made the initial v break into the system, and tor this, as well as for his other achievements it 1s recommended tbs.t his name be forwarded as deserving of the Legion of Merit award. So rar as AH personnel are concerned, the major abs.re ot credit for the JMA solution belongs to Mr. Samuel s. Snyder and Mr. Frank Lewis. Others REF---tti~ftPt4 ~ 4i119 .._,. 4 who materially assisted in the solution are Mrs. J. R. Thompson, Mr. (now 2d Lieut.) Karl Elmquist, and Messrs. Edward Christopher and c. Ronald Cassity. · ~· The next most valuable eo\ll'ce of intelligence was the Japanese transposed oode system known as "J-18" and "J-19". Its solution represented a high cryptsnal7tic achievement, for initially the system appeared to be impregnable. For the development or the techniques and procedures in solution and for the mechanization or those techniques and procedures major credit belongs to Major Rowlett and Messrs. Ferner and Small. For continuity in cryptanalytic operations, credit belongs to the group under the dire~tion of Colonel J. A. Verkuyl, including Mr. Eugene Waltz, Mr. William o. Bryan, Mr. Joseph s. Petersen, Jr.·, Mr. (now Sgt.) George Hurle7, Miss Isabel M. Murdock, and Miss Elizabeth Stevens. e.(l) The next most noteworthy cryptanalytic achievement of Bl3ranch, in my opinion is the solution ot the German diplomatic system lmown ae the ftKeyword" or "Flora.dora" system. For sheer perseverance and bulldog determination, clever analysis, ability to detect and to employ minute clues leading to the ultimate breakdown of the ·system, after GC & CS had given up the v problem as hopeless, and for organizing the procedures so that the very large amo\'!nt of work involved could be e~ed1t1ously handled, the major share of credit belongs to Lieut. Colonel Solomon Kullback. His principal assistants whose contributions deserv~ mention are: Mrs. Delia Sinkov, Mr. Frank W. Levis, Major Leonard B1ckw1t, Captain Roy D. Johnson, lst Lieut. Leonard Seidenglanz, and Master Sergeant William Lutviniak •. (2) For organizing the vast amount of IBM work involved and for dev1e1ng new prooedll.T.'ee tor rac111tat1ng the operations in connection with the German Keyword Syetem, Captain Stephen Dunwoll deserves particular mention. f. The very reeent cryptanalytic successes 1n Japanese Army systems will undoubtedly prove to be of the utmost importance uithin e short time. For these successes the major share or credit belongs to Lieut. Colonel Solomon Kullback, Mr. Frank ll. Lewis, T/4 Carl D. Mead, Mrs. Delia. Sinkov, and Mr. Albert w. Small, who was in cba.rge of direction of the problem up to 15 March 1943. Also, the cooperation and contributions ot Lieut. Colonel Abraham Sinkov and Major H. L. Clark of the Central Bureau in this field have been important 1n the success achieved. -3- . : &• Notevorth~ also are the tolloving aehievementec (1) OrJJ>tanalys1e ot the Hagelin Cl'n>togr$ph as used b7 the Finnish and Swedish Diploma.tic ServieeB. For this excellent CrrJ>tana1~1c aecomp11ehment the tollowing person$ deserve mention: Mr. Robert o. Ferner, Captain John N, Seaman, Technical Sergeant George H. Verg1ne, Dr. Martin Joos, let . Lieut, William P. Bundy, let Lieut, Walter J, Fried, and let Lieut. Arnold I, Dwney. · (2) Solution or meteorolog1eal messages tor Invasion Forces. for which the major portion ot credit goes to Captain EdmUnd Wrigley, No~th Atrioan · (3) For organizing the IBM section the major portion of credit belongs to Major Perry MolstadJ tor devising nev app11cat1one or those macbinee for crJPte.n&lytic purposes, Capt&1n James B, Greene and Os.ptain Stephen Dunvell deserve $pee1al mention. For supervising the work in the IBM roome and ror loyalty to duty, industry, conecientioueneae, and· understanding or the problems ot the employees supervised, much oredit belongs to Master Sergeant John P. Hassett~ Miss Delores Ekberg, and Messrs. Ulr1eh Kroptl and Charles Ehrmann. h· None of the cryptanalytic aohievementB of B B!'Aneh in connection with Japaneae diploma.tic systems would have been useful had it not been tor the excellence or the contribution ma.de by the principal Japanese t~anslatore. In particular the work or MI-. John B. Burt and the late Mt-. Paul s. Cate deserve special mention in connection with the solution ot the Ptll'ple system, Mr. Hurt has been since then ably asBieted by Mes$rs. G~~'1a.rd, Nelson, Millard, Zaugg, Benson, Buchanan, and FauBt, all or wbom deserve mention. 4, C Braneh Ach1evements.--a., Colonel All:sopp ha.a drawn up a memo 1nd1catili3 oerta1n noteworthy achievements and the names ot those to whom most credit iG due. However, since he has been chief ot that branch for such a short time, Colonel Allsonp asked Lieut. Colonel Cook~ tol'l'.ller Chief of the branch, to asttbt him, and the memo submitted represents their joint work. But in view of the taot that there vere. in my opinion, several deticianciea in the m.emo:as subtnitted, I ta.lked vith both Colonel Alleopp and. Lieut. Oolonel Cook snd pointed out items which. I l'ega.rded ae worthy .ot mention and l1h1ob nG1ther of them had full cognizance or. With their approval I have only used the list submitted by Colonel Allaopp ae a general guide and submit the following items instead. -4- REF ID:A414i1194 .._.., ~· Cryptographic Developmenta.--Several or these are worthJ' of note: (1) Converter M-134A.-Th1e wae the tirst e.utomatio cryptosraph developed by the Signal Corps and was the result ot my invention (see U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 682,096, tiled 25 Ju17 19-':;f complete assignment·. to War Department bJ' William F. Friedman1. This machine was euocessfullJ' emplored tor several years tor highly secret and cont1dent1al conunun1cat1one between Washington, Panama., H&va.11, Philippines, and London (Military Attaohe's office). A number ot these were aleo issued to the State Department tor commun1cat1ons between the Depai-tn:ient 1n Washington and our bbasey in London, and are still 1n heaVJ uee between those two points. A n~ber ot them were also issued to the orr1ce or Strategic Services and are now ueed for eommun1cat1one between oss ottices in Washington. L'ndon, Cairo, and Caanblanca. Improvements ~ecently ?Lade 1 by the addition of Keyine Mechanism f.1 ... 299 1 vhich replaces the key-tape transmitter by an autom!l.t1c controlling device, plaoee the machine on bette~ tooting cryptographically than any othe1• machine now 1n existence, not even oxolud1ng Convel"ter t·t-1340. However, booo.use moaha.nically and elootr1oal17 these maohinea are not too aatisfacto~y they are being recalled from service, tor spacial uaage to be de·term1nad later. . (2) Converter M-1340.--Converter M-l~4A, which em.ployed ke7 tapes tor controlling the displacements of the cipher rotors, was later suporoeded by Converter M-l34C, in which the tape is eliminated and the displaoomonta of the cipher rotors a~e erratically cnntrollcd by a sequence generated by a separate oet or control rotors. 'l!he principle or using a roto~ as a key generator was the invention of Mr. (now Major) Frank B. Rowlett. 'lhe reduction or thin principle to practice and the design of the various elements entering into Converter M-l34C wae the joint work or lbjor Rowlett and rrqself (see u.s. Patent Ap~l1cat1on Serial No. 70,412, filed 2) March 1936, complete asaignLlent to War Department by Frank B. Rowlett and William F. Friedma.n.) The importance and value ot Converter M-1340 in the conduct of the war hardly ne~de emphasis here. Since funds were available to the Navy soon after ouza invention, the f'irst model of the ma.chine itself' was produced under a Navy contract in 1940, the two services oollaborating in the final design, however, Converter M-1340 now f orma the backbone of all the secr~t and confidential communications of both services. including the Air Forces, the Coast Guard, •nd the Marine Corps. ... REF ID:A41411f94 . (3) Converter M-228.--The necess1t7 tor providing automatic encipherment and decipherment for teletype communications was recognized a number ot ,.ears ago. The invention and design or Converter M-228 was the result ot the joint work ot Major Rowlett and i:gyeelr (see u.s. Patent Application Serial No. 443,320, filed 16 May·l942, complete assignment to Wa~ Department by the inventors). 'l'hese machines are highly useful for secret and eontidential land-line teletype Colllll1unioat1onej at preeent it is also U$ed tor cont1dent1al radio oommun1cat1ons. (4) "Zero Machine".--Early 1n 1942 a need developed · for speedy intercommunication between X and Y (names furnished on request). A special project was set up and the first "autosigaba" produced by contract vith the Western Union Cable Co. The design ot the cryptographic apparatus was worked out by Major Rosen and myself. 'rbe system bas worked and 1$ working very eat1stactor117, large volumes or t~tfie now being handled over this o1rcu1t. (5) Converter M·,25 and M-294.--These will be discussed under E Branch heading. (6) Cipher Device M-138.-..The Cl'J'Ptographic systems employing this device has served for a number ot years as the principal means or secret and confidential 1ntereommun1ca t1on among the War Department and the maJl1' posts, camps, and stations within the U.S. It is still serving in t~s capacity and 1n addition it is the eecondary or back-up system for use when the automatic or1J)tograph1c m1.eh1nes are out of commission. For developing the present form or the device and the system ot employing variable strip alpbabete 1n oonnec tion w1th 1t, ms.jor credit belongs to Mr. William P. P~ied man, (see U.8. Patent Application Serial No. '00.212, filed 19 October. 1943) • · . . . .2.• Cipher Ma.chine Seotion.--The Cipher Machine Section organized and supervised schools tor the training of maintenance men for all types or cipher machines. Graduates or these schools are at present maintaining U.S. Arrrq cryptographic equipment 1n all the$tere or operations. Improved maintenance methods have been developed. Certain production tsc111t1es were installed and put into efficient operation. The personnel who achieved the above were under the direction of Major Kenneth Kuhn. -6~ ~:._' 1\~.-~ •. .... REF ID:A414i1194 · g,. Security Section.--The work done bT this section 1n improving our own cryptographic techniques and finding eourcee or weakness has been ot considerable importance. In particular, an extensive study was made ot the converter M-209. Re$earch was oonducted on methods ot solution of messages enciphered b7 this equipment. The techniques developed during this research were incorporated into the crJPtographic system emplo7ing the converter thereb7 improving the security of the cryptographic system. The personnel who achieved the above were under the direction of PFC Paul R. Reimers. !.• Operations Section.--In the latter part of 1941 . the undersigned began a study or all the cryptographic systems employed within the military establishment, with a view to their a1mpl1t1eation and at the same time improving the overall security 1n crJPtographic communication. This study reoulted in the devising and development of the CrJPtonet Sratem, which more e~uably dtstr1butee the exceptionally heav7 traffic load carried by individual War Department cryptographic systems. The Ope:rationa Section put the cryptonet system into effect without any disturbance 1n the continuity or cryptographic commun1oat1on. A printing plant was put into operation. CrJl)tograph1c systems vere produced and distributed throughout the world to a rapidlf expanding list ot holders. 'l'he personnel who accomplished theee operations were under the direction of Oaptain Thomas R. Chittenden. f. Procurement Seotion.--The procurement of all cl'yptographic equipment contracted tor by the Signal Socur1tr Agency was supervised by the Procurement Section. Since all equipment wa$ or special design it was necessary to supervise tooling as well as production. Due to shortages of critical material~ the d1rf1ou1t1es encountered were 3l"eatl7 inores.sed. Tbeeo obstacles were overcome and $t the present time there ave no back orders on· hand tor equipment and stock :pileo e.re being built up.i 'lbe personnel who achieved the above were under the direction of Captain Russell H. Horton. S.• General.--For organizing C Branch, for ouccessf'ul.17 organizing the ma.117 activities therein eonduotad~ and for his contribution toward eetab~1eh1ng and ina.intaining cryptographic security.in communication during several critical years, much credit belongs to Lieut. Colonel F.arle F. Cook tor his noteworthy achievement. -1 .. REF. ID:A41411194 ...,.. 5. D Braneh.--In a certain letter dated' January 1942. addressed to a cover name in Sweden and having ae a return address a certs.in box ott1ce number 1n the Mex1co Oit7 Poet Ott1ce, there were tound eiX microphotographs bes.ring intormation from the Japanese Naval Attache in. Mexico and intended tor the naval General Btatt in Tokyo. The7 dealt with the reports ot secret agents giving estimates ot damage at Pearl Harbor and the Philippines. The7 also contained a torecast ot the probable u.s. var plan in the Pacifie tor 1942. The d1scover7 ot these microphotographs and the revelation or the1r contents. was in my opinion. a noteworth7 aocompliehment. For this, and for the development of simplified and improved methods ot microphotography. tor use bf our own agente, Lieut. Colonel A. J. McGrail 1e vell deserving of mention tor his noteworthy achievements. 6. E Branch.-!_. Traffic Ane.lysis.-Trattic Analys13 was started as a nev subject under the Signal Security Service in August or 1942. 'l'his operation 1n a nev t1eld has required tbe best 1n organization, attention to deta.11, foresight and 1rna.g1nst1on. It ha.e ha.d a pronounced etteat on intercept covarage 1n supplying the neceesarf 1ntorma.t1on for etticient assignment or tasks. It ha.a also been of assistance to the cryptsnalyets ·or B Branch and hao supplied valuable orde~ or battle data to the Assistant Chief of 8ta.f'f', G-2. Captain Warren K. Hall bas been associated With this vork trom 1t3 inception, and bas been in direct charge during most ot the time during vhich 1t hse been conducted, much of' the success enjoyed having been the result of' his leadership and guidance. He is very ably assisted by Lt. Ralph J. McCartney, 1n oha.rge of' Japanese Army Traffic Analysis, and by M/Sgt. Stephen Wolt, who is the outstanding authority on Japanese Army Comm:uniaatione. b. Communica.tions.-The Signal 5eeuvity Service oommunica.tions have been rapidly expanded to meet the changing situation requiring speed as vell as quantity or material handled. OnlJ some eight months ago, the wire aomm:un1cat1one for intercept traffic were practically non-existent. At the present time there are silt tull time ohe.nnele to our West Coe.st, radio communications ror intercept traffic to Brisbane. Algiers, and Asmara, and arrangements for cable oommunication through BSO in New York to Otto.wa. and London. Over 6.ooo massages a. day a.l'o received by wil'e or ~ad1o means. An exten- sive communications net work exists for O\ll" own purposes. Most ot this work has been accomplished by lst Lieut. William F. Drees. -8.\ !1~ ~'-:.:/•:" ~~1.· i., - : -' I ... REF ID:A414i1194 ........ He has given these matters hie personal attention and through his individual ettorts he has made the communication system what it ie in such a short time. In addition to this; Lieut. Drees ie reeponsible tor the organization and operation ot a system tor receiving and processing upwards or 10;000 messages per day. Durin.s the month ot July 380,000 such messages yere received by all means and processed. o. Intercept personnel.--Bhortly atter the tall or Correg1dor, two intercept operators, Lieut. Godtre7 (then Sgt.) and Sgt. Shimmel were sent v!th a small quantity or eq~pment to Australia to test tor a site to build another intercept station to replace the one lost in the Philippines. These two men never reached Australia. They were sent thl'ough Java and with the occupation by the Japanese vent on t"o · India with Major Martan. They established themselves in Nev Delhi, India and began intercept operations. These two men, a.oting on their own 1n1t1at1ve, intercepted and shipped to the Signal Security Service a substantial quantity or Japaneoe Arr:.ly ma.te?1el •. They were also very helpful in submitting all data, notes on Japanese procedUI'e and operating peculiarities which they were able to discover. Aa a. result ot their work, a twenty-man intercept station is be1ne established at Now Delhi. When the original mission or those men ~as changed by virtue of their going thl'ough Java into India tnstead ot Australia, they could have given up the intercept project and returned to the United S:ta.tea, or attached themselves to some other signal unit for other work in India vithout warranting criticiem. Their devotion to duty, courage and initiative led them to carr~ on despite difficulties and · produce desirable and valuable reaults. · d. Other work.--(1) Although not a member ot Signal Secw:aity Agency, Major Orla St. Clair, Off1eer 1n Oharge, Signal Intell1g~noe Service, Western Detenae Co:mma.nd and Fourth AJ'!'lff1, has performed outetand.1ng worlt directly effecting the Signal Seourity Agency. ~e organized the traftio handling· system tor the three radio intelligence companies on the West Coast, and Two Rook Ranoh, and asaiated 1n arranging the pertormanee ot these radio 1ntellisenoe companies along lines indicated by SSA. His tireless energy_a.nd personal attention to our needs has been of inestimable assistance. ll1s spirit or cooperation was unusual. (2) For reorganizing the intercept operations of SSA, for organizing the traffic anal7s1s section trom the -9·o1~ ' .. ·- .~,:.·J . .. . ' ..,. REF ID:A414i1194 I ground up, and for systematizing the ver7 vol'Llll11noUB communications activities of the SSA, special credit belongs to Lieut. Colonel H. McD. Brown for a noteworthy achievement. 7. F Branch.---!_. For the development, procurement, . and 1nata.llat1on, of the special rapid cryptanalytic equipment X-68003, and tor training or a maintenance force tor thia equipment, the major share ot credit belongs to Mr. s. B. Williams, of the Bell Telephone Laboratories end Major Leo Roeen. ~· Credit for the developm8nt of Converter M-294 and Converter M-325 belongs to the late Mr. A. H. Reiber and Mr• w. Zenner, ot the TeletJPe Corporation of Chicago, Major Leo Roeen, and myself. The basic patent cover~ the cryptographic principles underl71ng Converter M-1340 (Rowlett and Friedman) also oover Converter M-294. The basic principles covering the design and crrPtograph1c principles underlying Converter M•325 were covered in a patent application of Mr. William F. Friedman (see S:l.gnal Corps Caee SC-B-Sp-l, r-~'filed on ~December 1941, with the R and D Branch; OCSigO.) ~ 8. H~ Branch.--Lieut. Colonel Slack has been consulted and he fee e that this branch has ma.de no achievements sufficiently noteworthy to warrant reoommendatione. However. it is thougl1t that he is perhaps a bit too conservative. In my opinion, the vork done .in obtaining the necessary personnel tor the large expansion which the SSA underwent from December 1941 to ~eaent months, and in setting up the payroll and the complicated prooedures in making deductions tor retirement, victory tax, bond purchases, etc., is deserving of note. It is recommended that you consult with Colonel Slack on this matter and ascertain the na.mos of those to whom ~red.it is due. 9. Training Bra.nah.-Major Edgerton has been consulted and he fee1s· that this branch has ma.de no achievements sufficiently noteworthy to warrant reeommenda.tions. It vould, however, be false modesty if I failed to note the fa.et that the special texts in cryptography and cryptanalysis written by me during the past years were _of immeasurable aid in the self-instruction of the large majority of the new workers, and that these texts have been in demand by other and allied services. 10 •. Personnel outside SSA.--a. The contribution or Colonel Tiitman be.e already been mentioned above. In addition, -10· .' 't' REF ID: A41."'494 '119" .. \ \ in my opinion a very great contribution to ·our oryptanlytic operations has been ma.de by Mr. A. J. Denniston, head of the Diplomatic Division or GO & CS and bJ Mr. E. w. Travis, head of the Servicee Division of GO & cs. It would be a nice geet\ll'e testifying to our appreciation it Medal for Merit awards could be obtained for the latter two, and a rank in the Legion ot Merit for Colonel Tiltman. b. The .le.te Mr. A. H. Re.tber •s contribution tovard the development of the various equipments mentioned above, in which he was ably assisted by Mr. w•. Zenner, baa been of . sufficient importance to warrant recommendations for Medal of Merit awards on their behalf. Q.• · In addition to the foregoing I attach an R & W Sheet dealing wit~ the matter of ·an award-for Mr. L.A. Thompson of Acme Newepictures, Inc., on which Captain Prehn has prepared some de.ta. d. There is also attached an R & W·Sheet ·from Colonel Collins me, dealing with Mr. Reiber•s case and also with that of Mr. Frank A. Cowan, of the A.T,& T. Company. to e. Drafts of the recoDDnenda.tions submitted by Colonel Harold Doud are returned herewith, together w1th those submitted by the Chiefs .of A 11 B, c, E, and F Branches. William F. Friedman Director of Commuriications Research Attchd: I R &·W re L.A. Thompson /s/ Capt. Prshn R & W re ·Mr. Cowan and Mr. Reiber · 3. · 4 ltrs. Col.Doud . . 4. Memo :re "A Br. /s/ Sheetz 5. Memo re "B". Br.• /s/ Cook 6. R & W re "C" Br. 1/s/ Allsopp 7 •• · Memo re "E_" Br. /s/ B:rown 8 R & W re "F" Br. /s/ Rosen 1. 2. Lat \ \ \